You don’t have to be talking long to a Mission to Seafarers (MtS) Chaplain to realise their passion for those who travel the international shipping lanes of the world on our behalf.
That is particularly true now in relation to the sea lanes around our two provinces. The Regional Director of MtS for the Middle East and Southeast Asia and Chaplain also to the Cyprus ports, Revd John Attenborough, is no exception. "Usually,” he says resignedly,
people in the UK only realise there’s a problem with shipping when the teabags run short in the supermarkets. They don’t realise just how much we all owe to seafarers.
At the moment, a major concern is the Houthi assaults on shipping in the Red Sea. Chaplains have had special training in trauma and crisis counselling to cope with this new situation. Ships are sometimes hit but not disabled and it is difficult to imagine the terror that strikes into innocent civilian crews with no means of defending themselves. Often, it is the Chaplain they turn to at the next port of call.
Usually they just want to offload
says John, “and the Chaplain is the only person who is available to listen." There are some within the shipping industry and wider society who think, ’well no-one died so what’s the problem?’ They are just glad that someone is watching out for them as human beings.”
The Branch Manager in Aqaba, Raeid, has a special part to play as a Muslim. He has been working in the area for twenty-seven years and part of his job now involves tracking ships to know where teams can visit them. A particular problem recently has been the ship, Galaxy Leader, carrying cars through the Red Sea. The ship was raided. Houthis landed by helicopter and took the boat and its crew hostage. It remains captive off the coast of Yemen, but a law firm known to the Mission to Seafarers is negotiating the release of the seafarers. Off the coast of Somalia piracy is a problem.
The Mission, already established in Bahrain and Dubai, is expanding its work in the region, notably in Saudi Arabia, where it is hoped that soon there will be Mission bases in Jeddah and Damman. They have been invited by the Saudi authorities to start the registration process. Having a Muslim welfare worker in the area is a help. John says that the Mission is not going to hide its roots but will be respectful of local sensibilities. The important thing is that the authorities recognise the importance of their welfare work. In the UAE a Memorandum of Understanding has recently been signed with the authorities there which recognises the Mission as the legitimate welfare organization for seafarers in that jurisdiction, opening the way for new expanded ship visiting opportunities at Jebel Ali. It is hoped that before long there will also be new Chaplaincies in Port Said and Alexandria.
Everywhere I go, people are enthusiastic
John Attenborough
The appointment of Rev’d Debbie Moorgas to St Barnabas Limassol has been an opportunity to sign her up as Assistant Port Chaplain there. She will be the first female Chaplain in the region, and with a background in the shipping industry, she understands the trade from the inside. In Limassol John is hoping soon to be able to provide ministry on the cruise ships that call there. Often the ships appoint Chaplains for the passengers but not the crew. As John’s boss discovered on a recent cruise as chaplain, with a focus on passengers; the crew also deeply appreciated services and prayer and time being provided for them, particularly over the Christmas period. Cruise ship crews often have very particuar needs and the Mission is working hard to try and meet them
The basics of MtS ministry are the same the world over, providing centres where practical needs can be met, visiting ships, and acting as a link between sailors and their families, and trying to make a positive difference to the lives of seafarers on whom we depend - and not only for our teabags!
Posted 9 March 2024