Logos Hope crew members showcase their native dress before a cultural show.

Published On:Wednesday, March 10, 2010

By REUBEN SHEARER

Tribune Features Reporter

rshearer@tribunemedia.net

THE largest floating library at sea will board tourist and Bahamian passengers in Nassau come March 26. People of the Caribbean have come to know this large vessel as "the book ship," said Janeen Nakazawa, a spokesperson for the Logos Hope.

It's the ship that boards passengers for just a buck affording them the opportunity to purchase a variety of books, dine in an international cafe, and participate in an array of activities, including a riveting cultural show.

Fresh off the coast of a five week stay in Kingston, Jamaica, the Logos Hope will be docked in Nassau for two weeks.

Tickets for the cultural show set for Saturday April 3 from 7.30 to 9 pm are $3 a person

Ms Nakazawa said the ship's mission is not to cause a rift between the 'book ship' and local book stores. In fact, she said that on board the Logos Hope, one may find a representative from Logos Book Store (no affiliation) or United Bookshop selling merchandise.

"We give them space on the ship and say whatever you have that we don't have, sell it," Janeen told Tribune Entertainment. The Logos Hope's two week stint in the capital is a continuation of their world tour.

On deck four of the ship, a cross-section of items can be found, including Christian music CDs, and a selection of about 7,500 titles covering a plethora of topics related to science, sports, hobbies, cooking, the arts, economics, medicine, dictionaries, languages, philosophy, and faith.

Gerard Vandepol of Holland, a civic engineer said the purpose of the Logos Hope was to "bring good education into the world, and good literature for countries who don't have literature to produce."

He spoke of the 'book ship's' benevolent efforts in countries like the Philippines, where they discovered ten university students sharing one book, and through their own resources, were able to provide them with more books.

In addition to donating books, Logos crew members host free clinics in poorer countries for the sick and downtrodden. (See this Thursday's Tribune Religion for more information on their acts of genuine expression and international goodwill.)

To date, the Logos Hope has welcomed some 45 million visitors, since the ship began sailing in 1970. That figure is equal to roughly one in every 200 of the world's total population.

From the captain to the newest staff member, each member of the crew is a non-salaried volunteer-including many serving in their professional capacities, such as seafarers, engineers, electricians, nurses, teachers and even cooks who prepare full course meals in the International cafe.

The crew is made up of children, adults, and retirees. This opportunity is afforded them through the constant financial support of friends, family members and civic organisations.

Three-hundred-and-fifty persons live on board the ship, representing 48 different nationalities, including Papa New Guinea, China, Japan, South Africa, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Korea.

Cross-cultural encounters like this provide crew members with valuable opportunities to learn new skills and develop character. The unique living situation presents many challenges, and life on board is a constant exercise in adjusting, adapting and learning to appreciate the differences of others all while sharing close quarters.

Everyone on board has stopped the routine of normal life, uprooting themselves from loved ones, to live on the sea. This volunteering opportunity requires each crew member to make a two commitment to sail around the world to bring knowledge, help, hope, and to do relief assistance and practical work.

In a year's time the Logos Hope will be able to boast of having one million visitors on board. To date, the ship averages about 3,000 people a day when they dock in international ports.