My Essentials

We are very excited to share that we have officially decided to continue with our team here in SE Asia LONG TERM after our first two year commitment ends.  We feel like very exciting rolls have taken shape for both my wife and I professionally, and that the Lord has opened amazing doors and gone before us in a powerful way in ministry.  We are excited to say “yes” to being faithful where He has placed us. 

Currently we are back in the States preparing for continuing on long term, and as we are making sure we have all we need and that everything is in place, I thought it would be fun to drop a “10 things Richard can’t live without” list (similar to GQ’s “Essentials” series on YouTube) to give people a glimpse at what I think is essential as someone who lives and works internationally. 

My Essentials: 

1. Bible
   1. This one should be obvious. Our ability to reach those around us is limited by our own walk with the Lord, a walk which is heavily dependant on God’s Word. I think it’s worth the weight in a suitcase to bring a couple physical copies of the Bible with you (I’ve got my devotional Bible and ESV study Bible), and Bible apps are super helpful as well (I use Blue Letter Bible, Bible.is, and a digital version of the Bible in the language of the country we work in). 
2. Hydro Flask 
   1. A good water bottle is a must when you a) travel frequently, and b) live in the tropics.  Staying hydrated really helps you feel good and stay healthy, so I carry a water bottle with me everywhere.  I use a sky blue Hydro Flask that is super durable, fits well in both my travel bag and my work bag, and keeps water cold on hot days. 
3. Travel Shoes
   1.  The right footwear makes a huge difference on super long plane rides.  The floor of the plane gets UBER cold on long international flights so you need something that gives you enough of a barrier from the ground, but also something that slips on and off easy for going through security or if you want to put your feet up.  Comfy materials are also a big plus.  For flying or road-trips I’ve got the Stampd x Puma Trinomic Sock from 2015.  It’s a slip on made from a beautifully buttery soft nubuck that has a trinomic cushioned running/lifestyle midsole.  
4. Leaf Razor 
   1. Both to beat the heat and to meet cultural norms I stay clean shaven when on the field.  However, Gillete style razors are hard to come by in my location, and I HATE spending way to much money for plastic razor refills that just take up suitcase space and create unneeded waste.  So, I recently invested in a Leaf brand razor - basically a multi-blade, pivoting head safety razor.  Now I just need to bring a small pack of razor blades in my suitcase and I can stay clean shaven without generating waste for years.  Plus it has a lifetime warranty. 
5. Google Pixel Phone
   1. We use Google Pixel phones for a couple reasons.  First, we really like Google’s Fi phone network (free international data roaming, which means that most places in the world you can use the internet and message people via WhatsApp).  The phones are also unlocked, which means that to save money we can pause our Fi plan and use a local SIMcard when we are in the country we work in. Second, the phones are very high quality, designed to be seamless with the most recent Android updates, and have the best smartphone cameras ever.  Gotta get those awesome pictures for the ‘gram. 
6. Laptop (Chromebook)
   1. So much of my work uses a laptop (when I’m not out in a field digging in the dirt, that is).  For research I have all digital subscriptions to academic journals, use Google Docs for word processing and collaborating, and use zoom/Google Meeting for communication, among many other tasks.  I prefer a Chromebook because of their lighter weight, excellent security, incredible speed, and web browsing ease.  
7. Good rain gear
   1. We live in a country where it rains every day for at least half of the year, and travel around the city mainly happens on a motorbike.  You won’t make it without rain gear.  And I think it’s worth investing in the good stuff, both to save money and reduce waste over time, and to keep yourself from being miserable.  When we first went over I had a nice Columbia omni rain jacket, and once we got our own motorbike I invested in a full rain suit from a local brand.  It’s always in my bag, wherever I go. 
8. Eiger over-shoulder satchel 
   1. Instead of stuffing my pockets, getting pickpocketed, and still not having enough space, I have embraced the local trend of our country for men to have bags.  Mine is from Eiger, a well known outdoors brand in SE Asia, and fits not only my phone, keys, wallet, facemask, Kindle, and a pen, but can also fit a snack for when I’m in the fields.  I carry this with me everywhere if I’m not bringing my full backpack, and even often will bring it along with the backpack for ease of access. 
9. Kindle 
   1. You don’t have space or weight in your suitcase to bring many books overseas, so getting an e-reader to download your library on is such a baller move.  I LOVE to read, and am usually reading more than one thing at once.  It is a great way to continue learning or seek new information, or a geat way for me to rest and take some time off just to enjoy a book.  With a Kindle, you can bring your books on theology, your novels, your biographies, and more with you, and you can continue to add books to your library without compromising space.  I always have this with me. 
10. Small box board games
    1. I am a board game nut, but again, you don’t have enough room or weight in a suitcase (usually) to bring all your favorite board games.  Instead, we have invested in some really incredible “small box games”, that come in small packages (and can sometimes be condensed even more) but don’t sacrifice quality of the game.  Some favorites include Hardback from Fowler Games and The Matchbox Collection from Thundergryph Games. 

--Richard