We did a lot of amazing things on our cruise. But the moments that hit me the hardest didn’t happen at any port.
One of them came from three servers from the Philippines.
Rommel works on the ship 10 months a year. Two months home.
That’s it.
Two months to hold his kids, watch them grow, be their dad.
He looked at my son Kashton and said,
“You’re very lucky to have so much time with your dad.”
No bitterness. No complaint. Just a father who genuinely knows, how precious time with kids really is.
Then there was Wilbert.
10-hour days. 7 days a week.
He told us sometimes he can’t even hear his alarm clock because his body is that spent.
He said he asks himself, “Why am I doing this?”
Then, he remembers.
His family back home. He already bought his parents a house.
Once that’s paid off, he’s saving for a home for himself and the girl he’s about to propose to — his sweetheart who also works on the ship.
When he talked about his mom and dad, what they did for him, what they sacrificed — he smiled.
The kind of smile that comes from a man who knows he’s repaying a debt of love with every hour of his life.
He also told us about his dream of starting a family someday. He pointed to our family as he talked and it struck me that part of my currenr life is a piece of his future dream.
(How easy is that is to forget sometimes.)
He’s building that future one 10-hour shift at a time.
And then there was Ginoveve.
I asked if she also sends money home.
Yes — to her parents and her young son.
She mentioned her husband, and I asked if he worked on the ship too.
He passed in 2020.
Before I could even finish saying “I’m so sorry…”
She responded,
“It’s OK. God has a plan, and I trust that His plan is working for the best.”
Then she smiled. And kept serving.
Here’s what got me about all three of them: their service was incredible.
Not “going through the motions” good.
Genuinely warm, joyful, present.
They did things we didnt ask for like bringing us all 2 desserts at the end instead of just the one we’d ordered.
You’d never guess what they carry. Long hours. Low pay. Months away from everyone they love.
And yet — joy.
Real joy.
The kind that comes from filling your shoes the best way they can be filled, wherever they walk.
Before we left, I asked Ginoveve if they could accept tips.
The gratuities are built into the cruise price, so tipping didn’t seem common on the ship.
She smiled softly and said yes as I placed a bill into her hand.
Even though it would be split with her team, she must have said thank you three times.
But the words weren’t the real thank you.
It was the look.
You could feel the gratitude in her whole being.
Of all the fun things my kids got to experience on this trip — the pools, the ports, the adventure — I hope meeting these three people stays with them the longest.
Because Rommel, Wilbert, and Ginoveve didn’t just serve us food.
They taught us something no excursion ever could:
The value of…
Dedication to a purpose bigger than yourself.
Positivity in service — even when it’s long, difficult, and far from home.
Faith in a higher plan and power.
Gratitude for every blessing, no matter how small.
And the quiet, powerful joy that comes from bringing light to others — simply by showing up and giving your best.