A Typical Ship Visit
What follows is an account, written by one of our port missionaries, that describes one of his visits to seafarers onboard their ship in Port Botany in Sydney. It is typical of the experience of SCFS representatives in Australian ports.
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It’s 10.30 am. I grab my hard hat, fluorescent security vest, two Identity Cards and a rucksack full of Bibles, Bible Study courses, tracts etc. and head off to Port Botany to visit the crew on mv ANL Bindaree.
ANL Bindaree is an average size container ship (246 metres in length) that berthed at 4.00 am this morning after a round voyage of seven weeks to the West Coast of America.
After signing in, I swipe myself through the security gate of the Dubai World Terminal at Port Botany and climb aboard a small bus that takes me through the terminal area to the ship, avoiding ‘tugs’ (large trucks carrying containers to and from the ships) and huge four-legged straddle cranes moving containers into seemingly endless rows of ‘boxes’ – the in-house name for containers.
Walking in the terminal operations area is dangerous and not allowed. Consequently, stevedores and visitors are always transported to a ship by a bus.
We arrive at the ship and I’m dropped off at the foot of the gangway. It’s high tide this morning and many containers have already been unloaded resulting in the ship ‘riding high’ above the wharf.
I look up and see a huge container swiftly passing over the gang-way as it is removed from the ship by a portainer (a large dockside gantry crane) to a waiting ‘tug’ on the wharf.
I do not proceed until its gone and then quickly hurry up the swaying gangway, some 30 to 40 steps set at a 45 degree angle this morning because of the high tide.
With my heavy rucksack on my back and steadying myself with one hand, I make it to the top of the gangway before the next container passes overhead. I’m onboard ANL Bindaree!
‘Hi Alex! Welcome aboard’ a seaman in a light blue boiler suit, with many grease marks on it, calls to me as he walks past. This is the fourth visit I’ve made to this ship and 8 of the crew of approximately 20 have accepted Bible courses from me, so I’m often recognized as soon as I step onboard.
I show my ID card to the crewman on duty at the top of the gangway, who then radios the 1st Mate and gets permission for me to go the crew’s messroom. The crewman clips a Visitor's Pass on me and then, led by a young cadet, I head off into the superstructure of the ship, climb two flights of stairs to Deck A, to find the crew’s messroom.
It’s now 11.45 am and there are already two crew in the messroom having their lunch, a two-course meal. I greet them and one recognises me and says, “I’ve finished the Bible Study course you gave me last visit.” I step into the galley and meet the Chief Cook and Messman (man who assists the Chief Cook, serves food etc.) who give me a warm welcome and invite me to have lunch. I always decline as the crew have just one hour for lunch and I need every minute to speak to them.
Returning to the messroom I find quite a number have arrived and are seated at the two dining tables having their lunch. I speak to them as a group enquiring about the voyage to Sydney. Did they encounter rough seas, storms etc.? I ask if any have recently joined the ship at other ports as most seafarers are contracted to work on the ship for up to nine or even ten months continuously, before returning home for a break of two or three months. I also ask if any of them are going home soon. If so, a big smile usually appears on their faces!
I use this opportunity to point out that my life and theirs is like a contract that will eventually come to an end. I tell them that the Bible says, 'It is appointed for man to die once, and after that the judgement' Hebrews 9:27. Also 'Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God' Matthew 4:4. I explain that studying the Bible will show them how to live their lives and will teach them how to face death and God with confidence.
After this I offer them a free Bible and a free Bible Study course entitled, 'Key Biblical Teachings.' This particular Bible Study course consists of six lessons, each followed by a test comprising ten multiple-choice questions.
If any of the men show interest or ask questions, I try to speak to them personally if time permits. If study courses are accepted, I obtain their personal details that are recorded in a database for future reference.
When I visited ANL Bindaree last September, eight of the seafarers onboard returned their completed Bible Study courses to me for marking. Prior to studying the Bible, many seafarers mistakenly believe that 'salvation is by works.' Marking the seafarers' answers to the Test Questions helps me to see if they have understood the teaching in the lessons and if they now understand the gospel.
Now that the ship has come back to Port Botany, I can return their marked courses and take this opportunity to talk to them about any misunderstandings I identified when I marked their courses. I also try to encourage them and give them a Certificate that states they have satisfactorily completed the course. I also offer them another course to study.
In addition to 'Taking the Message of Life' to the seafarers, I am also able to provide some help by carrying phone recharge cards with me which are always in high demand. A lot of seafarers look for these so they can contact their families and friends while the ship is in Australian waters. Providing phone cards can be a means of engaging in meaningful conversation with them.
The ship’s captain and officers have a separate messroom that I do not usually visit but today the 1st Mate wishes to go ashore and has come to me for directions on how to get to the city centre. This also gives me an opportunity to explain what the Seamen’s Christian Friend Society (SCFS) offers to seafarers. Ship captains are usually friendly towards us and pleased that SCFS is concerned for the welfare of their crew.
Having spoken to crew members generally while they’re having their lunch, and issued phone cards to some (they usually pay for them in US dollars, so I always need to carry sufficient US currency with me to provide change where necessary), I’m also able to speak personally with a crew member that has not previously accepted a Bible Study course. However, he indicates he is still not interested.
In discussion with two other seafarers who had previously accepted Bible Study courses, I’m able to issue each of them with a free Bible in their native language (Tagalog) which they appreciate.
If a seafarer who accepts a Bible Study course does not have a Bible of his own onboard, I offer him a free Bible and encourage him to use it while working through the lessons, as Bible references are used extensively throughout the courses.
SCFS offers Bibles in a number of languages so I carry with me some in Tagalog and some in Cebuano as many seafarers are from the Philippines. I also keep supplies of foreign language Bibles and Bible Courses in my car.
It’s now 1.00 pm and all the crew have returned to their duties, including the Cook and the Messman who are busy in the galley cleaning up after the meal. On some occasions I’m able to have longer personal talks with seafarers who are off duty and don’t need to rush back to work.
I return to the main deck and find a different seafarer on duty at the top of the gangway. As I hand my Visitor’s Pass back to him, I learn that his name is Rowlan.
The ship has now been in port for nine hours and Shipping Agents, Customs Officers, Surveyors and others have come and gone.
Four of the crew of ANL Bindaree, each one is studying a Bible Courses
Because there are not many people coming onboard now, and because he is obliged to stay at the top of the gangway throughout the whole of his six-hour shift, Rowlan now has ‘time on his hands’ so this is an opportune time for me to chat with him.
Leaning over the safety rail we observe the very busy operations on the wharf below. There are three ships berthed in this part of the port today, each loading or discharging their ‘boxes.’ As we talk, I learn a little about Rowlan and some of his family members. Some seafarers have been working on ships for many years, thirty plus in some instances.
When it seems appropriate, I move the conversation with Rowlan to the point of discussing with him his need to know the Scriptures and to know Christ.
At this stage I offer him a Bible Study course. He shows some interest but says, 'Perhaps next time' so I give him a tract entitled, ‘The Greatest News ever told about The Greatest Man who ever lived who offers The Greatest Gift ever given.’
Overall, today’s visit has been very encouraging inasmuch as eight men returned their courses for marking and new courses were issued to each of them.
While no new men accepted Bible Study courses, nevertheless I had opportunity to speak to some about the ‘Message of Life for Seafarers’
Because of my other commitments, I am only able to visit seven ships that return to Port Botany regularly, but in this small way I’ve been able to assist Rob who has been visiting ships in the port for the past twenty years and who has cast the seed of God’s Word over several hundreds of seafarers and who, just now and again, by the Grace of God, receives confirmation of some of it having fallen into good soil.