GLAD TIDINGS No. 11 PART C

Honorio Hincapie MTS Gladstone’s manager was thrilled recently to hear that the centre had been nominated to become Gladstone’s ‘Botanic to Bridge’ fun run beneficiary- an annual local event that raised money to help the centre upgrade its computer and

A community award for MTS Gladstone

internet facilities. Gladstone port is undergoing rapid expansion and Honorio’s volunteer team of good souls is struggling to keep up with the increasing demands on the centre. All contributions help as will more volunteers.

In this edition:

• A community award for MTS Gladstone • The MV Sage Sagittarius saga • Whoops…not so funny! • Hospitality course under development …thank you AMWS • Albany scores a goal

• News from around the centres

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GLAD TIDINGS 2012 No. 11 Part B

The MV Sage Sagittarius saga

The tragic and unresolved deaths of three crewmen on this coal carrying vessel has involved our MTS chaplains at Port Kembla, Newcastle and Townsville coming to the assistance of a number of crew members obviously traumatised by the onboard events.

Investigations into the deaths of the three seafarers - over the space of a few weeks - are ongoing and we can only pray that this is the end of the tragedies and that peace and justice will be restored. We look forward to the authorities

revealing the results of investigations that might address the present mystery and ongoing very serious concerns surrounding the ship and the well being of its crew.

Never underestimate the power of a single vessel, or single ship’s anchor for that matter. A recent BBC report revealed that a merchant ship trying to moor of the coast of Egypt in bad weather dropped anchor severing a rather important fibre optic cable on the

seabed. The damaged cable that was helping supply all of East Africa’s nations with high speed internet meant that around 75 million people were left with limited access to the internet for some 14 days until full service was restored. Please be careful when you go fishing next. .

GLAD TIDINGS 2012 No. 11 Part C

Albany scores a goal

Jane Stevens has sent a photo of husband Norm’s new football team- a Ukrainian crew from the EIT Palmina- a heavy lift ship- which was stranded in Albany for 3 months undergoing repairs. Norm looked after the crew throughout this period. A highlight of their stay was a football game Norm arranged against a local Albany team (Albany West Bromwich?). The mission bought the crew eleven very smart yellow football jerseys to proudly wear and Norm took over management of the Ukrainian eleven. However, a glance at the team photo invites a query - who was the goal keeper? We assume that Norm (or preferably Jane) refereed the spectacle.

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Whoops…not so funny!

Hospitality course under development …thank you AMWS As reported in the last ‘Glad Tidings’ newsletter we have a group working on the draft of a new training course for our volunteers centred around the importance of our properly welcoming and caring for the world’s seafarers that visit and rely upon us for friendship, information and practical and spiritual support. Recently the Australian Mariners Welfare Society- our long and faithful benefactors

approved an application for funding that will enable us to move with greater speed and purpose in developing the eight sessions that will comprise the course. It will also mean that the council should be in a position to incorporate a number of these sessions into the 2013 national conference programme so that participants get maximum benefit. Thank you very much AMWS on behalf of the MTS family and the world’s seafarers.

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Congratulations to Bunbury for announcing the appointment of a new manager to the centre. We wish John Smyth a happy and long stay at the Bunbury centre and know that he will receive all the support he needs from Joe and the Bunbury volunteers.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE CENTRES

Bill Ross tells us that Sea Sunday this year was celebrated at St Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral in Geraldton. Bill preached the sermon from Acts 27:13-44 ‘on the four strong anchors of faith’. He was pleased that the service was well covered by local media, and the centre picked up a new volunteer as well (it must have been Bill’s sermon that did the trick).

GLAD TIDINGS 2012 No. 11 Part B

Chaplain Geoff and June Harrison, with Fr Thomas Karama recently returned from a trip to India and the Philippines where they stayed in the homes of seafarers they had befriended and looked after earlier this year in Port Giles. This makes a nice change- seafarers accommodating and looking after us! Port Giles has been closed for some time undergoing major port facility upgrades which has given Geoff and June ‘a breather’ before the ships start to roll in again.

Bunbury

Eden MTS

Best wishes also to Madaha and Andrew Lund who will take up the running of the Eden centre early in January. We are fortunate to have such a skilled and committed young couple fly our flag on the shores of Twofold Bay. The crews stranded on the other side of the Bay about 40 klms from town will welcome you with open arms when they see the old but faithful dark green Tarago, with the tattered logo heading for the terminal. Watch out for kangaroos (and log trucks).

Dampier

Ian McGilvary reports that life has been busy in the Pilbara. As well as making many ship visits he has made a considerable number of hospital visits to sick and injured seafarers, including the need to intervene in two suicide attempts. Ian recently organised a ‘working bee’ to prepare for the coming cyclone season and has set up a Western Union facility for seafarers which is being well patronised.

Port Giles

Geraldton

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Port Hedland Port Hedland port is undergoing colossal expansion placing very heavy demands on the centre’s had working committee, staff and volunteers. The latest news is that the centre will be forced to move due to the Port Authority requiring the property for redevelopment which presents huge challenges for the ministry To give you an idea of how busy they are in Hedland, our centre saw over 3,000 seafarers through the door for the month of September! Port Kembla

The editor was please to see the modernisation of the interior of the centre going ahead on his visit there last week. John Kewa is remodelling part of the downstairs to make the centre more seafarer friendly and pleasant for staff and volunteers. The new retail area of the centre with well stocked souvenirs, gifts and goodies is already proving a winner. Brisbane Brisbane’s popular manager Adrian Willes has been bending his back recently. Our Brisbane centre was fortunate to have Moreton Bay Rotary Club provide funding for the construction of new garden beds around the centre’s boundary. It can be seen from the photo that the centre is within the precincts of the port and amidst industrial activity; so every plant, shrub, tree, bird, butterfly and bee is welcome to the centre’s grounds, reasons gardener Adrian. We should not underestimate the therapeutic.

effect nature has on the psyche of the seafarer- a virtual prisoner on a noisy metal container on a vast ocean of salt water devoid of the many natural sounds, smells and sensations that we enjoy on terra firma & take for granted.

Brisbane continued

Thevenard The search for premises in Ceduna that will serve as a centre for seafarers to the port of Thevenard continues. The editor and Fr Thomas from Port Giles will be visiting there in January to meet with our local supporters. The map (below) flags all those ports at which we have a presence- the yellow dots indicating the presence of seafarers’ centres and the red dots where we have contact people able to provide assistance. It is hoped that Thevenard is not far from changing from red to yellow.

As this will be the last newsletter this year, on behalf of the

Australian Council I take this

opportunity to wish you all a

happy and holy Christmas. See you in the new

year.

Col Brown

Editor November 2012.