In December 2019, while visiting the anchor handler Pacific Dragon, Lydia and I began gifting children’s storybook Bibles to Filipino seafarers for their children. We suggested they read the books themselves during their time at sea so that they would be ready to read them to their families. Our Ipswich Ship Visitor, Keith Oliver, also gifts children’s Bibles for these same reasons. 

Many Filipino crew are happy to accept Bibles and children’s storybook Bibles, but we have little evidence of regular Bible reading being shared onboard or at home.   

Some Dutch Captains have Sunday Bible services for Filipino crew who happily participate, but most are used to another experience of approaching our Father in worship.

The following extracts are taken from my 'Log Book' and conversations with 'Rio Ganza', the master of Eastern Vanquish...

28/6/24

Two cranes were loading Eastern Vanquish with pine logs, an operation usually completed in one day. I would need to work hard if I was to meet with all the crew before they leave.  Blessed with timing I met 2nd/Off and three ABs in the messroom and had some great conversation about the benefits of being with Faversham/Casper shipping which supports promotion through the ranks for its usually all Filipino crew. One East German seafarer ‘Falk’ declared his lack of knowledge about Jesus and earnestly promised to read for the first time John’s gospel as presented in a Hope magazine and a NLT Bible. 

AB Jude Matthew accepted the Church on the Ocean challenge with a picture study Bible.

Rio, who had been profuse in his thanks for the use of the MNWB mi-fi hub in February which had enabled his crew to have a weekend break watching films, was able to meet with me for a few minutes and spoke of his daily devotions and it was clear he is a man of deepening faith. 

30/6/24

I was surprised and delighted to receive a series of WhatsApp photos of Rio using the picture Bible to speak about creation with his crew around him on the bridge.  

Earlier I had decided to offer a quality picture study Bible to a ship as the many illustrations might help bring life in Biblical times alive to the crew and waken interest in reading the Bible. However, only the Holy Spirit has the authority and power to motivate a master to hold shipboard Bible study/prayer/worship. All we can do is provide the Bibles.

Rio later admitted that the gifted study Bible, Church on the Ocean leaflet and several conversations over a period of time had together given him the courage to add thirty minutes Bible study and prayer to the Sunday training and safety drill meeting.     

Rio and I are now in regular conversation praying that this pictorial study book will make Bible reading more interesting and accessible and will motivate his men to look to Jesus. 

How had this come about? Someone must have been praying for this to happen. 

There had indeed been prayers because the Friday SCFS early morning Zoom prayer meeting had prayed for Montrose Port to be given just the one shipboard weekly Bible study, the Montrose Grace Church were also praying and Rio had himself been praying for a sign because he knew the Lord was in it when his AB Jude Matthew showed him the Picture Bible with the Church on the Ocean leaflet, and Falk his engineer had asked for help because he wasn’t baptised!

Both Rio and I know that these events are from the Holy Spirit and we are now praying another ship would join the crew of Eastern Vanquish in Bible study and prayer.

Therefore, since I had given Rio my only copy of this book, I was prompted to order several more! 

5/7/24

Six days after MV Eastern Vanquish left Montrose Port,  MV Conformity arrived. I was warmly greeted by Edwin Ch/Off overseeing the loading who was most interested in our news about how Rio the master on a sister ship was adding a thirty-minute Bible reading time to the Sunday safety training drills. 

Ideally all the ships should have the same Pictorial Study Bible we had gifted MV Eastern Vanquish. If there were to be a growing interest among the fleet crew it would be helpful if they became familiar with one particular study Bible, so I prayed the post would deliver more copies before MV Conformity left port. 

Loading was completed next day for them to leave on the Friday afternoon high tide and “Thank you Lord!” the postman delivered the books two days earlier than expected and being only 15 minutes from the port I arrived with their study Bible 30 minutes before the Pilot! Next day Edwin emailed a picture which showed Bible reading following Boat Drill which I found most encouraging.  

 7/6/24

I had promised to try and get more books to Rio who was now giving his second Sunday sermon on the MV Eastern Vanquish. How was I to get them to Leith where they were docked? Was it coincidence that our visiting preacher at Montrose church was from Leith? 

Those who know our God personally as Father also know that He is Sovereign over all and understand that this was not a coincidence. And yes, Derek Lamont our visiting pastor from Leith happily took a set of three Tagalog Bible study books to Rio the next day. 

17/6/24

Great conversations on a third Faversham vessel, as I visited MV Clarity with our volunteer Rev Elie Barakat. Ch/Eng John who had worked with Rio was interested to know that Rio’s team had been reading and discussing the real history of Noah’s Ark a 133-metre-long wooden barge built to exactly the same proportions as a modern container ship. The crew decided that Ch/Eng John was the best one amongst them to lead if there were to be Bible study on MV Clarity. 

 19/7/24

Jae Baguen, the Dublin Port Chaplain, added an hour to his working day in response to a request from myself to visit MV Conformity and prayed from the Bible with Erwin the Master and Edwin the mate. Their Facetime call was most encouraging.  

 22/7/24

Colin Jenkins met with the Russian master of MV Beaumont a Faversham ship in Cork but was unable to meet with the Filipinos. For me this was the SCFS Team focusing on a valued aim.

Rio and I are aware that the interest in shared Bible reading time on his and other ships which has taken place since our first meeting is not coincidence nor is it of our own ...“it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Rio:

My experience over the past three Sundays of Bible study and prayer with my crew has been Great! Everybody is enjoying the drills and excited about the Bible reading segment as we learn to bring our confidence in reading and learning from the word of God through it.

At first it was a bit awkward but once the team began supporting each other it became a happy event in our weekend activity on ship. And we could feel the protection and strength of the Lord given to us on our voyages especially in terms of weather and loads of blessing come to my crew’s life, like a week after we began praying together the news came that my Chief officer, is promoted to Master and 2nd officer, is promoted to Chief officer. This news came sooner than expected but God keeps His promises to those who believe. So, it was through faith and grace for His purpose. 

We continue to pray for the families and relatives of those lost with the sinking of MV Verity the twelfth ship in the Faversham/Casper fleet. The shock of that disaster will take much time to heal, and the Faversham/Casper crews are needing to understand that they have immortal souls, that they are lost if they have not been given real repentance and do not have the Spiritual baptism of being Born Again which brings us into a blessed conversation with Jesus to know the assurance and promises which are only to be found in Christ.

Rio: added the following verses for prayer:

• John 3:16-17… For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
  John 14:6… Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except through Me. 
• 1Peter 3:18… For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. 
• Roman 3:23… For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 
• Roman 6:23... For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
• John 1:12... Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. 

‘’So let our soul connected to God, through his Son Jesus Christ by praying these prayers and let the Holy Spirit lead you to life eternal today. I trusted in Jesus to be Lord and Saviour and accepted his free gift of eternal life. From now on, I will follow Jesus for the rest of my life. Amen’’ Capt. Glecerio Ganza.

The turnaround times of ships in Montrose Port is such that one only begins to appreciate the person one is meeting with and then they are gone, and it may be several years before they return. Working with Rio in writing this article proved to be a great opportunity to build a friendship!

Rio's testimony can be found here Seafarer Stories...Rio

Colin Dickenson recalled the tragic story of MV Verity in 'A Close Encounter', Helmsman Spring 24. SCFS port chaplain and ship visitors continue to bring comfort to seafarers impacted by this.