Stephanie Desloges never imagined working as a graphic designer on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
But about a year ago, she realized she needed to make a change in her life. “I wasn’t growing spiritually and I wasn’t doing anything to contribute to God’s kingdom,” says Stephanie.
So, she prayed that God would call her to bigger and better things.
Shortly after that prayer, Stephanie heard about Operation Mobilization (OM) Ships International, an organization whose goal is to bring knowledge, help, and hope all over the world by supplying literature resources, encouraging cross-cultural understanding, providing relief, and sharing Christ’s message.
OM’s ships have visited over 450 different ports in more than 150 countries and territories and welcomed over 43 million visitors on board. The ship visits each port for several weeks each and open the gangways to hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors each day. On average, over one million visitors have been welcomed on board every year.
“The more I heard about it,” says Stephanie, “the more I saw how perfectly it fit with the desires of my heart and the stage in life I was in.”
Having studied and worked in the field of graphic design for a few years, she says she was surprised to find out that the ship had a position available. “I never thought that I could use my gifts in missions.”
Though Stephanie primarily works in the office, she has been able to participate in OM Ships International’s programs. She says one of the most significant experiences was during a youth program in Hong Kong. Although the OM team did what they had set out to accomplish, they left feeling discouraged, and that the students’ lives weren’t affected in any way.
But after the program, they gave some students a tour of the ship, and Stephanie had the opportunity to share about the hope found in Christ. “To be honest, I always get nervous sharing, but this time was different,” she says. “As I shared I saw a big change in my audience. They became so captivated in what I was saying, their eyes fixed on me, and their heads nodding to the points I was making.”
After the tour, all but one of the students took a free Bible, and many of them immediately started flipping through, asking questions.
“We can plan and prepare as much as we want,” Stephanie says. “We did our program just like we were asked, but it wasn’t until after, on unscheduled time, that He moved and worked through us.”
“Ministry is a constant thing. It’s not just the one day we have scheduled a week,” Stephanie reflects. “God can use us at any time; we just need to be willing to be used.”
If you are interested in world missions, to see the world and share the word, OM Ships Logos Hope has a place for you. Or find out more about how you could get involved in a missions trip.
