This section is deliberately short. Preparing lightly is part of the challenge, so please resist the urge to train hard.
Why prepare so little
Displacement comes without warning. Nobody gets a training plan, the right clothes or time to get fit. If your team arrives unprepared, you are closer to the real experience.
That does not mean arriving careless. It means preparing your hearts and your household, not your fitness.
A simple plan
This plan asks very little. Use it as a guide, not a rulebook.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Four weeks before | Talk together about the day, and share any worries. Begin sharing your story with sponsors |
| Three weeks before | Tell the organisers about any health needs. An ordinary family walk is plenty, if you like |
| Two weeks before | Choose your everyday clothes, including the abayas and hijabs. Find shoes with a good grip. Arrange childcare |
| One week before | Work through the final-week checklist below |
Practical skills
These small habits help on the day, and none needs practice time.
- Lift with your knees, not your back
- Hold the doll as you would hold a real baby, with a hand supporting the head
- Say clearly when you need help, and say yes when it is offered
- Drink little and often
- Agree together how you will call a marshal if someone is in trouble
Organisers should set the same suitcase weight for every team. Keep it within what the person carrying it can safely manage, and agree it in the risk assessment.
Spiritual preparation
Begin by setting your intention, or niyyah (the purpose behind an action). Ask yourselves why you are doing this, and who you are doing it for.
Then ask for strength, and for sabr (patient perseverance). You may like to pray together, and to make dua for displaced people everywhere. The verse below is a comfort to anyone carrying a heavy load.
God does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear.
Quran 2:286
One question is worth asking as a family. If you had ten minutes to leave your home, what would you take?
Final-week checklist
Tick these off in the last week.
- Shoes chosen, with a good grip
- Everyday clothes picked out, including the women’s favourite abaya and hijab
- A full dry change of clothes, a towel and a bag for each person
- Childcare confirmed for any younger children
- Health needs shared with the organisers
- Minibus pick-up time and place confirmed
- A plan to eat well and rest the night before
Now to the challenge itself. It begins with the call.