Mission mandate: ‘To promote and provide for the spiritual, physical and mental needs of all seafarers (2016)
Welcome to this the first issue of ‘ Ship to Shore’ a way to communicate with you the goings on at the Mission and share the story of the seafarer. Easter is a time of celebration when we give thanks for the gift of God’s goodness and love in the new life that comes through Jesus Christ .I hope that you will join me in striving to live this new life and in so doing share the joy and hope with seafarers. Peter Smyth Senior Chaplain
‘We are family’. These are the words of a song by Sister Sledge which I recall from my youth and they speak to the importance of healthy relationships, of not loosing sight of one another in the midst of the busyness of life.Seafarers venture out on the high seas leaving their families behind, the pregnant wife, the new born baby, the child soon to begin high school or get a job, a spouse, a sick parent’, in order to provide for them a better quality of life. You and I see our families as well as those ‘strangers’ we meet on the bus, in the street, in a restaurant , at work every day but seafarers do not, making it a lonely and isolating life. Positive and supportive relationships on-board, the crew being like a family is important.It is also why the work of the Mission Chaplains, volunteers and people like you reading this is so important. The kindness and love shown, the prayers offered for the seafarers and their families further helps to sustain them until they go home to their loved ones and the communities they left behind.
Story of two tails- Seafarers have few creature comforts and so the value of Chico and Archie the Mission cats who are therapeutic and comforting to seafarers. Now that is no tall tail!
Happiness index – Lets make life at sea better The Seafarers Happiness Index is designed to monitor and benchmark seafarer satisfaction levels at sea by asking 10 key questions on a range of issues including mental and physical health, diet, rest, workloads, connectivity, training, access to shore-leave, relationships at home and onboard..The Seafarers Happiness Index exists to provide all men and women working at sea with a chance to share how they feel and to talk about the good and bad about life at sea today. Check it out at www.happyatsea.org
Wi-Fi 24 hours There is a Wi-Fi room at the Roberts Bank Centre Open 24hours for seafarers to relax and esp. connect with loved ones. It helps to reduce their sense of isolation and takes into account their departure and arrival times and the time in the country they come from.
Cycle for Seafarers Fundraiser 2019 When: Saturday 24th August. Where: Start and leave from the Waterfront Centre. What: 15,40,60 and 100km distances to choose from. Rest stops with refreshments. BIG BBQ afterward.Prizes for money raised. No entry fee.Route maps provided. Easy to donate on the Mission website ‘Cycle for Seafarers’. Go to www.flyingangel.ca for updates and what’s new.
Events (Waterfront Centre) April – Easter Service. May – Volunteer Appreciation Tues 14th. June- International Day of the Seafarer Tues 25th. August – Cycle for Seafarers Sat 24th
Donations to support the seafarers can be made by; Cheque to Mission to Seafarers. Cash. Credit card- under ‘Donate ‘ on our secured website www.flyingangel.ca Donations through the Vancouver Foundation. Always received with our gratitude
Contact information 401 East Waterfront Road, Vancouver,BC, V6A 4G9, Tel: 604 253 4421 Email: m2svancouver@gmail.com Facebook: @mission2seafarers. Twitter: @MtSVancouver