Friday, October 24, 2008

Chaplain's report

Chim has been busy making the introductions with Hearen to the following ships: Hyundi Discovery, Long Beach Bridge, YM March, MOL Profiency, MOL Prosperity, Rotterdam Bridge, ALP Spain. They had a communion service on board the Spain at the Captain's request. Hearen learnt the necessary steps to clear security at each gate at the different berths and also how to log on to each ship at the gangway. He has also been driving to the different terminals learning his way around, studying roadway maps and learning how to check on when the ships arrive at each terminal.

The Bishop's dinner was a success. We enjoyed very much having the opportunity to meet supports and interested people. Hearen brought his family too and Ron Nelson had the chance to introduce them at the gathering. LMM gave away copies of the newsletter (from on line) and we meet someone interested in joining the board of directors, Mary Steward, from Torrance Lutheran. Welcome, Mary!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Christmas boxes being made ready


Today two different Lutheran Churches called to ask about the Christmas shoe box gifts. Someone ask about a time limit for donating gifts. Because we will be in India in December this year the gifts will be given out with the help of the International Seafarers' Center. The distribution usually starts about the second week of December and goes until even after Christmas-if we have gift to give to ships that were at sea during the holiday. The International Center is located at 120 Pico Avenue, Long Beach, 90812. Telephone number is 562-432-7560. They are open Monday through Saturday from 3:00pm until 10:00. A list of items that may be included might be:
knitted sea watch caps
package of razors, can of shaving cream
other shaving items-colone, aftershave, etc.
deodorant
combs, brushes
Note pads, pens, envelopes
hard candy, gum
white socks
microwave popcorn bags
toothpaste, brushes
pack of gaming cards
fingernail clippers, nail files
or anything else small enough to fit into shoe box!
We are requesting that bars of soap not be include because even if they are wrapped, the soap gives off an odor that everything else absorbs.


Today Chim and Hearen brought home 2 seafarers and an officer's wife. They were all Indians from different states in India. I gave them creamy toasted eggplant curry, white northern bean spicy soup, chicken curry (keema) along with cabbage and carrot sambar ( cooked salad), rice, yogurt and nan. Oh, I also had made some potato & peas somosa (like Mexican espanos). I think they enjoyed the meal...I know Hearen and Chim did because they had seconds! Well, as I write this entry, Chim and Hearen are out working with the seafarers. Oh, Chim just walked in with a ship's captain. I have to make tea for them and lay out some cookies. More later.

Sunday we will be at the Bishop's dinner in Torrance and hope to see some of you there too! Please stop and say "Hi" if you spot us!

Monday, October 13, 2008

New Opportunities in October


Yes, thanks to retirement and the Lord's leading, we are traveling to India soon. Because of this we have been praying for someone to come along side and work with us. We feel the Lord has answered our prayers. Hearen Christian is a lovely, dedicated man that loves the Lord. We have known him about 5 years. He has just had time to open up to be able to work with us. He lives in Whittier but has shown determination in joining Chim several times a week to learn the ropes about seafarers. Please pray with us that Hearen is the answer to our prayers. He has a driver's test on the 16th that he needs to pass in able to use a car instead of taking the bus from Whittier to Long Beach. (He's been driving for years but not in the USA. He is from Bombay, India).

Sunday, Oct. 5th, the Long Beach Bridge was in port with Burgess, and his wife Nazneem. As you may remember from last month's newsletter, he's the chief mate and there was a new Captain we had not met before on this vessel. They invited us on board for dinner and it was a pleasure to be with them. After dinner the Captain allowed Burgess time off and he and his wife came to our home. We gave Burgess time on the computer and then we played Mexican Train Dominoes with them. The next day I arranged for Nazneem to see a local doctor in Long Beach about a personal problem she didn't want the company doctor to know about. She was relieved to find her disorder was a simple one to resolve. Chim joined them on board ship the following day for lunch. The next I spend shopping with Nazneem to her heart's content until Burgess called after lunch and we drove down to the port and he joined us for the afternoon's shopping session!

At the same time that I spent with the LB Bridge, Chim was working on a separate ship. He picked up Raj (Chief Engineer) and they had a good discussion about the Lord. They also had time to play a game of golf together! This officer was from the Yang Ming March. He liked Chim and invited us to spend time with he and his family when we travel to India next month. He also accepted some Christian testimonies on DVDs from Chim that he promised to watch and discuss next visit.