Cross Compilling programs for compaq C2010

Hello all!

As I mencioned, I got netBSD installed on a Compaq C2010. I'd like to 
install fluxbox and nano or vim.
I tried to compile fluxbox but, logically, It would take a lot of time. 
./configure was ok, but runnig make the process stopped apparently 
because I have no swap on the CF device (in order to preserve it a 
little I did not configure a swap partition).

As far as I'm concerned, there's no binary packages for the mips ports 
of netBSD, right?

My question is the following: there would be any way of compilling 
applications in another box (out of the little compaq c2010) and then 
take them to handheld?
In that case the machine arquitecture should be the same (a mips 
processor) or an i386 could be used?
Sorry for the elemental level of the question... I'm new to bsd and 
compilling.

Thanks in advance,
Matías