This is us in 2003, at the end of our commitment on board Doulos. We both joined the ship in September 1999 (but didn’t know each other then!), in Lae, Papua New Guinea. Over the next four years we served port communities across Asia and all round the coast of Africa.
Nobue started working in the book fair, then helped prepare the ship’s visit to her home country of Japan. After that, she served as an administrator with the engine room team. Paul began his Doulos career working in the galley (a British person in the kitchen!) then changed to be the onboard journalist and media relations officer. That job involved giving interviews to newspapers, radio reporters and TV crews in each port of call.
Leaving the ship, Nobue returned to Tokyo and Paul arrived soon after. She continued assisting Christian workers serving in Japan while Paul taught English. After a year we were married and a year after that we returned to help at the ships head office in Mosbach, south Germany. Nobue co-ordinated the STEP programme, for all those wanting to join short-term and Paul continued to write articles and deal with enquiries from the world’s media.
In March 2008 we relocated to the UK and joined the OM office in Oswestry that is mobilising and resourcing the UK Church for missions.
We are blessed to enjoy strong relationships with our churches in Tokyo and Reading, UK.
