Back From The Boat

Step aside Carpe Diem! During our days on board Logos Hope in London, we did more than seize the moment – we throttled a whole week. While Nobby helped out at the visitor’s cafe, Paul was telling visitors about ways to partner in OM’s global work. In the end, we both had many conversations that encouraged non-believers and challenged Christians. There were plenty of media around too, which saw Paul relive his old Doulos role of public relations officer. We also hosted staff from OMF who were keen to experience the vision of the ship’s ministry. And now… we’re taking things a bit easier!

One Among The Crowd

Following in the footsteps of 60,000 people is hardly something to shout about. However, Paul is about to go where tens of thousands of British people have already been and visit Logos Hope. With the ship about to arrive in London, he wont be stepping on board as a regular visitor though. In each port of call there is an official opening ceremony for the book fair and Paul has been involved in all the preparations for the event in the UK’s capital. Those still curious or unable to visit the ship can still get a glimpse of activity on board through the following Logos Hope webcams.

OM Finds Facebook

Or is it the other way round? The new OM International Facebook site was launched just two weeks ago and has already attracted 3,000 fans. The page has quickly become a reunion point for ex-OMers, who have found it an excellent means of keeping up with all that is happening across the incredibly diverse range of ministries. At the same time, details about upcoming short-term mission trips and prayer points for far-off countries featured on the site have also been attracting other visitors who are keen to learn more. All in all, it’s a great way of getting the word out about all God is doing through OM!

Two Down, Two To Go

The Logos Hope UK visit is halfway through! So far, during the stops at Edinburgh and Belfast, tens of thousands of people have visited to choose from the educational and Christian literature on board or speak to the all-volunteer crew. Many churches have also welcomed presentations about God’s plan for global mission. Although the hard work needed to make the visit a success is ongoing, the fruit is already evident. Enquiries to the OM UK office about joining the ship or serving with OM’s onshore ministry teams have increased significantly. With visits to Cardiff and London still to come, may that continue!

Belgium Bound

Life goes on… For most of 2008, the OM UK team were waiting for confirmation of when Logos Hope would visit the UK. The other regular work needed to support OM’s global ministeries had to continue though. Thus, this weekend Paul is flying to Belgium for a training course on web design that was planned months ago, even though Logos Hope is currently touring UK ports. Trying to focus on the forum will be tricky, given that the publicity for the upcoming ship visits to Cardiff and London that Paul is very involved in are at a crucial stage. C’est la vie!

All Hands To The Pump!

With the cost of fuel now much lower than a year ago, OM is launching an appeal to help fill up the Doulos and Logos Hope tanks. This source of power not only provides the means of moving from destination to destination, but is also vital in port for the generators that supply the vessels’ energy. The ships’ schedules for 2009 are dependent on there being enough funds to buy fuel. Impoverished islands in the Caribbean are awaiting Logos Hope, while needy communities in South East Asia are ready to welcome assistance from Doulos crew. Donations can be given securely online at www.uk.om.org/fuel.

Logos Hope On The Web

Everything’s going online these days! With Logos Hope now in the UK, a website has been set-up to make all the details about the visit easily accessible. Those browsing www.hopestartshere.info will first of all find a range of videos about the ship’s maiden voyage and be able to take a CGI tour of the vessel’s interior. Digging a little deeper, visitors to the site can find details of the book fair opening hours in Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London as well as a programme calendar of onboard events. There are also maps, contact details, technical facts about the ship and more!

Back On The Road

Where would be without our car? For a long time, we lived in places where the local public transport was more than adequate: The trains in Tokyo are second to none and in Germany we pretty much walked everywhere. However, OM offices are famous for being in the middle of nowhere (money being better spent on mission than high rents!). With OM UK based in rural Shropshire country, we really need a set of wheels to get around. It has taken two months since our car was written off in an accident (not our fault), but we’re grateful to now have an identical replacement (except it’s purple not red!).

Dalit ‘Slumdogs’ Graduate

India’s outcaste Dalits have faced millennia of discrimination and oppression. However, OMCC (Operation Mercy Charitable Company), the development wing of Operation Mobilisation India, oversees 80 education centres for the ‘untouchables’. After ten years, the first 28 students to begin and complete their studies at the schools have just graduated. Each Dalit Education Centre hosts adult evening classes, health seminars and self-help groups too. Whole communities are thus being empowered for a brighter future. Information about the Dalit student sponsorship programme are at www.daliteducation.org.

Hope Starts Here!

Logos Hope is heading to the UK! After a concerted effort from all on board, the vessel has obtained a Passenger Ship Safety Certificate. Edinburgh will be the first UK port to welcome Logos Hope, from Thu 2nd to Mon 13th April. A brief stop in the Faroe Islands, the vessel’s home port, will follow. From Thu 30th April to Sun 10th May, Logos Hope will be open to visitors in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After calling at Dublin, the ship will then dock in Cardiff from Thu 28th May to Mon 8th June. The visit to the UK will then conclude with a stop in London from Fri 12th to Sun 28th June.

Logos Hope Set For Survey

What is preventing Logos Hope from sailing? In short, the answer is a Passenger Ship Safety Certificate. With that document in hand, the vessel can sail into public ministry and begin welcoming crowds of visitors on board. Praise God that a date for a PSSC survey has been set, and it’s beginning as early as January 26th! A group of inspectors from Lloyds insurance will be checking many aspects of the ship’s equipment and procedures for any emergency. Pray that the week-long survey will go well, especially with the ship’s visit to the UK dependent on the outcome.

BANG!

 

The sound is unmistakable. The crunching noise from the vehicle that hit us as we waited at a red light is still fresh in our minds. Fortunately neither us nor the other elderly driver were injured, but the same cannot be said of our little red Nissan Micra.  There was also a resulting strain on OM’s limited pool of team vehicles until his insurance company arranged a courtesy car for us. Nobby also learned a new English word through the experience – ‘whiplash’ - which we both had for several days afterwards. Please pray for the safety of all OMers as they travel!

Prayer Fuel

‘Prayer is the fuel of action!’ At least that what’s the cover of OM’s new quarterly Heartbeat prayer guide says. For several years, this publication has appeared monthly or bi-monthly and was essentially an A4 document. That version has been banished with the arrival of an all-new 12-page booklet. Besides prayer points for every day of the quarter, there are also details of specific areas of OM’s global ministry. For Paul and the OM UK Communications team, this new format is the result of months of planning and we’ve already had letters from people saying how much more user-friendly it is.

The Manga Messiah

It’s a smashit! We thoroughly ’roadtested’ this manga version of the Gospel story during our recent involvement with OM Japan’s Christmas outreach. Running around as Santas and elves in the mountain resort of Karuizawa, we and an international group of short-term mission helpers distributed 1,500 copies of the Manga Messiah. There’s a website address stamped on the inside front cover for readers wanting to know more - pray for a good response! During out three-week stay in Japan we also visited Nobby’s family in Niigata and spent time catching up with supporters and friends at Tokyo’s MCC church.

New Global Goes Global!

It’s a major part of Paul’s job. OM UK’s Global magazine is a regular publication that highlights different aspects of this international ministry. As editor, Paul has the privilige of deciding what goes in and how everything is laid-out! This latest edition includes features on OM’s work in the Caucasus region, funding a response to the AIDS pandemic and the final port visit of Logos II. The centre page spread focuses on ‘Restoring Hope’ in Europe. From start to finish, it’s a big job. Pray with us that this latest edition will inspire and encourage the tens of thousands who subscribe to it.

All Set For ‘The Stand’

“Justice issues are not just for Christians, but for all right-minded people.” Serious words from OM UK Director Gary Sloan to explain why OM is participating in ‘The Stand’. Organised by Hope For Justice, this multimedia spectacle at Birmingham’s NEC seeks to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. OM’s connection stems from ministering to India’s oppressed and outcaste Dalit underclass. During the day, Nobby and others will be promoting OM’s Dalit education sponsorship programme to an expected crowd of 5,000. Paul meanwhile will be representing OM to the many press and media.

Busy Becks

We’re not so much busy bees as busy Becks this month! After presenting OM’s global ministry to friends and supporters at Wycliffe Baptist Church in Reading, we returned to a more than full work schedule. Days later we were in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, to represent OM to audience members of the Getty’s In Christ Alone tour. Having just got over all the talking and travelling, we helped at OM UK’s Get Into Gear conference, preparing new workers who are joining in January. No chance for a rest though – we’re promoting OM’s Dalit sponsorship scheme at human rights event The Stand on Nov 8th!

OM’s ‘Spiritual Revolution’ Five Decades On

Celebrating 50 years of ministry, the remarkable history of Operation Mobilisation is a story waiting to be told. Through interviews and extensive research, Ian Randall has captured, documented and brought alive the amazing journey that OM has been on during the last five decades. Spiritual Revolution tells the story from the conversion of George Verwer, the founder and then International Director of the movement through to today’s OM of 5,400 workers serving in 110 countries. Alas, we didn’t make it in… but maybe we’ll get a mention in whatever’s written for the 100th anniversary!

Action on AIDS

The vision was one born out of necessity. While panic about a potential AIDS epidemic has declined in the West, the numbers of infected individuals in the developing world is skyrocketing. Foreseeing the trend, ten years ago OM sought to put reaching out to AIDS sufferers at the top of their ministry agenda. The fruit of that initiative is now emerging; OM partner AIDSLink is currently active in a dozen countries, encouraging churches to accept their infected neighbours, financing orphanages for children who have lost their parents to the virus and teaching awareness seminars to students. Read more here.

OM & Gettys Get Together

Keith and Kristyn Getty are hitting the road… Furthermore, the writers of ‘In Christ Alone’, one of the most well-known modern worship songs, are set to perform in the same UK cities that Logos Hope is scheduled to visit next year! Once the leaders of OM UK realised that ‘coincidence’, they willingly agreed to become sponsors of the Gettys’ tour. We hope and pray that this initiative will open many doors to present OM’s ministry to those who have not encoutered it before and sow seeds for a succesful visit of Logos Hope to the UK. More details of the Gettys’ tour (some dates are already sold-out!) can be found here.

Valuable Volunteers

Where would we be without them? Young and old alike are volunteering their services to help at the OM UK office, and their services to the wider ministry are a real blessing. Christians living in the local area are more than happy to lend a helping hand as we seek to resource OM’s work worldwide. Cleaning the office, preparing the onsite accommodation for guests or even stuffing newsletters into envelopes, these willing volunteers never complain as they work. Although helping with some of the most mundane aspects of the OM UK office life, their services are nevertheless fulfilling a vital role.

UCCF At The Quinta

It’s the largest event at the Quinta. The Christian conference site where OM UK is also based hosts the annual retreat of the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF – part of IFES). From all over the country, 960 students gathered to worship God, pray and receive teaching. From the OM UK office, we could see their many tents. The three-day event featured plenty of feet-washing – not of the Biblical kind, but because of the volume of mud caused by torrential rain! Many of the students are interested in short-term mission and OM ran an exhibition stand at the event, which we helped staff.