Port: Nanaimo C
Crew: 21 Filipino
Names of Ship Missionaries: Dennis Ano, Grant Sandeman-Allen, Bill Crofton
Result: 9 heard the gospel message
Items taken on & given out: 22 gifts, 13 Tagalog New Testaments
I picked Dennis up at 5:40 and we met Bill Crofton (our guest) at the security office by the Hullo ferry. After checking through security we drove to the gangway and boarded the ship. Several crew were working and later we found out that they were repairing a crane. The 3rd Officer met us and we followed him to deck security. After signing in we went to the crew mess where 4 seafarers were sitting. We introduced ourselves and began visiting with them. The 3rd Officer was talking with the captain to get permission for us to visit with the crew and he was also seeing who was available to come and hear the gospel.
Other crew members showed up and so there were 9 available to hear us. I started by introducing us and that we had an important message to share with them. I went through a brief survey about what Christianity really is (a relationship) and how God transforms us from the inside through His Holy Spirit. I touched on several topics such as: only by the shedding of blood are we forgiven our sins, only by believing in the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ do we have a new life in Christ, how being a Christian is “Christ in us,” the exchanged life, and more.
Dennis then took over and shared in Tagalog with them. He talked about sin and how we all “miss the mark” using darts as an example. He also held a court of law with one seafarer being the accused and another being God, the righteous judge. He demonstrated how he, representing Jesus, could take the punishment for the guilty one. He shared much more but I can’t speak Tagalog so I don’t know the entire presentation. I do know that they all put up their hands to affirm that they wanted this salvation that we presented to them.
Dennis prayed for them to receive the Spirit of God and then I shared how if they are sincere in this they would now start on their journey of Sanctification. We gave each of them a Tagalog New Testament and I asked them to read the book of John to learn who Jesus is, and to read 1 John to learn how a Christian is to live. I also showed them the New Identity in Christ bookmarks and the card for our seafarer’s website. Dennis then asked Bill to share a few words and pray for the crew. Bill had a good personal testimony to share with them and then prayed for them.
We then thanked them all for listening to us and gave them their gifts and left the ship rejoicing at such a good visit. On the dock we had a de-brief session with Dennis to discuss his presentation since he spoke to the seafarers in Tagalog. We all three worked together tonight and everything went very well.
Please pray that the Holy Spirit will minister to the seafarers through reading the materials in their gift bags. I’m also offering to take some of the crew shopping on Monday night as they don’t leave until Tuesday.
Report submitted by: Grant
