Rio de Janeiro, Brazil :: Crewmembers who work in accommodation and catering services teach their skills to local teenagers.
Logos Hope's crew have given practical training to young people from around Rio de Janeiro. The two sessions were designed to teach skills in hotel services.
The teenagers were shown how to keep a guest cabin clean, as well as how to cater and set up for relaxed and formal dinners. Israelite Alexandre (Haiti) demonstrated how to clean cabins and prepare them for guests. “We showed them how to prepare a fridge, clean the kitchen and we deep-cleaned the walls,” says Israelite. “I think they were really motivated. The girl who was translating also ended up working with us because she found it interesting. It was very encouraging!”
"I was joyful and felt useful, as I could pass on what I have learnt here and I appreciated the way they received it," Israelite reflects. "They may use this knowledge in the future. Taking our time to serve them shows that we love and care about them.”
Alex Feitosa, one of the teenagers who participated in the workshop, says, "I could sense God's care, zeal and presence in every detail, to the point that even though I was cleaning the toilets, I was happy." He adds, "I will remember this forever. At the end of the day, I didn't even want to leave."
Valeria Balderas (Mexico) is the ship's events catering leader. She gave the youth different yet complementary training. “It isn’t just about cleaning; you can work with love, and it’ll impact people,” Valeria explains.
The catering team taught the group about hygiene; crucial for any work involving food. They also showed how to be creative with utensils and items they already have. “We taught them how to set up the table and what distance apart the plates should be set, and so on.” Valeria explained the different aspects of relaxed or more formal events and some of the teenagers who work as waiters said they would now put what they've learnt into practice at their workplaces. “They were open to learning: they were excited, asking questions, taking notes,” smiles Valeria.
“We shouldn’t be limited to thinking, ‘We need the best tools, the best place…’ Valeria says. "The way you serve, if you smile, if you take care of people – that’s what shows people you care for them and it makes all the difference. It makes people feel loved.” In her eyes, the way she serves others is a way of demonstrating her faith in action.