As The Crowes Float

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.

It’s been another long stretch without an update but we’ve had plenty going on. My parents headed back to Australia on Saturday after a good time with us on board. They both got involved in the work happening on the ship in different ways and were a blessing to those they worked with. The time seemed to slip away very quickly but it was great to have them here with us. Now they are on to their next focus of helping prepare for the visit of our other ship, Doulos, to Brisbane in the not too distant future.

On Saturday we went to Hamburg by train to enjoy a day in that city and it was an enjoyable time together. The city center is very nice and we enjoyed walking around it and also going through the pedestrian (and vehicle) tunnel under the main harbour area before saying goodbye and heading our separate ways. The boys were excited to finally get to go on a train.

The weekend before, Holly and I celebrated 9 years of married life. Thanks again to our friends from Neumunster who were able to offer a house for us to use, we were able to get away on our own for the first time in a couple of years. Nana and Grampsy looked after the boys on board and we enjoyed a quiet and relaxing couple of days on shore. It wasn’t quite enough time to really wind down but it was a much needed break and an opportunity to recharge for the busyness of the ship.

Life on board seems to fly by at warp speed and we’ve now been living on a ship for almost six months already. We have another month or so here in Kiel before the planned dry dock will take place. We’d appreciate you joining with us in prayer for the necessary finance and details to come together to make that happen on schedule. This is a major step in getting the ship ready to meet the requirements for the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate which is the primary goal to allow us to begin sailing. There is still much work needing to take place.

In my own work, there are many things to keep me busy and I continue to strive to find the right balance in it all. I appreciate your prayers for wisdom in my role of leading the small team I am responsible for. Holly would also appreciate prayer for her current job of teaching the kindergarten in the mornings which is fulfilling but also tiring. As always, your prayers are a major part in our effectiveness and we appreciate each and every one. Thanks for standing with us.

We wanted to give an update on the plans for the next couple of months. There has been a lot of great progress happening in many areas all around the ship over the 4 months we’ve been here in Kiel. We are getting close to having the accommodation areas completed, many of the major community areas on the ship are coming together and there are a number of big projects happening in the engine room.

One of the biggest jobs to be done there is the installation of a new generator which will replace the current no. 1 generator which has some problems. The new generator will give the same output as two of the current generators (we have three altogether) which means we will be able to provide for all our electrical power needs with a single generator. It also uses a more cost effective fuel which will give us significant savings over time.

However, to install this generator, we need to go into dry dock so a hole can be cut into the side of the ship to bring it in. The timing for this has been a big question over the last weeks but we now have a confirmed time for dry dock in Sweden at the beginning of June. This is later than originally thought due to the arrival of the generator being delayed and means we will be here in Kiel until the end of May, one more month than initially thought. We will also need to change our location in the harbor a couple of times during May so that will be something different for us.

During the dry dock, children are not allowed to be on the ship and so the ship families will be accommodated somewhere on shore. It is also a time when families can take a break and we are considering whether we will take a week off as a family. We would appreciate your prayers for all the variables in this. While we know the dates for the dry dock now, there are still many unknown factors.

You can also pray for our annual Donor Weekend taking place this weekend at The Cove in North Carolina. This is a time of ministering to our major donors and giving them opportunity to invest financially in the ship ministry. This year has begun with a lot of financial strain and keeping things progressing has been challenging. We have however continued to see the faithfulness of God in providing for the Logos Hope project and for us as a family also. We are so thankful for each one who is able to partner with us in this practical way and we realize the sacrifice this is.