Tema. Ghana :: Logos Hope opens her doors to the public in the port of Tema, Ghana, which she last visited in 2016.
The director of Logos Hope, Randy Grebe (USA) welcomed the Mayor of Tema, Honourable Yohane Amarh Ashitey, and the Chief of Tema, Nii Adjetey Agbo II as they officially opened the bookfair to the public, as well as other distinguished guests.
Randy, who was on board during the maiden voyage visit in 2010 and again in 2016, said, “Our first vessel, Logos arrived here in 1977. We have visited your shores 17 times in 45 years. We've been here 373 days, over one year of visits with our ships over the years, and welcomed over 1.1 million visitors in Ghana. We have made lifelong friends.”
Mayor of Tema Yohane Amarh Ashitey shared his own connection with the organisation’s floating bookfairs, “Many years ago, in the 90s, there was a rumour that there is this big ship at the Tema harbour; a bookfair. The question that came to my mind was: Who’s gonna take me there? Me, a son of an average fishmonger. Long story short: God made a way and brought me on board Logos II. I count it one of the sweetest privileges of my life to have known and conversed with many [people] of faith from different cultures on board a huge vessel. [...] I thought back to this experience for a long time and now I climbed on board another ship, this time: Logos Hope. And humbly I came in not as a lost boy anymore, but as no other person than the mayor of Tema.”
Over the next few weeks, the crew aims to share knowledge, help and hope in many ways, including cleaning beaches, performing eye-sight tests and providing free glasses, visiting schools and churches, and hosting training and events, such as raising awareness of human trafficking,
The mayor said, “They show us love through their community’s service. I wish at the end of this bookfair lives will be touched and many will have positive drives for success and a growth mindset.”