At the end of March I flew out to Hong Kong to visit the Logos Hope for 10 days. It was strange to be back on board when there are now only a few people that I know but it was wonderful to catch up with some special friends. I had the chance to visit the city centre with some people, take the teachers out for a meal and also to go up the peak; despite the typically British weather we still got to see a bit of the view! Continue reading Visiting Logos Hope
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Dinner for a ship
“It’s great to hear the testimony of someone who has served onboard the ship” said one of the delegates at the Logos Hope ship fundraising dinner.
Our friends Steve and Heather Packwood (Steve was my boss on Logs Hope) invited us up to the beautiful city of Edinburgh for the weekend to attend a dinner to raise funds for the ship ministry. While we as crew members needed our beloved supporters to provide for our needs during our two years on the ship – other supporters donate directly to the ship ministry to pay for repairs, upkeep and fuel to keep the ship running. We were invited to this one of two dinners (the other in London) to share our experience of what we did onboard and how it changed our lives. Speaking about the ship experience together in front of people really brought back some great memories of our time on board and reminded us of just how much God has done in our lives since we walked up the gangway in September 2009. Firstly that Ruth and I had found each other, but also that we had found a place and a ministry where God could use us for great things, and that when we have no idea how to do something He will happily guide us through.
Old friends :: Claire and Colton prepare to tie the knot
“I thought I spoke English before I came to the UK” I exclaimed to those gathered at the table. The night before the big celebration a few of us close friends from ship days gathered together for dinner and were sharing our experiences of adapting to British culture.
A little over a year since we shared two years of our lives in close quarters with so many people we called friends, I cannot describe to you how refreshing it was to be back in the company of these old friends. Chief amongst these for me were some of my closest friends from my time onboard. Ruth also enjoyed meeting with friends of hers. I was encouraged by others sharing their stories of difficulty adapting to british culture after marrying Brits. Calling crackers biscuits and calling biscuits cookies, parking on the wrong side of the street and misunderstanding social cues. Sometimes I feel totally foreign and at other times I feel like I belong here.
The celebration lunch happened the day before they left for the US and just weeks before their US wedding and held all the hallmarks of a wedding reception. It was a delightful affair – and it was so nice to see them walking the road to marriage so well. I was very impressed by the way Colton had prepared every detail for their future life together in the states.
Christian weddings are often a great witness to God’s goodness to us and our ability to celebrate without excess in drinking and the like – and this celebration was a shining example. I loved the way the speeches reflected God’s provision and guiding in their lives, that whilst alcohol was available it barely featured, that we celebrated with such a lovely barn dance – and mostly that we could all gather around Claire and Colton to pray God’s blessing upon them as they travel onwards and together. They say that Christian marriage should reflect the way Jesus loves the church and we love him – and this is already evident in their lives.
Go therefore into all the world
‘Thank you Lord that we have 231 people going into all the world tomorrow an we are sending them!” said one of the conference leaders in our prayer time before the final session of GO conference August 2012. Brand new OM team members from over 40 nations had come for an intensive 10 day training course in cross cultural missions. We call it Global Orientation – it’s chief aim to familiarise new team members with OM – the organisation they are working with and to prepare the workers for the cultural shock they will experience in their destination countries. Some are heading to reached nations with unreached people groups (even in the heart of London) and some are heading to the ends of the earth where there is no church to share the good news of our Lord Jesus. We want them to know that they are not alone – that God is with them firstly, and that there is a network of people to call upon for help.
Around 90 new team members are on their way to Logos Hope via some more training in Thailand, and two of them will become new teachers in the ship’s school. Ruth had the opportunity to meet with these two new teachers and prepare them for what they are about to experience. We know that they will be a big blessing to the ship – there is a great need for teachers – and that the ship experience will be life changing for them. Ruth was also able to connect with a number of families with children going out into the mission field for the first time. She gave them advice and reassurance about raising and educating children away from home.
Chris again joined the OMNIvision team in providing the sound, lights, song words and cameras (iMag) for the daily sessions in the main auditorium. He was able to help a lot with the set up of the sound and lighting components and felt much more at home with the equipment and people than at July’s TeenStreet conference. During the conference Chris spent most of the time on camera and feels much more familiar with the role now.
Whilst the two weeks in Holland were fairly easy going (with some long working days mixed in) we found by the end we were very glad to be heading home. Much of the time it felt like we were just working in our jobs and some times we felt like we were just passing the time – but when that prayer was prayed we remembered that God has allowed us to be a part of sending new workers out into the harvest field – and that is a privilege we cannot scoff at.
