Days 57 to 63

Bernadette took me and Sam to the Mount Kinabalu national park. Along the way we stopped at her friends souvenir shop where she said I could get a good deal. I picked a few things and the asked how much it would be but the owner just waved her hand and smiled and said I didn't need to pay. The park was a refreshing non-humid 20° C, quite amazing and wonderful so close to the equator. Bernadette treated us to dinner and then Sam and I took a brief nature walk, but we didn't have much time or knowledge of the area. But it was nice anyway.

The rest of the time has still been mostly an unexceptional work and leisure routine. I have actually been getting exhausted with all the little and big activities filling up my leisure time. I haven't had any e-days besides the one when I did the painting, until today, and another e-day tomorrow.

This morning we went to an orphanage + care home that takes care of people that the government facilities don't accept. It was a Christian place operated by a husband and wife and some low-wage workers. The couple don't have children of their own but they call all the people under their care their children. I was surprised at how cheerful and affectionate the kids were and how good the atmosphere was there. Many of them are mentally or physically disabled or were abandoned or rescued from horrible situations, but in the short time I was there I sensed that in general they are spiritually healthy. We taught them some silly songs, did a simple skit and made balloon animals -- actually balloon swords mostly. I was inspired to bring some drawing pencils along to do some quick portrait sketches (I did three).

Tomorrow I will be going as one among two teams to some Habitat for Humanity project to do practical work. I expect to sweat as never before. Oh, and I just got an e-mail that our leader can't make it and wants me to lead. Awesome.

I would like to add to the stuff I was saying in my last post about life on the ship. That haphazard paint job we did at the hospital in Cambodia is pretty representative of a lot of what gets done on this ship. Some of my e-days have had very little planning beforehand, the rest have had none at all. In the bookshop I have noticed a lot of inefficiencies, annoyances and disorder. I have chosen not to complain very much about these things since I am only a lowly STEPper and I assumed, often correctly, that some issues would have a reason I didn't yet understand. But concerning the bookshop, lots of improvements are under way thanks to a new bookshop manager and a visit from the guy that handles all book shipments to the Doulos and Logos Hope (sorry, I don't know what his title is off hand, but his name is Huug if that helps). Since there are now radical changes underway and they said they were open to suggestions I have started to be more outspoken. I am happy about the changes being made so far.

The point of that last paragraph was supposed to be that even in practical matters the Doulos has much room for improvement, but I am confident that God is still using this ship (and her sister ship) for great things.

Well, just four more sleeps and I'll be heading back to Canada. Sounds crazy to say that, or...feels crazy to type that... Anyway, as I suspected, this was too short a time. I am jealous for those who get to continue on. I don't know how it feels for you people back home, but it seems like I just got here. Don't worry, I'm not cancelling my plane ticket. But I think I would like to stay involved with the OM ships in the future somehow. I might come back to the Doulos to work in IT at some point but it sounds like the Doulos's days are number due to new international ship regulations.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
--Proverbs 16:9