All aboard the largest floating book fair
Couple spends two years providing literature and humanitarian aid to port cities in need
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A globetrotting couple are back in Yellowknife after two years abroad.
Theresa Baird, left, and her husband Ben Baird recently returned from a two-year volunteer stint aboard on what is called the "world's largest floating book fair." Their ship, Logos Hope, is operated by "Good Books for All" Ships, an international charitable organization based in Germany that aims to increase literacy in developing countries. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo
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However, their trip was far from the usual country-hopping adventure.
In 2015, Theresa Baird and Ben Baird left the city to spend time on, Logos Hope, a giant ship dubbed the "largest floating book fair" in the world.
It is operated by Good Books for All Ships, an international Christian charity based in Germany. Its mission is to provide literature at a fraction of the retail value in port cities where books are not easily found.
"I think our most interesting port was in Madagascar," said Theresa, who currently works for the territorial government.
She joked the only knowledge they both had of the island nation off the southeast coast of Africa was from the seeing popular animated Dreamworks movie with the same name.
"The people are this really interesting blend of Indonesian and African people. It's kind of like they came together on this island," she said.
Providing humanitarian aid and community outreach also played a large part of the couple's adventure. Theresa explained that the entire crew, which consists of volunteers from more than 60 countries, have a "community day" each week for humanitarian activities. These activities include distributing water filters, eyeglasses, hygiene and stationary packs, as well as painting and building projects.
"Whatever the community had a need for, we would try and supply that need," she said. "Our job was not to show up and say, 'We're going to do this,' our job was to ask the local community what they needed and then we come help them with that."
While in Madagascar the couple, who will be married for seven years in June, were part of a team that worked directly with the local education ministry on the island. They visited schools and distributed supplies.
"We were really immersed in the local culture. There was not a lot of mechanization and they do a lot of things by hand," she said. "We ate the food and went to the schools. They eat a lot of rice and meat and fresh vegetables."
Aside from Madagascar, the Bairds sailed to 29 other ports in 19 different countries.
Theresa, who is now 32, said helping communities in other essential ways, such as providing access to clean water, was extremely rewarding.
"Water is such a rarity in many different places around the world. We were in different ports where the water was terrible. After a couple days, I couldn't drink it anymore," she recalled.
"For us to provide a water filtration system . it just alleviates a lot of stress for so many people."
It was Ben's second boat trip with the charity. He went in 2006 as well.
"I like to help people," the 37-year-old told Yellowknifer. "We live in Canada, which is quite nice, so it is good to give back."
According to the charity's website, the floating book fair offers more than 5,000 titles. While about half the books are Christian literature, there are secular options that range from classic literature to books for further education, professional and career interests, individual development and personal growth. There is also a large collection of children's books.
In many ports, large numbers of books are donated to help establish or enhance libraries for the public, schools, colleges and universities.
As a volunteer, Theresa said the experience changed her views on many things, especially how much people consume in the West.
"You have to come to the ship with only one suitcase and leave the ship with one suitcase," she said. "After living out of a suitcase, I came home and realized how much I don't need. It's something to think about. You don't actually need as much as you think you do."
