The End is Nigh
Dear family and friends,
My time thus far onboard the MV Doulos has been nothing short of incredible. From the different countries I have seen, to the people I have met, and the opportunities that God has placed before me have been some of the best times of my life. I have so many memories and experiences that I will draw upon for many years to come, God willing. All of this has been possible because of Gods grace and your support, and to that I say THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.
In my time onboard I have seen the poverty and loneliness among the people of the Philippines. It was there that God broke my heart for his children. The voyage from the Philippines to the beautiful country of Taiwan left me speechless as I witnessed the holy power of God through wave after wave crashing against the hull of the ship. Realizing how small we are, and that it is good to have a fear and awe of our great and powerful God.
The actual culture of Taiwan made me fall in love with Asia, and God has just reinforced that love for this strange and intriguing part of the world. Hong Kong followed Taiwan. In this busy hustle bustle of a modern asian city, God showed me that the world is truly globalized, yet even on the other side of the world, man still suffers from the same problems universally. Sin is the same no matter where you go. From the greatest city in the world to the smallest village, godlessness is everywhere.
Next came Cambodia, a place that haunts me to this day. Its beauty leaves me speechless. Not just within its countryside, but its people are truly beautiful. A country that has seen so much pain and suffering yet there is hope in Cambodia, God is working there. God gave me a unique opportunity to drive a van cross country to deliver donations to a school out in the middle of nowhere, literally no where. A village that from the looks of it had never seen a white person. The curious look on the faces of the little ones is one that will stay with me forever.
Thailand, Malaysia, and now singapore. All incredible in their own unique way. Never have I been blessed so much, and had so much revealed to me. God has been and continues to work in my life, showing me areas that I need to work on as well as helping me to see my gifts and talents. But with all of this, as all good things must come to an end, the Doulos is no exception. Below is the official press release.
World’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship to stop sailing
Mosbach, GERMANY – 20 November, 2009
The ministry of OM’s ship Doulos will come to an end on 31st December 2009. Doulos is the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, now 95 years old, with the hull built in 1914, just two years after Titanic. In spite of the all year round maintenance that has taken place, the amount of steel replacement and other repairs needed for her to continue sailing are overwhelming. The ship is presently in Singapore and has been undergoing the annual period of dry dock and surveys.
Early indications are that the work would cost over €10 million and take five months to complete. The OM Ships executive leadership team and board believes that is not appropriate to invest resources of this scale into the ship, since Doulos would have a limited ministry future.
Chief Executive Officer of OM Ships International, Peter Nicoll, said, “The outcome of this is that Doulos will not be able to continue in ministry. This is not what any of us wanted, and has serious consequences for everyone on board, those about to join and for ports we planned to visit.”
“We are committed to operating safe ships and complying with the requirements of our classification society, RINA, as well as the International Safety Management requirements for ships,” affirms Peter Nicoll. “We have been praying that God would use this five-year ‘special survey’ to give us a clear picture of the way forward for Doulos and that He has done.”
The well-being of the 280 crew and staff onboard is of paramount importance. Each person will receive the guidance and support they need to decide what their next steps should be. Some are close to the end of their period of service, while others joined as recently as September.
Keeping the ship compliant with the highest marine standards has been a real challenge over the years. It is a remarkable testimony to the professionalism and dedication of the non-profit organisation’s technical personnel that the ship has continued to meet marine requirements until now.
CEO Peter Nicoll stated, “We recognise God’s faithfulness through these 32 years of wonderful service of the ‘servant’—Doulos—as an outstanding OM ministry, through more than 600 port visits in over 100 countries. Many lives have been transformed, both visitors and those who have served on board.
We are also deeply grateful to our partners around the world who have supported the ship in ministry through the years. Please continue to pray with us as we work on present challenges and seek the Lord for the future.
With Logos Hope now active and exciting ministry taking place, we are investigating possible options to charter another ship in the interim and have already begun working on the Doulos replacement project. Contributions should be given through your local OM office and designated ‘Doulos Project’.
As soon as I have more information, I will send out more updates. I do not know exactly what the future holds, which is what makes it exciting. A new adventure to take with God, who could ask for more? What I do need is prayer. Please pray for direction and for God to reveal to me my next steps. Again, thank you so much.
