A most welcome help

16 July 2010 Posted by Martin

[Monrovia, Liberia]
Last Wednesday, 74 volunteers from Monrovia and the suroundings were gathered for a Logos Hope orientation. One of my colleagues, Norma Hernandez (Mexico), spent the last two months, interviewing candidates who are interested to serve alongside the crew during the Logos Hope visit. Indeed, in every port the ship visit, we invite some local volunteer to help us. This extra help is much welcome, especially in countries where English is not the official language. In this case, the local volunteers help crew members who can’t speak the local language. For 2 or 3 weeks, they are part of the ship’s company. They live a unique ship experience, working in the galley or in the book fair. They also receive some Biblical teaching and join us in the ministry onboard and on shore.

This Liberian batch was quite excited and impatient… but they will have wait 3 more weeks before boarding the Logos Hope.

Once in a Lifetime

02 July 2010 Posted by Martin

[Monrovia, Liberia]
What is this noise in the street? And this crowd across the pavement? Is this another strike of the teachers who haven’t been paid? Or another complain of the AFL, the Liberian forces, for their pensions?
No, this is just the World cup. Like everywhere, Soccer is everything in Liberia. Yet, only few Liberian can afford a TV, the only option left to watch a match is to squeeze oneself in one of the ‘entertainment centres’ (sort of ‘local cinema’) or small bars with a TV Set. The Screen is small and the seats in front are rare, hence most of the time, you will end up watching the match in an angle. But the atmosphere is at least as crazy as in the stadium! Even the street vendors have left their wheel barrows. The noise level is so high that you can’t get a words of the commentary (this is because of the passion of the supporters as well as the loud music of the nearby CD dealer) – anyway the comments of my two neighbours are much funnier that the official ones.
When I see the passion of the people and the pride they have in this unique event happening for the first time in Africa, I even wish the Ghana team to win the cup. This would mean al lot, not only to a country but to a continent as a whole!