KEY POINTS:
The world's oldest missionary ship is visiting New Zealand for the last time.
The 94-year-old MV Doulos arrived at Auckland's Princes Wharf yesterday, carrying 320 members of Operation Mobilisation, an international Christian ministry working in more than 110 countries.
The Doulos, built in 1914, will be replaced because of new regulations, says project co-ordinator Lenhert Plaatjies.
"This is our farewell visit to New Zealand. The ship will not be able to pass the maritime regulations coming in in 2010 and for us to replace the parts of the ship will amount to the same as a new ship."
An appeal for a four-year extension so that the Doulos could celebrate its 100th birthday was not successful, but Mr Plaatjies is still optimistic about the ship's future.
The Doulos started off as the Medina, the Roma and the Franca C.
In 1977, after it was bought by OM International ministries, it was christened the Doulos - after a Bible reference meaning "to serve".
Since then it has travelled the world preaching the word of God, with more recent ports of call including Shanghai, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula in 1995.
Missionary Sven Benseler, who has been on board with his wife and two young sons for six months, says going to places where Christianity is not the main religion can be difficult but rewarding. "Most people are accepting of our individual stories and how Christianity has helped us."
Auckland City Mayor John Banks was on board yesterday for the official Auckland opening of the ship's bookstore - the biggest floating bookstore in the world, where people can buy books of many kinds.
The public can view the ship and bookstore until June 30, when the Doulos will sail to Wellington and stay there until July 4.
