Port:Harmac East
Crew: 22 Filipino
Names of Ship Missionaries: Frank Sciarpelletti, Grant Sandeman- Allen
Result: 6 heard the gospel
Items taken on & given out: 22 Christmas gifts, 4 bags of Cobbs bread, 1 English New Testament, 7 Gospel of John, gospel tracts
Before making the report for our visit, I would like to share about God’s hand in this visit. At our Sunday evening prayer meeting there was talk about nobody being available to visit the Astoria Bay. I, Grant, felt a leading by the Spirit to go on the ship, but both Frank and I had something happening on Monday evening (the one evening I could go on). Then my schedule cleared up on Monday morning and Frank’s schedule cleared up on Monday afternoon. Not only that, on Sunday morning our guest pastor spoke on John 5:1-16 (where Jesus heals the man at the pool of Bethesda) and I realized that his message would make a good gospel presentation. So while I drove to the ship I listened to the sermon again to refresh my memory about the teaching within it.
I picked Frank up and we boarded the ship just after 6pm. I took the Christmas gifts up on deck and even though were told that this was a Chinese crew, it turned out to be all Filipino! When I mentioned to the security officer what I had he got very excited. The messman came out and helped us carry the 4 bags of Cobbs bread up. He took us to the crew mess where we met the Chief Officer, 3rd Officer, Bosun, the Chief cook, and 2 able seamen. In a side room from the mess they had a remote control race-car track on the floor (see picture below); very cool!
We introduced ourselves and unpacked our materials for them while they gathered together to hear our presentation. I started with my testimony; probably the longest and most comprehensive testimony that I’ve ever done. Then Frank did a great job sharing the gospel with real-life examples and even some questions for them; “what 3-letter word does God hate?” (Sin).
I then shared from John 5:1-16, highlighting how Jesus “saw” this one man in the crowd around the pool, and that he was religious (believing that if he was the first to get into the pool then he would be healed), but after being sick for 38 years it wasn’t working. In a moment though, Jesus commands him to “pick up his matt and walk” and he’s healed! What a contrast that years of religion doesn’t work and a few moments with Jesus and he’s healed! Frank and I shared more about becoming a Christian and then I led them in a prayer for salvation.
We also explained that this is only the beginning of their spiritual journey (Sanctification) and that they need to continue to seek God. Frank prayed for their salvation, their voyage to Crofton and then China, and their families back home. I wrote down some resources for them to access and help them grow in the Lord. They were very appreciative of our visit, the gifts and the bread.
We left the ship at 7:40, rejoicing at such a good visit and especially with such a good reception from the crew. Please pray that they will read the bible studies and materials that we gave them, and that they will repent of their sins and seek true salvation from God.
Report submitted by: Grant
