Los Amigos is a faith-based organization dedicated to supporting programs that improve and transform the lives of the poor of Chimbote, Peru.

Read About Chimbote Donate Now

Visit Chimbote

What to Bring

There are two types of items to bring to Chimbote:

Items for your own use
Items to be left behind after your visit

Past visitors to Chimbote compiled this checklist of suggested items to pack:

Passport (Also, make sure to leave a copy of passport at home)
Copy of your passport (in color if possible) - pack in separate place from your original passport.
Airline or e-tickets
Credit and/or debit card
Secure place to keep your documents and money and credit/debit cards, such as a money belt
Any important personal medical information
Personal toiletries (some suggested items: antibacterial hand gel, soap, Tylenol or Advil, Immodium, sunscreen)
Washcloths, a hand towel, and a bath towel
Easy to use English-Spanish dictionary
Pictures of where you live, your family, your pets, etc. (the people love to look at them)
Travel clock (wind-up or battery-operated)
MP3 player or iPod
220-volt converter to make electrical devices compatible to the South American electricity. Without a converter, you will be unable to use device such as hair dryers, battery chargers, etc.
Re-useable water bottle
Camera (there are several photo shops in Chimbote that can develop your film or print photos from a digital camera so that you may share them with your new friends at the mission)
Small flashlight/batteries since the electricity can go out frequently.
Energy bars/small snack items
Back pack or "day pack"
Casual, modest, seasonally appropriate clothing. In order to respect the local culture, please make sure your clothing is modest (for example, women should avoid tight tank tops, short shorts and short skirts while men should not go bare-chested). It is best if jewelry, including watches, is small and modest or left at home. Check www.weather.com to find out about the weather in the month you plan to visit.
Ziploc bag with laundry detergent

Items to Be Left Behind After Your Visit

Volunteers delivering donations and beds. One of the ways visitors have helped the people of Chimbote is by using extra luggage space to transport items for the mission. If you are interested in doing this, please note:

Extra luggage may result in extra charges
Most airlines allow one standard size carry-on as well as 1-2 pieces of luggage that can be "checked" per person. Many visitors are able to limit their own personal luggage to the carry-on so that their “checked” bag/s can be used to bring donations. You can limit space devoted to clothing by hiring the women in the parish in Chimbote who will do laundry for you with a 1-2 day turnaround. The fee is minimal. It is suggested that you bring a zip-lock bag with your own laundry detergent in it.

Please be prepared to pay fees for any additional weight/luggage
If you are taking the bus from Lima to Chimbote, there is a fee for every extra kilo of weight over 20 kilos (44 pounds). Some airlines allow 50 pounds for each piece of checked baggage and 40 pounds for carry-on baggage but weight and luggage restrictions often change and it’s important to check your airline’s Web site for their specific rules. If you have extra room, your willingness to fill it with needed items is very much appreciated; however, visitors should be prepared to pay any fees for additional weight. The mission cannot be responsible for luggage fees of any kind.

Below is a list of easily transportable items always in need in the mission:

Combs and brushes
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Soap
Shampoo (not conditioner)
Hair clips and bobby pins
Reading glasses
Lice and scabies medication
Powdered formula for babies
Socks of all sizes
Caps/hats –baseball-style
Duct tape
Dictionaries with English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translations
Coloring books in Spanish
Coloring pencils or markers (not crayons)
Pens and pencils
Glue, especially paper glue in stick form