Seafarers’ Ministry and COVID-19 Worldwide Survey Report
by Kevin Walker, NAMMA In July and early August of this year, the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) surveyed its members about how COVID-19 had affected seafarers’ welfare in their areas, what kinds of services they were offering them, what approach
A 50-Year Commitment: Ministry to Seafarers Vancouver
by Susan Huppert, NAMMA Sometimes things just get in our blood. For conservation activist, Sigurd Olson, it is the wilderness. For television personality, Jay Leno, it is cars. For some it is other-centered living. Ministry to Seafarers chaplain, the Rev. Gary Roosma understands this well. Roosma has
Montreal Ministry to Seafarers Sees Developments, Adaptations, Hardship During COVID-19
By Maia VanderMeer, Banner It’s Friday afternoon, July 24, and Michelle DePooter-Francis is on her way to Walmart to pick up items requested by seafarers restricted to their ships. DePooter-Francis is lead chaplain of the Ministry to Seafarers, a mission in the
Facilitate crew changes and support out-of-work seafarers: A renewed call to work together from welfare organisations
The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), and the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), with their respective memberships of concerned shipping companies and seafarers’ ministries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, encourage governments and the maritime industry to continue to work together to
Stella Maris Survey: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Lives of Seafarers
by Fr. Bruno Ciceri, cs Since the declaration of the pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was clear that the lives of seafarers, fishers and their families would be impacted significantly. Thanks to the stable work and a good
Liverpool Seafarers Centre thanks community for donations for seafarers stuck on ships during pandemic
Ecumenical charity Liverpool Seafarers Centre has hailed the heart-warming response to its appeal for donations after the community pulled together to support seafarers. The Crosby centre called on the public to help after announcing it would be increasing its ship visits
What can I do? Call someone who is alone : A lesson from seafarers’ ministries
That we all crave social contact has become painfully clear in the past weeks – we do not do well in self isolation, especially in quarantine. If there is any upside to the current crisis, it might be that we
Celebrating Christmas at Sea
Image: Chaplain James Kollin of the Seamen's Church Institute with a seafarer wearing a new watch cap and scarf. While crinkled tinsel hangs in the mess room and a slightly battered artificial tree is pulled from storage, Christmas on ships is
What we achieved at the ICMA World Conference 2019 and the fun we had along the way
by Kevin Walker, NAMMA ICMA’s 11th World Conference was held over the week of 21-25 October in the Taiwanese port city of Kaohsiung, hosted by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan’s Seafarers’ and Fishers’ Service Center (PCT SFSC). By all accounts a
ICMA Meets the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan Seafarers’ and Fishers’ Service Center (PCT SFSC)
After three days of enjoying our Taiwanese colleagues’ hospitality, on Wednesday evening the attendees of the ICMA 2019 World Conference finally got to visit our hosts at their center in the Kaohsiung fishing port and see the work that they