Frequently Asked Questions
​
When is the best time to come?
​
Visitors are welcome throughout the year and we are always pleased to meet old and new friends. Many people over the years have been blessed (as well as "been a blessing"!) as they've joined us for Christmas time, or Easter or attended our festivities over our annual Dayak celebrations in July.
If you are looking to enjoy some sunshine when you are here, keep in mind that we only have two seasons in the year. Dry season and Monsoon season. Usually, from around December until March time we experience the Monsoon season. Every year is different however, sometimes we have a longer dry season and sometimes it's shorter. But if you're looking for getting a tan you may want to avoid those months!
Our school holidays are usually different to the school holidays in the West. Our summer holidays are usually from June to July. During these months the children will be off from school. This means that there will be more programs during the day for the children which you may possible be able to help out with.
​
How long would you suggest to visit for?
​
Over the years we've had people visit for a couple days and others for a couple months. It is entirely up to you the duration you stay for and obviously you must take into consideration how long you have off work or how long your kids are off from school and so on. We recommend 3 to 4 weeks as a good length of time to visit Living Waters Village and suggest a minimum of 2 weeks. This gives enough time here to begin to get into the rhyme of the ministry, build life lasting friendships here and even start picking up some of the language. Please also take into consideration that traveling from Europe (for example) to the village can take 2/3 days one way. We look forward to meeting you!
If you are staying for over a month you will most likely be under a 2 month social visa, the visa is only functional if you are staying on our premises. This means it is not possible to stay at Living Waters Village for a short duration and then travel to other Islands of Indonesia under the same visa. You will be required to apply for a visiting visa after your stay here if that is the case. This can be further explained later in the application process. Please inform us of your travel plans after your stay in Living Waters Village so that we may be able to advise you on further visa options.
​
Why is there an application process?
​
We have many people throughout the year visiting Living Waters Village and we ask that each visitor goes through an application process with our friendly visitors coordinating team. This is so we can get to know you a bit before heading over for your visit, as well as being able to begin to plan what you may be able to help out with during your stay.
With so many people wanting to visit we want to make sure everything is as organized as possible for your trip, and so we can also know who is coming and when!
Within the application process we ask for reference details, church information and also ask for a DBS/VOG check where available. Thank you for your cooperation and we hope you enjoy getting to know some of our amazing team before your trip. To start the application process just head to our contact page and send us a message. Again, we are so looking forward to meeting you!
​
Where do I fly to?
​
There are two main options for where to fly to: Kuching or Jakarta. We highly advise flying to Kuching, Malaysia as we have a base in Kuching where you will be able to stay the night to prepare for a one day journey over to the village base (in Indonesia). One of our people will be able to pick you up from the airport. Another option is to go through Pontianak, Indonesia, but we have no overnight facility of our own there.
​
What if I can't speak Indonesian?
It is not necessary that you are fluent in Indonesian. However, we do recommend that you learn as much as possible before you visit, even if it is just some simple phrases which you can use throughout the day. Our kids here learn English in school and enjoy practicing English with visitors. They love it when visitors try out some Indonesian as well. Before your visit you will be sent a pdf with some basic Indonesian on it, which you can print off and start practicing with, as well as lots of material being available online. We will have a guide from the ministry who will meet you at the airport and travel with you back to our village.
If you are planning to stay long term we strongly advice you to learn as much Indonesian as possible. When living long term in a different culture it is important to know the language to be able to communicate more effectively with fellow colleagues. Once here you will find that you will pick up the language more quickly. With all learning, the 'why' we are learning is an important factor of the process. If you want to make the most of your visit and experience, learning the language will make a big difference.
​
What can I do to help?
We can't say for certain what you will be doing to help whilst you visit. Why? Because every month we have different projects on the go. Meaning every day we have different work which needs to be done. The most important thing we ask (and love to see) is a "here I am Lord"-attitude. There are so many ways to serve the Lord here, sometimes there are 'big' jobs that need doing and sometimes 'small' jobs, but they are all Kingdom work and all need doing. Visitors usually help in a range of things: painting, helping with building projects, cooking, helping with daycare for young kids & babies, helping in our sewing room, teaching, mechanics and lots, lots more!
Within the application process there is also a section for sharing with us what skill-set or occupation you have. If you have a specific skill we would love for some of our people to learn from you to be able to continue to use these in our village. For some, they would rather do something completely different whilst here, then what they usually do for work back home, which is also fine for us. Again, the most important thing is having an attitude to serve in any way possible.
​
Can I perform something or share in Church when there?
​
Of course! We welcome visitors (teams and individuals) to perform a drama, sing a song or share a testimony during there stay. Our kids love to see performances from different cultures, and love a funny educational drama. We have several meetings through the week where it is possible to share, just let one of our team know beforehand or whilst here that you would like to do something (and what you would like to share/perform) and we can arrange the rest.
​
Can I come with a team?
What is the max amount of people I can bring in my team?
Yes! We welcome teams from all over the world. LWV is a great place for team building within a church or a company. Learning to work together and build relationships within your team. There are great opportunities to share in our church here, team building exercises and to enjoy some great fellowship within your team. We have had teams in the past from Bible colleges, youth churches, Youth for Mission, YWAM and many more.
We don't have a strict set maximum amount of people for a team. We do however advise a max of 30 people. This is because with large teams we have to hire a charter bus to transport the team from the airport to the village. The max amount of seats in one charter bus is 30 people. For teams larger than 30 we can still accommodate for, but the price for an extra charter bus needs to be taken into consideration.
​
Who can I visit with?
​
We welcome all ages to visit Living Waters Village. Many families with kids have visited over the years and have been blessed with memories which will last a lifetime. For younger children we encourage them to also join with the children's program which is available during the day to give them opportunities to play with some of our children here. You'll be surprised to hear them speaking Indonesian by the time they leave!
Visiting with your boyfriend or girlfriend is accepted but we remind you that we live here in a very different culture here than in the West. Many things which are socially acceptable in the West are not accepted socially here. This will be shared in more detail within your application on coming, as well as when you arrive in the village. Separate accommodation will be provided.
​
How much money do I need to bring with me?
​
Within the cost of your LWV trip (this will be worked out later during the application process) is included your accommodation, transport and food in the village. You are expected to purchase your own lunch and supper during your stay in Kuching before and after your visit to the village, breakfast is included in your stay. Which means you don't need to bring a lot of money on hand if you don't want to.
Every week in the village we have a truck going to town where you can go shopping for snacks, food and gifts for people back home. There are also ATM's in the town, they do not however accept all cards.
More details will be sent after your application is accepted.
​
I want to visit long-term, what advice would you give?
​
Lots of prayer! We welcome people to visit whether for short or long term. Visiting long term is a big life-decision and really needs to be confirmed it is a calling from the Lord. With Him we can overcome everything we face. We advice speaking with your pastor/church as well as with your family before hopping on a plane. Prayer is so important when making these sorts of life decisions so it's great to pray with others as well. We recommend visiting for a few weeks/short term beforehand to confirm it is from the Lord and that you have the peace that Col 3:15 talks about.
When you begin to make plans to stay in Living Waters Village long term we suggest learning as much Indonesian as possible. This saves a lot of time when you arrive because you will already be able to start having conversations and getting to know people straight away rather than having to learn first. Keep in mind how long you plan to stay. We consider long term to be 1 year and more. What will you do with things back home? What about your work back home? Who will feed the fish?
For long-term visitors there will be a review two months after your arrival.
​