Wow, what an incredible time we had with the ship in Edinburgh.
The visit flew by with so many highlights. Heather and I personally hosted 175 people onboard in 12 days.
After the incredible welcome on arrival, we enjoyed visits by a group of former project workers from our church, one of our home groups, many of our key financial supporters, our church prayer night and on Easter Sunday, most of our church onboard for their evening service followed by a joint ceilidh (Scottish dance) combined with the ships company.
We even had our own bagpiper - well done Andrew
It was also great to have our parents around. My mum and dad came up for a week and enjoyed helping out in the cafe and chatting to people.
So many people told us how excited they were to be onboard, how great the ship was, and that our cabin was bigger than they expected! It seemed like nearly every day was spent giving tours and talking with friends, neighbours, former work colleagues etc. What a blessing and a privilege to be able to come into our home port with the ship.
I took my team up Edinburgh's famous extinct volcano in the city centre, Arthur's Seat, and we took our ship family out for a Chinese buffet.
Overall, the visit to Edinburgh was an incredible success. Around 15000 people came onboard and many Christians brought their non Christian friends to visit the ship and share the experience.
It was a very different departure to our arrival. We left at 6am with Heather and her mum, and Pauline's sister and friend to wave us off from the quayside. A couple of others came just as we were slipping out.
The voyage to the Faroes was great, nothing like the rough seas many of us had expected. This is the farthest north many of us have ever been.
We arrived off the Faroes on Thursday night, having past the new Noronna, the replacement ship for this vessel. We anchored in the bay and the sea was completely still.
On Friday, we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning surrounded by islands and hills.
At lunch time, the immigration officials came out by boat to clear us and then we were treated to a special tour up one of the fjords nearby. A local Christian paid for the fuel required and we enjoyed a fantastic 3 hour sightseeing tour.
Then we sailed back towards Thorshaven harbour and a host of small boats came out to welcome us, waving flags and blowing their horns. There were even rowing boats out there.As we came into port, we could see hundreds of people on the quayside waiting to greet us.
Once alongside, the ship was welcomed into port by the Prime Minister of the Faroes and the Mayor of Thorshaven. The ships director, captain and a number of officers along with ships crew in national costumes went down to the quayside to take part in the welcome ceremony.
Logos Hope is considered by all Faroese to be their ship, so everyone wants to see her.
After a short ceremony on the quayside, the ship was opened to the public.
Unfortunately, because we couldn't get the gangways set up in time, we had to bring everyone, including the prime minister, onboard through a small door, leading through the fuel bunker station and a gents toilet before bring them up to the visitor deck!!
So now we are pleased to be welcoming many of the Faroese onboard and being offered many opportunities to go off the ship and enjoy the local hospitality.
I am enjoying the time here but do really miss the family too. They are enjoying themselves back in Edinburgh, staying at Heather's mums.
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