Christmas Carol Service 2019 Report and pictures by Jane Dittrich https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/christmas-carol-service-returns-to-mts

We could not do it without you: Volunteers are such a blessing to the work of the mission and recognizing the service given is a part of that work. Shirley Lake began volunteering at the Mission in October 2016 and it all started when at the local YMCA she met others who already volunteered. Wanting to know more Shirley came along to our annual ‘Cycle for Seafarers’ fundraiser and from there offered to cut seafarers hair. That led to Shirley sharing one of her God given gifts and that is organization. The bright, orderly, clean centre at Waterfront is a testament to her dedicated service and while the work has gone on behind the scenes seafarers have expressed in words how they like the centre and how they relax and make themselves at home.We are all grateful to Shirley for the blessing she is to the Mission and the seafarers we together serve.When asked what Shirley has learned and would like you to know about seafarers it is how hard their life can be away from family and home and that we come to appreciate the sacrifices seafarers make so we don’t go without.

Poor gym equipment hinders seafarers health. Perhaps you made a New Years resolution which included exercising more. For seafarers exercise is vital to their overall wellbeing and yet many go without it.The Mission to Seafarers out of IHQ in London,England hosts a website www.happy@sea.org in which seafarers are invited to fill in a survey rating their happiness from many different aspects of life at sea. When it comes to exercise they had this to say;Seafarers claimed that the stress of their work, combined with relentless demands including changes to schedules sometimes without notice meant that it was difficult to find time to exercise. The time between duties is limited when you consider that a seafarer has to use it to sleep, eat, do laundry , go ashore and contact family. Some seafarers felt that space for a gym was being reduced with a trend towards smaller accommodation blocks, which meant that any recreation areas are squeezed and become either unfit for purpose or unappealing to use. When there was gym equipment it was often in poor condition and only there to show ship inspectors that something was being done for the seafarers welfare when it really wasn’t. I have seen first hand broken gym equipment or what was there put away, still in a box or in a room where supplies were kept providing little or no space. Seafarers lack choice when it comes to exercise or control over the dollars to buy the equipment needed. It is in the best interest of shipping companies to provide for the healthy wellbeing of seafarers for a lack of exercise can lead to additional stress, weight gain and depression. Good recreational and gym equipment onboard, and with some time to use it, makes for happier seafarers who feel relaxed, recharged and reinvigorated, which must be good for all. A healthy seafarer means a healthy and safe ship.Check out www.happy@sea.org for more info on this and others issues related to seafarers.

Mission Fest 2020 - This is an annual and free event held at the end of January at the Convention Centre in Vancouver, which the Mission exhibits at to raise awareness and hopefully bring out in people a desire to get involved. There are guest speakers, workshops, music, mini-conferences to name a few. It is the largest Mission Conference in Canada which aims to bring people together in mission to challenge each one of us to what it means and looks like to follow Jesus, our highest calling.Thanks goes to the volunteers who helped at the event and to the people who stopped by.