Willemstad, Curaçao :: Logos Hope transports donations from the people of Curaçao to help Vincentians affected by recent volcano eruptions.
With her annual maintenance complete and the vessel ready for service for another year, Logos Hope has left Curaçao – but not before being loaded with eight palettes of donated supplies from local people. The goods were given by islanders who wanted to help their Caribbean neighbours in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, after the volcanic eruptions there.
Non-technical crew have been working alongside churches and outreach projects across Curaçao during the last month. Building on these connections, the offer was made that the ship could transport anything the community wished to send to her next port of call, Kingstown.
What happened next was more than Logos Hope’s crew expected: local people rallied round and gave generously. One pastor mobilised the public via a radio broadcast, newspapers picked up the appeal and soon organisations, shops and hundreds of ordinary people were sending donations. One man said that he had been out of work for months and didn’t have much to give, but wanted to offer what he could to help families still living in temporary shelters after the eruptions of Mount Soufrière.
From food and water to clothing, toiletries and practical items for reconstruction, the supplies were taken on board by Logos Hope’s volunteers and stored for the two-day voyage on the floor of the ship’s empty theatre space.
One local pastor paid tribute to the community effort by referring to a Bible passage in which Paul the Apostle commends the kindness of first-century believers: “If I had boasted about the Curaçaoan Christians, I would not have proved hollow,” the pastor declared.
Logos Hope’s Help Ministries manager, Pavel Martinez (Mexico) said, “I am amazed how generous the people in Curaçao are. I didn’t imagine that we would get so much. We are happy to use our ship to deliver the urgently needed things, but full credit for this help must go to Curaçaoans, and not to us.”
The ship has now docked in Kingstown, Saint Vincent, where the supplies will be distributed as crew join ongoing relief efforts.