Shipping with obstacles
If a journey is worth having, it has a story to tell. First, the good news: the ship is now in Berlin, where it’s being further fitted out – after a five-day adventure, an obstacle course the likes of which I’ve rarely experienced in terms of intensity.
Here is a short list of the problems we’ve had over the last few days:
– Firstly, the problems with loading the ballast, which Karl and his helpers managed well.
– Upon checking the ship’s height above the water, we realise that we are not, as we had hoped, 4.30 metres above the water, but 4.40 metres – under low bridges, that could be the decisive 10 cm too much. Furthermore, there were several items (a mast, a pipe and a 400-kilo rudder) that protruded beyond the permitted height….The rudder, in particular, was a problem, as it could neither be sawn off (solid steel) nor simply folded down – if lowered carelessly, it could have crushed people or smashed the ship’s deck. With a combined effort, ropes and, no doubt, a bit of divine intervention, we managed to lay it down in a controlled manner – though this cost us a few hours. And to get lower, we filled a bulkhead (a sort of large compartment) with water… but to do that, we first had to securely seal two holes….
– To ensure we’d be able to take action in an emergency, we were missing someone on board who knew what they were doing… (A skipper I know, to whom I mentioned this, sent me his best friend, with whom he’s been refitting boats for 30 years – what a blessing!)
– The relevant authority had granted the permit but had forgotten to stamp it… which meant we had to wait 16 hours for the matter to be sorted out. What’s more, they only allowed us to drive through Brandenburg, not into Berlin itself.
– The next government department wanted a whole host of additional paperwork – we were stuck again.
– We ran out of food, toilet paper and drinks because we’d only bought enough for two women and four days, not for a male companion, two hungry tugboat drivers and an extra 1.5 days. And we couldn’t go ashore because, whilst we were waiting, we were stuck at a mooring without a jetty… The solution: a friend, who fortunately lived nearby, went shopping for us – and we built a raft….
– Bernd, the guide, was seriously injured in a fall. He suffered grazes, an open wound and an injury that looked like a torn muscle. After prayer, the open wound visibly healed before Rose’s eyes and had closed by the following day. After an hour’s massage, the numbness in his hands subsided, and beneath the swelling caused by the huge bruise (covering almost his entire upper arm), it is currently impossible to tell whether the muscle is still torn or whether God has already healed the tear.
– In the midst of all this, I received the news that my father had been admitted to hospital with a blood pressure reading below 30 – which caused me great concern and fear for him. And not without reason. The doctor said that climbing just one more flight of stairs could have killed him. It was a stroke of luck that he got to the hospital in time. The next day, we were told that he needed a pacemaker fitted…
„It's just like an obstacle course“ said one of the two employees of the towing company, who claimed they had never encountered such difficulties before.
Amidst all the challenges – a pure blessing. We hit it off straight away with our companion. And we had many deep conversations about God and the world. He enjoyed being there when Rose and I took time to worship Jesus; he would sing along or just listen… and at some point – he decided to entrust his life to Jesus. For me, too, it was a huge confirmation that we’re on the right track.
I’m sooo exhausted right now that I feel like I could almost just cry from sheer tiredness….
And yet, we are deeply grateful … despite the difficulties, we had some lovely days on board – and
One can sense that God has great plans for the ship – that was also evident during the crossing.
First of all, I’ll sleep off this tiredness. And then I’ll tackle the next stage.
Thank you, dear Kerstin, for sharing this experience with us. I got goosebumps reading it. Jesus is with you on board and will help you overcome all the obstacles that lie ahead.
All the best to your father and to your companion, Bernd. I hope he won’t mind if I pray for him, that he’ll stay close to Jesus.
I hope I’ll have the chance to see the ship (and you) at some point, even though you’ve now left Hamburg behind.
Best wishes, may you be blessed and kept safe
Marion
Thank you, Marion
I am very grateful for your sympathy… and for your prayers for the project and the „young plant“!
Dear Kerstin,
I’ve heard so many adventurous and exciting stories from you over the years. This account, with all its wonderful little details, has really impressed me.
I am moved by how resilient and determined you are as you follow your very own path, guided by God’s hand.
He, our Lord, is clearly with you!
I wish you every success and wisdom as you work on the boat. If I meet anyone who has the time and is keen to help, I’ll be in touch.
Kind regards
Erhart
Thanks, Erhart, for the encouragement. And yes – if you come across anyone who might be able to help, please send them my way: fitting out ships is really cool – even if it is hard work.