All of us on the Ketchikan Ship Ministry Team are thrilled by what God is doing in our midst! We have seen His hand at work as interest in the ministry has grown and our outreach to cruise ships in Ketchikan has expanded.
Last season, John was visiting ships on his own for almost the entire season. This year, God has established Ketchikan as an SCFS affiliate port and raised up a team around the work. We now have seven official ship-visiting volunteers, along with several others who are being interviewed and given a taste of the ministry.
Because of this, the work will be able to continue throughout the cruise ship season, even after John returns to St Lucia on 31 July!
So far, our team has visited around 15 ships in May, 16 in June, and 16 so far in July. On the ships I visited with John, and sometimes with Abby or my mum, Wanda, we gave out 107 Bibles, 103 Christian books or booklets, several suitcases, and free clothing. We also had almost 50 meaningful conversations.
As you will see below, Grace, Steve and Abby have also had many encouraging interactions during their visits.
From Grace:
"Hello everyone,
We were warmly welcomed by the crew on the Emerald Princess. The crew were very keen to make sure we were fed, and John had to assure them several times that he would eat soon!
More clothing was taken during this visit than on our previous one. Since we had more recreational clothing available this time, I think that may have helped increase interest. There was also curiosity about materials that offer a verse of the day, as well as interest in full Bibles.
We met crew members from a variety of countries, with many from the Philippines. John and I were able to pray with a handful of crew members who came to see us. Their prayer requests included peace of mind, reduced stress, and family concerns."
From Steve:
"John and I visited the Discovery Princess. This was my third visit to this ship and my sixth ship visit in total.
Several of the workers wanted to take our suitcases as well, so I gathered the names of those that needed a suitcase and said that we would work on it during our next several visits.
We gave out all of our English Bibles, including six New Testaments and four full Bibles, as well as four international Bibles in various languages. I also spoke with an African man who wanted something to read in English, so I gave him a tract called How to Know God. Several workers thanked us for being onboard. It was a good day, and we handed out several tracts as well.
One of my favourite conversations was with Manny, a crew member from the Philippines who helps lead an onboard Christian fellowship. Because of the crew’s schedules, they do not begin meeting until 10:45 pm, but he said it is a sacrifice they are happy to make.
If you think of it, please pray for Manny as he leads this group, and for the crew who gather together.
We also gave away quite a few Christian books, a couple of Bibles, and some clothing. As we were leaving, one of the security guards asked if we had any clothes left so she could share them with crew members who had not been able to come to the mess hall during our visit.
We may never meet everyone who receives these gifts, and that is okay. More than anything, we want them to know that they are loved and cared for, and that this love ultimately comes from Christ, not from us.
Thank you all for praying. Please continue to pray that God would keep using this ministry in ways far bigger than we could imagine."
From Dawn:
Abby, John and I spent the day on the Grand Princess. Although it felt slow at times, there were definitely many divine appointments that God had for us.
F. received the special-order large-print Bible that my mum had ordered for him, and A. loved the warm coat that Captain Lucy from the Salvation Army had donated for us to give to her. We encouraged an Indian seafarer to read the Bible he had taken the previous week. We also gave him a tract or two and shared a short introduction to the Bible, pointing him towards the Gospels.
A Kenyan seafarer, was able to go home with many books on spiritual growth, which he plans to share with his church back home. We also spent time encouraging a strong Christian who has been onboard this ship for three months without fellowship. As a chef who works through the night, his schedule is opposite to most of the crew. We introduced him to another believer who prayed with him, and encouraged him with the love of Christ.
There is more I could share, but those were some of my highlights.
My greatest takeaway has been the power of asking the Holy Spirit to lead me when I am visiting a ship, and then listening for His promptings. I love to pray that He would lead me to the right person to sit with when I have lunch onboard. Listening, and approaching the people He places on my heart, has led to some of the most fruitful interactions.
On one visit, I was able to pray with a Catholic man from the Philippines, asking God to work spiritually in the hearts of his fellow Filipinos as they face so many natural disasters and hardships.
I also spoke with a bartender about the Crew Children’s Encouragement Project, which I am starting. It invites seafarers to write a letter or prayer for their children while they are away at sea. My hope is that these words will encourage their own children, and also other seafarers’ children, helping them know their father’s or mother’s heart for them while they are away for so many months at a time.
On that same ship, I noticed a group of men wearing the same blue shirts and speaking a language I did not recognise. I felt prompted to ask them what role they had onboard, and this led to a brief, friendly conversation. They were sitting close to our literature table, and I noticed that many of them were wearing string bracelets. As I listened for the Holy Spirit’s leading, I asked them about the meaning of the bracelets. They explained that the bracelets were connected to their worship in a Hindu temple in Bali. I was then able to gently share what I believe. I offered two of the men a booklet called A Letter for You, which gives information about the Bible and shares the Gospel. I also offered another man a small Bible Promises booklet, which begins with salvation. They graciously accepted the booklets and went on their way.
I am praying that they will encounter Jesus Christ and come to know the life, hope and salvation found in Him.
Our team in Ketchikan appreciates your prayers! Click on the photo below to hear Dawn sharing an update on SCFS Kethikan....
