“I’m 29 years old, I’m from Zambia and currently I’m working as the team leader in Hope Café on Doulos Hope,” says Vanessa with a calm confidence.
After five years of serving in a ministry back home, Vanessa felt a stirring. “I felt like I wasn’t growing anymore… I was still excited, I still loved it, but I wanted a bigger challenge.” It was a season where comfort began to feel like limitation. “I needed a chance to grow as an individual, but also grow in my journey with God.”
That’s when she heard about the ship Logos Hope and eventually Doulos Hope. Friends who had joined OM’s Ships Ministry shared their stories and something in them sparked hope. “Even when I talked to them, I could notice the difference in them. I could tell that, ‘Wow, they’ve grown so much.’”
Letting go, stepping out
It wasn’t an easy decision. “I thought I was going to miss [my family] so much… I’ve never really been so far away from them.”
She didn’t come alone; her husband served alongside her. Still, what surprised her most was the unexpected sense of belonging she found on board. “This community is also like a family… people that still love me as a sister, as a friend… I have a strong feeling of belonging.”
In Zambian culture, family and community are everything. “We are so close together,” she explains. “Even in the community, we still call everyone ‘auntie’ and ‘uncle’. So that close feeling is what I’ve found here too.”
Growing in leadership
As team leader of Hope Café, Vanessa plays a key role in creating moments of connection. “This involves interacting with the different guests that visit our Hope Café… hearing their stories, but also getting the chance to share my own.”
Vanessa reflects, “I’m building close friendships with my team members… making sure we have everything we need, supporting each other… it’s more than a job. It’s a family.
“The community is so close… people I can count on to encourage me and pray for me… I really value the cultural intelligence… people from different nations and values, and we learn so much from one another.”
Looking back, Vanessa sees transformation, “I’m growing closer to the Lord… we encourage one another [and] pray for each other.”
Being entrusted with the café team has been stretching and strengthening. “Now I communicate better, resolve conflicts and I’ve learned how to work with different people.”
Come as you are
To anyone considering serving with OM’s Ships Ministry, Vanessa says, “It’s such a great opportunity for you to grow as an individual, to develop some skills, but also to get some cultural intelligence. Most of all, you also get to build amazing friendships that last.”
Join OM’s Ships Ministry and make lifelong friends as you grow, serve and share hope to communities. Click here to find out more.
