M V Doulos

On my way home from China I stopped to visit the Doulos for 5 nights. It was great to catch up with Ken, a wonderful friend from ICM, and see/be involved in the extraordinary ministries going on, both on board and on shore at Port Klang, Malaysia!!!

"Built in 1914, DOULOS is 2 years younger than the Titanic! DOULOS is the World's Largest Floating Book Fair, carrying 6,000 titles of quality literature across the oceans to reach different parts of the globe. Staffed by 320 volunteers representing 45 different countries, DOULOS seeks to bring knowledge, help and hope to the nations."

During my time on board, I visited a Japanese church in Kuala Lumpur with the 6 Japanese and 1 Japanese-speaking Aussie crew. A couple of people gave testimonies, I joined them in performing one of their regular Doulos dramas, and Ken preached. It was exciting to see the 'Douloi' equipped to do dramas, sketchboards and use other evangelism tools anytime, anywhere!

There was always a lot of action and a lot of people on the ship! On Saturday and Sunday we saw 8,000 people go through each day! During the week I joined a variety of programmes on board - an international night "Colours of the Rainbow" where different groups performed cultural items such as the South African 'gumboot dance' and Irish dancing; and outreaches to orphans, down syndrome children, and young working adults. In Malaysia the Gospel can not be proclaimed publicly so the programmes were centered around God's love and 'unity amongst diversity'.

The crew either work in the galley, on deck, in the engine room, accommodation, line-up team, programme team, IT, evangelism team etc. Ken is on the 'e-team'. He leads groups into the community six days a week to help with various programmes at schools, kindergardens, orphanages, churches, rehab centers... I joined an 'e-team' to visit a drug rehab centre. We put a programme together to encourage the group in residence being set free from their addiction through discipleship. I was so excited to share with them how Jesus set me free from drugs when I let Him into my heart!

Everybody who visits the Doulos cannot help but feel welcomed and the warmth of Christ's love. For this reason I am terribly excited about the Doulos visiting Fukuoka, Kanazawa and Niigata in Japan next year! I am praying that God will raise up volunteers who are commited to seeing the time spent in Japan be fruitful. Please join me in praying for Ken and the Doulos ministry.