Port Contact: John Honore
Email: jnhonore@hotmail.com
Tele: 1 758 489 7918
Country: Saint Lucia (LC)
NEW Newsletter from SCFS in Port Castries (St Lucia)

Who I am and the work I am called to do

John Honore started a work in the port in 1995. Born in St. Lucia himself, he was the son of a seaman. Following the footsteps of his father, he left school and went to sea at the age of 16. He worked as a deck boy on a fruit ship, being the youngest crew member on board. As could be expected, with being away from home, and with the influences all around, a life of sin ensued. As a result of a visit from a SCFS Port Missionary (Walter Burrell) in Cork, Ireland in June of 1975, John was brought under the sound of the gospel. After the Gospel Meeting he had further conversation and received Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. About a year after his conversion he felt the call of God to Christian service, so left the ship and got involved with an International ministry to Seamen, the SCFS (Seamen's Christian Friend Society).

Description of the port of St. Lucia

Port Castries is on the north western side of St. Lucia and is the island's main port. Located within the heart of the capital city of Castries, it is a multi-purpose port that provides facilities and services for both passengers and cargo. It has become a popular destination for cruise lines with as many as three or four cruise ships arriving at the port each day.

Considering the fact that each ship has a crew of approximately 1,200 men and women, roughly 50,000 seafarers pass through the port each year. These crew members come from various countries in central Europe, south east Asia and the Pacific, so the port offers an excellent opportunity to share the gospel with people that can in turn take it to various parts of the world.

Description of my ministry in port Castries St. Lucia

John is able to visit a couple of cruise ships each day, sometimes five days a week, distributing Bibles, tracts and texts, and witnessing to the crew - taking the Word of God to the nations of the world. Between October and April, hundreds of scripture texts in different languages, Bibles, calendars, bookmarks and other material are distributed to seafarers in their mess rooms. The material is well received and some crew members mention that they display the texts on the walls inside their cabin.

As well as getting the Word of God into the hands of the lost, the distribution of gospel literature on the ships is an encouragement and help to believers that work on board. Christian crew members rejoice to see the Word of God being shared and enjoy the brief time of fellowship during these visits.