my farewell testiomy.

Below is the testimony that I just shared with the community onboard last night. It is the testimony of my time on the ship. It was written to share in 5 minutes which of course limits me to share all that God did. But here is a taste of my time onboard...


August 17, 2008
I said my good byes to friends and family and left America for the first time as an 18 year old girl, 3 months out of high school and less than a year into a true relationship with God.
This was the beginning of a journey that I could have never mapped out myself. I would say that these last two years have been the hardest but most amazing two years of my life, so far.

I joined the ship with the wonderful PST in Denmark, the first one of course. Yes we spent 6 month in project phase in Koge. I thank God for our 6 months in Koge because it gave me the opportunity to build relationships with local people that I am still in contact with today.

My first 7 month onboard was spent in the Pantry on the best shift ever, the chocolates. I didn’t love washing dishes everyday but God showed me what it meant to serve him and taught me a lot about leadership. The galley also brought good relationships and amazing memories.

Belfast was my first port working in Onboard Events. Part of my job when first joining events was to be on the team that started the Greatest Treasure programme, yes I am the first ever Anchor. I was in Onboard events for almost all of Europe and absolutely loved it. For our last port in Europe I moved over to Onshore Events and was the Hope and Challenge Team Coordinator.

We sailed across the Atlantic and in the first port of the Caribbean I had the opportunity to go on my first Challenge Team. The challenge team was a wonderful experience but it marks something more, it marks the beginning of my biggest challenge. It was on the way back from challenge team that I heard news that two of my best friends from home had died in a car accident. I couldn’t believe that it was true but it all became real when I went home. Dealing with this loss and grief has been the hardest thing that I have ever gone through. I was left in such confusion with no words to say to God.

After two months at home I returned to the ship with the new challenge of being Onboard Events Team Leader. I began to lead the team straight off in St. Lucia while still trying to deal with pain. After a season of brokenness and loneliness I realized that God was the only one who was going to heal my broken heart, the only one who was going to give me comfort and perfect love. So I came back to God and he began to heal my heart.

After what seemed like forever in the Caribbean we sailed across the Atlantic again and I had the new challenge of being Events Manager, I don’t know whose idea it was to make a 20 year old girl a manager but I thank them because it marked another opportunity to see that I am nothing and God is everything.
My journey in events was a massive challenge but it is amazing how much God taught me in it. The best thing about events aside from working with such amazing people is seeing God do what you know you can not do.

What I have share with you so far has been the big events that have built my two years on the ship but it was so many little things that actually shaped it into what it turned out to be.

So here are some of the little things…
Seeing the ship for the first time and shedding a happy tear.
Having church, worship night, prayer night and devotions on deck 4.
Having to wear a jacket and a scarf to go swing dance on the quayside.
Having water fights in the Galley.
Running around snowy Koge with Adam and Mark.
Christmas around the world.
Spending time with my favourite Danish family.
Seeing a castle for the first time.
February 19th, 2009 sailing out of Koge and into full time ministry.
Sailing into Sweden’s icy waters.
Eating pizza at the top of a hill in the Faroe Islands.
Organizing my first event onboard.
Walking the streets of Dublin giving food to the homeless and praying with them.
Surviving events in London and seeing the first event in the Hope Theatre.
Sailing across the Atlantic twice.
Snorkelling for the first time.
Going turtle hunting at 5am and not finding any turtles.
Swimming on Christmas morning with my best friends.
Seeing over 35,000 school kids go through a programme on the ship in Jamaica.
MCing the youth event in Bahamas with Adam that involved eating a blended happy meal.
Being a part of the organization of the Bermuda Donor weekend and having to deal with more details than I can handle.
Never doing the mission hats presentation.
Swing dancing on quayside around the world and in more events than I can count on two hands, thanks to my partner Ryan Coon.
Going on overnight team in Sierra Leone and receiving a chicken as a gift from the village.
Getting sp with Daniel Nicholas.
Church teams in West Africa.
Sharing the gospel with prostitutes in a ghetto in Monrovia.
Organizing the programme for the President of Liberia with Faith.
Spending time with the events team, dancing, eating, talking, and laughing.
Sitting out on deck when there is no land in sight.

But the best part about these two years is that God broke me, changed me and I fell more in love with him each day.

It’s true I am leaving the ship.
On September 12th
I will first go to Germany to visit Daniel and then I will return home to Americaland with no set plans.

How you can pray for me…
Pray for good times in Germany and guidance from God.
Pray for good re-entry as I will go back to live in a non-Christian home that has faced a lot of changes and challenges over these two years.
Pray that God would guild me as I search for schools to study Event Management.
And pray that God would continue the work he has started in me.

Thank you for being a part of my two years here and thanks for listening.

Yes, the President of Liberia.

I co-organized and ran an event onboard the ship for Her Excellency Ellen Joshson Sirleaf President of the Republic of Liberia, yes, the President of Liberia.
It all started on Friday afternoon when I got a call to go to the dinning room to discuss the programme for the Presidents Visit. Apparently she was coming TOMORROW!! Her protocall people wouldnt tell us when she would actually come, only that she would come tomorrow before lunch. So we got planning. (What do you do for a President?) After figuring out a programme with the leaders Faith (Philippines) and I went shopping in the bookfair for a gift.... for the President, so funny. That evening we went around to find the people we would need to be in the programme, it wasnt that hard because no one wants to say not to being a part of the programme for the President of Liberia. Friday evening finished and we were ready.
Saturday morning, the day.
Woke up, ate a quick breakfast and started preparing the room at 0745 because her protocall people were already onboard again. They claimed she would come at 1000 or 1030, "Africa time". We set up the room, dealt with the demands of her people and by 1000 were ready. We called together all those who would be involved and we waited... and waited.
Finally by 1130 she arrived. Her cars pulled up infront of the ship. The door opened and red carpet stairs came out and then she did. She stepped out, waved to the people and made her way onto the ship. We all got in our places ready to welcome her. I stood at the enterance of the Logos Lounge. Faith in my ear on the radio, "she's in the lobby, she is going up the stairs, she is coming down the hallway, she is coming..." and then I saw her, the President of Liberia, so funny. The came in, we all stood and clapped for her and the program began. The programme went well and when it was finished it was such a relief, but her visit wasnt finished. I went ahead to make sure that everything was okay where ever she was going. She went to the book fair first. Then she wanted to go to the Bridge, I held the door open for her, for like 10 minutes, a fire door, so heavy. Then after the Bridge we took her to a room to sign the guest book. Then she left and it was over. I gave Faith a high five, we did it. It was a crazy morning but I loved it. It was a day to remember.

africa the west part.

It is hard to believe that I am in the mist of my last country in Africa. I remember sailing into Africa (Sierra Leone) for the first time just the middle of June. I was so excited but yet so nervous, a new continent, new countries, new people, new culture, new experiences and news memories to make. My time in Africa has flown by, now having visited Freetown, Sierra Leone, Tema & Takoradi, Ghana and now last Monrovia, Liberia. Looking back at the time I have already spent in Africa I am amazed and so thankful. It has always been a dream of mine to visit Africa and my dream came true in a way I would have never expected. God has blessed me with some amazing experiences over these last months in Africa and my eyes are definatly more open now.

Sierra Leone was a big highlight for me because of the team I went on. I went on a team with 5 other people from the ship and a local pastor. We traveled 5 hours from the ship to a small village called Lohindi. We went to Lohindi to help fix the roof of their school, the roof continues to get blown off by the wind when there are storms. It is a blessing for this village to even have a school as many dont and kids end up having to travel very far on foot to even have the chance to go to school. We stayed 3 days in this village fixing this school, it turned out that we did more than practical work. At night we traveled to different villages to share with them, all being translated because they spoke a tribal language. We also spent so much time with the beautiful children. I walked around Lohindi always having a child attached to my hand. So many beautiful children. My time in Lohindi I will never forget. It opened my eyes to a way of life I have never seen, only thought about. A way of life that involves no electricity, no running water, living in huts, eating only one meal a day and simple fellowship community life. One of the most amazing parts about my time in Lohindi was the relationships I built with the people even though we could speak to each other, when we left that village you could see the sadness on their faces and I could feel the sadness in my heart. One of the biggest highlight of my time onboard the ship.
I love Lohindi.

Sierra Leone came and went and we were soon sailing to Ghana.
First Tema and then Takoradi.
My highlight for Ghana would be going to an Orphanage, Fathers Home. There were 30 children at this Orphanage and they were so lovely. I really felt a peace at this Orphanage and I really felt like it was God lead. I enjoyed spending time with the children and showing Gods love with them.
Another hightlight was going to a local church for sunday service. It is of course so different from church back home in the States. I enjoy listing to the people worship and I enjoying watching them dance. It so good to see the different culture and see how they worship God. We also were able to share with the church about the ship and fellowship with them in the beginning and end. I also got to hold this beautiful 2 month old baby named Fredrika.

So like I said before, I am now in Monrovia, Liberia my last West African port and my last full port onboard the ship. I will leave the ship in Las Palmas, Canaries on September 12th.

Pray I make the most of each day I have left serving onboard.