Uganda Hot Mess

It is hard to believe that it has been so long since I have paid any attention to this blog.  

I have been preparing for a mission trip to Uganda lately. 

My church has a team going to do a mobile medical clinic and pastor's conference 

in the Kitgum District of the Gulu Region of northern Uganda.  

Go ahead, look it up on Google maps.  

I'll wait....

Over the last few weeks is has been more than a part-time job for me.  

As medical items ordered for the trip have come in,

purchases of person gear have been made,

and items have been gathered 

they have been pitched onto the dining room table...

and into my black plastic trunk 

to wait for me to get ready to pack. 

It all looks like a hot mess of stuff (and I guess it is).

I have everything here from battery packs and chargers, nonperishable food, towels/washcloths, sleeping gear, medical equipment, etc.  

Lots of etc.  

It looks like so much to take but really once I remove things from their packaging 

and get them organized it will look much better.

I do like to pack.  Weird, I know.

This fancy little gadget is a solar charger.

Anything that can be charged through a USB can be charged with it.  

Cool, huh?  

I got this from my husband for Christmas this year with thoughts of it helping me 

keep my iPad and phone charged up while we are in 

the middle of nowhere in northern Uganda. 

When it if folded up is it about the size of a spiral-bound notebook.  

I weighs about that much too.  

The battery pack can be charged with a micro USB AC charger also.

So far this thing is pretty cool.  

I am very curious to know how it will perform when I put it to the test next week.  

I'll report back.  :)

Post Uganda report:  this thing rocked!  It charged very reliably with the sun and charged my iPad up close to 70% or used about half of the charge to juice up my phone.  Two thumbs up!