El Capitano

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much like the center of attention as this day” I thought as children and adults alike approached from all sides wanting to hi-five, hug me and have a photo take with me. Some kids were excited and happy to see me, others were afraid at first but warmed up slowly. The kids in the kids zone were excited to play with a character known as El Capitano, the captain of the Logos Hope. The cleverly designed suit can be worn by any crew member and you can see out through the eyes and mouth. It is very hot inside the suit though, even in the air conditioned deck. Sometime it was hard to see kids that came from all angles – even from behind – but I tried to give every child a hug or a hi-five and make their visit special. I also went to the welcome area where people come on board after standing in a queue. I welcome them, pose for a photo and encourage and excite the kids and put a smile on their face. My hope is that as they cheer up a little, they’ll be more open to the message of hope that the ship and it’s crew have to offer – the gospel of Jesus Christ.