Kiel Bound!

We’ve written about it a lot – now comes the time to see Logos Hope for ourselves. Today we’re travelling to where the ship is berthed in Kiel, a journey that should take eight hours. However, we’re going with a member of the OM Germany team who drives at a speed only Germans can on the Autobahn – 220 kmh! That should bring down the time on the road! It’s been ten months since we were last on board Logos Hope so we’re looking forward to meeting friends there and seeing firsthand how far the pace of renovations have progressed. An update to follow upon our return…

Partnership And Prayer

Over a dozen Germans are joining OM in this January’s intake. Some of those will head for the ships, others to serve elsewhere on shore, but all of them are taking a big step of faith to leave friends and family behind. Addressing that issue, OM Germany organised a Partner Weekend for the families and church members of those new personnel to learn more about and pray for the organisation’s work. The event was a huge success, with 300 people arriving. Since the ships office shares the base here with OM Germany, we were also involved too, promoting the ship ministry to these key partners.

Shoeboxes For Christmas..?

 

The idea is a simple but brilliant one. Fill a shoebox full of gifts and send it to a less-fortunate child in the developing world. Called ‘Operation Christmas Child’, this initiative by the Samaritan’s Purse organisation is hugely popular in Mosbach. A couple in the ships office team act as representatives for the project and they collect and store the shoeboxes in an office storeroom. So far this year, over 1,100 boxes of gifts have arrived to bless deserving children this Christmas. OM Ships are thrilled to play a small part in this excellent work. Read more about it on the Samaritan’s Purse site here .

Alongside At Last!

 

Logos Hope has safely arrived in Kiel! Crowds on the quayside cheered on as local media captured the moment. The ship is now berthed alongside Logos II – the first time the two vessels have been side by side and the first time two OM ships have been together since 1994. While the arrival itself is cause for thanksgiving, much work lies ahead. Transferring resources between the two ships is a small logistical challenge compared to the task of merging two crews that have operated  in very different circumstances. All those on board both ships are seeking God’s guiding hand for that process too.

Three Years To The Day!

November 23rd marks our wedding anniversary, and it’s been three years since we tied the knot at MCC church in Tokyo. Looking back it was such a blessing then to have so many friends there all contribute towards making the day a success. Although we’ve celebrated every anniversary in Germany, we’ll never forget the way folk we know in Japan helped arrange all the details of the ceremony, both large and small. People often ask us what it’s like being in a cross-cultural marriage: Well, we’re very grateful to have each other and, besides which, isn’t male and female a cross-cultural combination anyway? 

25 Years Of Service

No, not us! One of our colleagues in the ships office, Marlyse from Switzerland, has just completed her 25th continuous year of service within OM. She hasn’t spent all of that time in Mosbach though. Marlyse has completed a term of service on board Doulos and then worked with the OM France team for a while. Here in the ships office she performs a vital, behind-the-scenes role in the Finance Department, helping steward the resources God gives us. For completing her 25 years Marlyse didn’t get a medal, but a bunch of flowers and many thanks from all of us here.

High And Dry

 

Doulos dry dock 2007 was a brief event! Originally scheduled for six weeks, surveys before the work began reduced the estimated maintenance time down to a three-week period. Once the vessel left the water, it became clear that there was even less needing to be done. The good state of the 93 year-old vessel is testimony to how well the all-volunteer crew have looked after her over the decades. Furthermore, the reduced fees for a shorter maintenance period are a sign of God’s oversight and provision during a period of financial shortfall across the ministry.

The Season For Swimming

Being involved in a ship-based ministry, it’s good to maintain our swimming skills! Fortunately the indoor pool in Mosbach is open for business right through the winter months – it’s even heated too. Twice a week Nobby attends the Aqua Fitness course held there, which provides a good source of regular exercise. The health insurance company we use totally agress, and even covers 75% of the cost! On Saturdays we both go together and put in a few laps. With Mosbach being a small town we often, quite literally, bump into a few people we know there too.

All At Sea

Even before departure, it was to be a momentous voyage. However, as Logos Hope continues to sail from Croatia to Germany, the journey is becoming one that none of those on board will ever forget. At times, storm winds have lashed the vessel and the rough seas delayed a refuelling stop in Malta. Taking the necessary safety precautions has lead to delays in the voyage – meaning every drop of fresh water on board now needs to be conserved. Despite bouts of seasickness, morale on board remains high, with the crew counting on God’s protection for a safe and timely arrival in Kiel

Teaching Takes Off

Word is getting out! From humble beginnings, demand for Paul’s English teaching experience is taking off. Generally speaking, younger people in Germany have an excellent grasp of English. However, many middle-aged folk here were taught no or very little English in their school days and now need it for today’s business world. Paul is happy to help out, and the money raised goes directly towards increasing the support we need to serve at the ships office. Furthermore, teaching is an excellent way to meet interesting people and better integrate into the Mosbach community. 

LOGOS HOPE SAILS FROM SHIPYARD!

Two years, major amounts of money and thousands of volunteer man-hours have gone into making this day possible. November 8th 2007 is the day that Logos Hope finally sailed from Shipyard Trogir, Croatia. Even in the build-up to the departure there were many uncertainties, including clearing exit procedures and passing final inspections. Join with us in praising God that everything went smoothly. The vessel is now heading for Kiel, Germany, where it will meet Logos II for the final outfit phase to commence. Follow the voyage progress on the Logos Hope website virtual voyage page here.

Logos On The Rocks

“That is not a normal position for a ship…” A quote a colleague in the ships office uses when ever he shows this picture! Why is there a II in the Logos II name? Well, here’s what the original Logos now looks like, permanently located at the bottom of South America. Technically the ship hasn’t sunk, it’s stuck on a submerged rock and can never be refloated. When the accident happened in the late 1980’s, it was a major international news story. Praise God that none of the crew were injured and the funds that arrived from around the world were enough to buy the bigger Logos II a year later.

OM Ships In South Carolina

The gift was too significant to turn down. An old church property and grounds in South Carolina, USA, had fallen into disuse. Rather than see the area redeveloped for commercial use, the owners approached OM Ships and asked if we had any need for such a venue. That was just last year, and since then a whole team of personnel has arrived there and set up a base to raise awareness of the ship ministry among the many Christians in the US. The all-volunteer team and their work is growing quickly, so much so that they are already extending the property! Pray for this exciting development.

Electronic Encouragement

An encouraging email sent to the ships office. ’Thank you for sending Doulos to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I have waited years for the ship to come again. I refer to Doulos as ‘ The Ship of Love’ because of the crew’s kindness and hospitality. May God bless them always. I visited every day and never tired of bringing others on board! I brought my students one Monday, my friends the next day and my cousins after that! I am happy to say they really liked the ship and books. My prayers are always with you and all your crewmembers. Lastly I hope you can make a comeback here to Kota Kinabalu every five years.’

Back In Brunei

Brunei was once famous for having the world’s richest person. The Sultan has long slipped down the rankings, so now the country’s newspapers are talking about something else – the current visit of Doulos! We were both on board for the only previous visit, back in 1999, so it’s happy to see the ship being welcomed once again. Because of Brunei’s small population (300,000) Doulos personnel are having a big impact in the community. Part of that can be attributed to local residents’ hospitality, inviting crew for home stay programme and a fascinating insight into the country’s culture. Story & Images

Home Alone

This is the information age… but in an international organisation like OM, time zones and different languages still cause miscommunication. To tackle those challenges, leaders invested in a comprehensive data package called CALEB. In theory this allows all of OM, including the ships, to make digital images, news and outreach schedules available to each staff member. In practice, training 4,000 people to use the software is a challenge. Nobby oversees CALEB use in the ships office and she spent a week at the OM base in Belgium attending a training course. It was a useful time, but left Paul home alone for a week!