Recent biryani lunch on board a vessel with Indian and Bangladeshi crew. I'm often invited by ships like this for their special Sunday lunches, but this is the first time I was able to actually join them. Delicious!
IN THIS EDITION
- Thinking of Home
- In the Hospital
- Port Visits
- A Call for Christmas Cards
- Christmas at Sea
- Concluding tidbits
Thinking of Home
In early August a ship arrived with all Bangladeshi crew. When I (Gary) boarded the ship, it was quickly obvious that the crew was feeling low. Many shared at length about the difficult situation in Bangladesh, including protests and riots against the Prime Minister. One seafarer reflected that though he was bodily on the ship, his mind and soul were very much back with his family. The crew were not allowed shore leave because so many Bangladeshi seafarers have recently jumped ship to escape the despair back home. “Something will happen very soon in Bangladesh,” I was told. I assured them of my prayers.
A few days later news of massive protests and the fleeing of the Prime Minister was reported. Back on board again, the mood had been transformed; all were excited about the recent events and filled with new hope. It was fun to celebrate with them. Many shared how much they appreciated the support of the seafarers’ centre. Two of the crew requested audio Bibles, as they wanted to know more about the Bible and who Jesus is – very exciting news among an all-Muslim crew!
In the Hospital
Carlos worked on one of the cruise ships that visited Vancouver this summer. He began feeling ill during the summer and eventually needed to be hospitalized. It turned out he has TB. He needed surgery to drain fluid from around his lungs and spent nearly 4 weeks in the hospital. We were contacted by his company, and I visited him several times. He happily received a Bible and devotional materials and was always ready to be prayed for. The illness led him toward a renewal of his faith, and it was a real joy and privilege to walk with him on this journey.
His final week in Vancouver was spent in a downtown hotel. The day before he flew home I took him out for a delicious Filipino lunch. Kudos too to the cruise ship company, who cared for him well through this experience. They even flew him home business class!
Port Visits
I spent part of my sabbatical earlier this year in Asia, revisiting the area where we as a family served previously. During that time, I had opportunity to visit the Port of Singapore and meet with 4 of the chaplains there. It was exciting to see another port – and one of the world’s largest at that. Here in the Port of Vancouver we receive some 3,000 plus ships each year – the largest and busiest port in Canada. By comparison, Singapore receives about 140,000 ships each year! The chaplains shared that they are only able to visit 2% of those ships.
A Call for Christmas Cards
Would your school or Sunday School class be interested in making cards for this year’s Christmas at Sea gifts? Seafarers so appreciate the cards! Ministry to Seafarers aims to put a card with a personal note in as many gifts as possible. If you are interested, contact Gary Roosma by email (crcvanportchaplain@gmail.com) for more information. It's a great way to introduce students to this ministry, and to get them involved.
Actually, it's not just a project for youth. Anyone can prepare a Christmas card or cards to be sent to our office for inclusion with the Christmas gifts we give out. Feel free to send them to our office (address above). For more information on how to prepare these cards, and where and when to send them, check out this link on our website: https://ministrytoseafarers.com/get-involved/#christmas-at-sea-cards
Christmas at Sea
Speaking of Christmas, we are preparing for yet another season of gift giving on board ships. Your donations towards the Christmas at Sea fund will enable us to give gifts to many of the seafarers who visit here during the Christmas season. Make cheques payable to Ministry to Seafarers and send to the address above. You can also donate online through our website: ministrytoseafarers.com (include a message that your gift is for Christmas at Sea).
Twins
I recently met a Croatian seafarer who shares the exact same birthdate with me – we just had to take a photo together!
The Black Pearl recently visited the Port of Vancouver. I checked – the captain’s name was not Jack Sparrow. (remember Pirates of the Caribbean?)
This young seafarer is a very keen follower of Jesus and on a recent visit was eager for some deeper Christian fellowship. We spent a couple of visits together and he was happy to receive a new Bible and various devotional materials and to spend time in prayer together. When we were taking this photo, he explained that in his church they always hold up one finger for Jesus - the reigning King and the one and only Way, Truth & Life.