Hello! My name is Luke, and I have recently returned from serving on board Logos Hope. God led me to the ship through several experiences through which I realised I needed to learn to trust Him more. It soon became clear that of all the ways I could do that, living on a ship lightyears away from home in Scotland, both physically and culturally, was a pretty good way to go about it!

So, I applied, had an interview, filled out all the forms, and attended all the training, and in the middle of a global pandemic, I embarked on a year-long journey that changed my life. 

On the ship, I worked in the catering department. Here I began to appreciate more the vibrant international community we had on board as I was washing dishes and preparing meals alongside Germans, Ukrainians, Mexicans, Ecuadorans, Dominicans, Moldovans, Chinese, and many others. 

As amazing as the work was, however, that wasn't the main reason why we were there. While COVID-19 reduced the opportunities we had to serve, God still opened doors for us to bless the communities hosting us.

For example, we were in St Vincent in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption of the island's volcano, La Soufriere. As a result I was able to help in efforts to pack donations and distribute any surplus fresh water we had to the local community. 

I also had opportunities to be involved in sports ministry at a juvenile detention centre and to work a shift on the ship's newly reopened bookfair. On a personal level, these were maybe two of the most impactful ministry experiences I had.

But this isn't a story about me or the people I met, or even about Logos Hope. This is a story about how the Lord worked in us and through us to be a blessing to those around us.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave His followers a clear instruction: to "make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

This is no small mission. On their journey so far, the disciples had experienced furious storms, encountered wild demon-possessed men, suffered threats of arrest, imprisonment, and stoning, and now they were being asked to continue without the One who had brought them safely through that. 

But here, Jesus also gives a promise: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." The point is, from then until the day Christ comes again, those who undertake this mission do not do do alone.

There are 2.1 billion people in the world with very limited opportunities to hear the Good News of the love of God.

It may seem like we've inherited an impossible task. But just as the task has remained the same, the promise has remained the same also - that the Spirit of God will be with us "to the very end of the age."

We are not to fulfil this mission alone. The Lord actively encourages us to partner with Him in this and to do it in His wisdom and strength, not our own.

If you've been inspired by Luke's story, you can find out more about joining in with God's mission through Logos Hope via the link below. 

More about OM's Ship Ministry