Moving around
Float Notes No Comments »The last couple of weeks have seen a number of changes from the ‘normal’ routine. The most recent has to do with our eating location. About two weeks ago the community had to clear out of the Dining Room and move to the other end of Deck 6 where the Logos Lounge took on the role. This was to allow a work team to install carpeting, flooring, tables and other bits and pieces needed to finish it up. They have worked hard and tonight we were treated to a special meal in the newly completed Dining Room. It really looks pretty impressive and it’s clear a lot of thought went into the design. This is a big step in that while there are a few small jobs outstanding, it is essentially the first major space that is now in its final form and ready for action.
We are also now physically located in a new berth in Kiel (you can see us on some of the cameras at http://www.kielmonitor.de/ or watch the record of the move at this link). On Saturday we had the fun of being moved by two tugs a few hundred yards down the harbor. The reason for this is that our previous berth (which we will be moving back to on May 10) is actually a cruise ship terminal and we had to get out of their way. We actually had a couple of big cruise ships come into the berth right next to where we were and it was pretty impressive to see them pull in. We are used to the daily coming and going of the ferries (which are pretty big) but the cruise ships are a whole other story. It’s amazing to see them sail in to the harbor, spin 180 degrees and then back into their spot.
I also had some moving around of my own last week with a trip to Brussels to take part in a Communications forum which was really encouraging. It was for communications staff working with the organisation in different parts of Europe and as such it was great to meet those who were there and get to know more about them and what they’re focused on. It also gave me a good opportunity to step out of the busyness of the ship and evaluate some areas of what we’re doing and begin some planning for how we might be able to improve our efforts. I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom in my role as it often feels overwhelming trying to juggle everything we have going on. It’s definitely a stretching experience.
The boys and Holly enjoyed a couple of extra days off school this week. On Monday they were able to go to a local play center for kids and had a blast with all the fun things there. Zac got to climb a huge volcano which took a bit of working up to but he enjoyed the accomplishment. They also had some huge ball pits, a trampoline with guide straps (so you can do flips and stuff) and a bunch of other cool things. On Tuesday, they had planned to get to a beach but with the weather bringing rain again, they opted for a trip to IKEA instead. They’re now back into the school routine again.
Holly had some more balloon creation workshops tonight and had a good number of people signed up. I just popped up there to get a few photos and the advanced group had made a pile of parrots, some sweet swords and a few other cool critters.
She is a great teacher and I think everyone has a lot of fun learning these skills.
We are now moving into May (already!) and we are looking at a bigger move at the end of the month as the ship will go to dry dock and then settle in Koege, Denmark to try and complete the rest of the work needed to get our much awaited Passenger Ship Safety Certificate which will allow us to begin sailing with the whole ships company onboard. With that accomplished, we will be able to start visiting new ports more regularly.
Thanks for continuing to stick with us in this adventure. While it doesn’t always come together to plan, we believe God is in it and He is moulding our lives and giving us opportunities to impact those around us.








