This is a continuation from
Part 1 of my recent trip on the
MV Doulos.
Although the Doulos has seen many modifications throughout its long history, much of the work on board is still done manually. Here the deckhands stow the lines in preparation for the departure from Manila.
Safety drills are practiced regularly, while at sea and in port. The lifeboat crew is seen here preparing to lower a lifeboat in a man overboard scenario whilst underway to Cebu.
Approaching the main harbor of Cebu, a pilot boat approaches to board a local pilot to help guide the bridge crew of the Doulos steer the large ship into the confines of the harbor.
Volunteers are eased into shipboard life through their family groups. Older crew members act as surrogate parents to a group of volunteers. These groups meet weekly for prayer and social interaction.
The volunteers on board aren't just young adults, there are several whole families on board, some with young charges.
A schooling program is available on board, as well as recreational facilities catering to the kids.
I learnt to look forward to the freshly baked loaves of bread emerging from the bakery every morning. They really stood out from the simple fare found on board.
Dr. Carter attending to one of his many patients for the day. The ship had been without a dentist for the last several months and the recent arrival of Dr. Carter was a welcomed one as the list of dental cases started piling up. Dr. Carter also provides dental care in the land missions where teams are sent to remote areas where medical services are sorely lacking.
A glimpse into the world's largest floating bookstore. This is a typical public crowd which can be found on the Doulos on any given day in port.
Visitors, both young and old, browse through the many selections available on board.
Not quite your regular Borders, but there are unused shelves to rest yourself on for a quick browse.
On a typical land mission, a team of volunteers helps build a day care center for a village in Cebu.
Everyone on board is involved in the ministry side of things. Captain MacDonald leads a group of Manila volunteers in a quayside ministry session.
It was but a short stay on board the Doulos for me but the trip left me with deep impressions of the sacrifices many of the volunteers made to spend time away from their homes and families. It was just incredible to hear the many wonderful testimonies from young christians who have made a decision to devote their lives to mission work or just came on board to discover more about themselves.
Labels: Travel
