Volunteering
Questions and Answers
What sort of work will volunteers help with?
There are lots of different jobs that volunteers help with during the festival. This can include cooking, serving and preparing food and drinks, preparing gifts, helping with games and activities and assisting with supervision. During the times that the festival is not open, there are many other jobs to be done. This can include cleaning the festival site, getting materials ready for distribution, distributing calendars in towns and villages (we have teams that go out and do this), visiting fire stations to distribute gifts, along with many other jobs.
What does a typical festival day look like?
Breakfast is usually at 8 am. This is followed by our workers prayer time at 9 am. The morning will be busy with preparation, distribution or cleaning jobs. After lunch, the team will head to the Bethesda Centre to prepare for the festival opening at 4 pm. 4 pm to 8 pm is very busy with lots of people coming through the gates! The festival closes at 8 pm and a bus will take workers back to the Base at 8.30 pm. Usually, some volunteers will be rostered to help with washing up after the festival and they will get back a little later. Food is served at the Base before heading to bed.
Where will we stay?
Volunteers are accommodated at the CMIAID Base. We have a mix of couple’s rooms and dormitory accommodation. Those living in the dorms have shared facilities. Bed sheets, blankets, towels, etc. are provided so there is no need to bring these. There are also laundry facilities available for volunteers to use at the CMIAID Base.
What about meals?
Meals are provided during your visit. They are prepared by the local CMIAID team. All volunteers will be included on the roster to help with washing up from time to time.
Is there a cost for meals and accommodation?
We suggest £15/€18/AU$30/US$20/CA$28 per night to cover the cost of meals and accommodation. This helps CMIAID to meet all expenses associated with food, heating, waters, electricity, etc.
Where should I fly to?
Chisinau is the capital of Moldova and has an international airport. The airport code is RMO. There are many low-cost flights from European centres including London, Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Athens, Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam on low-cost carriers such as: Wizz Air; FlyOne; Hi-Sky; as well as legacy carriers such as Lufthansa, LOT Polish, Austrian Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Aegean Airlines. Please contact us if you need any advice.
Will someone meet me on arrival?
Yes, a CMIAID representative will be at the airport and holding a CMIAID logo sign in the arrivals area when you arrive.
How long should I come for?
This is up to what time you have available! We can use people all through the festival. Some people come for 5 days, others for three weeks. If you are ready to work and help with whatever needs to be done, we will be glad to have your help for whatever time you have available.
Are there any Bible studies held during this time?
On Sunday, we have Bible teaching in the Zirnesti Christian Assembly. On Monday and Tuesday evenings we also hold some Bible studies at the CMIAID Base which volunteers are welcome to attend. These are more focused on mission and service.
Do I need a visa?
Most countries do not need a visa to travel to Moldova for periods up until 90 days. We will provide an invitation letter from CMIAID to confirm the reason for your visit, in case the immigration officer asks any questions.