Friday, November 20, 2009

Logos Hope Adventure (e-mail update) Nov. 15, 2009

AT ANCHOR

Hello from Logos Hope in Barbados!  Boy, am I glad to say "from Barbados" instead of from at anchor!  This port has definitely been a challenge.  We arrived in Barbados the end of October, but several days after arriving we had to move out to anchor because the swell (the sea was too rough) was making it unsafe for us to stay tied up alongside.  This was a disappointment for a lot of the crew, myself included, because we couldn't be open to the public doing ministry as we had hoped.  After the swell died down a grain ship came in to the berth to unload, so we stayed sitting at anchor for more than a week.  It's hard to see why God let this happen - us "losing" so many days that we weren't in port and no one could get books and having to cancel all the events that were planned for the people of Barbados.  However, we were able to lower several lifeboats during this time to shuttle people to land and God did some really great things through these teams that went out every day.

When we finally could come in from anchor, we had to shift berths several times to pick up our vans, load a container, get fresh water, and discharge used water.  (And moving the ship is not quite as simple as it sounds - we have to fire up our engines ahead of time, tie everything down ready to sail, and get everyone from on land back onboard, etc.).  For our whole time at anchor we had to conserve water; the last day we were so low the rule was "no laundry, no showers."  The latter not a very fun prospect after a hard day of work getting really dirty!  When our internet completely went out too, we felt like "real missionaries!"  After moving four times in two days, we are now in our proper berth again and open to the public for our last four days in this port!


GRANDMA AND GRANDPA'S VISIT!!!

One very exciting thing for me that happened while at anchor was Grandma and Grandpa Nelson coming to visit!  Despite some transportation complications - getting to a ship that's sitting in the middle of the sea - they made it and we had a fantastic time together!  Unfortunately they didn't get to see us actively in ministry because of being at anchor, but they did get to experience community life onboard.  It was a very special four days with them!!!


THE MUSLIM MAN WITH A CANE

In the last port, St. Lucia, we presented "The Mark Drama" - a very powerful 75 min. presentation of the life and ministry of Jesus taken straight from the gospel of Mark and acted out in a "theater-in-the-round."  The doors opened... and we waited.  A few people trickled in - late, typical for Caribbean culture.  I noticed one interesting man come in.  He was older, with a big white beard and a very intricately carved cane.  I helped seat him and his wife, wondering who he was and where he was in his walk with Christ... if he even knew Jesus.  We started, with only 45 people in the audience instead of the up to 250 we could have had.  Though a bit disappointed there were only so few, we prayed that the people here were ones who really needed to hear what we were about to present.  Now, several others had noticed this man (he WAS a bit of a unique character!) and after the drama, when everyone else had left, he and his wife kept sitting there.  So I went to speak to them.  I asked them if they liked the drama and with tears in her eyes his wife said, "Yes, yes, thank you so much.  I brought my husband tonight to see what it is that I believe and it was just what he needed to hear.  He's a Muslim and I'm a Christian."  If we did the whole drama only for the Muslim man with a cane, it was worth it.

THANK the Lord:
-that we are back from anchor and can be open for the people of Barbados
-that Grandma and Grandpa could come visit!!!

PLEASE PRAY:
-for the Muslim man with the cane, that he would come to know Jesus as the only way to be saved
-that many people would come visit these last few days in this port
-that the sea would stay calm so we could stay in port these last three days
-for the upcoming "Sabbath week" for ship's company; that we would rest and be refreshed and have good teaching times

Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans!  I have LOTS to be thankful for, do you?

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