Sometimes as Christmas is coming, we long to be connected and united to our family to celebrate it with joy. I meet many seafarers who cannot be with their families for the special occasion. Seafarers are always longing for home! Their hearts always turn toward where their families are.

When I visited a container ship, Peter, the Ukrainian cook welcomed me and spent time with me talking about his family situations at home in Ukraine. He told me his wife is a sergeant and has hardly met her and their children since the war broke out. When I prayed for him and his family, tears were welling up his eyes.

John, the Filipino cook who is a weekly Bible study group member, proudly showed me the photo of his two day old daughter who was born on November 26. He was so happy to see the baby on his phone! He is really looking forward to meeting her soon, however he won’t finish his contract until next March.

Please pray for seafarers who will celebrate Christmas at sea. We praise the Lord for God’s work in this ministry through continuous support from individuals and churches during these hard times.

May Jesus be your Joy and Peace this Christmas time!

Rev Jaeguen Bae

Dublin Port Chaplain