“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” -John 10:14-15
Registrar/Location Interaction
The Ships Registrar and Location Leaders all work very closely together. It is a mutual effort to recruit, process applications, make phone calls, etc.
We try to have all formal communication come directly from the Registrar ( Arrival Details, etc) and more of a relational relationship being built between the location and applicants.
Email templates
Located in the Outreach Registrar Google Drive is a folder called “Email Templates”. We have specific templates we use for the following:
- Outreach General Enquiry
- PNG Enquiry
- Marshal Islands Enquiry
- Panama Enquiry
- Kona Enquiry
- Application Received
- Follow Up Email
- Acceptance Pacific Link
- Acceptance Marshal Islands
- Acceptance Panama
- Acceptance Kona
- Vaccination Explained
Please select the appropriate email template to be inserted into the body of the email you are sending. The templates are meant to assist you and help you to work more efficiently as well as communicate clearly.
If an enquiry or applicant asks specific questions in their email feel free to add to the template. The template is not meant to limit your communication, but to assist you so you are not re-typing the same email over and over. Feel free to add in additional paragraphs where you answer individuals questions, get a specific word or verse for them, tell them a bit about your missions experience, etc.
You may also remove sections of the templates if they are not applicable to an applicant.
Attachments
Located in the [email protected] Google Drive is a folder called “Outreach Handbooks”. These attachments are for applicants or enquiries prior to them arriving at their Location.
- General Health Forms
- + 65 years / medical condition Health Forms
- Medical License Applications for PNG
- Preparing to Come Booklets
- Indemnity Insurance
- Customs Letter for PNG
Enquiry Received
If the enquiry has provided their phone number please call them right away to answer their questions as well as to pray for them and encourage them.
Please email them the appropriate template, then set a reminder for yourself to email them a follow up email in 10 days time.
Applications
When you receive a new application please send them the “Application Received” email template. Please feel free to remove any portion of the email template that does not pertain to the applicant. Please also feel free to give them a call to answer any questions they might have.
Add them to the “Tracker” and “Application Tracker”.
Create a reminder for yourself to contact them again in a week or two.
Contact the ministry location to ensure they have housing and ministry availability for the teams requested dates.
For an application to be considered complete it must have the following:
Online Form
Please double check to ensure the online form is completely filled out and legible.
Health Forms – Vaccination portion must be completed, it does not need to be signed by a doctor. You need one form for each team member. We also have a health form specific for individuals who present with an ongoing health condition or over the age of 65 years.
Once you have heard back from a ministry location that they are able to host the team please send them the acceptance email template, as well as the location preparing to come PDF.
At the same time you receive notification that the applicant has been accepted, you will need to notify the visa desk. You will need to continue to relate to the visa desk regarding the status of their visa applications.
General Location Information
Some of our locations, such as The Pacific Link are not suitable for families with children under the age of 6. There is a great risk of falling, going overboard, sliding down ladders etc. If children do accompany the parents on an outreach they should already be competent swimmers.
Accommodation for Families
There are only 2 rooms on board the Pacific Link suitable for married couples. Each room has a double bed and some storage. Children are housed in dormitory style bunk beds.
There are no private family bathrooms or showers. All facilities are shared dormitory style.
In Panama it is a large house with dormitory style bedrooms. Families can expect a room with bunks, and shared bathrooms.
Marshal Islands is also a shared house. Families can expect a room and shared bathrooms.
Kona is hotel style rooms, with small children they are housed in the same room as parents. If children are older they are housed in a room with bunks directly next door to their parents. Bathroom are private in room. Rooms are not connected by an interior door.
In PNG all teams are housed in bunk dormitory style accommodation. There is one female cabin with 20 bunks, two male cabins with 8 bunks each. Each individual is assigned a bunk as well as a small locker for storing personal items. Common bathrooms are shared.
In Panama it is a large house with dormitory style bedrooms. Individuals can expect a room with bunks, and shared bathrooms.
Marshal Islands is also a shared house. Individuals can expect a room and shared bathrooms.
Kona is also dormitory with 2 bunks per room and a private bathroom per room.
If coming to Kona fees can be paid online at www.ywamships.net/donate $40 USD per person per day for food / accommodation.
Outreach fees are due in cash upon arrival to the Pacific Link. Please ask individuals to pay in USD or KINA. If paying in USD the bills should not have been printed prior to the year 2000.
Outreach fees are also due in cash upon arrival to Marshal Islands in USD. $30 USD per person per day for food / accommodation / transport.
Outreach fees are also due in cash upon arrival to Panama in USD. $25 USD per person per day for food / accommodation.
Please refer to the fee calculator to determine the exact cost of a volunteers outreach.
Please refer any difficult questions regarding tricky subjects such as homosexuality, medical marijuana, etc. to Gateway Ministry Leader.
Visas
All of our teams join us on the Aid Worker visa. This visa can be applied for up to one year in length. This visa costs about $50 USD (depending on country of citizenship) and can take up to 12 weeks to process.
We do not need visas to visit the Marshall as we have an MOU with the immigration.
Depending on Nationality applicants will come on either the Visa Waiver Program or the B/1 visa.
** Passports should not expire within 6 months of the end of outreach date.
Vaccination Policy
YWAM Ships requires all physically able incoming staff, volunteers and trainees to have up to date vaccinations. Our heart behind this policy is the belief that God has called us to reach the most isolated people in the South Pacific Islands, utilizing ships to bring much needed medical care and supplies.
In many rural areas of the globe certain diseases are still quite rampant. An example would be that every day world wide there are about 400 deaths just from Measles alone. One of the ministries we do when we go into rural areas is provide basic health care training, deliver medical supplies as well as administer vaccinations.
Pregnant women, new borns, those with compromised immune systems and the elderly are very at risk and highly susceptible to preventable diseases. These are quite often the individuals we are serving and ministering to. We believe as potential health care providers it is our calling to protect those who are unable to guard themselves against illness.
This is not a YWAM International policy, but a policy of YWAM Ships Kona.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Hep A and Hep B and Polio
We highly encourage individuals to take Malaria medication for the duration of the outreach.
We do understand that there are varying beliefs regarding vaccinations, please feel free to encourage trainees to take some time and prayerfully consider joining with us. Alternatively if they feel called elsewhere we are able to transfer their application to a YWAM location of their choice that does not have this requirement.
Preparing to Come Information
All teams joining YWAM Ships, and family members accompanying them, are required to have health insurance for the duration of their trip. They are required to provide proof of insurance prior to arriving. If they arrive without insurance, they will be required to purchase some as part of the registration process.
YWAM Ships Kona does not recommend or endorse any one company, in the past teams have used www.talent-trust.com However, we recommend they do their own research and choose their own plan.
Medical teams are also required to purchase indemnity insurance. A sample company can be found in your Google Drive Attachments.
We ask that all teams arrive on the official arrival day into the airport on the Ship tracker for PNG. This day is when Registration occurs, and Orientation starts the following morning.
Once a team has sent you their flight itinerary please add their arrival details to the appropriate “Application Tracker” in your google drive.
Teams arriving into Kona, Panama, Marshal Islands have flexibility as the arrival date is not set, as it is with the Pacific Link.
pertinent information & details they need in order to plan their trip. Every team should receive a copy of this PDF in the “Acceptance” emails.
If there is ever a medical emergency, incident or withdrawal of any kind the ship manager must complete an incident report.
Please upload the report to the teams contact in Salesforce.
Each location has different ministry opportunities. Please refer to the locations “Preparing to Come” booklet for a complete list.
Medical License Application
All medical professionals who practice medicine in PNG needs a valid PNG medical license. We gather the applicants information and submit the application to YWAM Townsville who then lodges them in person.
There are specific documents required for the above applicants. We must submit the following as one PDF to Townsville. Please name the PDF as follows: Last name, First name – PNG Medical License App.
- Applicant Sponsorship Letter
- PNG License Application (notarized)
- Secondary Application Form stating specialty (notarized)
- Copy of Degree
- Copy of License
- Copy of Curriculum Vitae / Resume
- Written Character Reference
- Professional Reference on Letterhead
- Police History Letter
- Medical History Letter
- Copy of Passport ID Page
Submit the following as one PDF to YWAM Townsville. Please name the PDF as follows: Last name, First name – PNG Medical License App.
- Applicant Sponsorship Letter
- PNG License Application (notarized)
- Copy of Degree
- Copy of License
- Copy of Curriculum Vitae / Resume
- Police History Letter
- Medical History Letter
- Copy of Passport ID Page
Once applications are submitted please upload them to the individuals Salesforce contact. Rarely will PNG send us a copy of approved licenses. However we must be diligent to file all of the paperwork correctly with them.