Botanic Gardens

On the ship, we are given 7 break days each year to use as we wish. I used a few of these in Singapore, to relax after a very busy period of preparing for many events and running the school Christmas play. I took the chance to explore Singapore and these are some memories from a day out at the Singapore Botanical Gardens with my cabin-mate Jenny (USA) and my friend Jocelyn (France).

Many trees around the Gardens were decorated for Christmas
by various school children.

At lunch, Jocelyn decided to give himself a mighty big challenge.

Admiring the same flowers that were in my
garden back home.

Many picturesque statues around the gardens.

This was a rolling water stone that stayed in it's spot. With a bit
of force, you could push it to change direction!

See a new ornament?

Behind the waterfall

Mmmm... snails!

For a Frenchie, he seems awfully scared by snails...

Spot the photographer!

Um... really? Does this sign appear necessary to you
in a big botanical garden???

Christmas Newsletter

An evening planned by God

"God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purposes".

~Romans 8:28

"A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."

~Proverbs 16:9

Tonight I wasn’t sure of what to do. I had cancelled my plans to go to the ship's booth on Orchard Rd (aiming to create opportunities to share the gospel or invite people to the ship), in favour of finishing the school end-of-year newsletter. After that was finished, I wanted to go with a friend and have coffee and hang out, but one was already off the ship, another was working and a third was planning to watch a movie I didn’t want to see. She claimed to have invited me but hadn’t, but anyway I felt left out and didn’t want to join in. However I knew that sulking in my cabin would achieve nothing and I didn’t just want to watch a movie or read a book all evening on my own.

As I was eating dinner, the idea that I should go to deck 4 (our visitor deck) popped into my head and I felt God encouraging me – ‘yes, go down to deck 4’. So, praying as I went, I started downstairs knowing that God was going to use me somehow.

I started just walking around and I met Jiamin Choo promoting her book “Out of the Harbour”. It was journal entries from her time on the Doulos. It was lovely to talk to her and she’d recently been in Australia at my church where a friend had encountered Jiamin's book. The friend emailed me and mentioned it and said I should read the book and had I heard of Jiamin? Well, funny that she’s onboard at the moment and I’ve had the chance to chat with her. Also, she did line-up in Brisbane in 2008 and talks about a few people that I know very well! What a small world...

While I was in line with Jiamin while she was busy with visitors, I got talking to some and had some good conversations before continuing on my way through the book fair and onto the International Cafe where I saw a girl sitting by herself so I approached and asked if I could join her. We started talking and 5 minutes later her friend returned. We continued talking for about 30 minutes, each asking questions and sharing about our lives. As they asked about the ship, I was able to share about the knowledge, help and hope vision we have and what this means, including openly sharing about the love of God compelling us to the works we do.

When they had to leave, I joined a Korean family for another half hour and after discovering they were also Christians, we could share and encourage each other. I particularly enjoyed interacting with their 4 year old daughter, who was convinced that the popcorn pieces were cockroaches and surprisingly delicious!

As I made my way round for a second tour of deck 4, next to the lifeboat a group of 3 young guys ~18-20 years old asked how they could join the ship. I jumped straight in with sharing that we were part of OM and therefore a Christian organisation, so one must be a follower of Christ to join the ship. This didn’t turn them off at all, even when they answered ‘no’ to my asking if they shared the Christian faith. They were very curious about why I came to the ship, what we do, why we do it and I shared openly about my testimony of why I came to the Logos Hope, what I hope to gain by it, the reason why we serve and volunteer, about the hopes and dreams God gives us, the support and guidance He gives through our lives. I shared about how God provided for me through my year of studying education with the cheap rent and perfect job that was clearly a divine gift. I asked about their hopes and dreams and how if they trusted God with them, that these things were possibilities.

We stopped the conversation only due to the fact that the ship had to close and the boys expressed a desire to return to the ship while we are in Singapore, so maybe I’ll see them again!

After I came up the stairs, it was perfect timing to see a friend walk by in tears. Although we had not had a proper conversation in 2 months, God provided the opportunity that when she needed a listening ear and a good hug that I was there at the right moment and we could talk and pray together.

All in all it was a wonderful evening where I saw God’s hand as I listened to His voice and obeyed. And to think that I might have ended up simply watching a movie instead!

Please pray with me for the people I could share with tonight, particularly the 3 young men with curious and open hearts. May the seeds planted tonight be watered and nurtured by the Lord, that fruit would be borne for His kingdom! 

We went to the zoo, zoo, zoo

Mama's taking us to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow.

Mama's taking us to the zoo tomorrow, and we can play all day!

I'm going to the zoo, zoo, zoo

How about you, you, you?

You can come too, too, too

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo!

After a month of having the above song in my mind, I finally got to sing it on Wednesday evening as the next day, we took the whole school to the zoo! A generous, local Singaporean donated money specifically so we could take the students to the Singapore Zoo for the day.

We split up into our classes and I accompanied reception/year 1 (4 and 5 year olds). We started with a seal show where I got to throw him a frisbee before moving on to visit a bunch of animals. Then before lunch we saw the elephant show. These are incredible animals, able to pick up logs with their trunks and squash a coconut with one foot. 

The children then enjoyed some time in the water play area where they got me pretty wet despite the fact that I wasn't wearing togs and we took the boat back to the beginning of the zoo. Before leaving, we checked in with the white tigers. My favourite part of the zoo is seeing the relationship between animals and their trainers. These are wild animals that could do great damage should they choose to do so, and yet their trainers have won their trust and friendship.

God gave man dominion over animals and I love seeing how this can work beautifully when man does not abuse this power, but the two can work in partnership.

KS2 (yr 4, 5, 6) with Miss Pam (Australia)

Reception/yr 1 with their teacher, Miss Sarah (UK)

Me with reception/yr 1 (4/5 yr olds)

Fundeck class (18mths - 3yrs)

Open School at Christmas

Every year in the last week of school before Christmas, we open up the school (usually an area restricted to teachers, students and parents) to ship's company. Each class prepares an activity to do, we decorate the school, have Christmas carols playing and prepare snacks. This year, people could make clay ornaments, paper snowflakes, origami Santa's and glitter stars. 

Newsletter #10

Gana Challenge Team

During the recent school break, I was offered the opportunity to lead a team of 5 others from the Logos Hope into the small kampung (village) of Gana in the mountains of Sabah, Malaysia. We combined with a Korean church group – their pastor is initiating the support of Gana and goes in each month – and also the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship (FGB), a group of men who use their skills and resources outside of work hours to assist projects and communities such as this.

It was an important journey and much work remains as there is a lot at stake in the village of Gana. The villagers are the original People of the Land, the Dusun tribe who came from the jungle. The government-made road currently ends 5km away from Gana. The state of Sabah has the highest density of Christians of all Malaysian states, so the government is focusing on this area. The M*slim government plans to build a road and once in the village, to convert them to Isl*m. As People of the Land, they currently have a voice to use for/against the government as they wish however if they convert then they fall under Isl*m law and no longer have a voice.

Dr Barnabas has a vision that by the time the government road is completed, 50% of the village would be disciples of Christ. This is not only for the sake of the current villagers, but also affects the future people of Gana, the surrounding villages and the entire state of Sabah.

So the main purpose of our visit was to continue the work that Dr Barnabas had already started in building relationships with the people and letting his life be a witness of God’s work in him. As Gana’s nearest source of water is a 1hr walk and is not pure, Logos Hope donated a water purifier that we installed during our time there. The FGB supplied a doctor and dentist who treated and provided care for 471 people over the weekend. Unless people make the arduous journey out to the village, the people of Gana are unable to receive medical treatment.

Packing the 4WD ready
for the journey!

We left in a caravan of 8 4WD vehicles early Friday morning and by midday had climbed the mountain and reached the end of the road and the beginning of the real fun. The cars were all put into 4WD mode and proceeded into the mud track. Every 20m a rough spot was reached that provided difficulties to some of the cars. Before every new patch, someone would get out and attempt to walk through it to determine the depth and to find the safest route. It was an amazing team effort as one car would get through then winch the second car through. That car would then become the anchor so the winching car would not get dragged into the bog while taking care of the other cars. It was better than any rollercoaster I’ve ever been on and after a weekend of accidental mud facials, my skin has never been clearer! :)

Eventually the cars got to such a tough spot that we decided it was better to walk, as we were already quite behind schedule. So while the cars continued to try to get through, half of us walked to the village. The 2kms left took 2hrs and as my shoes got bogged and stuck every 2 steps, I took them off and walked barefoot.

Intercessory team, praying for each 
person after they received medical 
or dental treatment.

Once we reached the village after the 9hr journey, it was such a beautiful sight and the people were so welcoming. Shy children smiled at us from every door and window and lit up with joy when we waved at them. As we were 4hrs later than planned, we decided to abandon our plans and put all our efforts into turning the dewan (village hall) into a medical clinic. People could register then there was a waiting area before they would be seen by either the dentist or the doctor and receive any needed medication. Then they would come to where the Logos Hope team were sitting waiting to ask them, “Boleka saiya boroduwa untuk kamu?” “Can I pray for you?” As they didn’t even speak Bahasa Malay, we had to learn a few words/ sentences in the Dusun dialect.

The following day, after a night spent on the wooden floors (not many houses had furniture other than one table for the food), the medical clinic continued, while the rest of us split up into 2 teams to go and visit the people in their homes. That morning, 8 people (4 adults, 4 children) gave their lives to Jesus.

Yes, the little thing on my shoulder
is a 1 week old ginger kitten!

After lunch, the medical continued, a few of us did a children’s program and the remaining few continued visiting. The first house we came to, a tiny old lady met us on the verandah. My first sense was of witchcraft, but I quickly pushed it from my mind, not wanting to judge based on first impressions or appearances. She was quite deaf and the man speaking to her had to yell quite loudly close to her ear. She was happy to talk, but uninterested in being prayed for. As soon as she saw a camera, she wanted us to take a photo with her and I saw she was constantly rubbing her eyes. I asked the translator to find out what was the matter and the lady shared that a shaman (ie: witchdoctor, one of two in the village) had put a curse on her that her hair would fall out and she felt it affecting her eyes as well, that she felt like something was scratching them out. After she shared that, she was happy for us to pray for her. The next house was a man who had believed, but when he married a non-believer and his father-in-law was against his beliefs, the man gave them up in favour of peace in the household. He shared with us that he was quite unhappy with this and chose to rededicate his life to Christ. He also committed himself to allowing his life to be a witness to his wife and children of how God would transform him and to pray continuously for them.

I am so grateful to God to allow me the opportunity to meet these people, to be a tiny part of their lives, that we were able to bless them a little. During this time He also revealed more of Himself to me and taught me much about leading a team. This is an experience I will never forget, and I pray that you would join me in praying for the people of Gana.

Drop-toilet on the left and bowl of water (ie: shower)
behind the blue curtain. 

This is the front of the church. The house above is behind
the church.

Mt Kinabalu - our view on the journey to Gana

Locals carrying their durian (stinky fruit).
The outer skin is incredibly prickly -
God's way of warning us:
"Don't do it!! Don't eat this fruit!!"

A meeting of the end of the true road and the
beginning of the mud track

Mmmmmm.... tasty!

Mud was so high that I could only open my
door a little before getting stuck in mud.

Walking the last 2hrs to the village

Sleeping quarters: 5 women in a small room,
on a hard wooden floor.

Pastor's house where we slept and ate.

Breakfast was rice, thin noodles and big noodles

Preparing to head out door-to-door to meet the locals.

Dr Joseph on the right and the pharmacy led by Nate (USA)

The 4 sticks indicate that somewhere in there is the
bridge - ie, a plank of wood. It made the difference between
being in water up to your shins or up to your thighs.

Children passed their time by sliding down the mud hills.

A symbol of God's promise over the kampung of Gana.

Carwash - au naturel! Just using water in a boot from a creek!