LOGOS HOPE BRINGS INTERNATIONAL CREW
logos Hope brings International crew to Nelson Mandela Bay
Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book fair, will soon bring its international crew with their life changing stories for the first time to Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
“It was overwhelming at the beginning to leave home so far away, but it turned out to be a blessing in just a few weeks,” said Jemma Coetzee, 20 years old from Port Elizabeth. She just joined Logos Hope in February 2016 and works in the Hotel Service team.
Waking up at 6 am to clean was challenging but humbling. Through encouragement and friendship from the international team, Jemma learned to appreciate different work and understand the importance of working in the background. Her parents were worried about her before she joined, but now they are happy to see how much she has grown. “My Mom is surprised when she hears that I’m scrubbing the bathroom floor. I would not even pick up my own hair on the floor before I joined the ship. ”
Her favorite corner onboard is the International Café. “I love to play the piano there and meet people from around the world through music,” Jemma is excited to see the ship visit her home town. “I can’t wait to let my own people see and taste for themselves the transformation power we have onboard.”
Jemma is one of the ship’s 400 volunteers who represent over 55 nationalities and have left behind families, jobs, and the security of their homes. The crew offers a unique example of unity in cultural diversity. Some come with qualifications to fill specific roles such as engineering officers, plumbers, carpenters, bookkeepers and cooks among others; many young people, come with no professional qualifications except a willingness to serve. Although they have different backgrounds, the crewmembers agree on a common goal: helping people through social service projects and providing good literature.
MV Logos Hope is operated by GBA Ships e.V., an international, charitable organisation registered in Germany. Since 1970, the organisation has welcomed over 44 million visitors up the gangways in over 150 countries and territories around the world.
MV Logos Hope will open to the public at the Multi-Purpose Terminal at Port Elizabeth Harbour from the 9th to 19th of June 2016. Opening hours are: Sunday to Tuesday from 2 pm – 9 pm and Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am – 9 pm. Entrance fee is 5 Rands. Children under 12 years old enter for free, but must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, check www.logoshope.org/portelizabeth.
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