ON THE HIGH SEAS

ON THE HIGH SEAS

MARCH 28-APRIL 2, 2014

 

When we sailed from Durban, South Africa we learned we had some dignitaries come aboard. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former archbishop of Cape Town, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and one of the world’s foremost human rights activists.  Traveling with the Archbishop were his wife, Leah, their daughter and son-in-law, the Archbishop’s sister, and Mrs. Tutu’s brother.

 

Also, joining us was Mr. Stein Kruse and wife Linda Kruse. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Holland America Group, a division of Carnival Corporation & plc that includes Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn, as well as Holland America-Princess Alaska land operations.

 

Also, joining the ship from Durban to Cape Town was Mr. Arnold Donald, President and CEO of Holland America Line’s parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc.

 

Archbishop Tutu is the recipient of several distinguished awards.  He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism in 1986, The Pacem in Terris Award in 1987, the Sydney Peace Prize in 1999, the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2007 and the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

 

He spent a 90 minute session with us being interviewed by Robert V. Taylor, President of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation in New York.  They sat on the stage in two easy chairs, Tutu in slacks and a sweater, and just talked. He has such a sense of humor and he laughs and giggles. He is very straight forward in his answers but you can see the love of the Lord in everything he says.  One can understand how he could teach a whole nation and then the world that all men are created equal.

On Sunday morning, March 30, 2014, Archbishop Tutu held a church service for us. It was a very meaningful service and Tom and I had the privilege of being served communion by him. It was a time we will never forget.

 

Mr. Stein Kruse had delivered to everyone’s cabin a big book called TUTU that was put together by Tutu’s daughter and published just two years ago for his 80^th birthday. In reading it you can understand about apartheid and all that he and Nelson Mandela did to change things in South Africa. 

Archbishop Tutu before church

Preparing Communion

Serving Communion