TV display on the MS Artania
Being away as the chaplain for a cruise is certainly a break away from the daily duties and a welcome change in the normal work routine. But obviously it seems that HOPE Cape Town is somehow everywhere on my shoulder it does not matter where I go or travel.
Being on the MS Artania now and chatting to one of the guests I discover she is from Dresden and her son works for the “Schauspielhaus”. So there it is again: the “HOPE-connection” without even knowing each other at first.
And those who know already about my work do want to know how it is going. So one could say travelling the world and doing pastoral work for the people and marketing HOPE Cape Town goes hand in hand.
And it is true: somehow HOPE Cape Town seems to be an integral part of my life and sometimes I wonder whether I ever have the chance to escape of being sort of “Mr HOPE” one day. And the next question coming up is whether I really want this change in my life.
Giving a talk on a cruise ship about HOPE Cape Town is always a challenge. The guests present on the ship are here to enjoy a stress and worry free holiday – most haven chosen to dip into the world of cruises to have the time of their lives. Of course they are visiting different countries and automatically also hear and see the miseries of poverty and other downsides of society. And the reactions are very diverse: some romanticize, others ignore, some complain about even being exposed to it and I know of travellers who freely admit, that they don’t take cruises to Africa or South America because they don’t want to see “it”.
Here I feel my role as a chaplain can bridge the gap and when it happens, interesting discussions will follow, not only in the ‘question and answer spot” after the talk but also during the whole journey.
Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, HOPE Gala Dresden, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, Africa, Aids, Cruise, cruise ship, guest, hiv, holiday, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, MS Artania
God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE 
Lieber Stefan ! Schön, ein lebenszeichen von dir zu bekommen. Ist alles im grünen Bereich? Vorgestern war bei der Semester Schlußandacht ein achöner Abschie von der Schule Der Direktor hat sogar vor versammelter Schule für mich gebetet und für meinen Einsatz gedankt. Auch mit den sieben evang. Religionslehrern hatten wir eine schöne Feier hier in mariannhill. Dir einen wunderbaren Sonntag Deine Sr. Agnes Sr. Agnes Grasböck Convent Mariannhill P.BAG X 12 Ashwood 3605 South Africa Tel.: 0027 (0)31-7003413 Mail: agnes@trefontane.co.za
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