Ministry in Cambodia

Bible study in Cambodia

Kenneth Bong (Singapore) shares with the team in Cambodia. Pray for Joseph Lee (third from left) as he leads this work with a focus on discipleship and church planting.

Food is Fellowship

Mike enjoying breakfast with some friends who had served with him on the Logos Hope.

Mike enjoyed fellowship with the office staff and team in Malaysia. We thank God for the contribution that they are making as they send people to serve in nations around the world.

Ministry in Singapore

Recently Mike visited ministries in three countries in South East Asia. He was encouraged to meet the teams and gain an understanding of the vision and passion of those serving in these countries.



Mike met with the board of OM Singapore. Pray that God will guide as we look for a new Director for OM Singapore. We are thankful for the leadership of George Barathan over the last four years. George and his wife Janet will now focus on building partnership for ministries among Dalits in India.

Pray for the work among immigrant workers in Singapore. Many only stay for about two years. This is a window of opportunity to invest in lives.

Update

We enter a new year with a passion to follow Christ and to go deeper in our relationship with Him. We pray that you will hear His voice this year and that you will enjoy the freedom that Christ gives as a gift.

Esther has her learners license! Pray for us as we help her learn to drive.

Leaving a Legacy

Six former ship's directors join Seelan Govendar (far right) for the Doulos Decommissioning.

JOY!

The wedding was a relaxed joyful time of celebration. We pray that Dan and Michelle will continue to bless many as they give their lives in passionate joy to follow Jesus.

Dan & Michelle Stevens

Becky, Michelle and Esther

Three beautiful sisters

Esther, Rebecca and Michelle

Update

Dan and Michelle

Rebecca, Michelle and Esther

We have had the Bridesmaids with us for a week. Our home has been full of life and activity. Today, we had the rehersal for the wedding tomorrow. We thank God for the way that He has brought Dan and Michelle together. It has also been a special blessing to have Rebecca join us for this time.

Recent Communication from the CEO of OM ships

We are grateful for the very positive attitude of those on board Doulos and the sense of God's peace as well as a sense of expectancy as to what the future might hold. The on board leadership team are preparing a process to help support and equip the crew for the transition and changes of the future. We have drawn on the experience of those who were on board for the decommissioning months of Logos II to resource this.

We are very grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement for OM fields around the world and are also very conscious of the challenge this is to those who were planning to join Doulos in January 2010.

We cannot accept any recruits for January for Doulos and have also stopped accepting recruits for Logos Hope. We are still planning to welcome those who have already been accepted for Logos Hope in January. Any further personnel queries can be submitted to personnelquestions@doulos.om.org

We are planning to have some ministry at Vivo City, Singapore 15 -27 December which will also include celebration and thanksgiving for the Doulos ministry.

We are seriously pursuing charter/lease options and we have not given up on the possibility of getting an extension from RINA to keep people on board beyond 31st December.

Thank you for your prayers.

Peter Nicoll

The Doulos has been a remarkable ship in the Ministry

Dear Friends,

Ann and I have accepted an invitation to lead OM's work in East Asia Pacific beginning in 2010. Pray that we will know much grace as we take steps to support the development of the work. We will send you more information about the role in the coming weeks.

The Area includes ministry in the following regions:

North East Asia

South Korea, Japan, North Korea, Mongolia, China, Hong Kong, Macao

South East Asia

Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Brunei, Vietnam

Oceania

Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands

PRAY as we prepare for this role. (The appointment begins at the beginning of January)

- Heart preparation as we listen for our Father's agenda

- Strength to support the development of leadership teams in each region and in the areas of ministry

- Faith and courage to walk in step with the Word and Spirit.

- Wisdom to discern and catch God's vision for this distinctive work in Asia.

OM East Asia Pacific has been sending workers into the harvest field by the thousands since the early 70's. Presently between 600 - 700 adults, not including 150 children, fro this part of the world are serving with OM. In recent years exciting opportunities and ministries are developing across the region. Pray that God will lead many to take steps of faith and join in making a difference for the Kingdom in East Asia Pacific.

Important News for Prayer

Yesterday we received news that the Doulos will not be able to sail beyond the end of December 2009. I enclose a communication from our ships office. We served on Doulos for almost 7 years. We have seen God work through ordinary people. Pray that we will see His miraculous intervention as we search for a ship to replace the Doulos. Pray for the on board community and leaders in OM ships as they work through a difficult time of transition.

Blessings,

Mike & Ann Hey

World’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship to stop sailing

Mosbach, GERMANY – 20 November, 2009

The ministry of OM’s ship Doulos will come to an end on 31st December 2009.

Doulos is the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, now 95 years old, with the hull built in 1914, just two years after Titanic. In spite of the all year round maintenance that has taken place, the amount of steel replacement and other repairs needed for her to continue sailing are overwhelming. The ship is presently in Singapore and has been undergoing the annual period of dry dock and surveys.

Early indications are that the work would cost over €10 million and take five months to complete. The OM Ships executive leadership team and board believes that is not appropriate to invest resources of this scale into the ship, since Doulos would have a limited ministry future.

Chief Executive Officer of OM Ships International, Peter Nicoll, said, “The outcome of this is that Doulos will not be able to continue in ministry. This is not what any of us wanted, and has serious consequences for everyone on board, those about to join and for ports we planned to visit.”

“We are committed to operating safe ships and complying with the requirements of our classification society, RINA, as well as the International Safety Management requirements for ships,” affirms Peter Nicoll. “We have been praying that God would use this five-year ‘special survey’ to give us a clear picture of the way forward for Doulos and that He has done.”

The well-being of the 280 crew and staff onboard is of paramount importance. Each person will receive the guidance and support they need to decide what their next steps should be. Some are close to the end of their period of service, while others joined as recently as September.

Keeping the ship compliant with the highest marine standards has been a real challenge over the years. It is a remarkable testimony to the professionalism and dedication of the non-profit organisation’s technical personnel that the ship has continued to meet marine requirements until now.

CEO Peter Nicoll stated, “We recognise God’s faithfulness through these 32 years of wonderful service of the ‘servant’—Doulos — as an outstanding OM ministry, through more than 600 port visits in over 100 countries. Many lives have been transformed, both visitors and those who have served on board.

We are also deeply grateful to our partners around the world who have supported the ship in ministry through the years. Please continue to pray with us as we work on present challenges and seek the Lord for the future.

With Logos Hope now active and exciting ministry taking place, we are investigating possible options to charter another ship in the interim and have already begun working on the Doulos replacement project. Contributions should be given through your local OM office and designated ‘Doulos Project’.

Ken Miller
Director of Communications
OM Ships International

Goolwa

We thank God for the opportunity to visit Goolwa ans fellowship with the Goolwa Uniting Church. We were encouraged to see the pr-active approach to witness and service in their community.

Sermons

Here is a link to our Church Web site Audio downloads. You can find messages from Ann and Mike on authentic faith.

http://clovercrest.com.au/2009Juneon.htm

This weekend we will be in Goolwa to participate in ministry with the Uniting Church there.

Making the move

We thank God for the generosity of friends in Adelaide who have helped us set up our home. We will be settling in this week. Today Mike spoke at the Cambodian church today. We hope to be an encouragement to them in this next season of time.

Esther back at school

Esther is now back at School. She has settled well with the support of her friends and teachers. We thank God for the vision of Tyndale Christian School and the amazing way that they have kept a missional focus for the students through short term teams to Kenya and Cambodia.

This coming Sunday Ann and I will be speaking at Clovercrest Baptist church on the theme of authentic faith. Recently, the church mobilized over two hundred people to help the survivors of the fires in Victoria earlier this year. We praise God for this faith initiative to bring the love of Christ in a practical way.

Prayer Meeting

This morning we will participate in a prayer meeting at the home of Dot and Grant Purdie. This group has faithfully interceded for OM and our ministry over the years.

Today we will pray for the needed technical personnel on the ships:

1. Long term Captain for the Doulos

2. Chief Engineer for Logos Hope by the end of October

Back in Adelaide

We are back in Adelaide. We have been encouraged to catch up with a number of friends and to worship at Clovercrest. On Sunday we met someone who had served as a volunteer on the Doulos in 1989 here in Adelaide. He shared about the profound influence that that time had in his life.

We have had some special times with Michelle and Dan. They seem delighted to have us back in the country. In the next days we will be connecting with friends and partners. We hope to move into our home at the end of October. At the moment we are staying with some friends from the church.

They have arrived

Another 96 people joined the Logos Hope today. They have just finished a few days of Pre Ship Training. The dining room was full and vibrant with the conversations as new members joined the ship families.

Tomorrow night we will share in the prayer night. We have a deep sense of joy as we look back over this very remarkable season of ministry. Ann will share on Saturday morning and I will share Sunday morning about Moses' encounter with God.

A thought

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Gal 5:1

Modern day slavery traps millions of people in oppressive and serverly restricted lifestyles. We face all kinds of slavery - political, social, intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual.

As people of faith we believe in the dignity of every person. All are created in the image of God and the mark of the Creator is on thier lives. Our relationship with Christ brings us into a new freedom in life. The quality of our lives is defined by this relationship. It is not by what we have but what we are able to give to others that brings freedom.

As we face these many kinds of slavery in the 21st century, God's people can be true light and salt in society. We can live out our freedom by speaking for the oppressed and by taking initiative to see the Spirit of Christ bring transformation in individuals, communities and nations.

Pray that the people of the Caribbean will live out their freedom from slavery in such a way that it brings radical tranformation to lifestyle and brings an influence in communities that will lead to greater quality of life.

Esther and friend Anika, in a photo shoot

Mike and Ann enjoying some time out

Ann with the Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas

When Mike was in Australia with his Mum a few weeks ago, Ann spoke at the official opening in Grenada and  met with the Prime Minister. He comes from the same region in the north of the Island and knew several of  Ann's relations. We thank God for the opportunity to have been in Grenada. We spoke at two marriage Seminar on shore in Grenada. It was helpful to listen to young couples explain their need for mentors as they seek to grow in relationship together.

Logos Hope

Meeting for Schools

Praise God for the opportunity to bring good news to children on the Logos Hope in the Hope Theatre. Pray that many lives will be transformed by the love of God.

Update

We have enjoyed having Bernd and Margret Guelker (former CEO) with us in Tobago for the past few days. We have been able to reflect on the past and look at the future together. We are thankful to God for those who have helped us on our leadership journey.

This morning Han Teck from Singapore outlined an excellent internship program for the 96 people who will be joining the Logos Hope team. It is encouraging to reflect on the intelligent and strategic leadership that many have given in shaping the Logos Hope culture as they sought God for inspirational leading through His word.

We are thankful for many who have been responding to the gospel in these first few ports in the Caribbean. Training in the the gospel for Caribbean people is a strategic initiative.

Our daughter,  Rebecca will be joining us for a few days on the ship next week. We are taking time to pack, catch up on communications, and a little coaching  and mentoring of  the next generation as we have time.

Praise God for His gracious hand on the Logos Hope team at this time of transition.

Life on Logos Hope

Lloyd Nicholas, Bernd and Margret Guelker, Mike & Ann and Graham Jack - leaders who worked together over several years to help shape the vision for the Logos Hope

Jason and Parmesh preparing a great Indian curry on Logos Hope

Logos Hope deck 7 view of the fire works on Trinidad and Tobago Independence day on Monday 31st August

Commissioning the next generation

Prayer of commissioning for Gian and Eveline Walser as they take on the leadership of Logos Hope while surrounded by the leadership team and community.

A new generation of leaders

Gian Walser, holding the Bible passed on by Mike at the hand over of leadership for Logos Hope
Mike reading from a Bible printed in 1889. He read from the book of Joshua and passed the Bible to Gian as a symbol that while the leadership changes the unchanging word continues as the central guide to all ministry and life.

Ann and Esther