What they all mean, and what it means to us

Okay, now to explain. 

PSSC stands for  "Passenger Ship Safety Certificate"

Now in order for a ship like LogosHope, which contains lots of sailing passengers, ( ie : mua ), to sail in the great oceans, she needs a PSSC. Other ships that would need a PSSC would be Cruise ships, or certain sorts of ferries. Container ships, however, do not need a PSSC. 

The Doulos has been getting its PSSC for 10s of years ( since the beginning of its ministry ) with no problem, and the Logos & Logos II before their decomissioning had it renewed year after year, but for LogosHope, it's been a long journey in attaining and preparing this ship. So much has been done, but still there's more. Thousands of items ( probably ) have been ticked off the To-Do list, but there's still the odd 100. But then this is life for us on the LogosHope, now. 

We want to sail, but :

1) We need the PSSC ( and the other OTHER documents & permissions : ISPS, ISPM, Insurance for Sailing ( now we have Port Insurance only.. ) etc ) 

2) Are we ready? ( as in physically, mentally, emotionally and especially spiritually?) 

The PSSC checks the readiness of the vessel, but God checks the contents and intent of the heart.  I have been thinking that THAT is the key. All this other things should be nothing to God. As long as the heart be ready, then there will be the breakthrough, and we can finally move on to the next season of ministry. 

I hope to be here when that happens. I hope we as a ship company, grow up. 

Then there will be much pomp and circumstance. 

Not just here on LogosHope, not just throughout OM ( Operation Mobilisation ), but I'm sure up there in the heavenlies as well.

A thought : if we were a TV drama series, it would've been exciting if we finally moved on already! Episode 235 : Life in Koge, Day#202 )  heh. 

This past week the Surveyor's from Lloyd's have been walking around all day long, in their workmen suits checking and rechecking every nook and cranny, every connection, every hole. Firedoors, fire dampers, lights, water - everything. They have been very critical, and very thorough -and it think that would be necessary. 

The crew are anticipating our departure from this town, finally. But we'll still have to see. Apparently when they first got here, they thought that they could sail right off, I think it's been almost a year now - and still - we are anchored at this port. A good port, and much has been done in partnership with the local churches here -- but a lot of people, joining a "ship" ministry - would undeniably, like to sail. Interestingly, a fair number don't really care anymore - and have resorted to what the Filipinos say, "Bahala, na" "Whatever will be, will be.". 

And I think we have to agree. "Man can plan, but it is God who decides". "For My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than yours" 

So that's what's been happening. It's an important week, this. 

And we are hoping for nothing short of a miracle. 

The final report that came in said that it would be "humanly impossible" to get the certification, then the other documents, and then set sail on our target date February 10th, but we ARE believing and praying for divine intervention. 

And this God has been faithful. He has been Ebenezer. ( Hitherto, Thou has helped me )

He has done it so many times, He can do it again. 

I guess it also makes sense. 

That it has to be nothing short of a miracle to set this ship afloat and a-sailing-ho. 

And nothing short of a miracle for us to have the hope that we now have in Him. 

( lest we would think it is by our own strengths and capabilities .. ) 

Still - may His plan prevail. And may we be able trust the One who sees the bigger picture. 

So yea, pray for that - pray however you will. 

But as fellow supporters in this work, it is your right to know these things. 

And my responsibility to make sure you are aptly updated. 

Please, if anything just email me and I will gladly answer any questions you may have about the progress of this /ship/ my life on ship/ etc. 

Hugs to all, and thank you for your profoundly humbling support, prayers and love. 

-m - 

PRAY!

Okay, can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, so this will be a blurp.

Full story later!

PSSC is this week!

What that basically means is that the Surveyors are here to check and certify if the ship is fit for sailing. 

They are very thorough and critical, but that is so the vessel will be made fully ready. 

What I am more concern about is the readiness of the Crew, I believe that once we are ready, we can sail. All in God's timing. 

So yea, pray along. If we get our certification, target sail date is February 10th. But all depends on how the evaluation goes. So this week is critical, and we need prayer!

If we get it, Feb 10th will be the Logos Hope's maiden journey to missions since 4-5 years now. So you will be 'taking part' in something rather momentous, I'd say. 

I will keep you updated, of course. And more on that - I gotta rush off to work now. 

Please PRAY PRAY PRAY. Send a 'knee-mail', haha. I just learnt that from my ship brother, Sam. Knee-mail ( okay, corny Christian joke ) -- but it's true!

"The shortest distance from a problem to it's solution is the distance of our knees to the floor". A dear, dear friend once told me that, and I've always remembered ever since. Good stuff. 

More later! thanks all. 

Gong Xi

It's interesting how you do not realise how much you'll miss something until you actually have to miss it. 

It's the Lunar New Year again, and I think this will be the very first time I have not been with family. It's strange. 

Of course there's the other 'extended' Asian family here, but still. 

I miss family and home. 

It's true. 

It's also interesting how much more Asian and Chinese I feel now over here. 

I was just telling someone that somehow, the non-Chinese-ness of a place can sometimes bring out the Chinese-ness in someone. It certainly made me a whole lot more Chinese. I felt more Chinese last night than I prolly ever did. 

See? I even used the word Chinese more times in a paragraph than is healthy, or 'politically correct'.  

Again, strange. 

Anyway, what was initially planned out to be a nice quiet dinner gathering among Chinese & Koreans ( we both celebrate the exact same new year ) on board quickly turned into a great feast for the entire LogosHope ( and friends ) company. 

It was fun painting the 'town' red and helping to cook up a storm for the great Lunar New Year eve Dinner we had on board. We even got everyone to dress in bright colours ( red/orange ) or "if they had their chinese suits ( cheongsam et al ) they should wear them to dinner". 

And a great big feast it was! We had Korean "Bulgogi"( sliced beef ) and "Dung Pa Yuk" ( sweet pork ) with rice (courtesy of Korean "Chef" Paul Kim) mixed vegetables Chinese Style, and for a small table, some 'home-made' CharSiew ( courtesy of Malaysian "chef" Yen Yen ) . We even had mandarin oranges aplenty with red table clothes, and chinese new year songs for ambience-- - it certainly felt like the CNYs we all had back in Msia/ Singapore/ HK/ Canada/ Taiwan/ Australia. 

It was a good learning experience for the non-Chinese parts of the ship, and for the yellow-skinned people - it was a time of bonding, working together, and taking pride & finding identity in our culture and heritage. 

Pictures! :

Red Lanterns  Canggih, no? heh. 

Entrance to the Logos Hope Dining Hall, Chinese-ized ( or defaced? heh ) 

It almost looks as though you can order Chinese take-aways from here. 

AdHoc Deco Team : Taiwanese, Korean, Malaysian, Singaporean, Canadian, Australian 

AngPow! MikeHey ( Logos Hope Director ) giving Malaysians Ang Pow 

( courtesy of OM Malaysia, thank you very much! :) ) 

Gong Xi Fa Cai! 

This is a politically correct sign. :) 

Happy New Year all!

Be The Change

MySpace Celebrity and Katalyst present The Presidential Pledge

"I pledge to be the change that we seek."

Whatever one can say about whether or not Obama was the right choice, if he can influence all these pledges, if he can get so many Americans ( and the world ) united to do greater things and to change things TOGETHER - then that is enough. 

Reminds me of this one guy who said the famous words : "Be the change you want to see in the world". 

He later led India to freedom through steadfastness and non-violence. Gandhi. 

Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, ... extraordinary 'one' man(s) that inspired change and altered our histories. 

Could Obama be next? 

Certainly not the Messiah but maybe he could bring necessary change. 

And he has so much charisma for change, so much hope in his speeches -it's hard not to get inspired, be moved to 'action'. 

It's funny though,  how a lot of Americans I meet on board don't really care. They didn't even vote because "ahh, my one vote won't mean anything!" . Which reminds me of Malaysians - so I guess it's a world epidemic not just confined to the Motherland. And there we were, some of us, Malaysians, so into-it, keeping up to date with the vote tallies, speeches and stuff. 

Hmm. 

In that same line of thought, I know of one other person who changed the face of history and eternity forever, who made a way - to bridge the gap -  the perfect sacrifice - so that we can have a chance. So that we didn't have to depend on our own religiosity to save us all - because we cannot. We cannot save ourselves. 

Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

How much more allegiance then, should we give? 

And what then, will our pledges be? 

And not because we have to, but because we are humbled/inspired/driven to? 

Watch the video, if nothing else, it's fun *ahem* inspiring. 

Thanks CL. :) 

Welcome Birkedal!

Passion Groups are kinda like "co-curricular" activities. ( I mentioned them a little before here. ) 

Except that these co-curricular activities you do because you like to / want to, rather than being forced to. 

These will then be used to facilitate "telling stories", and build friendships - especially in places where language may be a barrier. 

And I guess it makes sense. We all have giftings and talents - and there are so many ways you can tell the same story, or help tell it. It makes sense to use and grow our talents and giftings draw people to the story of Hope. 

This here is one of the Passion groups I popped by a couple of Wednesdays ago, and I think I'll join during my short stint here. 

The Art Group! :) 

Oh Lookie, something's going on here : 

Everyone hard at work and not realising the lense pointing at them. 

Can you tell what it is yet? 

Okay NOW we've realised the lense.

And the funny faces naturally follow..

Smile everyone :) Do you see it yet? 

Yes, it's a Crocodile. 

And it's a crocodile simply because 'Birkedal' sounds like Crocodile. 

( Although.. this is a Danish place-name, and Koge is pronounced Kooehh,  so maybe it doesn't sound so Crocodile after all... )

PST stands for PreShipTraining. And every group of people that come into the ship for the 2 years global action programme have to go through a PST, and each batch is referred to by their PST ( ie : PST Birkedal, PST Koge, PST Kiel, PST Cuxhaven ) and etc. 

We're making this banner to welcome them, and they're arriving --- TOMORROW! 

2 days on board before they get shipped off to BirkedalCrocodile for their training. 

And - there're 2 Malaysian ladies that are coming. :) 

I think there's a total of 43 new crew coming in. 2 year commitment. 

I think they need prayer. :) heh. 

The pretty looking coin

Yes this is me and this my neck, and I am quite obviously Danish-ized. 

So I keep saying that this is my emergency coin, kinda like how in Tunas Puteri ( Girl Guides in Primary School ) you have to have 10cents in your flower badge for emergency phonecalls. Yes, we really DID do that. And I remember if they checked and we didn't have 10cents we would have to go through some kinda punishment - no kidding! 

But that was in the age where cellphones didn't exist and Public Pay Phones were still a necessity rather than 'monuments' of a time passed.. whoah, this brings back memories of the brown skirt and brown tie. Ah, so long ago. 15 years now? woot. 

Ahnywayy, 

This is just to show you what a Kronor would look like. 

And this 2 Danish Kronors ( also equivalent to RM1.40 ) will get you absolutely :.. 

nothing here. 

Really. 

Okay here's to give you a 'picture'. 

7 kronors = 1 Euro = +/- RM5

A normal cup of coffee ( black, no cappuccino frappucino luxury )  here would be : 10 kr ( RM7 ) 

A pizza would cost about 60 kr ( RM42 )

A busride would cost a minimum of 12.5kr ( RM8.90 ) 

A Danish Hotdog ( the cheapest Danish 'street food' you'd find here ) is 22kr ( RM15.70 )

owh, and you know the McDonald's McVALUE meal? That'll set you back by 60kr ( a whopping RM42.85 )

okay, I know Coke's probably the best international comparison unit..  - I still don't know how much that costs here - I'll find out! :) 

YES, Denmark is a very VERY expensive place to live and be in. 

More expensive than Germany UK or a whole lot of other places, so it's quite unrealistic for a Malaysian ( on mission ) to really buy anything here. Nor do I really need to actually, I think. 

But there's a reason for the whole high cost of living thing - Danish citizens are taxed about 60%. Pretty crazy but that ensures that minimum wage is high and it keeps people out of the streets. The public policy here is great - exemplary even. Free education, free medical care, free a-lot-of-things. In fact, I think you get PAID to study. Which reminds me of Dennis, a Danish guy I met while working at BT. He got something like RM4k a month for studying at LKW in Cyber. Nice, no?

About time, some pictures!

These were taken on my 2nd day here, but heh, I'm only uploading it now. Time!
Who's in it? the STEPper group for this time around.
Where? The small 'beach' area beside the ship dock. We also went into town but my camera went out of batt, so..

I think the pictures are nice - but it's only cos the air is nice and the colours are beautiful and the Panasonic Lumix is an amazing camera. :)

Age

So Liz said today : "Somethings only experience and age can teach you."

And it's true. I guess I always knew that. 

Like when I started my job 2 years ago, I had all the head knowledge and all the eagerness, but I was dearth of any experience, and I was still - young. (er )

The two years gave me experience aplenty, and I certainly got older. ( wiser? I don't know ) - but oh yea, there were the too-hard to handle moments, there were the great surreal ones, the pretty ones, and the boring ones where you're just waiting for time to pass so you get older ( and more experienced ) and also the emo ones where you feel like time is going to fast and you're not doing enough. ( ahhh, the pains and thrills of the 20something year old )

Over at the ship we get to hang around with a whole big bunch of 'young(er)' people. The amount of 17-20 year olds here are so many, it's not funny. Most come straight out of highschool, from countries where a gap year or two is the fashionable thing to do. Only the Asians have to rough it out at uni ( + work ) before finally jumping, or so I've observed. 

So yea, it's been a huge test of patience. I think when someone asked me yesterday what were my challenges, a main part of them, at this point - is dealing with the younger ones. I know, I know I was once there, and was probably a lot more uninitiated. Still. Sometimes you think : "Why on earth would they ever think that?" or "Why would she ever say such a thing?" or .. 

heh. And then you realize that they're still 'earlier-on' in their journey, and there's still much for them to see and learn, and they should be given the chance to grow according to their time. 

Still. 

It is frustrating. 

And I think it's part of 'growing-up', for me. 

For now, tonight if I hear another whiney teenager who thinks they-ah-so-cool I might just start throwing sock-balls at them. 

Quick Tour - Logos Hope

Ah I found something! 

A 'quick' tour of my current 'home' 

 
This was taken in December 2007, but most of the people in the video are still on board. 

What's changed since then is that the Book Fair has books now and is complete, and the 2 tonnes of cabbage has been long gone. :) 

I work in the galley. ( there's a small snippet in this video ), and Andy's the Executive Chef, he looks like he could do wrestling but he's a great chef, great guy and has a super sense of humour. 

Oh joy!

SWING!
I can't believe we never did this growing up!
I had my first 'class' today, and this I tell you, Swing is so definitely the new 'Schwang!" =)

Look at how much fun these guys are having:



And these people, are just crazy :



You can take lessons here :

and no it's not just for the old. With stunts like that ( see Video#1, #2 and #3), only strong energetic young people can do it mon.. 

And swing-or-not, this advertisement is just too-cute :

Ship people need something to do for fun, to work-out - for community building. There're other stuff like HipHop, Gumboot dancing, Origami, Clowning, Fire-spinning, Sign Language - whatever you want. They're called Passion Groups. And if they get enough passionate team members, they get to do performances during events - to welcome visitors, which the ship has lots of. 

SCHHWINGG~!

 

Koge

The town of Koge ( pronouced Koeergh? - or something like that, it's a silent 'og' ) is a small quiet port town. People mind their own business and walk around hurriedly, and they also mostly all wear black. I think it's just the cold, maybe. Temperatures dance about in the range of 0 to -10 degrees here this time of the year. The wind chills are colder, and not ideal for standing around for chatting and such.

There's the main market square, where all the shops are, where all the activity happens, and where all the people converge.


The roads are mainly stone, and the buildings look like they've been there for centuries. There are timber houses that are at least 500 years old, and there're many small walkway passages that lead you into house courtyards.


Everything else around the main city square is quiet, and not very many people drive. Walking and cycling seems to be the main mode around here. The town's got a population of about 34000, and apparently, at some point in history 'witches' got burned at the stake right in this town's market square.

Everything here is expensive, but that's not cos it's Koge, but because this is Denmark, and if the Brits and the Americans also say that it's expensive, you can bet the Malaysian currency just won't 'deal' here.

p/s : "Wanna go shopping, stroller a hassle? Why just leave the baby outside for air and sunshine!"
In this picture, the stroller REALLY had a life baby inside, and no parents and no one around. I found my Malaysian self very conscious and shocked about that - but maybe it's really THAT safe around here.

I haven't had to spend anything yet, tho - We have ample of everything on ship. And those that I didn't have, and have desired - have miraculously appeared to me in many different ways. Now I have good winter boots, hot chocolate, and good moisture lotion - stuff I wanted/needed/hoped for that I now have. It's cool. Really. :)

Prayer points :

The town of Koge has taken awhile to be really warm and accepting of the ship and her ministry. Most Danish Christians go to the local state church, the Folkekirken , and are traditional and conservative. Most of them practice religion by name, as part of culture. Few really know God, other than the fact that they have to be at church to do official stuff. It's honourable to be a church leader, and helps in the political game. Some church leaders are not even believers themselves, it's all academic, and very procedural.

So yea, pray that this Logos Hope ship ( and it's company ) would be like warmth in this cold land, both in temperature and heart. But more importantly that the people be 'awakened' to a real and personal relationship with God.

I got some pictures from the ship - and YES, the place is picture perfect. It's so easy taking amazing pictures here, the colours are beautiful!

Logos Hope - Full Speed Ahead

Seasons of Love

Just because this song is so energetic. :)




Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Moments so dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure - Measure A Year?

In Daylights
In Sunsets
In Midnights
In Cups Of Coffee
In Inches
In Miles
In Laughter
In Strife
In Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You MeasureA Year In The Life?

How About Love?
How About Love?
How About Love?
Measure In Love Seasons of Love.
Seasons of Love.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Journeys To Plan
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure The Life Of A Woman Or A Man

In Truths That She Learned Or In Times That He Cried
In Bridges He Burned Or The Way That She Died

It's Time Now
To Sing Out
Though The Story Never Ends
Let's Celebrate Remember A Year In The Life Of Friends

Remember the Love
Remember the Love
Remember the Love
Measure In Love

Oh you got to you got to remember the love,
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love, spread love
Measure, measure your life in love.
Seasons of Love
Seasons of Love(measure your life, measure your life in love )

5731miles to HOPE

and when I got to Copenhagen, this was the face that greeted me :)

and this was the face of the brother-of-the-face that greeted me :

Our wonderful left-side drive chariot :

The gangway up the ship :

The Cabin ( well, actually what was on the cabin door ) :

The bunk :

The welcoming gifts :

And 'Survival Kit' :

thoughtfully given by fellow Malaysians on board. :)

and that, was my first two hours in Denmark.

Lagging

Time : aroundish 11pm

Temperature : -9 degrees

Mode : zonked. 

I am so zonked. 

I didn't think I would suffer from jetlag - considering my not-so-conventional type of sleeping hours ( hey, I went to MMU! ;) ) but when you start getting like reaaally sleepy at 4pm in the evening and then go to bed at 9pm, wake up at 12.30am ( thinking it's morning already ) , 3.30am ( ALSO thinking it's morning already )  and then at 6am -- your body's REALLY trying to tell you something : it's freeekin confused. 

That, and the fact that it starts getting dark by 4pm around here. It is quite the morbid, the weather here. ( I also learned that there are 625 Danes who try to take their own lives in a year - that for the reportedly "Happiest Country in the world". Malaysia's rate is about 2700 a year

. But Denmark only has a population of 5.5million, Malaysia has 27million ) hmm.

I will have to write a FactSheet about Denmark. ( next post! )

We had Day 1 of Orientation Training today, which of course had to start at 7.30am. ( when it's still dark, and very very cold ) Sun rises about 8-9 around here. And you can literally see it rise over the horizon in some places here. Wait, I have a picture :

We also had our Safety Training and Tour today, which was done by two of the most comical and fun people I've met on ship so far : ( i thought the uniform/costume was cute, so.. ) 

Pippa (UK) & Angie (US) 

owh, they also checked our laptops and set our network abilities today. What that means is that me and my Mac can now get online from anywhere in the ship. Waaay cool eh? ( only for this port )

And I gotta say this, as the IT dude was sending out the computers he was like :

To dude#1 : "Okay, we had to install AVG for you cos the ..... does not work."

To girl #1 : "We found some Spyware on your computer, and cleaned that up for you."

And then, "And who's the lucky owner of the Mac?" ( me with sheepish grin ) - "Here, and of course it doesn't have any problems." :)

It's a fine, fine computer, this. 

More adventures later! So much to tell, but I am beyond zonked.