Goodbye Sucks: Update on December 22nd, 2010

I am officially in Jamaica, and have yet to find a bob sled track (or team) anywhere! Who would have thought?! So since I am in Jamaica, it means I am not in Aruba, which means I can reminisce of one of the nicest ports we had, and one of the tougher things one has to come to deal with on the Logos Hope. Aruba was absolutely gorgeous. It had some pretty nice stuff too, like Taco bell, Wendy’s Little Caesars, and Quiznos, as well as easily my favorite beach in the Caribbean yet (still not quite Lake Huron in early August). It had loads of night life, geared for the tourists that come with the 2-4 new cruise ships every day. We obviously avoided all of that, unless on the way to Taco Bell or Starbucks, where one may get solicited for drugs, and obviously decline. One of my good friends even told the drug dealers “it’s not good for you, man” when asked if we wanted some ecstasy (a first for me). My wallet took a bit of a hit in Aruba, from all the nice stuff around.

Another thing that took a hit was my emotions. On the ship, one grows fairly cold to goodbyes, since every 3 months or so a bunch of people leave, and a bunch of new people join. Well, the time has come for the big changeover, with some 50 people leaving to do whatever they are called to, and around 110 people joining from the recently decommissioned Dulous and the new PST. What is so important about this one is that two of my best friends on board and, along with the Ogres, maybe ever are going their own way. My closest mate (since he was an Aussie, I will use mate) is gone. This has happened before when someone I have grown close to has left, but usually they are not too far from home for me (if within the US is considered close), and I know without a doubt I will see them again, but this is different. It was also different since this was the guy I told everything to, a deep connection on every level. We understood each other well, and got along like we were meant to. I already miss you Fitz!

So I got to do a hospital visit in Aruba too, and it was decent. We went into the center where people get their blood cleaned when they have Dialysis, which I had never before heard of. I met a guy who was a tour guide of the Island for some 40 years, and was currently retired. He was kind of falling asleep, and didn’t have direct answers for my questions really, but he was a nice bloke. Then I talked to a Hindu guy who owned a Hugo Bass store in town, he was really nice, but when questioned about faith said he believes in Jesus, but is a Hindu. Very typical Hindu answer, but I thought it would be folly to get into a religious debate in the middle of a hospital while he was getting his blood cleaned. I felt sort of bad for not standing up for Jesus, but one must pick their battles, or else we look like jerks. On the way home I had a decent chat to another lady on board too.

So now I am in Jamaica looking at the next stuff to do, probably some swing (forgot to mention that we did another event in Aruba where I had to transfer a black dot to two others to represent aids) since this port will be busy. We expect tons of people to come on board, so pray that we love each one of them, even those that seem impossible.

2010?!: Update on January 9, 2010

The start of 2010 was somewhat similar to the start of 2009, with some key differences. The sense of reflection was the same, yet it seemed so different. When presented with a slideshow of where we have been in the past year, I was amazed. I have been to 17 different countries on three continents in the past year, how many people have done that in their life? I am blessed beyond reason and for no real reason except that I jumped at an opportunity that was presented me. One New Years Eve, we had the same set up as last year, but in an entirely different place. Carousal is a beautiful place; there is little doubt about that. Our time there was an experience that was mostly notable. Christmas and New Years were celebrated with swimming and enjoying the climate instead of trying to keep warm. The island also offered us two basketball games against a younger co-ed team. After the first game, we had a chance to share with them, and KC (from Canada) gave her testimony after I told them about the ship. Some conversations started, and they were welcome to take the bibles we took. We passed out all of them.
It is amazing how much life has changed in a year, and almost it’s crazy to think that five years ago I was a senior in High School. In average lives, I would be into my career, getting married, etc. This reality sometimes creeps upon me from behind and lies to me, telling me that that life is better than this, or I am too old for school. Lately, this has been hard to suppress as it is hard to see the benefits one receives from his current struggles before they are over. So, in my head is a battle between what is happening and what could have been happening, and which one is better. I am glad I came here to experience the world, and surely I won’t leave the same as when I came. I have experienced some of the world, and hope to experience even more of it as I continue here, and to experience a different world when I come home and make the next big choices.

Blue Christmas: Update on December 27, 2009

Christmas has always meant snow and cold to me, but not the kind of cold and snow where one wishes it would melt into a haze of warmth, but a cold and snow that makes one reminisce of fires and snowball fights and making snow forts and the ignorance of youth. Needless to say that two Christmases without snow (last year’s snow could hardly be considered snow to Michigan standards) would make one who considers himself a nostalgic somewhat sad. Needless to say, I missed the snow and the whole “White Christmas” ambience of home during the Holidays. So, as we put our mooring lines onto the bits here in Curacao, my mind was thinking of the snow, even though the port I rolled into is one of the most different islands we have visited.
Upon arrival one may wonder where they came. Instead of being decisively tropical, this island is rather arid in appearance. The beaches themselves are even more rock than sand, and it is amazing that this is one of the bigger tourist islands in the Caribbean. It is also different because this is the first time the people predominantly don’t speak English. Instead, they speak a mixture of Dutch and Spanish. I actually have a reason not to understand people here! One last thing to mention of our scenery is the water. It is about as clear as I have seen in my life, and is rather cool, being that it is the Atlantic in December, but not Michigan cool. We are even allowed to swim immediately off the quayside where we are berthed!
Christmas this year was similar to what is was last year; fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, service, gift exchange, brunch Christmas day, then the rest of the day off,; with a few exceptions. This year, being in the Caribbean, not in Hel… I mean Denmark the whole environment was different. Instead of being cold and not doing anything of value, I was rather hot, not uncomfortably hot, and went swimming on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We also embraced the warm culture and had a barbeque Christmas night. It was certainly a new and wonderful experience, but I still miss the snow that home is lacking.

Auf Wiedersehen, Guyana!: Update on December 15th, 2009

So, as the hours spent in Georgetown, Guyana tick to the end, I can’t help but feel joy for my time here. My head is flooded with memories as well as regrets. I see faces of those whom I played basketball with and hear “You shoppin’ baby?” from a market vendor. My time here was good, even though I didn’t finish the way I had wished. After going to the church service with the guy from basketball, I wasn’t able to go back, due to a lack of people being around and interested. One reason was the teams we sent out to different places in Guyana, from the same city we are in to 6 hours away, traveling by bus and boat.

The team I was on was sent to help the local Habitat for Humanity in the area for three days, while staying on the ship overnight. Although this was an awesome opportunity, I was a little disappointed by the length and the fact that we slept on the Ship. Regardless, I spent three days working 9-5 on three different houses. Our main job was to be the mules, and carry stuff and move things, like block, a lot of block. A couple guys got to help roof, and do some easy “carpentry” type stuff. We worked alongside locals as well, and got to know some of them decently. One told me of his time being a gold miner, and his adventures in the jungles, while another argued for sake of his religion, which was Islam. I hope God used us in ways we will never know, but I know that those three days went by way too fast. We never fully finished a house, but worked on three different sites, readying foundations and digging the trenches for the foundations. It brought me back to the beautiful days I spent in Mexico with my youth group.

As I reflect on my time here, I can easily smile and be happy God let me come here, to a whole new continent, and see how amazing and mysterious the Human race is...

Skin: Update on December 6, 2009

If there is one thing that we all need a reminder of every day it is that one cannot judge by what is seen. I almost feel bad for explaining this port for what I saw when we arrived. Sure, on the outside you have one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, and the Ship is docked in one of the worst parts of one of the worst cities. There is so much more to this place, and these people. Fitzy and I went out one day to find somewhere to play basketball when somebody showed us to a court that is in an area we aren’t supposed to go, and only around ten minutes away from the ship. Fortune would have it that the guys that play there play four times a week. Little did we know when we went down there a couple days later that some of the guys that play are on the national team or even the Guyanese And-1 team. We were in over our head. The play is also more physical than I had ever seen, even in the prison in Trinidad. We’ve played four times already, and have a chance all next week to go, and people are starting to recognize us in the neighborhood. But we are starting to earn our respect for coming back and being able to perform, even though they still call us “white boy”.
Today, four of us went to one of the guys’ churches for a little culture experience. The Church was in the same neighborhood as the court (which is the most dangerous neighborhood in Guyana) and only a little ways away from the court. By the time we were about 10 minutes from the court still, we could hear the music being played. When we got there, we learned that they were doing a 24 hour praise service. So, the four of us sat there, the only white folk, and the only folk not dancing and shouting, with a grim on our face. It was cool, and they certainly have a different way of worshipping, it was almost like a dance party. The band included a steel drum, and there was a man with a “reggae” voice singing backup, giving the worship music a different sound. What a cool experience to be in such a different place. The world is so big…