New recruits and containers

Wow, it's Sept 11th today. It seems hard to believe that it is 7 years since the terrorist attacks on the U.S. I can still remember that day so vividly, watching it all unfold in our office. I am sure you will all remember where you were that day. It is a stark reminder that we never know what a day will bring. We need to make every day count. One of my favourite sayings is Carpe Diem! Seize the Day!


This past week has certainly had plenty of days that were just there to be seized. It has been a busy old week.


This weekend we continued getting to know Danish people and culture and were back at the church again that we visited 2 weeks ago. It is such a friendly and hospitable church - they had their harvest thanksgiving and held an auction to raise funds for an aids orphanage in Columbia. The family that we spent the day with bought a jar of jam for £18! Steve used to work with Joy 20 years ago at STL, which was OM's literature arm then, and she had invited us to spend the afternoon with them. It was great to get to know another family- she is English but has been living in Denmark since marrying a Dane she met at STL all those years ago. She is having some real struggles and it was good to be able to be an encouragement to her and the kids loved having a big garden and another trampoline to play on.

We came back from Joy's to the ship early so that Heather could teach a Mime class for the first time. This is something Heather did a lot of when we were on Doulos 12 years ago and it's great that she is now able to start passing on her skills to those onboard Logos Hope.

On Monday, the first of the containers that I had packed in Trinidad 6 weeks ago arrived. It was a bit strange to open them and unload the same items back here. These are the first book containers to come to Logos Hope and it is fantastic to start to fill up this "book ship" at last.






























Monday was also the day that I had a division outing planned for the afternoon to Roskilde, the viking town nearby. In the end I stayed behind to unload the first 2 containers and then joined the team later for a meal.












Tuesday was just one of those days when everything happens.

In the morning we unloaded the 3rd container from Trinidad. Then in the early afternoon, the new recruits arrived that we had been waiting for. They have been through a 2 week conference in Holland then a 10 day "Pre Ship Training" course here in Denmark before getting to the ship.
66 people from about 25 countries arrived and the whole ship went out to welcome them.
They were brought onboard to great fanfare, flag waving and cheers.















Soon after the group were welcomed, Steve, Liam and Kara had to head off to the airport to pick up Mum and Dad Packwood who have come for a visit for the next 11 days. They have supported the ships for 23 years, ever since I first joined Doulos, so it is great for them to be able to come and share in what is happening here.
When they were last onboard in March, dad did a lot of work in the staff lounge so it was exciting for him to see it now in use.















On returning to the ship, it was straight to the dining room for a welcome dinner for the new members of our ship families. We have a number of ship kids and have now been joined by Mel from Canada, Reuben from Mexico and Naomi from Japan who are part of the new preship group and Jenna from USA who is here on a STEP (short term exposure programme).





























Heather made everyone feel especially welcome to our nautical theme by dressing up as Captain Jack Sparrow.

The evening continued with a welcome party held on deck 4 which included a praise time, a prayer tunnel, some break dancing, a magic show and some Scottish Ceilidh dancing!! Not your average teenage party.















Wednesday it was back to containers as we had 2 more book containers arrive from the States. Somehow, despite our book hold still not being finished, we managed to fit another 60 pallets of books into the ship and have now begun the process of getting the stock out onto the shelves. Dad is helping out with that.

Finally, I wanted to show this picture that I took in a subway under the railway in Roskilde on Monday of a young guy shooting up drugs.

















Denmark is a country with many needs and there are only about 2 or 3% of the population go to church despite 90% calling themselves Lutheran. Local school kids in Koge meet up every Friday after school to get drunk because they have nothing else to do. Pray that we can have an impact on this country during the time that we spend here.