Mission Details and FAQs

 
 

Travel dates:

There are three options to travel for mission:

  1. Sunday 9 July through Friday 14 July (6 Days); and

  2. Friday 14 July through Wednesday 19 July (6 Days); and

  3. Sunday 9 July through Wednesday 19 July (12 Days)

Q>Why these two sets of dates?
A>Because it makes it easier to arrange transfers for Jakarta Airport to Bukit Karmel which is between 2 and 3 hours driving time.

Q>Can I stay on for both?
A>Yes, you can but some of the activities will be similar.

Q>What sort of travel time is involved, assuming I travel with Qantas?
A>The stopover in Sydney is approx 2-4hrs. Flight time between Sydney<>Jakarta is 7.5hrs. The return flight from Jakarta is an overnight flight.

The first day is long, being mostly travel from Australia. The final day tends to be travel from Indonesia in the afternoon and overnight, therefore the night can be long.

Current bookings through Qantas.

  • Departing 9 July Adelaide on QF 674 to Melbourne, then QF39 arriving in Jakarta at 7.15p 9 July local time.

  • Departing 19 July Jakarta on QF42 to Sydney, then QF733 arriving in Adelaide at 10.30a 20 July local time.

  • Costs - ~$1500pp adult fare as at 23 March.

Time zone & weather.

What is needed to travel.

Things you need to be able to travel for mission:

  • Valid passport with at least 6 months of validity

  • Comprehensive travel insurance

  • Vaccinations as determined in consultation with your GP

In addition, for the mission trip, you will need:

  • $50AUD for immigration tourist VISA upon arrival, and $50AUD for departure tax

  • Signed Mission Trip Consent & Commitment form

  • Attend team meetings prior to leaving which cover cultural and language briefings, trip information, personal preparation and shared prayer

And if you are willing, 5-10kg of checkin luggage space to transport supplies from Australia to Bukit Karmel. Freight is very expensive and so every person travelling to Bukit Karmel helps to move donated and purchased items from Australia to Jakarta. Such items include stationery, materials, clothing, educational products, books etc.

COVID vaccination requirements.

  • You must have received a full initial COVID-19 vaccine course (usually 2 doses) to enter Indonesia.

  • Children under 18 are not required to be vaccinated to enter Indonesia

  • For domestic travel, further vaccination and booster requirements apply for adults and children aged between 6 and 17 years.

Flight costs, transfers & options ($AUD).

Flight costs at the moment are around ~$1500 return from Adelaide to Jakarta. This price was taken from Qantas website.

However there are many flight options.

  • For those booking direct, you can fly Adelaide to Jakarta via Sydney with Qantas.

  • Other options include Malaysian Airlines from Adelaide through Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta.

  • And Singapore fly from Adelaide through Singapore to Jakarta.

  • For those considering a holiday connected with the mission trip, there are always cheap Jetstar options from Adelaide to Bali, and then local flights from Bali to Jakarta.

  • Transfers from the Airport to accommodation and to Bukit Karmel are handled by Bukit Karmel. The travel time is 1.5-3hrs depending on traffic. Please note that transfers will be timed with the Qantas arrival and departure times.

However there is no shortage of alternative transfer options which can be worked through depending on your travel plans.

Accommodation & Incidental Costs ($AUD).

  • Hotel accommodation is hosted at Bigland Hotel in Bogor, which is owned by a member of the Bukit Karmel Governance Board.

  • Approximate costs for accommodation is $50 per night, or $25 per person per night for twin share. These costs include breakfast each morning.

  • Allow daily costs of $10 which cover food at Bukit Karmel and transport.

  • Travel insurance will cost approximately $100.

Mission Trip Cost Summary ($AUD).

  • Expected costs total approximately $2100. Personal costs start from $200 and up.

  • Flights ($1500), Visa & Exit ($100), Accommodation ($300), Transfers ($50), Daily ($60), Activities ($100)

  • Personal costs include travel insurance (~$100), incidental supplies ($100), gifts ($), giving ($), spending($)

Giving here relates to being a blessing to the staff and ministry at Bukit Karmel. Giving should be through the staff leadership to avoid any conflict after we leave.

Exchange rate and cost of goods.

Costs for food and accommodation, most clothes and labour based services are comparatively low when compared to Australia.

However other items like electronic equipment, petrol and imported goods is parity with Australia.

The Australian dollar fetches a strong exchange.

  • $1AUD = 10,000 Rupiah and that provides a rough guide for exchanges.

  • The number of zero’s is hard for us to work through at first but you get used to it.

  • See exchange rates here.

Government advisories.

What do I pack and bring.

  • Travel light but travel well. Travelling can be tricky at a local level where space is at a minimum and distances long.

  • Light coloured, loose-fitting clothing. Cotton clothing are easy to wash and carry.

  • Modest clothing is important. Sunday Services are more formal in attire.

  • Bathers and swim gear.

  • Toiletries like soap, toothpaste, deodorant, shavers, etc. A roll of toilet paper is recommended.

  • Journal book or app, pen and bible. A portable battery pack is important for your electronics while out and about during the day.

  • Basic medicinals, including sunscreen, panadol, savlon, bandaids, imodium, and personal prescribed meds and hygiene products.

  • Insect repellent (tropical strength).

  • Ensure you have locks for your baggage and backpacks so that your things are secure. Remember to adequately label all your gear!

  • 'Zip lock bags' or laundry mesh bags are very useful to compartmentalise your gear.

  • A bath towel and single sheet can prove handle for swimming, bathing and sleeping.

  • A torch can be handy.

  • Gifts from Australia to share.

  • Leave most of your jewellery and other values home!

Mobile Phones and Data/Call Access.

  • Your phone will provide an alarm and torch and time! Access to Wifi is reasonable in the hotel, but patchy elsewhere. The best way to communicate is using data. This includes emails, web surfing and using ‘data’ to video or voice call via messenger or whatsapp or facetime etc.

  • Access to the local phone network can be pre-purchased from Australia in the form of a sim card that allows access to the local Indonesian Mobile network.

  • International roaming on your own Australian phone plan is likely to be very expensive so be cautious and beware.

Practical Advice.

  • A single case with wheels is advised, with a backpack which you can use for daily movement.

  • Light-weight long pants and long-sleeved shirts, as well as a hat, are especially recommended, for both modesty reasons and to protect yourself from diseases you can be exposed to through insect bites.

  • Casual but presentable clothing should be worn for meetings/Bible studies.

  • Female bathing costumes need to be under T-shirts and shorts. When in public, women should avoid wearing camisoles, tank tops or halter tops that bare their shoulders. And avoid short shorts or miniskirts in general.

  • Be prepared to hand washing your own laundry. Take a few pegs and some coat hangers use as a clothes line.

  • A cross-cultural experience is about leaving our western lifestyle and entering into another world; a different world. This affects our sleeping and bathing arrangements, taste buds, and tests our attitude!

  • Your Backpack / Day Bag will rarely leave your side, whether you're travelling, attending meetings or on site at Bukit Karmel. You'll carry your every-day items in it including water bottle, bible and camera, so you'll need to bring something that is both appropriate and comfortable. Some backpacks have a detachable day pack which is ideal.

  • Money Bags and belts are a good way of stashing your cash. 'Bum bags' can be a target for fast hands wanting fast cash. These also can be bought at department stores.

Food Advice.

  • Drink only bottled water and beware ice unless it is from a hotel.

  • Be cautious of street food. Our Adelaide stomach’s are too refined to handle some of the local bugs. Hotel and restaurants are normally your best options, but feel free to ask for advice.

  • Meals served at Bukit Karmel are already considerate of visitors and safe to eat.

  • Indonesia has strict drug laws so bring a doctors note with any prescribed medication that is ‘complex’. And if you are in doubt, check with your GP.

Mission Activities & FAQs.

Activities in support of Mission.

If you cannot go, we understand. But we would dearly love and value your support. Psalm 46:10 says:

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world.”

  • Whether you are going, or you a supporter of the Missions Trip, we would love you to pray. Would you consider being a prayer partner for someone who is going on the trip? Would you join in prayer than while in Indonesia, the Lord would be honoured and exalted. Prayer is essential. Prayer is the first way to be involved.

  • Maybe you cannot go, but maybe you want to support someone else who would like to go, but cannot afford the costs. A sponsorship sort of arrangement might be the way to show support and help someone else go.

  • Or rather then going, would you consider investing into the Bukit Karmel ministry and the orphanage and its activities. Maybe a contribution to the facility or some of the renovations that are taking place is a way you can support the Missions Trip.

If you are interested in supporting in prayer or financially, please speak to Mavis or one of the Eldership Team - Alf, Jim, Nev or Devinder. Giving can be done through our Mission Envelopes at Church, or giving online noting your giving as either:

  • sponsorship for an individual to go; or

  • investing into the ministry according to what is most needed.

However if you can go, then we would love you to come and see.

The itinerary.

  • There will be two itineraries provided closer to the travel time. These will relate to the first week of the school holidays being Sunday 9 July through Friday 14 July (6 Days); and

    and the second week of the holidays being Friday 14 July through Thursday 20 July (7 Days).

  • The first and last day of the trip is given to inbound and outbound travel.

  • Children under 18 are not required to be vaccinated to enter Indonesia

  • For domestic travel, further vaccination and booster requirements apply for adults and children aged between 6 and 17 years.

Activities away Mission.

There are four primary activities scheduled for the mission trip:

  1. Repairs & Build - this includes helping with minor repairs, gardening, painting, cleaning, replacing and moving. There are plenty of buildings and grounds that need TLC and that means lots of practical activity

  2. Mentor & Encourage - this includes spending time with people and hearing their story, sharing wisdom and encouragement and providing some mentoring and support in everyday living, key life decisions, spiritual and practical matters. This includes showing kindness and giving a listening ear. This includes sharing the word and reading the bible together and discussing what it means in application. It also means prayer and sharing together.

  3. Show & Teach - This is where we impart our skills and show and teach others the gifts we have been given. It might be showing someone how to pray, how to sew, how to draw or play a game. It might be showing how to prune or garden or fold sheets. It might include how to cook and bake and prepare food. It might include various crafts and even my favourite - origami! It might include teaching the gospel or showing how to read the bible.

  4. Play & Be - There is nothing better then playing and being with others. This includes organised activities that are fun including sporting events, group games and skits, singing or just sitting in a group playing Uno. Or just being and talking. It might mean being with the staff and shadowing and assisting them. It might mean cuddling the little kids and playing with them. Having fun is the way.

For each of those categories of activities, you might use singing, playing, sport, cooking, sewing, making, craft, drawing, acting, games, talking or any interest or skill you have. You might teach one of the young people how to repair a door handle. You might show a young person how to organise their space. You might show a young person some drills to improve their basketball. You might work with a young person on a wordfind. Baking a cake. Making Jelly. Pruning a tree. Playing spoons. Praying. Reading the Bible. Helping with homework. Being family!

There is plenty of room for ministry, prayer, sharing the word, giving a testimony and praying and believing for miracles as we take a step of faith!