It was a joy last Christmas for the SCFS Montrose team to partner with the Ferryden 'Craft n Café Group in providing gifts for the seafarers - to discover more click here.This Christmas, the "Ferryden Ladies" have enthusiastically embarked on the project again. You can read their account below...
Ladies from the Ferryden Church Friday cafe recently packed 25 large Christmas gift bags with items for seafarers on ships coming into Montrose port during December.
We thank all those individuals who donated items such as hats and balaclavas, socks and gloves, toiletries, and hand towels. We are grateful for support from Knox UF Church ladies and the ‘Chatty Knitters’ from the Steeple Church.
We handed all the bags over to Mike Burleigh (Port Chaplain) together with 25 large tubs of sweets funded by individual donations.
Thank you to Ferryden 'Craft n Café Group, 'the Knox ladies' and the 'Chatty Knitters'!
Check back to follow this story as we will be adding photographs of Mike and his team visiting the ships with the presents in the weeks leading up to Christmas!
Click on the video below to hear one of the seafarers read his thanks to us in Tagalog from John’s Gospel.
Mike, Port Chaplain, shares about encounters with the seafarers while Christmas gifting...
Chief Officer Oleh from the Crimea and Navigation Officer Viktor both Ukrainians were very surprised and happy to receive our Christmas gift bag and chocolates.
Oleh was especially interested in the prayer poster of Russian Orthodox Archbishop Anthony Bloom. Viktor identified with the Messroom Message Romans 15:13, 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.'
These Ukrainians were somewhat surprised and obviously delighted to receive the Christmas bag of gifts and tin of chocolates. I explained that these were gifts from Montrose churches and that the balaclava and hats were knitted by the ladies from the church whose steeple they could see from the ship!
The master was chasing these guys to return to their duties, but they politely listened as I explained the presents were from followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the same resurrected and risen Jesus as they worshipped in their Eastern Orthodox churches.
These Filipino seafarers were incorrigible! Ignoring my pleas that they should wait for either the 25th of December or since the master is Russian, he might have them wait for the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on the seventh of January, they, like the big kids they are, shared the extra two presents between them………….!! (the bags contained nine presents but there were only seven crew on this vessel). And yes the cook even opened the tin to sample the chocolates!!!
Please pray that they read the Bible verse on the 'Messroom Message' I left them that JESUS said we must ask to be "Born Again".
All the crew were at work unloading cargo but Oleksii, the master of this all-Ukrainian crewed cargo vessel, took the opportunity of my arrival with Christmas presents to speak about equating the disasters they are suffering in the Ukraine to the disastrous decline of law and order and Christian based society in the UK.
We agreed that Jesus will resolve all as I spoke about how wonderful life will be for the Children of God when He Returns... “Come Lord Jesus”.
Farra Graine, an off shore supply vessel
The Lithuanian master, British mate and Irish deckhand were readying to travel home preparing for the exchange crew to arrive and were delighted to choose their Christmas presents from the Christmas ‘Goody Bag’. The team of six daily take the Vestas engineers out to the Sea Green wind-farm offshore substation on their twin hulled crew boat. The convivial conversation covered much ground, was lively, informative and the guys continued to listen with real interest as I spoke about the challenges of my role as a Christian sharing about the Father and of His Son Jesus with crews of all nationalities and faiths. They each happily accepted a New Testament. The mate (C/o) James, who had served his time on tankers and bulk carriers, was a Born Again believer and obviously pleased for the opportunity of a Christ centred conversation as he walked me back to the gangway. I promised to bring a selection of books from our ‘Believer’s Bookshelf’ with my next visit.
MV Eems Transporter
When he learned I was bringing Christmas presents the Croatian Chief Officer of this cargo vessel made sure the gangway would be in place when I returned from the south quay. The Filipino Bosun (centre, having previously visited Montrose, made sure that his countrymen, the cook and 2nd Officer, were eagerly waiting for me in the Seafarers Centre. We had great conversations as they spoke about their families. Bobby the cook was so excitedly grateful when I suggested that he accept an illustrated study Bible to help his 12-year-old son improve both his reading ability and his Bible knowledge. However, the master was on the radio to the 2nd Officer, this was their lunch time they were required back on the ship, but they now had their Christmas gift bag and God willing I will visit them tomorrow.
Ben Viking
Acquired by ‘SEA 1 Offshore’ Atlantic Kestrel is now Ben Viking. Our Canadian cousins crewing this vessel are happy to be once again based here in Montrose and were a little embarrassed to be receiving a Christmas gift bag which they thought might have gone to a cargo vessel. It was an opportunity to invite the crew to the Grace Church Christmas Carol service at the Montrose Playhouse/Cinema on Sunday 21st December 4pm.
You will find more updates on the Christmas Gift distribution in SCFS Montrose : Christmas Gift Delivery
