By Susan Huppert, NAMMA<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shared\nexperiences enable us to care about others. We connect with others if we can\npersonally relate with their experience. Such was the case when Anglican priest,\nSteven Gilbert, started a mission to seafarers in Sarnia, Ontario, in 1983. His\nson was a seafarer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Communication\nis crucial to meeting needs. So when Italian speaking seafarers docked at this\nrelatively small Canadian port speaking Gilbert contacted a Roman Catholic\npriest, Reverend Donasan, who spoke their language. The refreshing sound of a\nnative language in a foreign land was an initial step to outreach and care. The\npriests pooled their energy and focused on developing a port mission. With\nassistance from the Anglican diocese they established the first mobile outreach\nfrom a 1984 Winnebago named \u201cAngie.\u201d Thanks to the International Trade\nFederation (ITF), a global organization supporting seafarers, for vehicle\nfunding, the pair rolled from ship to ship offering care and concern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Historically,\na blend of churches of various ethnicities became involved in the mission. In\n1987, the Ven. Dr. Gordon Simmons, assumed the role of chaplain. He now serves\nas chairperson of the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following\nthe model of the Anglican Mission to Seafarers, one of the largest port-based\nwelfare operations in the world, Simmons, worked with a cross-section of\nvolunteers from various parishes during the mission\u2019s infancy. Angie offered\nimmediate access for seafarers to find literature, Bibles in 11 languages, a\nlistening ear and change of pace. In addition, volunteers would host seafarers\nin their homes. For Polish seafarers, Simmons would line up volunteers of the\nsame nationality. Once, Siberian and Croatian crew were invited into a volunteer\u2019s\nhome of the same background. The family prepared a meal and played musical\ninstruments of songs familiar to the seafarers. These extensions of care\nprovided relief at a time when Croatia was experiencing war and seafarers were\nheavy-hearted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\nwould form teams with volunteers from the Knights of Columbus and visit ships,\ntake seafarers to mass, shopping or medical appointments if needed,\u201d said\nSimmons. \u201cOur four teams from various churches would rotate every other week taking\nour vehicle to the ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe\nMission to Seafarers is a trusted brand,\u201d he said. \u201cWe tailor our help to fit\nthe individual. Our top priority is that seafarers and their families feel 100\npercent safe in our care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simmons\ntrained others to understand the life of the seafarers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne\nof my chaps could speak Slovakian and understand other European languages,\u201d he\nsaid. \u201cAnd the man who owned the local garage was Korean. He would assist with\ntranslation when I needed help.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stories\nof the critically important experiences encouraged others to join the mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fred\nMoss has volunteered in Sarnia for more than 30 years. Introduced to the\noutreach by his neighbor, Moss found volunteering among the seafarers a great\nopportunity. His experiences as a teacher of English in Nepal, China, Czech\nRepublic and other countries gave him insight into what it felt like to be away\nfrom your homeland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\nappreciated anybody who made it easier when I was far from home,\u201d said Moss. \u201cI\nwanted to pay back the kindness I had received.\u201d And he does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both\nhe and his wife, Dorothy, have transported seafarers to their home for meals\nand hospitality. A ham and cheese sandwich shared with genuine concern may not\nseem much, but to a man far from home facing a divorce, it was profound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\nare a lot of Filipino seafarers who are not prepared for the cold. We give warm\nclothes to them,\u201d the 82-year-old Presbyterian said. \u201cSome of these things\nreally pay off.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nmission remains ecumenical with Roman Catholic, United church, Baptist,\nPresbyterian and Anglican board members. Working jointly has never been a\nchallenge here. Today, it is keeping the mission alive that causes concern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arnold\nVanderhelm was a seafarer as a young man. He understands life at sea. As a\nvolunteer, he senses there is a limit to what can be provided now as most of\nthe volunteers are aging. Hip and knee replacements are common. Climbing\ngangways may not return. Vanderhelm feels the ecumenical nature is vital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\ncan do more together,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But\nnew recruits are scarce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today\u2019s\nstruggle to maintain is due in part to the times we are living in, according to\nSimmons. Churches are closing, Knights of Columbus folded. The reality is that members\nare getting older. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are trying to regroup,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cIt\nis difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moss\u2019\noptimism inspires as he recovers from surgery with a walker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce\nthis pandemic is past and we are able to, we will make sure we contact as many\nseafarers as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mission has no building. Angie is history. It remains supported by the International Sailors Society Canada, the Anglican Diocese and the Mariners Club. The outreach has a god relationship with the harbour master. Yet, there is minimal partnership from corporations or businesses associated with the port. Some have no idea of the mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sarnia\nis a natural harbor with a port that remains important as a mainstay of the\nlocal economy. The area, referred to as Chemical Valley, has 62 refineries and\npetroleum chemical facilities. In addition, the strength of its mechanical and\ntechnical services makes it a prominent player in ship repair and maintenance.\nDockage is available for ten to twelve ships to lay up for winter repairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\nis an all-season harbor receiving 80-100 vessels annually. It is located at the\nsouthern edge of Lake Huron. Because of its location above the Welland Canal, commercial\nvessels can operate late in the shipping season. Spring break-up arrives\nearlier than other lakes allowing ships access to lakes Erie, Heron and\nMichigan. Sarnia is clearly about opportunities for vessels and the people who\nman them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\nneed to provide seafarers with a place they can feel like home. Letting them\nknow they have a contact person who cares. They need to feel like they are free\nand safe,\u201d said the chaplain. \u201cEven if it means only sharing coffee at\nMcDonalds with someone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such\nan opportunity occurred while he transported seafarers to shopping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe\ncook asked to speak with me alone,\u201d said Simmons. \u201cHe didn\u2019t want the crew to\nhear his concern. His contract had ended and he was not being relieved.\nRepeated promises to be sent home had gone unmet. I followed-up with the North\nAmerican Maritime Ministry Association and finally got him home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nthe future, funding and manpower may curtail the mission\u2019s work. Personal contact\nwith seafarers will decrease as the possibility of hiring a taxi service to do\nthe driving is a very likely option. Even\nas mission volunteers sense challenges ahead, their care and advocacy is\nauthentic and still alive. Throughout the years, the outreach to seafarers at\nSarnia has been personal and that makes the difference. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Susan Huppert, NAMMA Shared experiences enable us to care about others. We connect with others if we can personally relate with their experience. Such was the case when Anglican priest, Steven Gilbert, started a mission to seafarers in Sarnia, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":2313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[307],"tags":[45,33,86,321,320,322],"class_list":["post-939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-focus-on-canada","tag-apostleship-of-the-sea","tag-canada","tag-mission-to-seafarers","tag-ontario","tag-sarnia","tag-st-clair-river"],"yoast_head":"\n