THE WORLD’S largest floating book fair makes its triumphant return to Manila after more than a decade, bringing along dedicated Filipino volunteers as it embarks on its mission to promote literacy and provide community aid.
The MV Doulos Hope was a former cruise ship turned floating library and is now owned by Gute Bücher für Alle (Good Books for All) ships, a German non-profit charity organization.
Before its relaunching in May 2023, the book fair’s last visit to the capital was in 2012 prior to undergoing major restoration.
The floating book fair carries over 200,000 books across various genres, including children’s storybooks, science books, inspirational and spiritual growth books, and encyclopedias, among others.
The vessel was originally built in Germany in 1991 and formally handed over to GBA ships in 2022, with the mission to promote education, foster cross-cultural cooperation, and raise social awareness worldwide.
“The mission remains the same, it is to share knowledge, do a lot of humanitarian work in communities, and donate water purifiers, some eyeglasses and various objects and activities that we do in communities. It really depends on what the communities want and needs,” Jabulani Witthöft, Port Engagement Director of the Doulos Hope told the Manila Pulse.
“[It] all leads down to sharing hope, hence we also listen, we run a lot of conferences, where we aim to educate a lot of communities as well as [foster] cultural exchange,” he added.
Doulos Hope employs a unit pricing system for their books, with prices starting as low as 50 pesos. They also offer various merchandise items for sale, including stationery, keychains, and bracelets.
The ship is manned by volunteers from all over the world, including 25 Filipinos on board.
“Everybody on board are volunteers but we also get a section of other volunteers that we call port volunteers. At the moment, we got twenty-five Filipinos on board out of the hundred and ten of us,” Witthöft shared.
Among Filipino volunteers is Michelle, a Manila-based woman who works at night as an online tutor and invests her time in serving the ship during daylight.
“Isa akong online tutor, na ma-manage ko naman oras ko and I chose land-based which is hawak ko yung oras ko; makakapag travel ako anytime so mas nagagalugad namin yung kasuluk-sulukang lugar. Kapag kasi sea-based naman limited lang 'yong access ng lugar na napupuntahan,” she said.
(I am an online tutor, and I can manage my time well. I chose to be land-based because I have control over my schedule and I can travel anytime, allowing us to explore remote areas more extensively. Unlike being sea-based, where access to the places we visit is limited.)
Michelle was initially invited by a friend to volunteer. Driven by curiosity, she decided to seize the opportunity and become part of the crew, ultimately discovering depths of personal growth and compassion in the process.
“For me, it's a humble beginning na maka-join and ma-experience ’yong mga taong iba't iba ang lahi at paano kami naging mapag isa through servanthood,” she added.
(For me, it's a humble beginning to be able to join and experience how people from different backgrounds come together and how we become united through servanthood.)
Embracing challenges of life at sea, she has found fulfillment in venturing beyond her comfort zone and making a difference in the lives of others.
“[Challenging] yung mga taong sarado isip, tinataboy ka and then yung time management pero fulfilling, kailangan out of your comfort zone to serve, to bring love, share hope and knowledge to people na hindi naabot ng gospel at hindi lang dapat within the church,” she said, reflecting on the challenges she encountered while being a crew member.
(Dealing with closed-minded people, and managing time can be challenging, but it's fulfilling. Serving requires stepping out of your comfort zone to bring love, share hope, and impart knowledge to people who haven't been reached by the gospel, and it shouldn't be limited to within the church.)
After the floating book fair completes its stay in Manila, the ship will be stationed in Batangas City from April 16 to May 2, 2024. – Manila Pulse
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