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REPORTS WINTER 2011/2012
FROM THE DESK
Maybe you have noticed that some names of the co-workers are no longer listed at the co-workers page. The reason is that they are, to our regret, no longer able to be active in the ports. It is always sad to say goodbye to friends but then again, we are happy to notice that ever so often new workers go to the ports to bring the Gospel.
Recently we sent a ‘thank-you-letter‘ to all those who donated to our mission. Some of these dear people have donated anonymously, leaving us without an address to write to. By way of these lines we would like to thank them cordially for supporting us.
BEHIND THE SCENES
It is for the first time that I am writing an article for the Newsletter. I have so many things to share with you. In the background I am always busy with the Havenlicht mission but most readers don’t know about this. So for once I am going to share a wonderful story with you and I think it is quite a significant one. It began when I received a request from the country of Surinam for some Bibles in the French language. People working among Haitian migrants there, having led some to the Lord needed French Bibles for them. These French speaking migrants hardly had any money, let alone money for Bibles as they were battling to survive themselves.
Already for years we have been sending clothing and also Bibles to Surinam but this is on a private basis and has no connection with the Havenlicht Port mission. The demands for these Bibles couldn’t be funded by the Mission itself, for all the funds go towards the work among the sailors. Anyway, we wrote back to our Surinam friends how many copies they had in mind and the answer was 60. That is quite a number so we had to find means to pay for them. In Surinam they offered to sell lemonade and biscuits to contribute to the costs and over here we contacted some publishers and were informed that they could offer us some French Bibles at 7 euro a piece. That is still quite a sum. So we contacted another friend who was acquainted with still another publisher who, in times past, had often given us some left-over’s from old stocks, and indeed, there were , unknown to me , some 20 cartons in his store room that we could have.
It so happened one Sunday morning that I was upstairs making some picture post (art) cards, a hobby of mine. By selling these at a certain price I have been able, by these means, to send children to school in the Philippines. As I was so busy with these cards and speaking to the Lord in the meantime, I asked Him that, when these cartons would arrive next morning, they would contain at least 29 Bibles (for a friend had offered to pay for one Bible) and then I had only to pay for only 29 and could so oversee matters better. I received a phone-call from my friend asking how many French Bibles I needed and when I replied: could it be maybe 60, I heard him say there are over 80 in the cartons in the store-room.
Dear friends, till this day we never have received such an amount of French bibles. I must say that once we received many French hymnbooks which we sent to various parts in Surinam. Now we were receiving more than we needed! We thanked the Lord for this wonderful present and some 70 copies were sent to Surinam, it being an answer to a call from Surinam for French Bibles.
God is a good God!
Yvonne van Zuilekom
AMSTERDAM
Yes, how privileged we are to meet sailors from the Seychelles (Indian Ocean), the Philippines, India, China, Angola, South Korea, Portugal, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Burma, Russia etc, etc.
Last period we have also been busy distributing Christmas parcels. Now about the contents of these parcels, these have been gathered in by friends and also my wife Yvonne prepared some herself. Together with the parcels we also handed over knitted woolen hats, jumpers and thick winter coats. We not only visit ships to talk to the sailors about the Lord Jesus but we also try to help them in a practical way. How open the seamen were towards us and how thankful they were for our visit. Time and again the question there was raised: how much do I have to pay? Hearing this we say: ’it is a present, it is for free!’ Then their faces light up.
 My son Timo went with me a few times to the ships. It was a great time to have him with me onboard! During our visits many CD’s from Gospel Recordings could be passed on to the sailors as well as bibles, books and various other items, all in different languages. We hereby want to thank everybody who, behind the scenes, has helped the Havenlicht Port mission.
We think of those who prayed, without them we would not be able to function the way we do. I don’t want to forget the ladies knitting those nice woolen hats and the persons who supply all the wool. We think of those who faithfully go about collecting the clothing and the persons who ask for more copies of the Bulletin to give away to others. We thank all those who donate in any way, enabling us to have a continual supply of Bibles to give to the sailors together with other material. We don’t want to forget thanking the various publishers and suppliers of Bibles, books. CD’s etc and of course we want to thank all the other persons who, in their spare time, assist in the work of the Lord, of which the Havenlicht Port mission, by His grace, is a part.
‘Sorry man, my bag is now empty. Please accompany me to my car. There I can give you a Bible!’ Even when stepping outside in a nearly gale-force wind, someone who really needs a Bible is always willing to go down the gangway with us to receive one.
A hearty thanks for all your prayers and other tokens that showed us your sympathy.
Theo and Yvonne van Zuilekom
ROTTERDAM
‘Our Lord Jesus Christ, through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.‘ Romans 5:2.
The conversation was about the serious flooding in the Philippines last December. Among the crews onboard you could sense that it had seriously affected them all. It also shocked me in a positive way when I heard that someone’s daughter had to climb on the roof of her house in the middle of the night because of the rising water. At daybreak someone in a rubber boat brought her to a safe spot.
I had a conversation with Richard, a Christian and with Lorenzo from the Philippines. I talked with one person about ‘drifting away’ from the faith. And counseled with the other about ‘when all is against me I give in to temptation’. Please pray with me for these two men.
During the 2011 period, Gospel CD’s from Global Recordings, Bibles studies called ‘The Bridge’, tracts Grace for the weak and the Jesus movie were distributed aboard different ships. There are vessels that come to Rotterdam on a weekly basis but others come twice a month, all with one or more Christians onboard. I hope that one day an opportunity comes when I can hold a bible study on one of the ships or maybe hold a conversation evening. I have laid friendly contacts with people from the Ukraine, Russia, the Philippines, India, Burma and others. Some hardly know anything about the Bible where as others just follow their religious traditions. That many may become part of that group where the seed of the Gospel has started to germinate.
With anticipation I look forward what this year will bring us on the ships. Thank you for standing by me in the work of the Havenlicht Port mission.
Wout de Vries
CRUISE SHIPS AMSTERDAM
It’s hardly possible to write in one report about the more than 50 visits we made to the ships this last period, but I will share some of them with you:
After the morning service of our fellowship one Sunday morning, we drove to IJmuiden where a British cruise ship had moored for the day. We do know some of the Philippine crew there onboard. They have a Christian fellowship there and we want to help them with some Bibles and other literature. The leader, Ramon, is the ship’s carpenter who comes out to welcome us. We enjoy a simple lunch with him and meet the ship’s electrician, a brother in Christ. Seated around the table we spend a nice hour holding a small bible-study meeting. Two other crewmembers join our little group. After praying for them and their families, Ramon hands us an envelope containing one hundred US dollars for the Havenlicht Mission (and that from their meager wages!).
 On a reefer Ship with a Russian crew discharging fish in the Vissershaven in IJmuiden. The Boatswain accompanies us to the mess room. In the hallway we run into the captain: ’What are you doing here without my permission?’ After presenting a bottle ship to him, made by Gerrit Huisman, his mood changes and we can freely hand out CD’s, DVD’s and many a ‘Letter for you’ in Russian and Polish.
Some days later you find us on the deck of a rather rundown Russian Reefer in the port of Velsen. Frozen fish from the Barents Sea is being unloaded. Fuel oil is taken in and everybody is busy. In a loud voice the captain demands to know why we have come to bother him. Here also a bottle ship performs wonders and we are invited to the man’s cabin and are offered a cup of coffee! We speak about ‘going to sea’ and the maritime trade and about the Lord Jesus.
At the Tata Steelworks, after passing legitimation check, now wearing plastic admittance cards, we drive to the outer pier where a great Bulk-carrier is moored and here we want to visit the crew. Once on deck another identity check and we present our plastic label. The Indian watchman starts to write our names on the visitors list. Mostly I do this myself to save time. But the sailor insists on doing this administrative task himself. To help him along a bit, (writing letters in European style is hard for a man from India), I explain that Anneke is my wife and therefore bears the same short surname: ‘Best’. He takes a look at our badges, spells it out carefully and begins. In the meanwhile some crewmen have come to the desk and we have a chat. After a lapse of time I start wondering why the sailor on duty is taking so long to write our names. I put on my glasses and look over his shoulder. In the space where our names should be written I read: ZICHTBAAR DRAGEN (i.e. to be worn visibly). Having written this twice he sure is a keen administrator! We leave it for what it is and move on quickly to the mess room.
Also moored at the Tata Works is this Ore Bulk Carrier with Greek officers and a Philippine crew. While praying with some crew members in the mess room, (I always pray with my eyes open in such circumstances) a Greek engineer enters the room and asks for a Bible. ’Sure we have one and also one in your language.’ He tells me that he actually should be home enjoying his pension but because of the financial crisis in his country his pension has ‘evaporated’. He now must continue working and that after paying for it during 40 years. We share a Scripture Verse with him, letting him read Philippians 4:19 to encourage him and pray with him.
Every time when we go to the ports to visit ships, just before we leave home, we pray that God will lead us to meet just those people He has sought out for us.
On a huge Coal ship I speak to a lonely Philippine Captain in his luxurious cabin. I explain to him the purpose of my visit and together we drink a cup of coffee. Then he leans over to me and says in a confidential tone: I have a problem with my wife. At first I think he means marriage problems but this is not so. His wife is suffering from bone marrow cancer in the last stage. I try to comfort him and pray for him in the name of Jesus that she may recover. After prayer this captain is overcome by emotions and starts walking up and down the cabin, is in tears and embarrassed: captains don’t weep in public. He tells me he is so impressed by Gods goodness to him, sending me to visit him when he most needed it. We are still in contact with one another via E-mail. To encourage him further in the difficult period that he is passing through, I sent him a personal study of that well-known Psalm, 23. The green pastures of verse 2 are a place where much spiritual food can be gathered. It cannot be found on the mountain tops but in the valleys. Also in the valley of the shadow of death (verse 4) spiritual food can be found. Even when we find ourselves in great difficulties He is able to nourish us in a special way.
 A Chinese crew of a Bulk carrier from Taiwan proves to consist of only Buddhist believers, except one person, the Chief Cook. He reaches up just to the height of my chest. In the midst of the mess room noises he repeatedly tries to ask me something. Because of the ventilator of the air-conditioning and the busy conversation I can’t understand a word he says. So I motion him to write it down and on a paper napkin. He writes: GOD BOOK? Ahh, yes of course we can help you in this matter and he receives a Chinese Bible. But he also wants two extra ones to pass on to his colleagues. Of course we also oblige him in this. His story is amazing. His name is Wang Shao Bin. He is a believer and all of his family is Christian. They live in Guangzhou, a port on the east side of the Chinese mainland. He is 30 years of age, married and has a little daughter. He came aboard only yesterday, having signed a contract for a full year. In January 2013 he can see his family again. My wife and I know how long that can be and are feeling with him. We put our hands on his shoulders and pray for him, his wife and little daughter. Brother Wang is visibly moved. With most Chinese it is difficult to look straight into their eyes but the whites of his eyes have started to redden already because of the tears that have started to flow. On the first day of his new contract with the shipping company, amidst the Buddhist colleagues, a European couple arrives to pray for him. Our heavenly Father has His eye also focused on br. Wang Shao Bin.
We feel so privileged that we can serve Him in this way, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world.
Jan and Anneke Best
CRUISE SHIPS IN NORWAY
 Because of the foundering of a cruise ship in Italy recently (the Costa Concordia), many people only now are aware of the size of such a ship. More than 3000 passengers and another 1000 crewmembers! And when that ship strikes a rock and capsizes notwithstanding the most modern technical expertise, then you still get Titanic stories. Because it capsized, the lifeboats couldn’t all be lowered and others remained hanging in the davits. How do you get 4000 people off a ship in such a short time? Panic reigns! I experienced this myself at close range how such a huge ship struck a rock in the fjords of the Gulf of Alaska. At the Seaman’s Mission there we had to take care of the crew for a whole weekend. The tear in the ship’s hull should not have been a foot longer, because when this would have been so….No, it didn’t capsize but had to stay in port for the weekend during which arrangements could be made for the ship to be dry-docked in a larger port.
When lives are lost and persons go missing, the impact is colossal. For the Shipping Company it means large financial losses for not all the facets of such a calamity are not covered by insurance. Think of the cancelled cruises for instance when you are in the middle of the cruising season. But what happens to the crew counting a thousand persons? They can’t all be transferred to other Cruise Ships. Most probably they will be sent home with (compulsory) leave and then you have to just wait to be called up again (or not). Also for most of them in their home countries there are no new jobs available. The impact on their families is huge. Please pray for them!
It is almost certain that there were crew on the ship who have been in Bergen in the past two summers, because four other ships of this company used to visit this port. Crew from Peru (one of whom died in the accident in Italy), but also from Honduras, India, Indonesia, eastern Europe and many from the Filipines. The officers were mainly from Italy, were the company had its seat. The last ones will probably find new employment more easily, nut especially crew from the Filipines en southern America will have trouble finding new jobs.
During the coming season in Bergen this accident will be spoken about a lot, since colleagues from the same fleet were involved. Then it is so important to be able to listen to these stories at the Seaman’s Mission so people can utter their stories, frustrations and worries. Like we experienced when a ship accident took place in Alaska, which made a sailor from Madeira to find God. He returned to the Mission every day to speak about his problems.
Please pray that in between all hectic circumstances at the Seaman’s Mission in Bergen we still may find opportunities for personal encounters with sailors and point out the Good News to them. Last summer we had 3.500 visitors, coming season there will certainly be more. Because last year 265 cruise ships visited Bergen, but this year even 340 are scheduled from April unto October.
So if God speaks to your heart to come over and help us, please do! We are in need of more volunteers! Coming season we will even operate from two different locations, and there will be days when in both of these ports giant cruise ships will arrive. As from the month of June here at the Bergen Seaman’s Mission we can expect 4-7 Cruise Ships a day. How are we going to cope with it all? I guess the coffee machine will be doing overtime as well as the internet connections. But we want so much to offer these seafarers a ‘home away from home’. Many more Bibles and other literature are then needed and these have to be procured from Holland. All of this has to be calculated in when planning the new season, including the accommodation of the volunteers that come to help us. May we count on you?
Roeli Elbers – co-coordinator for Norway.
(Photo’s can be seen at Face book: Bergen Seaman’s Mission)
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