Guest Comments by Peter Barathan
Originally from Western Canada, Barathan works as a project co-ordinator for the MV Doulos, a floating bookshop that sails the world to spread knowledge, help and hope.
VICTORIA HARBOR, Hong Kong -- The MV Doulos will make its eighth Hong Kong stop from June 6 to July 4. In 2007 on the seventh visit, the ship’s crew welcomed 100,000 people onboard.
Almost 95 years old, the Doulos sails widely to spread knowledge, help and hope. For 30 years, it has visited 100-plus countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. Its mission is to promote education and understanding through its floating book fair and cultural-exchange programs.
Built in 1914, two years after the Titanic, the Doulos is the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship. At different times, it’s been a freighter, migrant carrier, cruise liner and floating bookshop. Since 1978, it has been owned by GBA (Gute Bücher für Alle), a German-based charity. The ship’s international crew consists of 330 Christian volunteers.
At each port, the crew invites people to browse among 6,000 titles in the onboard book fair. Here are some interesting facts about the Doulos:
Taichung, Taiwan – August 1988
The number of visitors topped 24,200, a one-day record.
Vladivostok, Russia – August 1992
Doulos became the second non-Soviet ship to enter this port, home to the former Soviet Union’s Pacific Fleet.
The Arabian Gulf – April 1995
In Kuwait, 43,000 books from the Doulos sold within five days.
Shanghai, China – July 1996
The ship made an historic first visit to Shanghai.
Kagoshima, Japan – August 1996
Typhoon Kirk hit at 220 kilometres an hour. Engine problems kept the Doulos in the harbor. While other ships ran aground, it received little damage.
Yangon, Myanmar – December 1998
The ship’s first visit to Myanmar saw 15,000 books and 100 sets of encyclopedias given to public libraries (the first literature imports there in 30 years).
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – February 2001
Vietnam became the ship’s 88th visited country. There, universities and libraries received donations of 20,000 educational books.
Kunsan, South Korea – August 2001
Together with Habitat for Humanity, the crew helped to build low-cost residential blocks.
Galle, Sri Lanka – January 2006
The crew worked in the community and built homes to help Sri Lankans to recover from the devastating tsunami.
Dili, East Timor – November 2008
United Nations officers and a large crowd created a lively atmosphere as Asia’s newest nation first saw the Doulos. The crew donated monitoring equipment, infant cots, crutches and other hospital items.
The ship’s unusual sailors expect more remarkable events ahead. For more information: www.doulos.org.
ARCHIVES
|
