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As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" Acts 8:36

WAs we began one Sunday last summer, a volunteer reminded me that there might be two baptisms that day. The first was Eduardo, a Security Guard who had accepted Christ at the Mission two years previously; the other was Frank, a young cook, who had made his decision for the Lord a few weeks earlier during an onboard fellowship meeting. We did not know too much about this second man, although we had had good reports from the brethren onboard. Before he was baptized, it would be necessary to meet with him and discuss his new faith, then make sure that he understood what the ordinance truly meant. As usual, we did not know when to expect these men. While on the ship, I received a call on my cell phone, that one of our baptism candidates had arrived at the Mission and was waiting to see me. Quickly I wrapped up what I was doing aboard and headed back to the Mission. “There’s a waiter waiting for you in the video room. He’s a new believer and he needs to talk to you about being baptized”. “No, he’s a cook”, was my response. “No he’s not, he’s a waiter”, I was firmly told again. I checked for myself and sure enough, this was another man altogether! His story was very compelling. He had been raised in a Buddhist family in Bali. As a teenager, he became dissatisfied with that religion and had turned to the Hindu faith. After 6 years he remained as spiritually empty as his family was. The next step of his quest was to convert to Islam, only to discover after 4 years that the void within remained. Two years ago he began to attend the Christian fellowship meetings aboard. After twelve months, he knew that Jesus is the truth and surrendered himself before the cross. This man’s knowledge of scripture was sound and his faith was self evident. He was baptized that day in the chilly little lake near the Mission. So was Frank and Eduardo, but at what time and in what order no one can remember now. It was a very confusing but blessed day!

Ship Visiting In The Winter by Jeannette Seale

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Mt. 5:16

After the passenger ships leave in September, we have a few months here in Anchorage when tankers and bulk carriers continue to come until the pack ice gets too much for the ships to negotiate. In late October the last bulk carrier came with cement to offload. About that time the weather turned quite cold, hovering around 0 with a brisk wind blowing almost 24 hours a day. We visited the ship the first day, following the suggestions of the dock personnel to bring used clothing for the ill equipped crew. With the wind blowing cement dust into swirls out of the hold and into our eyes and mouths, we carefully walked along the ice encrusted deck to the living quarters. The crew were thrilled with the clothes, but the communication was hampered because of our lack of speaking Korean or Chinese. We were able to take the cook and steward shopping for produce that afternoon. Trying to get it to the ship without freezing it, them or us was certainly the leading challenge of the day! Many more times in the 10 day period they were here, we tried to board. The dock workers advised against it because of the danger. The pack ice was building up very fast, the wind continued to blow, the water on the ship was frozen, and the crew were absolutely exhausted. Our other dear Korean brother in Christ, Mr Ham also tried to visit. He made it on once in the wind and the captain who is a Christian apologized for the tiredness of the crew. When they weren't working or eating, they were sleeping. We got some NT and Christian literature onboard one day by sending it up in the cherry picker. The crew waved back as they braced themselves against the wind. It's during times like this that I pray they see Christ in our actions, because they certainly were too exhausted to sit and listen to what we had to say. Through our brief encounters, we know there were Christians on the ship. We pray they can do the talking because all we could do was the showing.

Blessings and Challenges by David Hawkins

We have had another fruitful summer of ministry to the crew members on the cruise ships visiting Seward and Whittier.  For most of this past season we had Kai, an intern from a Bible college in Germany serving alongside us with his wife Esther.  This young couple have a vision to serve the men and women working on the cruise ships in the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The outworking of this program was a challenge for everyone, as the teaching took up a good deal of time and energy that would usually be spent elsewhere. Even so, it's quite amazing how much you can learn about your own ministry when someone is always there enquiring after the reason for your words and actions. We all learned some new things about ourselves and each other, and we pray that these budding missionaries will find a ministry to fit their gifts after Kai graduates next year.

Lost Literature Mystery by Roeli Elbers

During the winter we order Bibles and other literature in all the various languages we need so that they will be available for the next season. When these materials have to come from abroad, we order them in January. This year it turned out that only one of the two boxes coming from Holland arrived, and the other one could not be traced. It was just gone. Not only was money involved, we were totally out of stock of certain languages. We desperately needed those booklets. What had happened??? Again we ordered them and at least this order arrived. Being halfway through the summer, we had to order again. Believe it or not, only half of the contents of the box arrived, the other booklets were gone... The new brochure 'Jesus our only hope' in several languages was the book that had been lost. It's still a mystery. Please pray that somewhere somehow the literature will still show up again. Some years ago a box sent from Switzerland was lost as well, but after six months, it arrived back in Switzerland to be reshipped. Well, at least we had them in time for next season!!

Praying on the "Net" by Jeannette Seale

“O thou who hearest prayer!” Ps 65:2
As the years pass and more sophisticated communication equipment is created, it makes life more bearable for a seafarer. I remember when letters were the major means of communication and that was slow and often unreliable. When calling cards came into existence, the calls home changed from the occasional emergency call to the most popular means of communication. We even started receiving calls from seafarers when they were in foreign ports and on vacation at home, an unheard of luxury just a few years before. They just wanted to call and say hi or they called when they had a problem Many times I have sung and prayed with them on the phone. Recently something else has started happening. When I am on the Yahoo messenger, I will get a note that some seafarer is on line too, somewhere in the world and we chat. Recently I talked with a security guard from Nepal, who has come to know the Lord via this Mission work. We have not seen him for at least 5 years, but we do keep in touch by email. When he popped up on the messenger screen, we chatted for awhile, and then we decided to pray before we signed off. So I typed, then he typed, back and forth it went until the amen. Such a close feeling existed even though he was in Hamilton, Bermuda and I was in Alaska, when we could talk to the Lord this way and share in each other's prayers. I thank the Lord for all of these modern means of communication because it is so much easier for the crew to stay in touch with their families back home and to even share a prayer on the "net."

thank you for the prays on me, it is a beautiful sensation to know somebody is thinking about me. Just few days ago we were talking about you, and every one believes you and your mission are doing a good job for the seamen and probably for other people in the world. Italy

Thank you for always coming to say hello. Your visits were cherished and a constant reminder to stay firm in my faith. How wonderful to see you teaching so many people. NZ

Thank you for your kindness to give your help to me and God bless you all-thank you very very much, you have done a great thing to me. Bali, Indonesia

Someone has been calling my name for several years but I don't know who it is. I haven't opened the door yet. Australia

I have this fire (for Christ) covered by ashes and they're being blown away. India

I hope and pray that your ministry is shining more as channel of blessings. Indonesia

Many thanks for the large print Bible. India

A book in my language. I am going to cry. Lithuania

I'm loving this place. The only problem is we come only every two weeks. India I need help from God. I ask for help, he no answer. Maybe he take a nap. Thailand

Thank you for the Bible. Now I am going to be busy reading. Romania

I am a good person, but not a real Christian. Romania

Meeting you and visiting the mission has been the highlight of my contract. Slovenia