Jean Giff: Ireland

Country Profile

Jean Giff

Ireland | OM International

Jean Giff from Dublin, Ireland,served in many different roles in the early OM days. She has many stories to tell. Here are a few:

“Just before Logos sailed out of Dublin in 1976 we met the director. Thanking us [for volunteering onboard] he told us the ship people had been praying about buying a second ship! But the Chief Engineer (Rex Worth) needed a secretary urgently! We were asked to form groups to pray for this person.”

Little did Jean know that God would call her to fill that very position!

“So putting on my martyr’s crown (as it seemed to me) I flew over to London. While waiting for Rex and his wife to move to Bromley, I had the privilege of being George Verwer’s typist. Bags of dictation tapes were readily available for George keeps in touch with OMers around the world.

“The first week was a nightmare! Names of people were reeled off and I hadn’t a clue how to spell them. I asked George’s secretary one day “Does George suffer from asthma?” “Of course not!”

“I said, “Listen to this tape, he can hardly breathe...” He listened then smiled “Oh, that’s George dictating while he’s rock-climbing - he hates to waste good dictating time!”

“Life in George’s office ended with the arrival of Rex and Ros. Rex made his dining-room into the first ship office. We had a filing cabinet and a desk each and that was it. Shipping agents around the world sent blueprints of vessels of all types - most totally unsuitable.

“But once the right vessel was located things began to move with speed. [Soon we had] a name for the new ship, a country willing to register her and crew willing to sail in her. Those were busy days. Soon Rex was packing and moving his family on board.

“After Doulos was launched the director came through Bromley. ‘How would you like to do line-up, preparing different ports for the ship’s visits?” he asked. After much prayer and wrestling, I gave in.

“This is Monday, we’ll get your ticket to Singapore for Thursday - Logos is there this week.” Suddenly, I was off, clutching a one-way ticket to the unknown future. On board, I was given all the vital information I would need for the job and shortly afterwards I got another one-way ticket to the Philippines.”

24 countries and 31 ports later Jean’s role in line-up ended when she came down with a bad dose of Hepatitis A in Costa Rica.

“That news led to a chat with Peter Maiden (now OM director) and he told me that the faithful OM Council in N. Ireland had been asking for someone to be sent to help them.“

“So back to the Lord for His direction. “Do you want me to move to N. Ireland about which I know practically nothing - the people, culture, my Dublin accent, the ongoing trouble between my part of the island and theirs? Could I survive?”

“Answer “Yes. I haven’t changed and you proved Me faithful in all those line-up countries, didn’t you?” So, N.Ireland it was! “

After many years in N. Ireland, Jean returned to Dublin to care for her foster sister.

“God provided for all my needs (spiritual, emotional and physical) in all the countries I worked in and He hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still taking good care of me back in Dublin.

“My motto for life is: “Do all you can, while you can, with what you’ve got”. It saves your regrets and “If only’s” when you are hobbling around on your zimmer or sitting in your wheel-chair!”