Subic Bay was full of excitement and ministry.  I was able to build several strong relationships and become more familiar with my work. The ministry is doing great things for the kingdom.

This was the last port before the ship moved into dry dock.  Again the Filipino people are so friendly.  I was able to welcome thousands of the people on-board to Logos Hope’s Book Fair. Also Subic Bay has been very Americanized so there were several American Navy personnel and families in the area.  We also have many Port Volunteers that come from the local area to volunteer on-board.  It’s great to get to know them and hear how God is working in their lives. I primarly was focusing the majority of my time with my own co-workers; these are the people I’m with all the time and able to feel like I have an influence on.  We enjoy telling each other our stories of how God has grown us and made us who we are, but also to inspire and encourage each other that God has done and will continue to do great things in our lives.  We spent several occasions going out in the local community to share some time together away from work, but we also of course work all the time.  So, I appreciate my team and how diverse it is.  We have lots of fun and excitement on-board.  Whether dancing in the cash line, telling jokes in the life boat (entrance), or just helping each other with a problem.  My new team and position has allowed me to appreciate my time on-board more. 

My role in the World’s Largest Book Fair has been a great big blessing from above.  I think God for His gifts.  Since making a change to the book fair I’ve worked now in Subic Bay and Manila.  I have been able to get used to all the machinery and tools necessary for this position.  Below you can see me making preparation for the dry dock, we had to move several books out of the hold to make room for the technicians to take off the wall panels.

 

Dry Dock is a 9 week period when the ship will be closed to the public and the crew will either make repairs to the ship or go out on Challenge teams.  The Ship’s Community is split between those who go on challenge teams and those who stay for dry dock.  Challenge teams are groups of people who go out to the local community for the length of dry dock to do ministry.  The rest will stay behind to maintain the ship. 

Before dry dock I was able to do a bit a preliminary work for my time during dry dock, LIT, (Logos Intensive Training).  I connected with a local church in Malacabat that my sending church has partnered with.  Through the churches I was able to develop a relationship with the local pastor who is a brother-n-law to one of the serving pastors at the sending church.  After making several correspondences I was able to make a trip to the church about 1 hours drive by public transit to the church.  There we we’re able to attend the weekly prayer meeting and visit with church community.  This was a great time as I was able to pray with the church.  The following day we also attended a Bible study and meet some more of the local people I will be able to minister with during my challenge team this upcoming season with LIT. 

Our crew is made up of over 400 peoples coming from over 50 different nationalities. We have a great ministry where we’re able to use the ship as a tool to attract people to the ship to share with them our testimony and what God is doing in our lives.

For the next 9 weeks the ship will be in

Dry Dock or on Challenge Teams!

This time onboard/onshore will be “challenging” for many people. The work will be more strenuous and longer hours.  But that’s why they call it “Challenge” Teams.  They’re design for us to grow in the challenges of life.  We each have a different task, but we will each undergo strong difficulties. 

Please pray for the crew of Logos Hope during this next intense 9 weeks, and for me to have new inspiration on the ship and my walk with God.

I will be doing LIT, Logos Intensive Training, a mix of the challenge teams and hard work repairing the ship. We will be onshore doing ministry with the local community of the Philippines.  We will also be doing a great deal of Bible study, teaching, presentation, and faith trips.  This includes reading through the entire Bible (9 weeks), giving sermons, and lectures at local schools, and more. So far we've covered the spiritual and academic side, this training also includes a very intense physical work out.  We will also be working in the heat of the Engine, Accomadation, Catering, and Deck Departments.  Wherever the greatest need is we will go and help. Our bodies will literally be streched in every direction during this time.