News & Stories
Yesterday while I was at night duty I was so much touched by the life story of a mom who left her two year old child at home with her husband and came on board to work as the second engineer. Very rarely we get women seafarers into our Mariners House. Last night she was walking in the hall way as a loner. So I started a conversation and felt that she wanted to talk to someone trustworthy. She is a Philippina. She is married to a Seafarer and had her first child who is just two years old. But they had to deside who is going on board because of the family responsibility and the house loan they had to pay every month. Since her husband is an AB and she is an engineer she chose to leave. But it was not that easy decision particularly when her child cried aloud in the airport when she left. On board also she is the only woman seafarer. She said that she is lucky to have all Filipinos and good officers. The ship is not that big only nine crew. But they had to come down all the way from Norway to Montreal. In her conversation she said, " Lot of high waves and rolling. Because of that rolling lot of sleepless nights. I am making lot of sacrifices for the sake of a good future of my child and the family. It is not that easy to miss my family during Christmas season and to bear all the burdens on board as a woman seafarer." I could see a big relief in her face after talking to me. I promised her my special prayers for her family and she came to participate in our night prayers at the Mariners House chapel.
Last night Anna called from Mariners House requesting if I could help a University student to go on board the ship to explore her personal experience in seeing the people on the move at their very work place. She is doing a research on the goods and people on the move. So I had organised the visit this afternoon. She was happy of the unexpected visit. In the evening the Seafarers requested a pick up to play pool and to participate in the mass.
This day has turned out to be one of the busyet day. This morning had a funeral mass and rushed to port for ships visit because David and Michael are out of town this weekend. I did three ship visits and two pick ups to drop out the seafarers in the Wall Mart. The interesting moment of the ship visit was sending off of the Captain and the 2nd Engineer. The Engineer was a Catholic and received blessings from me and said his six years old girl was doing a count down on the day's looking forward to my arrival. She has requested not to go back to ship and I may have to consider that seriously.
After the new year mass at Mariners House on the 31st night I had dropped off the Seafarers on board. For this New Year I did my first ship visit today and had lunch on board. Their was also a pick up request from Quebec express for 1.00p.m. But while I was waiting for the Seafarers, I was asked to move my car since there were lots of activities around. I had called again the Seafarers who had requested pick up but there was no answer and delay. So I had to leave because of my other schedule.
This year we had a wonderful Christmas celebration at the Mariners House chapel. At 7.00p.m the Christian Reform church Chaplain led the Carole service and the volunteers families participated in the service. After that at 8.00p.m the Catholic Seafarers participated meaningfully in the Catholic Christmas mass. After that all were very happily to enjoy the free bear and dinner.