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Cape Verde Islands

1995

Our ship stopped at this island group off the coast of Africa. We carried the cross and had a wonderful crosswalk and witness.

Many people gathered about around the cross in the town of Praia. The people speak Portuguese. I did the best I could in my poor Spanish.

We carried the cross into the town market and gave out 2,000 Jesus stickers and other gospel material. A few people spoke English. Almost everyone wanted to pray.

We went back on the ship for the night.

The next day we carried the cross around and about Mindelo.

There we gave away another roll of Jesus stickers, thousands and thousands. The people were wonderful and the children were excited and followed us.

We had a wonderful time with the cross and the people here.

All the South Atlantic Islands

Falkland Islands, South Georgia Islands, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension, Cape Verde and The Canary Islands:

For just over a month my wife Denise and I carried the cross in these six remote Atlantic Islands. It was one of the most glorious trips filled with awesome in beauty in nature. There was the peace of being at sea and experiencing the wonder of God’s creation.

We flew into the Falkland Islands from Chile. Carried the cross there in the Falklands and then boarded a ship to take us to the other islands of this trip. The name of the ship was “The Explorer’. It held about a hundred people. Most of the passengers were members of the Century Travelers Club.

The way it worked was for us to sail for a day or two or even a week to an island group. Then we would go ashore by Zodiac (small rubber boat). They would go back and forth taking from the landing to the ship. Most of the time it was very difficult and dangerous to get on the Zodiac because it was bobbing up and down in the water. You had to go down the side of the ship on some shaky steps then leap onto the little boat. We would wait until last so we could have the cross handed down to us on the bouncing boat! Ha

The cross is six foot across and twelve foot long.

The crew was so nice to us and happy to have the cross. Most were Catholic from the Philippines. They asked me to do a special mass for them. We planned it and most of the crew came and heard me speak of Jesus and salvation and they prayed to receive Jesus. Then we had the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion!

The people of the Century Travelers Club want to hear us so we spoke to that group one day. Two of the travelers gave their lives to Jesus.

On board the ship both Denise and I were seasick most of the time! On land we were great but get the ship rocking and we were ill. Only Jesus could get me to do something like this. This was not one of the big cruise ships but an old icebreaker used most of the time in Antarctica.

This was our home for a month. We loved it and praise God. What a privilege to carry the cross in the remote Atlantic Islands.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1