Random things happen on the LH, whether they are planned or not!

So life on the Logos Hope is fun, as random things can happen whether they are planned or not.

During the weekend just gone, we felt the earth move as the Philippines was hit by an earthquake. Thankfully all the ship crew are fine and nobody got physically injured. But there have been many varied experiences shared, as friends were in different places when it happened. I was on the ship and so didn't feel all that much at all! The ship did move. But for me, it felt a like mixture between the engines being tested and sailing! I am happy that I didn't see walls and floors move. That would have probably freaked me out :-) So that was an unplanned random activity!

Today I experienced and helped with a planned random activity! I say random as 'normal' people don't do things like this! Today was the day when the new recruits who are just joining the ship for their two year commitment (I was tempted to write 'sentence' then ;-)) got to carry out their Basic Safety water training. They have to learn many skills such as: how to enter a life raft, how to flip a life raft, how to make your trousers into a life jacket, how to enter the water safely from a great height while wearing a life jacket and how to keep warm in the water. These are skills we need to know when living on a ship.

Above is a photograph of people learning how to flip a raft over. It's really hard!!

And this is what a life raft looks like the right way around. 

The children thought it looked like a tent boat!

Today, I got to show some of the new children who are just joining the ship, how to wear their life jackets and move around in the water etc.

We did have lot's of fun :-) but I do pray that we never need to use these skills for a real emergency!

Famous Quotes

As I said in my earlier post, we are starting to go through a changeover period again on the ship. When this happens, people hand around their memory books for people to write in. So that we can look back on our time on the ship and remember the people who have impacted our lives.

A friend asked me to sign hers recently, but asked me to put in my favourite quotes from famous people. There are one or two quotes that I like but I never remember who wrote them. So I looked them up on the internet and found ones that I knew and ones that I didn't know. There were some really good ones from people in all walks of life. I enjoyed the search.

I want to share some with you, which stood out for me.

If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. - Dolly Parton

Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. - John F. Kennedy

To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance. - Oscar Wilde

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. - Oscar Wilde

It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it's the parts that I do understand. - Mark Twain

I really liked the last couple of quotes. “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future”. It reminds me that the people who I think have it sorted and are perfect and really are saint like....are really just like me...the sinner who happens to have a future!

And for me, the Mark Twin quote is just so true!

 

Seasons

Today, I would like to walk in the Lake District and just breathe cool fresh air.

Don't get me wrong, I love ship life and the opportunities I have here. But every so often I just want a different kind of air. 

I saw some photos the other day of the UK in autumn. It reminded me how beautiful the different seasons are. I miss seasons. My favourite seasons are Spring and Autumn. I love the changes in colours that nature offers. 

On the ship we are about to go through a different season, where a large group of people leave the ship and another large group will join. It never gets any easier to say goodbye but I am also excited to see who will join us.

There is a time for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

 ¹ For everything there is a season,
      a time for every activity under heaven.
 ² A time to be born and a time to die.
      A time to plant and a time to harvest.
 ³ A time to kill and a time to heal.
      A time to tear down and a time to build up.
 ⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.
      A time to grieve and a time to dance.
 ⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
      A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
 ⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.
      A time to keep and a time to throw away.
 ⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.
      A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
 ⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.
      A time for war and a time for peace.


In time, I will walk again in the Lake District...and probably wish I was in the heat of whichever country the ship is in :-)

It is one year ago today since we were sailing down the Red Sea, through the Gulf of Aden being chased by pirates!

Ok, so we have come to realise that sometimes I get to say random amazing things like:

(Taken from my FB page this past month)

- For these next six hours I will be in a different year to my family and friends in the UK! You can't say that many times in a life time!!

- It is the last day of school today and we are going on a visit to the Singapore Zoo. Now that's what I call a field trip ;-)

- I was reminded tonight that I am part of the most AMAZING ministry in this world! :-)

- Woah....this ship is rolling tonight.... Still, I think it's amazing how we have internet in the middle of the ocean....granted it's limited, it's still pretty cool! :D

Well today is another one of those occasions. It is one year ago today since we were sailing down the Red Sea, through the Gulf of Aden being chased by pirates! I am so thankful that the God who protected me and sustained me then, still looks out for me now!

I can honestly say that I have never felt 'scared' on this ship. There are times when I have felt a little uncomfortable, like with the pirate situation, or because I was going to speak at a Church in a muslim nation where there were possibly spies or secret police in the service waiting for you (me) to say something against their religion, which they could then have you (still me ;-)) put in prison, for a long time. In these kind of situations I have not been able to do anything in my own strength to make it go away.....What I have had to do, is to push further into God. When I have been taken out of my capability zone and not been able to do anything to make it 'right', it has pushed me to trust my Lord and Saviour on a higher level to come through for me, and he always has!

I am not going to go into either story now but do ask me if you ever want to know.

These situations were real. With the pirate one, we sent out a distress call to the Navy ship that was closest to us and they released their helicopter to give us air support. It took me 9 months to tell my family about it. I wanted to tell them in person so that they knew for sure everything was fine. I told them when I was home in September.

When we arrive in this next port, it is my 22^nd port in around 16 months. It is my 15^th country. I thank God for the huge privilege He has given me to meet His people from literally all around the world. I am supposed to bless and encourage them, but time after time it is me who is blessed, encouraged and amazed to see what He is doing in the world.

What do I need to do??

Today has been unexpectedly but a much needed great day off. It started off pretty average...got up...went for breakfast.....THEN got invited out for lunch!

I was initially a bit hesitant as I knew they were meeting local people and I wasn't sure if I had enough energy to smile, be polite and make small conversation with people that I am sure I won't see again. But I also didn't want to see any more shops today, so I went.... and was pleasantly surprised! 

We were picked up from the ship, taken into the mountains to this guy's weekend home. His family, extended family, friends, neighbours and anyone else who happened to be around was there! We ate a huge BBQ, amazing fruit, toasted marshmallows :-) and had some great conversations. I didn't really feel like I had to make a big effort. We just seemed to click and yes I could relax :-) I am still sure that it is possible that I won't see these people again but it was such a treat to be with them for the time that I spent there. The mountains were amazing. So beautiful and reminded me of the Lake District...just on a grander scale!

It just reminded me how much God know's me better than I know myself. He know's exactly what I need and when I don't fight to do what I think is the best plan for me...he blesses me with much needed treats!

I went to our weekly worship night tonight and was blessed again by being able to get in a zone with my creator and just spending time with Him. I am so at peace when I am in that place. 

Recently I have been thinking about a few different big things...

• What will I be doing this time next year. Am I to stay on the ship longer, am I to go to a new country or am I to go home. I just don't know!
• Will I find my Mr Right and get married.....

• Needing friends around me who I can completely be myself with. To know I can be honest and not feel judged. People who just understand me without trying.

But after today I feel like He was reminding me that HE knows what I need and WHEN I need it.

What do I need to do?? Rest in Him and enjoy the ride :-) 

Is it only me who has day's like these?

I started this post about 3 hours ago....then our lovely golf ball (also known as the internet thingy ;-)) on top of the ship wouldn't work and let me post this...

I'm not sure if it's tiredness or what but today I am having one of those day's where I lack confidence. Confidence to join a group of friends for a meal, the confidence to go out exploring...that seems like too much effort. Today I prefer to just hide in my cabin (my safe space). 
I may brave it and go to worship night tonight. It's a time where I can connect with my creator, bring all my failings, frustrations, unrest and just rest in Him. I am thankful He loves me on the down days as well as the happy days. I am thankful that He accepts me me just as I am. I am thankful that He doesn't judge my character but loves it more than I understand.
We sail out of here in the morning to go to our last Malaysian port. I pray that it is a sail of quietness and a chance to recharge these weak batteries.

 Some people made this 'sign' when we arrived here in Kuching! I like it :-)

Worship night helped lot's! I got some time with God....just me and Him....no distractions. It's always good to get in the zone with Him :-) 
Right, I gotta go and move some life jackets ;-) Life is surreal at times!

Sun sets when sailing

Some photos from the last sail! :-) Enjoy

Each step of the way.

The sail was really smooth :-) I enjoyed it lot's.

I am feeling a bit confused this week.

There are three reasons for this confusion. The one that I will talk about (I'm not ready to talk about the other two things....yet) is, I have been challenged to think about my steps after the ship.

It is still one year until my time on the ship is over, a while to go yet but I have had some uneasy feelings recently because I don't know what is going to happen next. I know that my life has been mapped out with the best possible plans for me. I believe this and trust this...I suppose I am just a bit nosey and like to know the next part is.

I am being lead along the path that is right for me. I am being lead along each step of the way and know I will find out what's next, when I am ready to be open to the next part.

I would never have given up my job in the UK and left home for two years, which is what I eventually have done. It is obvious that my creator knows me better than I know myself! He lead me along the path and guided me to get me where He wanted me. But I do feel He lead me gently. I am very scared of having the carpet swept away from under my feet. Of being in a place where I am uncomfortable and not in control. I have learned this past year that I am a bit of a control freak!

The ship is a place where you your emotions can go from one extreme to an other in less than a day. I can go from feeling claustrophobic in the closeness of community life and living with the people that I am spending this part of my life with to complete loneliness. Being in a room bursting with people but still feeling lonely. It's a good job that these feelings don't happen every day. 

Today I am feeling 'understood'. I have a good friend on board who is understanding on another one of the other confusions in my head. It's always good to be understood on the ship. She has been through a simula situation and so it feels a bit easier to talk to her. She understands :-)

Ok I better go. I have four emails to reply to before dinner.

My heart still hurts for that nation....

When I was back in the UK in September one of the questions that lot's of people wanted to know was 'where has been my favourite place to visit this past year'. My answer was L. I think this is for a few reasons: because of the unrest in their nation after we left, having a real concern for the lives of a family I was privileged to meet, it was our first arab port (and so my first introduction to the beauty of the arab world), It was also the place (before we arrived) I was most scared to visit. We had some restrictions placed on us during our time there, to help us build bridges and relationships with the people there. A lot have totally different views of western people. They believing that we are loose and have low morals. We aimed to show them that that wasn't the case. Yes we are not perfect, but we do have something special about us.

I heard the news last night that G had been caught and was dead. To be honest I still don't know what to think. Yesterday was a year to the date since we sailed into L and his very own daughter was on our ship to open it in our official opening. I know he has done unthinkable things to his people, country and had lot's of influence on other nations in the world. I feel it for the family members who had no choice but to be part of his family. I am sure it is more than possible that they found out the news as the rest of the world did, that they saw the same photographs on the internet that I did.

I pray for this nation in the tense time that is in front of them. A friend said to me last night 'well, it can't get any worse for those people'. It's true that it can't get any worse, but it could also not change and so not get any better for them. They need the right people to help them help them build a good government. They must learn from the last four decades. I pray they can put differences aside and unite to build a great nation for their people. It's still a long road in front of them.

I thank my creator for the opportunity to visit that nation. It really has been one of the most special places I have been to and I believe a miracle that we were there at all.

 Photo was taken near to where we were berthed in our first port in L. His promises will never fail!