Being an Ambassador aboard the Logos Hope

The Logos Hope is known internationally as the largest floating book fair in the world. It is a huge ship with nine decks that was previously used to transport passengers, but now contains a book fair that carries more than 5000 different titles. However, many people do not know that the Logos Hope is more than just a place to get books at very reasonable prices. Its motto is to share knowledge, help and hope. Knowledge is shared through the book fair, but also through various events that are held on board or on shore by the crew. Help is given by the crew members who volunteer their services doing short-term projects on shore such as giving out free eye tests and reading glasses. Hope is spread through sharing the good news about Jesus with those who visit the book fair, and also through evangelistic events both on board and on shore.

The Logos Hope visited Tobago first for two weeks,
then stayed in Trindad for one month

Whenever the ship visits a country, they solicit local volunteers to serve on board while they are docked in that particular country. This is the third time that I have volunteered with the ship, having served during their previous visits in 2017 and 2020. When persons asked me why I kept coming back to volunteer, my answer was that I enjoyed serving with the ship ministry - whether it means having God-centered conversations with book fair visitors or putting books back in order on the shelves in the book fair or doing outreaches like school visits. I also enjoyed meeting the crew members from all over the world. For me it is a glimpse of what heaven will be like, with persons from every tribe, language and tongue worshiping God. Finally, I look forward to seeing persons who visit the book fair who I know well but have not seen in a very long time - it's like a reunion every time!

I also enjoy taking the crew members to places they
would not have gone on their own, like the Pitch Lake!

This year, I was assigned to serve as an Ambassador/Tour Guide. As an Ambassador, my role was to meet persons as they exited the Book Fair and offer to take them through the 'Journey of Life'. This consists of a series of pictures which tell a modern-day version of the story of the Prodigal Son. At the end of the 'journey' they are challenged to reflect on their lives in terms of their relationship with God. It also gives an opportunity to offer to pray for persons, and it was a blessing to be a listening ear as persons opened up about their personal struggles, and to be able to lift them up in prayer. There was one young lady who had grown up in church but had never before made a commitment to follow Christ, and after being asked she indicated that she was now ready to make that decision to surrender control of her life to Him. I also had the opportunity to lead a little girl to Christ, and to share the good news of salvation with many families from all different religious backgrounds.

Sharing in the 'Journey of life'

As a tour guide, my duties included taking visitors on a private tour of the ship outside of the Book Fair. On this tour, they were introduced to what it is like to volunteer on the ship as a crew member, as they were told about the training involved, shown the various departments they could work in, and even given a glimpse of the dining hall where the crew have their meals. They were also given a history of the previous ships that were used for ministry, and heard the story of how God miraculously provided the latest addition to the fleet, the Duolos Hope. They had been searching for a smaller ship for a while, but it was very expensive. In 2020 when the covid pandemic hit, the owner of the ship that is now the Duolos Hope went bankrupt, so he was willing to sell the ship for a fraction of the value!

The tour included a visit to the bridge allowing
visitors to see where the captain steers the ship

It was in this role that I had some of the most impactful experiences. There were some young university students who, after hearing about the work that the ship does outside of the Book Fair, expressed a desire to join the ship when they had completed their studies. There was another family who committed to making a monthly contribution towards the ship's expenses. Finally, there was a young man who, before the tour, was excited about the possibility of joining the ship. Halfway through the tour he realized what he had not known before; that it was operated by Christians, and this posed a problem because he was an atheist! This opened up an opportunity for me to question him about his beliefs, and to share what makes Christianity unique when compared to all other religions. He did not waver in his opinion, but I trust God that the seeds which were planted would grow and bear fruit and in the future.

Taking my family on the tour

Each local volunteer has the opportunity to join with the crew on their Connect Day - a day when they take a break from their regular work duties to engage in an evangelistic event. The group I was with journeyed to a primary school in Longdenville where we had the opportunity to do a gospel presentation to the entire school population, including the teachers. There were songs, a game and an object lesson showing how the only way to have true peace in your life is by having a relationship with Jesus, not just going to church or reading your bible. This message was God-ordained because, although the school is a denominational school, there is no emphasis on Jesus being the key component for salvation. Following that school visit our hosts took us for a delicious curry lunch, followed by a tour through the Central Range, complete with a stop at a cocoa estate where the Logos crew were able to see workers dancing the cocoa and taste some delicious local chocolate.

Talking with the some of the students afterwards

All local volunteers are required to participate in discipleship training program for two hours each day. During these sessions we learnt about principles for living in community, which was important for inter-cultural interactions; the need for more persons to be activated towards reaching the unreached; our identity in Christ; the ministry cycle using Jesus' training school as a model; having a prayer plan; how to transform communities; establishing Discovery Bible Studies and sharing your testimony. These sessions were rich and served to challenge us to deepen our walk with Christ, as well as giving us strategies we could implement in our discipling of others.

One of our beloved trainers conducting a session

I was truly enriched by the two weeks I spent volunteering on the Logos during this visit. I was able to reconnect with friends from Zimbabwe who I had met when the ship was here in 2017. I made new friends from other countries and heard their salvation stories and testimonies of how God called them into missions. I look forward with anticipation to when next I will have the privilege of serving with this wonderful ministry.

Who knows maybe one day they too
will join the ship as volunteers or crew!

Are you ready to die?

 In the past four months, five persons who I am close to have died suddenly. 

The details surrounding each death vary, but they all had one thing in common:

Nobody saw it coming.

For each person, they were fine one day, and gone the next.

We all know that we are going to die someday, but when they woke up that morning, none of them knew that would have been their last day here on earth. After hearing the news of the last sudden death, it caused me to reflect on my readiness for death. It's not a topic that many people are comfortable talking about, but the reality is that we do not know when we will die.

Paulene had no clue that her first in-person ISCF camp
would have also been her last

1. Get your spiritual life in order

Hebrews 9:27 says "... it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" This judgment will be done by God and, contrary to popular belief, is not determined by how much 'good works' you have done. Instead, it is based on whether or not you have chosen to place your trust in Jesus Christ. According to John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Sin separated us from God, and Jesus took the punishment for our sin when He died on the cross, so we could be reconciled with God. When we put our faith in Jesus, we become His children (John 1:12), and have the sure hope of being united with Him when we leave this life (John 11:25).

For those of us who are Jesus followers, our responsibility is to do the work God has called us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Each of us has been given spiritual gifts, which God expects us to use to build up His Church (1 Corinthians 14:12). We also have the responsibility to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14), sharing the good news of salvation with all in our spheres of influence.

If you have drifted away from God and you are living in sin, turn away from your sins and return to your First Love (Luke 15:18)

Pastor Kelvin never got to preach the
last sermon he prepared

2. Get your legal affairs in order

Daddy died without doing a will and it was a very tedious, expensive and lengthy process for us to get a Letter of Administration that would give Mummy access to his estate. Apart from making a will, ensure that you have listed a beneficiary on all your investments, and that your beneficiary knows how to access them. Ensure that your loved ones have the pin to your phone and your bank cards, and know where to find your important documents. They will already have to deal with the grief of your passing; try to make having to deal with all the paperwork after as easy as possible.

Getting the news of Carlyle's passing
was another shocker

3. Get your priorities in order

A trend I have been observing with growing concern is the amount of persons, especially young adults, who are experiencing fatigue and burn out as a result of the demands of their jobs. People are giving their blood, sweat and tears to companies who will easily replace them if they were to die suddenly. If your job is getting in the way of your enjoying a good quality of life, then I urge you to re-evaluate your priorities. No job is worth the cost of your mental and emotional well-being. Maybe you need to take a leap of faith and start your own business. Maybe you need to look for another job with a work environment that allows for a healthier work/life balance. No one, on their death-bed, has said that they wished they spent more time in work.

It is going to be so weird not to have Aunty Pam
in Ekklesia camp this year...

4. Get your relationships in order

God made mankind for relationships; this is not limited to marriage but includes all who are in our lives, both family and friends. Unfortunately because of sin, sometimes relationships can get messy and people can get hurt. If you have been hurt, do not let that hurt fester unaddressed, as this would keep you in a prison of unforgiveness. If you have hurt others, seek to make it right while they are still alive, so you would not have to live with the guilt of unforgiveness if they were to die suddenly. 

Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you while they are still around to hear it. Make the time to maintain the relationships that are important to you; don't wait until a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary to connect with your loved ones.

No one enjoys thinking about death, but since it is an inevitable reality of our human existence, it makes sense to prepare for it while we can.