Three months might seem like a short time but they were enough for a firm foundation to be laid in Nigel Evan Rode’s life. Joining the OM Short Term Exposure Programme (STEP) on board Doulos in 2001/02, Nigel finds three key areas he was impacted in by his time on board - growing deeper, loving people and being prepared.

Losing his job, Chung Zheng How never thought it would turn out to be the opportunity of a lifetime. He joined OM Ship’s newest vessel, Doulos Hope, for two months as a Short Term Exposure Programme (STEP) participant in 2023. He found himself being stretched to overcome his fear of people, experiencing amazing friendships as well as being reminded about his ultimate purpose in life.

Sabrina Lee grew up walking up and down the gangway of Doulos as her father was the appointed shipping agent in Malaysia. It seemed almost inevitable that she would be part of OM Ships as a port volunteer, and then as part of the Short Term Exposure Programme (STEP) and later spend two years of her life on Doulos. What she did not expect was that she would later return to spend another two years on Logos Hope, a sister ship!

Participating in OM’s Out of the Comfort Zone programme in 2013 proved to be truly one that took Ng Choon Tat into a world completely different from his own. A mission trip to Bandung and Salatiga, Indonesia, to communities in need of various forms of assistance was a humbling experience that shaped his life path. “I realized the profound impact that even small acts of kindness and service could have on individuals and communities in need.” He is now an IT executive with an organisation dedicated to serving underprivileged communities.

On the mission fields of South Africa, Wan Jun Tho gained a flexibility and adaptability that serves her well beyond her time there. During her time in the OM Missions Discipleship Training (MDT), Jun Tho widened her perspective and mindset as she handled different people and tasks in South Africa. Now as a leader for youths and young adults in a non-governmental organisation, her training and immersion in God’s Word during that 2018 stint keeps her going.