Finances

Volunteers and students are responsible for the following expenses:

EXPENSES
Our volunteers pay their own travel costs, which includes the trip from the airport to the station, and trips to town, and the return trip to the airport on departure. They pay for their own food. Housing and utilities are provided without charge.

• Airport Pick Up - K135
• Groceries - K180 per person per week estimate
  • an initial supply of basic grocery items will be purchased in advance by one of the missionaries, and placed in your guest flat; you will need to reimburse that person after your arrival, usually about K75 (approximately US$ 25)
  • Shopping trip/other trips to Hagen K190*
• Medical registration - K30
• Visa – K100 per person paid at the Immigration desk at the airport
• Internet use -
• Airport Drop Off K130
• Telephone service for calls outside the station is not provided.  You may buy an inexpensive, pre-paid cell phone (“Digicell”) at the airport or in Mount Hagen.  This is the best way to call home, and is very convenient for communication on the station.

*Often trips are shared (especially shopping trips and airport trips) so the cost is divided.

This information is listed in the WMM information (some volunteers didn't notice that, and were surprised to learn about this). Some amounts may have changed since the last update of the WMM material.

CURRENCY
I suggest that you exchange about $200 US at the airport in Moresby. There is a bank window in the luggage pickup/customs area. This should be plenty until you can get to the bank. If you have a debit card, there is an ATM that takes them, and is by far the least troublesome and least expensive to get money into the country. You can get up to K2000 at a time. Remember to notify your card companies and banks that you are traveling internationally, or they may freeze your card when they detect a transaction far from your usual locations.

The Kina is currently worth about 1/3 of a US dollar.

INSURANCE
Insurance is required, and it must be obtained through Nazarene headquarters. This is medical coverage, emergency evacuation coverage, and coverage for “repatriation of mortal remains.” It costs about US$ 2.75 per day, and may be obtained online at www.missioncorps.org (follow the link for “Resources”).

For more information, contact:
Duane Baty
6401 The Paseo
Kansas City, MO 64131
wmvolunteer@nazarene.org

PERSONAL EXPENSES
This includes souvenirs, side trips, etc.