Port:Nanaimo B dock
Crew: 18 Filipino, 1 Russian, 1 Ukrainian
Names of Ship Missionaries: Gerard Guimbatan, Frank Sciarpelletti
Result: 9 heard the gospel
Items taken on & given out: 1 bag of 20 Christmas gifts, 5 bags of Cobbs bread
We arrived at security at 5:45 and boarded the ship at 6 pm. We were greeted by 2 seafarers who helped carry the gifts and bread up the gangway and, after signing in, they took us to the crew mess.
We were greeted by the Ukrainian Chief Mate and we all sat down at the table. We emptied the gift bag and used the gifts as an object lesson for Salvation being a free gift. Some of the crew had gone into town shopping so we proceeded to give a message to 9 seafarers; 8 Filipino and the Ukrainian Chief Mate.
I, frank, gave the following message:
- The problem is sin, God is Holy and cannot coexist with sin; so sin creates a barrier between God and man.
- Man tries to make peace with God, but it’s a false remedy; doing good, going to church, obeying the 10 commandments do not work. Isaiah 64:6 says, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.” To God, all of our good deeds are like filthy rags.
- The true remedy to our situation is Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” God sacrificed His own Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross, to pay for our sins. We are saved by Grace, which is undeserved favour, and not by works. Salvation is completely a work of God, and not by anything we do.
Gerard then gave a visual presentation that our life is about 70 years, but eternity is forever. Our visit had to be cut short because the gangway wasn’t set up properly and the tide was changing. They will be here until Friday, so we’ll be contacting them about going shopping and to church.
The crew were very receptive and appreciated the gifts and the bread. They were going to have a bread party to sample the wide variety of what we gave them.
Please pray that they will see our love for them; that there is no catch to Salvation; the gifts are free, Salvation is a free gift, and redemption is immense.
Report submitted by: Frank
