1. Formal presentation. Make a presentation at your church, school, business or community group.
2. Write. Send a support letter to all of your friends and family explaining your trip and asking for help.
3. Eat. Hold a dessert gathering for friends and family where you can share about your upcoming adventure.
4. House visits. Create a PowerPoint to share with friends and family. Schedule house visits to various homes and show the presentation.

5. Fundraiser. Hold a bake sale, car wash, garage sale, auction or other fundraiser for the group.
6. Sponsor flip-flops. Ask people you know to purchase a pair of flip-flops (for $20) for someone in need. Take their picture. Present the flip-flops to a child at your destination with a picture of the person who sent them.
7. Knit. Knit or sew garments for the children at your destination. Ask people to "sponsor" them for the kids.
8. Collect. Ask people you know to donate all of their soda cans and bottles to your group. Cash in on what you’ve collected—one group raised close to $1,000 this way!
9. Creative sacrifices. Ask people to give up coffee for a week and donate the money instead. Or, ask people to give up soda, restaurant meals, fast food or something else creative.
10. Dine out. Call your local pizza joint, ice cream store, donut shop or drive-in. Ask them if they will give your group a percentage of their proceeds on a certain night. Invite your friends and family to dine out on that day.
11. Advertise your services. What can you do? Is there something you could do on the side? Consider advertising your services — babysitting, catering, creative memories work, quilting, yard work, pet grooming, house sitting, house-sitting — and having all proceeds go to your trip.
12. Know a business traveler? Ask your friends or family who travel often to donate their frequent flier miles to your trip.
13. Purchase specially designed T-shirts at a low price and sell them to potential supporters for more. T-shirts are designed by Chizuru Johnson at Live Like Christ Clothing. For more information, please call Chizuru at (360) 852-8205 or e-mail her at: livelikechristclothing@comcast.net.

• Passport
• $5 for entry fee
• Refillable water bottle
• Bible
• Journal and pen
• Devotional
• Camera with charger (electrical outlets are the same as U.S.)
• Small flashlight
• Travel alarm clock
• Insect repellant (with DEET)
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Antiseptic hand wipes or instant hand sanitizer
• Tissue or handkerchief
• Work gloves
• Day pack
• Plastic bags for dirty laundry
• Lightweight clothing (no short shorts)
• Light sweater or jacket
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Closed-toed shoes
• Sunday church outfit
• Toiletries
• Medicine: aspirin, ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, etc.
• Friendship/Host gifts (it is important culturally to bring small gifts for hosts)
• Spending money in small denominations

During busy times, passport applications can take six months to process! Make sure you are on top of this.

For current processing time projections, check here:
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/processing/processing_1740.html

A passport is required to travel to Nicaragua. If you have never had a passport, you can get an application at you local post office or download it from: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html
You will need to take the unsigned application to a post office or acceptance office and sign under the eye of an agent. Then, submit your application at the post office or other acceptance office or mail it in with the following:

1. Previous U.S. passport or certified birth certificate
2. Two 2x2” passport photos (you can get these taken at Walgreens, the post office, etc)
3. Passport application fee (http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/fees/fees_837.html).

If you need to renew your passport, you can get an application at your local post office or download it from:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html
You can send in your application with your previous passport.
They’ll return both to you.