Logos Hope = crazy life

I’ve been on Logos Hope for over a year already! It’s been a crazy time. There were many days where I just wanted to go home and there were many days where I absolutely loved being on the ship. I looooove sailing. It’s just so beautiful to be out there on the Ocean. There is something beautiful and peaceful about it. I can say that because we haven’t been in any big storm yet. I actually do hope we get to experience some kind of storm because I would like to know how that feels like. When I fly I keep getting into storms and I hate it, I prefer the rocking of a ship so much more to a rocking air plane.
Life on Logos Hope is really weird and when I think about it doesn’t make sense at all. 400 people from 50 countries living and working together, sort of in harmony and not earning any money. During the one year we were in the Caribbean, West Africa and Europe.
Sometimes I look at my life and I feel so blessed because I got to see and experience so many different countries and their cultures. I got to meet so many people and learn from them and their culture.
My first 6 months on the ship I worked in the Pantry, which means cleaning the dinning room and all the dishes. After 2 weeks I was shift leader which means I got to tell people what to do :) I did like working in the Pantry, because I had a fun teams (it kept changing). What I didn’t like was starting at 6am every second day. Still don’t like mornings but as a shift leader I felt like I had to be enthusiastic and motivating :)
After 6 months I wanted to change to the Service Desk, which is sort of the Reception of the ship, but I was told there was no space (which wasn’t true) and so I ended up joining line-up. In line-up we travel ahead of the ship to prepare the future ports. I got send to Ghana, although I didn’t want to go to Africa. With a team I travelled there and we had 3 months to prepare the port for the coming of the ship. Living in Ghana was exhausting. I hate getting so much attention. Being starred at every day and not being able to hide. Going out alone took a lot of energy. Still I learned so much from the people there. From those who are happy with the little they were given. When the ship finally came I was so happy, I think that was one of the happiest days in my life.
I admire people who go as missionaries to Africa. Because I now sort of understand what it takes. The sacrifices are many.
Being back on the ship was so great. It was so nice to not stick out anymore. To have good friends around.
I have been given so much. A freedom that few people every experience. A challenge that few people ever take on. It’s to really live. It’s to choose the hard way but experience life to its full. It’s to follow what I feel God calls me to do, even when I don’t agree with him. It’s to sacrifice everything for the one who scarifies everything for me. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be if I were married and had kids. How it would be if my life would have turned out the way I wanted. But this is the life I’ve been given. It’s different from how I wished it would be. I can say that I know what it means to be really alive. For this I thank God