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 24, 2008
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!
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.
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.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Late September News-Planning for India
Ministry continues on the MOL Partner and the Yang Ming (YM) Great. Chim continues with the help of the Lord to serve the men's needs and provides as the opportunities come. Eight crew members attended a service Chim had on board the YM Great. The 3rd officers assisted in the service. The men feel very comfortable with him. Enough so that they particated with Chim in the Believer Confession of Faith and again heard the Gospel message.
The LMM board met this month and discussed the need for additional board members and some help for Chim. Chim and I are planning an extensive journey to India where we will be visiting various crew members that have sign up in our address book. Many of these guys have become like members of our family. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide help and a co-worker that could continue with the minstry while we are away.
The LMM board met this month and discussed the need for additional board members and some help for Chim. Chim and I are planning an extensive journey to India where we will be visiting various crew members that have sign up in our address book. Many of these guys have become like members of our family. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide help and a co-worker that could continue with the minstry while we are away.
Friday, September 19, 2008
With September comes Fall
Friday, September 19, 2008
With September comes Fall
The Long Beach Bridge was in port with one of our favorite 1st officers, Burgess. We last saw Burgess on the Yang Ming March about 18 months ago so it was a great surprise when he phoned and said he found our business card in the crew's mess hall. He was shy to call us because he hadn't been in touch for so long but we welcomed him back with open arms. He had another wonderful surprise for us...he had gotten married and his wife, Nazneem, was with him. Of course we picked them up and showed them the town and had a fabulous time together. Chim has been driving down at the Seafares' Center 2 to 3 times a week and making new connections with crew members. He's been talking one-on-one with seafarers, praying for them and driving them around as needed. A Chief Engineer on a MOL ship was so impressed with the work Chim does that he donated $100 to the ministry! Chim plans to give him some Christian DVDs on his return. The 2nd officer on the same ship also gave $20 for the ministry. Chim gave a Muslim crew member a DVD about a Imam cleric becoming a believer. Pray for an opening to discuss at a later date. Yesterday we went to the Queen Mary for the Annual Fund Raiser for the International Seafarers' Center. It is always a lovely event and the major fund raiser for the Center. It gave us a door to witness to others there. The original Lutheran founder (Father Bartlett) of the Seafarers' Center gave grace for the meal. He has been here since the beginning of the Center.
With September comes Fall
The Long Beach Bridge was in port with one of our favorite 1st officers, Burgess. We last saw Burgess on the Yang Ming March about 18 months ago so it was a great surprise when he phoned and said he found our business card in the crew's mess hall. He was shy to call us because he hadn't been in touch for so long but we welcomed him back with open arms. He had another wonderful surprise for us...he had gotten married and his wife, Nazneem, was with him. Of course we picked them up and showed them the town and had a fabulous time together. Chim has been driving down at the Seafares' Center 2 to 3 times a week and making new connections with crew members. He's been talking one-on-one with seafarers, praying for them and driving them around as needed. A Chief Engineer on a MOL ship was so impressed with the work Chim does that he donated $100 to the ministry! Chim plans to give him some Christian DVDs on his return. The 2nd officer on the same ship also gave $20 for the ministry. Chim gave a Muslim crew member a DVD about a Imam cleric becoming a believer. Pray for an opening to discuss at a later date. Yesterday we went to the Queen Mary for the Annual Fund Raiser for the International Seafarers' Center. It is always a lovely event and the major fund raiser for the Center. It gave us a door to witness to others there. The original Lutheran founder (Father Bartlett) of the Seafarers' Center gave grace for the meal. He has been here since the beginning of the Center.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Two are better than one
Ecclesiastes 4:9 gives this piece of advice. Two people working together are better than one self-reliant individual
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
August is in full swing from the beginning!
Chim has been busy since last Thursday. He has visited the Hyundi Discovery, MOL Proficieny, ITS Rotterdam Bridge as well as volunteering at the Seafarers' Center in the evenings. He has taken seafarers shopping in the Lutheran Maritime van, shared the Gospel with the crews, prayed for individuals.
Yesterday he prayed for an ordinary seaman (that's what his position is called) prior to his departure for India. Mr. Singh had fallen while working on the lashings of the cantainers while the ship was at sea and had to wait 10 days to reach the port for treatment. He was in a lot of pain during that time. Chim prayed for him with another believer before he left for recovery in India. ITF (the seafarers union) was on board with Chim, so thankfully, Mr. Singh will receive compensation properly for this injury.
Chim had lunch with the crews of the Proficieny and the Rotterdam Bridge on different days. He was able to get better accquainted with the men and then he dropped them for shopping and later picked them up again. He also drove the captain and the first engineer to Cosco for shopping. This helps open doors for later ministry.
Yesterday Chim ask me to do some touring with the captain and first engineer from the MOL Proficiency. I first took them to the Japanese Garden at Cal State LB where they were surprised at the peace and beauty. They fed the lovely koi fish and then I showed them some of Naples and the canals there. After that we drove down to San Juan Capistrano and we toured the Mission there. Later I dropped them at Cosco for shopping. Chim picked them up later and he said they were in awe of all that they got to do that day! Needless to say they had a day that they wouldn't soon forget.
Yesterday he prayed for an ordinary seaman (that's what his position is called) prior to his departure for India. Mr. Singh had fallen while working on the lashings of the cantainers while the ship was at sea and had to wait 10 days to reach the port for treatment. He was in a lot of pain during that time. Chim prayed for him with another believer before he left for recovery in India. ITF (the seafarers union) was on board with Chim, so thankfully, Mr. Singh will receive compensation properly for this injury.
Chim had lunch with the crews of the Proficieny and the Rotterdam Bridge on different days. He was able to get better accquainted with the men and then he dropped them for shopping and later picked them up again. He also drove the captain and the first engineer to Cosco for shopping. This helps open doors for later ministry.
Yesterday Chim ask me to do some touring with the captain and first engineer from the MOL Proficiency. I first took them to the Japanese Garden at Cal State LB where they were surprised at the peace and beauty. They fed the lovely koi fish and then I showed them some of Naples and the canals there. After that we drove down to San Juan Capistrano and we toured the Mission there. Later I dropped them at Cosco for shopping. Chim picked them up later and he said they were in awe of all that they got to do that day! Needless to say they had a day that they wouldn't soon forget.
As I was writing this entry, we just received a phone call from Romania! George and his wife Romana called after receiving our latest email to them. They had just returned from another trip to the mountains where they had taken Chim and I in June. On this visit, they had seen wild bear that actually came up to their car begging for food. We enjoyed a nice long phone visit together. It's great to be able to visualize them talking on the phone with us while seated in their kitchen where we played the card game Uno late into the night together just a few weeks ago! It's nearly midnight and they didn't want to disturb Ginger, their 4 year old daughter. I am sending them copies of some of the photos we took together. Well, let me close for now. Chim just left to go join another ship which I'll tell you about later! Bye for now!
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