25 Years Ago: Shipwreck of the MV Logos

25 years ago the mission ship MV Logos hit a reef in South America. Debbie and I had been sailing on the Logos for 2 years but had left some months before the tragedy. We were deeply saddened to hear of the loss of the ship but thankful that our friends on board all got off safely and without injury.

Logos shipwreck

Our time on the Logos (1985-1987) was amazing, difficult, challenging, eye-opening, wonderful and unforgettable. It was also pretty intense on the tiny ship with 130 people so we kept sane by finding the weirdos and alternatives on board. Our group of crazies started an underground newspaper called “The Dukes of Logos” and we were able to keep our identity hidden because Debbie and Claire work worked in the mail room and Tom was the printer. It was quite BLOG-LIKE, actually.

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This is our group of crazies in 1987, after a game of “PUNK UNO”, which, if my memory serves me correctly, we held in the big walk-in freezer because it was the most extreme place on the ship. 

I am pretty sure that this is the only photo of me taken in the 80’s where I was not cross-eyed. Or maybe I was but the glasses covered up the evidence.

From left, Debbie Cosper, who would marry me later that year, Freddy Kammies, Andrew Jones (me) with the life jacket, Sara Valand from Norway, Crazy Tom Seward from Winnepeg- who ended up working with Youth Specialties Mark O. [thanks Marko for the correction] and is now in North Africa, and Claire Church from Wales who we think spoke English but were never sure. 

Great times! I saw Tom Seward at Cornerstone 2 years ago. And most of the original Logos crew have connected with each other on Facebook. Strangely enough, this is my most active Facebook group.

More of the Logos story here.

Thanks Kobus for this photo of me.

Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

6 Comments

  • marko says:

    Tom Seward never worked for Youth Specialties, Andrew. He was one of my volunteer youth workers in Wheaton in the late 80s, long before I went to Youth Specialties myself; and we have remained friends ever since. You’re right, though, about his work in North Africa (in youth ministry, btw).

  • Andrew says:

    Hi Marko. thanks for the correction. I will strike-thru now. hope you are well.

  • lila says:

    love the pic 🙂

  • Betty Jo says:

    Hi Andrew.
    I found your blog through Frank Viola’s. How thrilled I was to see this post, and to know you (and your wife) served on the Logos. My family and I served on George Verwer’s team in Bromley Kent, visiting the ship often, in the seventies, then returned to the US due to an illness I neeed medical help with, then served with OM in the book warehouse in GA, USA for years, helping stock the Logos and Doulos and book stores around the world. I can hardly wait to read further on your blog and to check out your family adventures. I’m still chuckling over this post and looking forward to reading more.
    My precious husband went home to be with Jesus four years ago. I’m now living with my son and family who are working with inner-city at-risk youth here in NC.
    Wrapped with you in Him,

  • Andrew says:

    hi Betty Jo. i was at the base in Bromley a few years ago. every blessing . . .

  • fisabel7@aol.com says:

    does anyone have pictures or video footage of when the LOGOS went to El Salvador (los Naranjos) in the 80’s. I was young and my father and members of my church we all went to visit. I remember the boat’s library it was so big. beautiful memories.

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