Time on a ship
Life on a ship is governed by time. From the moment a seaman joins his ship, he starts to mark the days on the calendar to the time that he should return home.
Time for keeping watch on deck or in the engine room.
Time for meals and sleep.
Time to sail on the ebb [...]
Author Archives: SCFS
Time on a ship, by John Barnard
February 2, 2010 – 11:52 am
Colin Jenkins tells of the dangers and hardships seamen face on a daily basis
January 27, 2010 – 10:03 am
Colin Jenkins in Cork, tells of the variety of his ship visits and the dangers and hardships seamen face on a daily basis.
On a ship there can be from 5 to 30 different people. Each represents a different family and often 2-6 different nationalities are represented. On a cruise liner this is magnified and can [...]
SCFS returns to Malta after 42 years!
August 25, 2009 – 4:04 pm
Monday 10 August 2009 leaders of The Evangelical Alliance of Malta (TEAM) announced the launch of Maritime Ministries of Malta (MMM). As a special meeting held in Malta the Constitution was signed to signal the commencement of this new ministry to seafarers. Said Pastor Edwin Caruana, acting President of MMM:
‘Valletta is a busy port and [...]
Fred Merry goes shopping!
August 25, 2009 – 4:00 pm
There are times when all that is really wanted by seafarers is some practical help and understanding. One day recently Fred collected two seamen from their ship and took them along to the seafarers' centre. He then took them onto the large shopping centre at Lakeside where he helped out by taking them around some [...]
Denis Taylor makes time to listen to lonely seafarers
August 25, 2009 – 4:00 pm
Sometimes Denis comments to us that "nothing spectacular has happened" for a while. Well, we happen to think the sheer fact that God has called people to visit ships on a regular basis is reasonably spectacular. It isn't a glamorous job. But SCFS workers visit ships in all weathers, and occasionally at very antisocial hours. [...]
John Barnard from Grimsby tells of a well loved and well travelled Bible
August 25, 2009 – 3:59 pm
"I visited a ship crewed by Filipinos. It was my second visit to this ship and I sat in the mess room talking. I offered a man a Bible, "No! wait!" he said, and left the mess room. It was not long before he had returned, saying, "Do you know Volker?"
He then showed me the [...]
Sam Cowan reports from Belfast
January 29, 2009 – 4:05 pm
A Baseball Cap, A Tee-shirt, Trousers and Trainers!
It was a very cold January day, I saw a Filipino seafarer walking along the harbour. He was only wearing a baseball cap, a tee-shirt, trousers and trainers. He looked lost. I saw him talk to some of the contractors working at the harbour and they shook their [...]
Christmas is Coming!
December 8, 2008 – 3:54 pm
This is a busy time of the year for SCFS Chaplains as they get ready to distribute hundreds of Christmas parcels on board ships. Here is a report from Belfast about their activities last year.
At the end of November we once again were grateful for the help of our local home church family. Around 50 [...]
The Best Film Ever Made!
October 2, 2008 – 8:33 pm
John Barnard Writes…
The large vessel was waiting to discharge its cargo. All the crew were Filipino. I laid out Bibles, tracts and hats on a table. I was told by many of the crew as they came in that they have Bible study and prayer meetings on Sundays, led by a seaman named Robin. I [...]
A Floating Video Library!
February 2, 2008 – 10:20 am
Rob Flinders reports about some well travelled DVDs.
Faustino is the second mate onboard a ship. He is a Christian, along with Rolando, the ship's Bosun. Faustino told me that last voyage his wife Regie traveled from their home in Iloilo in the southern Philippines to Manila so that she might be with him while the [...]