Android programming

need help from any android fags.  I have a class that extends Activity that has a field which is an ArrayList. The arraylist gets populated by a different Activity.  My problem is that when ever the Activity with the arraylist field starts a new activity the GC reallocates all the fields.  Ive tried making the field static along with a few other things.  Any one know what the actual fuck?

>>3
Is there a reason to stay away from static? curious for knowledges sake.  The best rememdy i have is passing the point to the next activity using an intent and then passing it back.  Back that feels unacceptably inefficient to me