To make a difference.

I want to make a difference in the world.

To Live to the highest calling God has summoned me to.

I don't really know if this can ever be easy. With so much suffering in the word, its sometimes hard to know where to start.

But sometimes God wants to start in our hearts. To teach us that we can do nothing alone. That he is the one that strengthens us to do mighty things for him.

Sometimes in the times we feel like we are doing nothing of importance,

this is when God is doing the most in the depths of our hearts.

No matter where God takes me, i know we are going there together.

Hope you have a blessed day.

Thoughts

God has really been teaching me to use where ever you are, as a mission field. You don't have to be in a third world country to make a difference.

The Boys home in Sri Lanka has really been on my heart, but going back there seemed impossible. Then God began to show me that even though I may not be able to go back at this stage, God can still use me to encourage them from over the seas.

So with this in mind I began to write to them and send packages to them. One package I sent was toys for the children. The latest one that I have just sent off was for Christmas. Inside was 5 quilts I had made for them to hang on the wall. Also I gave each child a bag of candy.

My life is so full now. I truly believe that when we start living for something bigger then ourselves, that our lives become so much richer. We start off giving to others because we want to help them but as time goes on we see that, really they have given us far greater riches.

Our lives become much more then just another day to wake up to and get through, but we learn to keep reaching for that higher goal.

His Mansion USA

After coming back from the ship my family and I went to His Mansion, it is a place for people who struggle with some kind of addiction, also some have been abused.

We went there for a few days to help out. To start off it was very hard as we felt on the outer and a bit in their way. But they were all very kind and soon we felt like part of the team. We chopped wood, worked in the garden and cleaned windows.

They had a church service every lunch time and it was during this time that I began to see how strong these people really were. Some may have made some bad mistakes along the way but they were willing to admit it. They were willing to say “ I can't change my life on my own, I've sinned and I want to change.

That takes great courage to admit you are weak and that you can't do it on your own. These people at his mansion taught me a lot about courage and strength.

India

It was exciting to see india for the first time, with only a few days left before I was to fly home, I felt blessed that God had fulfilled my dream of seeing India even if only for a short time.

The ship opened for the public and soon there was long lines of people waiting in line for up to hours, one day I went down to deck 4 to connect with locals, suddenly from out of nowhere all children crowded around me. Asking me to sing, dance and just talk. It was such a amazing moment of connection, the rest of that day I met many amazing Indians.

One girl that forever sticks in my memory was a sweet 14 year old girl. She sat next to me and told me of her hopes and dreams of one day traveling abroad. As she left she begged me to never forget her.

The few days that I had in India, I wasn't able to leave the port apart from going to the airport. But the locals that came on the ship, and the volunteers that worked on the ship for a week, gave me a taste of the amazing people of India. Their beautiful hearts and smile will forever be etched in my mind.

Back to the ship

It was very exciting to see the ship again after 5 weeks, it was like coming home, when we arrived back many of our friends were still on traveling back from challenge team but they soon began to arrive. There was much hugging and laughing as we exchanged stories. It felt so good to be back together again.

We were going to sail to India soon after we got back but while still on challenge team we had found out that the ship still needed work to be done on we stayed two more weeks in Sri Lanka, I was glad I had grown to love Sri Lanka and its people. Time had slowly been moving and before I knew it I only had a few weeks left.

I settled back into ship life. Working everyday with people from all over the world opened my world view up and taught me a lot about different cultures.

After being on two different challenge team, I had a lot more friends, it was nice to wake up every morning and be able to chat with like minded people over breakfast, lunch or dinner. The last few days in Sri Lanka was spent meeting people who came on board the ship to the book fair and trips into town to buy Saris and gifts for people back home.

Then suddenly it was time to leave Sri Lanka and sail to India. I stood out on the deck that night as we left Sri Lanka, watching the port that had been our home for 9 weeks get smaller and smaller.

I contemplated that even though I had come to make a difference in the lives of the Sri Lankans it was actually them who made a difference in mine, their gentle simple kind way of living had taught me more then any bible collage or famous preacher could.

They had taught me the true power of prayer, real servanthood and the treasure of being grateful for every and anything

Challange team the second, well cleaning

My amazing team! All 20 of us.

Helping restore a bus stop.

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Well cleaning!

The second challenge team I went with a team of 20, it was a
8 hour train ride, we stayed in a Church underlines of nets, we showered by a
baptismal pool and washed our clothes in a bucket.
We worked with the ADT, we restored Bus stops, cleaned wells,
painted classrooms and did dramas at churches. Well cleaning was a lot of fun,
swimming, jumping in, and pulling the dirt out from the bottom was just some of
the fun as well as the water fights, and mud fights. We stayed here two and
half weeks and then we went back to the ship.

Challange team . Boys Home.

Me and my amazing team!

My monkey friend!

My dearest little friends.

After being on the Ship a few weeks it, then went into
Dry-dock, this was a time when the ship needed work done on it so about half of
the ship was send on land, this was called challenge team.
The first challenge team we left the ship at 3am and went to
a Boys Home up in the mountains of Sri Lanka.

Here we taught the children English,
cleared land, and just had fun with the Children.
There was about 12 children at the home. We stayed there for
2 and half weeks. These wonderful people taught me so much.

It was one of the greatest times in my life.

Deck 4

Connecting with People on deck 4!

Job

The Team i work with on the Ship. Amazing people who work so hard to keep the ship clean.

Sailing is fun!

Leaving Dubai

Nothing but Water

Sailing was so much fun.

Its also a time when ship life slows down a little.

It was amazing to look out the window and see nothing but water, very deep water.

A few times i saw large Jellyfish and dolphins.

The sailing was very smooth.

Arriving on the Ship

Stepper Friends

Me and my cabin mates,

My bed in my cabin

We arrived on the ship after a long wait.

It was amazing seeing the ship for the first time even though i was very Jet lagged.

I was shown to my cabin, it was a 10 person cabin.

Over the next three months i got to know the 8 other girls very well.

It was cool how many people from different countries where on the ship.

There are 400 people for 45 different countries.

The day after I arrived on the ship, we set sail to Sri Lanka.

Leaving Home...to Dubai

The Hotel Sarah and I stayed at in Dubai.

Dubai Boats

Sites of Dubai

I left New Zealand on the 7th of March 2011.

It was the first time I had ever left home.

So I was a little nervous but God had really prepared my heart,

Sarah another Kiwi from New Zealand traveled with me.

She has become a dear friend, it was wonderful having someone to travel with.

The flight from New Zealand was long, 20 hours but flying Emirates

We looked round Dubai together before the Ship arrived to pick us up.

Dubai is so different from New Zealand.

Home again

With the other Stepper Girls the night I left to fly home.

Living on the ship can be very busy, with not much free time.

So this is why i am updating about my trip after i have come home.

Also the Internet connection was not very good.

I left the Ship two weeks ago.

It was very hard to say goodbye to the many amazing friends that i made over the three months being involved with the Logos Hope Ship.

God taught me so much about trusting him in everything, also that his plan is always better then mine. God worked in my life in ways that i couldn't even begin to image.

I am staying in the USA for two months and over this time i hope to write all about my trip.

Well I have arrived on the ship! I have been on here two weeks already wow time flys before I know it I will be home again. I arrived in Dubai 4am on Monday Morning. It was so strange to see the clothes they wear in the Middle East. We got taken to our hotel and then we went for a walk around Dubai. I saw a camel up close, that was cool.

Then on the Tusday I waited at the airport the whole day, then I got picked up by the ship at 6.30pm the first time I saw the ship was so cool! I am working as a angel that means I clean bathrooms, do laundry, and vacum all over the ship. There are 29 other steppers from all over the world! I live in a cabin with 9 other girls! We have a great time, though some of us go to bed at different times.

We sailed from Dubai to Sri Lanka, it took 9 days and it was such fun, the rocking of the ship made me sleep very well. I never got seasick. I went down to the bookshop a few days ago, it was wonderful to talk with the loacl people.

I also went into town the other day with the other steppers and we rode in a Took took. Now that was crazy driving! I thought we were going to crash heaps of times. It was very hard to see people begging in the streets. There are many solidors here.

Its very warm here, but I don't really mind the heat. There is hardly any spare time here and the internet is very bad, so I can't get on Facebook.

Just 4 days.....

Wow so much has happened since i last posted!

The Barn dance raised over $300, I am very grateful to everyone that came!

I have found out that there is another girl from New Zealand going so I am going to fly with her! Its is such an answer to prayer!

I have been busy packing and labeling my clothes! So much to do!

I am sure going to miss my family!

I am not going to Bahrain anymore as it is to dangerous! I am flying to dubai instead!

2 weeks 2 days till I go...

Two weeks, two days till I step on to the plane that will take me away from everything I have ever known....

I have started packing, its quite a big job and i don't want to leave it till the last minute. :-)

Heaps to Do!

I am Leaving New Zealand on the 6th of March so there is heaps to get ready.

I flying to Bahrain and then getting on the Boat there. So I have to get a visa for there. The Ship will look after all the other countries visas. We are having a fundraising barn dance in a few weeks.

I am going!

I have been accepted onBoard the Logos Hope Ship! I leave on March the 19th, i fly to Sri Lanka and get on the ship. Then we sail around to different ports in India and Sri Lanka. I arrive back home on the 31 of May. Right now we have to arrange airfares, vaccinations and a fundraising barn dance.

OM Logos Hope

Welcome to my Blog,

I have applied to go onboard the Logos Hope Ship in March to May of this year. I hope this blog will tell of my adventure but if not I am sure God has another plan for me.

It has been my dream to go on a short term mission trip for many years. I have always wanted to visit Africa and India. But it has always seemed impossible. Then in september 2010 when i was surfing the net i came across the OM website where i found a mission trip onboard the Logos Hope in December 2010 to March 2011 so i applied but there was no room. I decided that must not be what God wanted me to do. Then a few days before christmas 2010 I got an email back saying there was room and did i want to reapply for the next intake. This trip goes to Sri Lanka

and India!