Waves #4 - November 2021 by Sømandsmissionen

8. årgang November 2021

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NEWS FROM THE DANISH MISSION TO SEAFARERS

David brings his faith on board

Dead for a hundred minutes

Help

David har Gud med ombord

Hjertestop i 100 minutter

Hjælp

WAVES No. 4. November 2021. Vol. 8. Nr. 4. November 2021. 8. årgang Published by / Udgives af: The Danish Mission to Seafares Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Executive Editor / Ansvh. redaktør: General secretary / Generalsekretær Nicolaj Wibe Editor / Redaktør og journalist: Hanne Baltzer, tlf. 0045 - 2288 4496 Mail: hab@somandsmissionen.dk Print run / Oplag: 3500 Waves is printed on eco-friendly paper. Waves er trykt på miljøvenligt papir. Yearly subscription / Årsabonnement: 200 Dkr. Layout and print / Layout og tryk: Jørn Thomsen Elbo A/S Cover / Forside: David Rasmussen has sailed as OS. He wants to make a difference for other people. David Rasmussen har sejlet som ubefaren skibsassistent. Som kristen vil han gerne være noget for andre. Photo / Foto: Kristine Roager

Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Havnepladsen 1, 7100 Vejle Tlf. 0045 – 3393 2543 Phones open from Monday-Friday/ Telefonerne er åbne mandag - fredag/ 9.30-15.00. info@somandsmissionen.dk www.somandsmissionen.dk Facebook: Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Sømandsmissionens gavekonto: Giro 8003300 Bank 9541 8003300 Brug MobilePay: 558555

SEAMEN’S MISSIONARIES/ SØMANDSMISSIONÆRER • Finn Løvlund Phone +45 - 2073 3806 fl@somandsmissionen.dk Harbors/havne: Esbjerg, Hvide Sande • Jørgen Bech Knudsen Phone +45 - 2865 5277 jbk@somandsmissionen.dk Harbors/havne: Aarhus, Randers, Kolding, Vejle, Horsens. • Paul Høeg, Fyn Phone +45 - 2296 3950 ph@somandsmissionen.dk Harbor/havn: Fredericia, Fyn • Leif Rasmussen Phone +45 - 2029 3738 lr@somandsmissionen.dk Harbors/havne: Frederikshavn, Skagen, Hirtshals

• Per Jerup phone +45 - 6113 5383 pj@somandsmissionen.dk Harbors/havne: Aalborg, Limfjorden Grønland • Karsten Hald Jacobsen Phone: +299 27 60 10 khj@soemandshjem.gl Harbor/havn: Aasiaat • Elisa Mikkelsen phone: +299 25 18 49 Elisa@soemandshjem.gl Harbor/havn: Nuuk • Else Højvang phone: +299 223974 Else@soemandshjem.gl Harbor/havn: Ilulissat

DANMARK Hotel Bethel Sømandshjem Nyhavn 22, 1051 København K phone: 0045 - 3313 0370 Mail: info@hotel-bethel.dk www.hotel-bethel.dk Hotel Frederikshavn Sømandshjem Tordenskjoldsgade 15 B 9900 Frederikshavn phone: 0045 - 9842 0977 Mail: info@fshotel.dk www.fshotel.dk KOMPAS Hotel Aalborg Østerbro 27, 9000 Aalborg phone: 0045 - 9812 1900 Mail: info@hotel-aalborg.com www.hotel-aalborg.com

Sømandscafeen Bredgade 5, 6960 Hvide Sande Sømandshjemmet Aggershøj Møllevejen 50 5960 Marstal phone: 0045 - 2982 2771 Mail: ssa@somandsmissionen.dk International Seamen´s Club Polensgade 3, 8000 Århus C phone: 0045 - 8612 1599 Mail: seamensclub.aarhus@mail.dk www.seamensclubaarhus.dk Sømandsmissionen i Kalundborg The Seamen’s Mission in Kalundborg Editha og Jens Chr. Seeberg phone: 0045 - 5950 1332

GRØNLAND Sømandshjemmet Nuuk Marinevej 3, 3900 Nuuk phone: +299 32 10 29 Mail: nuuk@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl

Sømandshjemmet Aasiaat Sammiarneq 9, 3950 Aasiaat phone: +299 89 27 11 Mail: aasiaat@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl

Sømandshjemmet Sisimiut Frederik IX´s Plads 5, 3911 Sisimiut phone: +299 86 41 50 Mail: sisimiut@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl

Hotel Avannaa Nuussuattaap Aqq. 2, 3952 Ilulissat Phone: +299 944002 Mail: manager@hotelavannaa.com www.soemandshjem.gl

By Hanne Baltzer / Af Hanne Baltzer

19-year-old Asbjørn lay dead for a hundred minutes at sea - but only the doctor gave up hope - the crew saved my life

19-årige Asbjørn lå død i 100 minutter på skib i Nordsøen - men det var kun lægen, der gav op. Mandskabet reddede mit liv

-year-old Asbjørn Morell from Denmark is in the process of becoming AB at Svendborg Maritime College, and he is already excited about his future career at sea. The anchor-tattoo on his left arm reveals his passion for sailing. “Working at sea exceeded all of my expectations. A ship is a unique workplace, and I almost can’t wait to get out there again,” he says. Better than anyone, Asbjørn knows the importance of camaraderie and close collaboration at sea – it can be a matter of life and death.

Thankful Asbjørn is a living, breathing miracle. Not long ago, he survived a heart failure in the middle of the North Sea, despite being gone for no less than a hundred minutes followed by ten days in a coma. Today, all his gratitude is directed at his co-workers who all fought tirelessly until his heart regenerated. Without their help on that fatal day, the 17th of April, 2020, at 20:55 pm, he wouldn’t be alive today, and that is a fact. “I can’t express how happy I am to still be alive, and I am forever thankful to the guys who saved me out there. I carry this gratitude with me at all times, although I’ve put the event itself behind me. Had it happened on shore, I would have been dead. Even though my pulse was gone, the crew kept on performing emergency treatment, and they broke every single rib in my body to save me. The doctor had given them permission to stop, but they just kept going,” Asbjørn tells.

Hands save heart At that time, Asbjørn worked as OS on board the Danish rescue ship Esvagt Cantana under captain Jan Ole Kristensen. It was an ordinary day at the North Sea, and as always the

Asbjørn

ship was awaiting potential emergency calls from one of the drilling platforms or production ships in the area. On that evening, Asbjørn was down in the fitness room doing his usual workout when he suddenly fell to the floor. Luckily, he was with a co-worker who rushed to his aid and called for assistance. When the captain arrived at the scene, it quickly became clear to him that the situation was critical. He couldn’t find a pulse, and the defibrillator was put to use right away, but without luck. The crew opened a bag containing extra emergency equipment, and the first mate and other crew members started performing artificial respiration while the captain returned to the bridge to call for help and talk to various doctors. In the fitness room they took turns performing cardiac massage while injecting oxygen to his lungs. They used their bare fists to keep his heart warm, and they kept going while

they waited for the rescue helicopter to arrive. We know that for every minute without cardiac massage the chances of survival are reduced by ten percent. The captain contacted the shipping company who again contacted Asbjørn’s parents.

The miracle You might think that a ship in the middle of the North Sea would be one of the worst places for a heart failure. However, crews like Asbjørn’s are properly trained for all kinds of rescue missions, so they knew exactly how to act. They save lives for a living, but on this day, Asbjørn and Esvagt Cantana were the ones in need of assistance. Unfortunately, the weather was bad, and the helicopter couldn’t move at full speed, but instead of giving up, the crew kept on providing emergency treatment despite the doctor’s assessment that it was time to give in. >

After an hour, something unexpected occurred. A rescue helicopter in the Norwegian region of the North Sea reported that it would come to their aid. It would be able to arrive faster, and while they waited, they kept attempting to bring Asbjørn back. At 21:44 pm the darkness surrounding the ship was finally broken by the search lights of the Norwegian helicopter. At the same moment, an unexpected miracle took place down in the fitness room. After a hundred minutes, Asbjørn’s heart started beating again. His pulse was irregular, and his life was still in danger.

Reunion It was the Norwegian helicopter that brought Asjørn to the nearest hospital in Scotland. His heart was beating, but he was still unconscious. At arrival, Asbjørn was put into induced coma and connected to a respirator. Without knowing about it, Asbjørn had lived his entire life with a serious heart defect, and three weeks later he underwent a bypass operation and had a pacemaker implanted to keep his heart steady. His brain didn’t suffer any damage. And it was special day when Asbjørn, on November 10th, 2020, was able to return to his old job as OS on Esvagt Cantana. “I returned to the same twelve crew members and the same strong community. We were all very happy to see each other again, and it was an amazing day. We celebrated our reunion, and I was reminded of the

unique value and freedom that comes with life at sea. On that day, my parents came with me to see where I work, and that was a good experience too.” The dramatic experience hasn’t changed Asbjørn’s fundamental approach to life. He takes one day at the time. However, he is now more aware of how he spends his time and who he spends it with. “I just live my life and do the things that make me happy. Apart from that, I make sure to spend time with the people I care about. I am still convinced that I will be using my education in the future, but I am still not sure where life at sea will take me. For now, I keep all my options open,” Asbjørn adds. The Esvagt Cantana-crew was awarded 25,000 Danish kroner for providing relentless first aid to a colleague who suffered a cardiac arrest. Now, the crew has donated the award to the Danish Heart Association. The rescue operation ended happily - Asbjørn Morell has fully recovered and is seaworthy again. •

-årige Asbjørn Morell er i gang med uddannelsen til befaren skibsassistent på Svendborg Søfartsskole, og han glæder sig allerede til at arbejde, når han bliver færdig med skolen. Ankeret tatoveret på venstre arm fortæller om en passioneret lyst til at sejle: ”Arbejdet til søs levede op til alle de forventninger, jeg havde om

at sejle. Et skib er en helt speciel arbejdsplads i forhold til alt andet, jeg har prøvet, og derfor glæder jeg mig til at sejle igen,” siger han. Personligt ved han om nogen, hvad kammeratskab og kolleger betyder: Overlevelse.

Tak Asbjørn er et stort mirakel, fordi han overlevede et hjertestop ude på Nordsøen, selv om hjertet og pulsen holdt pause i 100 minutter, og han efterfølgende lå i koma i 10 dage. Takken sender han uden at blinke videre alene til kollegerne, som knoklede løs, efter han faldt om til søs den 17. april 2020 kl. 20.55. Uden deres hjælp ville han ikke være til længere. Sådan er det. ”Jeg er sindssygt glad for at være her, og er evig taknemlig for de gutter derude. De er altid lidt i mine tanker, selvom hændelsen som sådan ikke sidder i mig. Var det sket på land, var jeg død. Besætningen blev ved og ved med at give livreddende førstehjælp, selvom min puls var væk, og de brækkede alle mine ribben godt og grundigt. Lægen i telefonen havde sagt, de kunne stoppe, men de blev ved,” siger en taknemlig Asbjørn.

Hænder redder hjerte Asbjørn arbejdede som ubefaren skibsassistent på det danske redningsskib Esvagt Cantana med kaptajn Jan Ole Kristensen på broen. Det var en almindelig hverdag ude på Nordsøen, og skibet lå som altid klar til at hjælpe i nødsitua-

Asbjørn

Takket være kollegerne er Asbjørn i live i dag.

tioner på områdets boreplatforme og flydende produktionsskibe. Den aften var Asbjørn nede i motionsrummet for at træne, da han pludselig faldt om. Det hele skete for øjnene af hans kollega, der skyndte sig hen til den livløse krop og ringede efter hjælp. Da kaptajnen ankom til motionsrummet, kunne han straks se, at den var helt gal. Han kunne ikke finde puls, og hjertestarteren blev sat til, men den hjalp ikke Asbjørn. En kuffert med ekstra udstyr blev åbnet og overstyrmanden og resten af dæksbesætningen gik i gang med at give Asbjørn kunstigt åndedræt, mens kaptajnen stod på broen og talte med forskellige læger og prøvede at skaffe ekstra hjælp. På skift måtte mandskabet give ham hjertemassage og ilt gennem en indblæsningsballon over næse og mund. Hjertet blev forsøgt holdt varmt med de bare næver, og de fortsatte, mens de ventede på redningshelikopteren, som var rekvireret meget langt væk fra. Man ved, at for hvert minut, der går uden hjertemassage, reduceres muligheden for at overleve med cirka 10 procent. Kaptajnen kontaktede rederiet, der kunne orientere Asbjørns forældre.

Miraklet Nu kunne man måske tro, at et skib midt ude i Nordsøen er et af de værst tænkelige steder at få hjertestop. Men netop rednings-

aktioner træner de ofte i, så mandskabet vidste præcis, hvad de skulle gøre, fordi deres job netop er at redde menneskeliv. Nu var det så Esvagt Cantana og Asbjørn, der havde brug for ekstra assistance, men vejret var dårligt, og redningshelikopteren havde lang flyvetid. Derfor fortsatte mandskabet med at give førstehjælp uagtet lægens melding om, at de kunne stoppe. Da besætningen havde arbejdet en time, skete der noget uventet. En redningshelikopter i den norske del af Nordsøen gik i luften for at hjælpe. Den kunne være hurtigere fremme end den først bestilte, så mens de ventede på den, fortsatte genoplivningsforsøget af Asbjørn. Klokken 21.44 blev mørket over redningsskibet endelig brudt af en helikopters projektører. Samtidig skete der et stort mirakel nede i motionsrummet. Asbjørns hjerte gik i gang igen efter en pause på 100 minutter! Hans puls var uregelmæssig, og han var stadig i yderste livsfare.

Gensyn Det blev den norske helikopter, som fløj Asbjørn mod det nærmeste hospital i Skotland. Hans hjerte var i gang, men de kunne ikke få kontakt med ham. Efter ankomsten blev Asbjørn lagt i kunstig koma og tilkoblet en respirator. Uden at vide det havde han levet med en alvorlig hjertefejl, så efter tre uger fik han tilbage i Danmark foretaget en by-

passoperation og isat en pacemaker. Hjernen havde ikke taget skade. Et kæmpe mirakel. Derfor var det også en ganske særlig dag, da Asbjørn den 10. november 2020 kunne vende tilbage til sit gamle job som skibsassistent på Esvagt Cantana. ”Det var den samme besætning på 12 mand og med det samme gode sammenhold. Vi blev meget glade for at se hinanden, og det var en fantastisk dag. Vi fejrede gensynet, og jeg bliv mindet om, at friheden ombord er noget ganske særligt. Den dag havde mine forældre fået lov til at komme ud og se min arbejdsplads. Det var fint.” Oplevelsen har ikke fået ham til at ændre sit grundlæggende syn på livet. Han tager en dag ad gangen. Dog tænker han mere i dag end tidligere på, hvem han bruger tid sammen med: ”Jeg lever mit liv og laver ting, jeg har lyst til. Desuden husker jeg at være sammen med de mennesker, jeg holder af. Jeg er stadig overbevist om, at jeg skal bruge min uddannelse, men hvor, den konkret bringer mig hen til søs, ved jeg ikke endnu. Lige nu holder jeg mulighederne åbne,” tilføjer Asbjørn Morell. Besætningen fra ‘Esvagt Cantana’ fik en pris på 25.000 kroner for at yde førstehjælp til en kollega, der fik et hjertestop. Nu har besætningen doneret prisen videre til Hjerteforeningen. Redningsaktionen sluttede lykkeligt, da Asbjørn Morell er fuldstændig restitueret og klar til at sejle igen. •

By Jens Cristian Seeberg, volunteer missionary to seafarers in Kalundborg / Af Jens Cristian Seeberg, frivillig sømandsmissionær i Kalundborg

A quiet day stirred by the Russians When Bethel was in port in Kalundborg, Denmark, the crew got to listen in on a Russian submarine

En søvnig dag blev vækket af russerne Da Bethel var i Kalundborg, kunne mandskabet lytte med på russiske ubådsproblemer

his year’s stay for us at M/V Bethel / ex Romsø Y302 in Kalundborg Harbor suddenly felt a bit like working for the Navy. The weather was bad, the wind strong, and the number of visitors was limited due to the movement of the ship. So, while the storm passed by, I spent most of my time in the wheelhouse where I listened to the ships two VHF radios. Suddenly, I heard the Danish Navy’s P520 Diana calling the Russian missile destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov, who was heading back to Murmansk after the 325th anniversary of the Russian Navy in Sct. Petersborg. The vessel escorted the large nuclear submarine Orel as well as a Russian military towboat. All three vessels had just passed The Great Belt and were now located close to the east coast of Sealand. Foreign navy vessels are obligated to move through Danish waters without halt unless a permission is granted by the Danish government.

From The Barents Observer / Fra Barents Observer

Submarine loses momentum The radio communication between P520 Diana and the missile destroyer was handled by a Russian crew member with limited English skills. This made communication difficult, and therefore a Russian officer took over and made it clear that all three ships had come to a halt due to an engine defect on board the nuclear submarine. The officer explained that they needed around two hours to fix the issue and perform an external examination of the main propeller.

The Danish navy offered support, but the offer was declined. After a little less than two hours, the submarine was up and running again, and all three vessels continued their journey north.

Turned off AIS-systems Afterwards, the Diana P520 headed west to handle a complex task of escorting the Russian vessels up through the Great Belt. The rest of the story and the remaining voyage is described in a thorough article published in The Barents Observer – a magazine/website from Kirkenæs in Norway which is published in both English and Russian. The events could easily have turned out more dramatically as the submarine was drifting towards Sejerø, a small Danish island, with a pace of 1.5 knots. This could, worst case, have led to a collision/stranding. In addition, the local ferry reported to the authorities that the three Russian vessels had turned off their AIS-systems and therefore were invisible on the AIS-charts. The historical connection between M/V Bethel and the P520 is that the navy vessel belongs to the more modern line of ships that replaced Bethel and the other Barsø class vessels/ the Y-cutters. And the morale of this story is that even in bad weather, and with only a few visitors, life on board M/V Bethel never seems to get boring! •

A retired Y-cutter from the Danish Navy still has a persistent curiosity when it comes to the whereabouts of its younger replacement, the P520 Diana. / En pensioneret Y-kutter fra Søværnet har stadig professionel nysgerrighed i, hvad en yngre kollega ( P520 Diana ) foretager sig! Editha og Jens Christian Seeberg have volonteered as missionary to seafarers for 25 years. / Editha og Jens Christian Seeberg har været frivillige sømandsmissionærer i 25 år.

ette års ophold for os på M/V Bethel / ex Romsø Y302 i Kalundborg Havn fik pludselig en parallel til Søværnet. Vejret var dårligt med kraftig vind og få besøgende grundet skibets bevægelser. Så under det værste vejr tilbragte jeg tiden oppe i styrehuset og lyttede mere opmærksom til de to maritime VHF-radioer. Pludselig hørte jeg Søværnets P520 Diana kalde den russiske missildestroyer, Vice-Admiral Kulakov, der var på vej tilbage til Murmansk efter 325-års flådejubilæet i Sankt Petersborg. Fartøjet ledsagede den store atomubåd Orel samt en russisk militær slæbebåd. Alle tre fartøjer havde netop passeret Storebælt – og befandt sig nu meget tæt på området mellem Sejerø og Sjællands Odde. De udenlandske militærfartøjer er forpligtet til at fortsætte sejladsen i danske farvande og har normalt ikke tilladelse til at stoppe op undervejs, medmindre det er aftalt.

Ubåd mister fremdrift Radiokommunikationen mellem P520 Diana og missildestroyeren blev først besvaret af en russisk gast med begrænsede engelskkundskaber. Da kommunikationen var delvis uforståelig for besætningen på P520 Diana, kom der herefter en russisk officer til radioen, der på klart engelsk meddelte, at alle tre militære skibe lå stille, idet atomubåden Orel havde mistet fremdriften grundet maskinproblemer. Officeren forklarede P520, at ubåden behøvede to timer, blandt andet for at foretage en dykkerundersøgelse af skruesystemet på Orel. Søværnet tilbød galant dykkerhjælp, som bestemt blev afslået af destroyeren. Efter knap to timer lykkedes det atomubåden at få maskinen aktiveret igen, og alle tre fartøjer fortsatte sejladsen nordover.

Slukkede AIS-systemerne P520 Diana satte herefter kursen vestover efter en kompleks opgave med at ledsage de

russiske fartøjer op gennem Storebælt. Resten af historien med den videre sejlads langs Norges vestkyst er beskrevet i den grundige artikel fra The Barents Observer et magasin/hjemmeside fra Kirkenæs i Nordnorge, som udgives på engelsk og russisk. Begivenheden kunne have udviklet sig meget dramatisk, idet atomubåden drev ind mod Sejerø med 1,5 knob. En stranding/ grundstødning kunne teoretisk have fundet sted. Hurtigfærgen fra Odden rapporterede i øvrigt til Storebæltskontrollen over radioen, at de tre store russiske militærfartøjer havde slukket for deres AIS-system, og ikke var synlige på AIS-søkortet. Den historiske vinkel til M/V Bethel er, at P520 Diana netop tilhører den klasse nyere skibe, Søværnet fik bygget til afløsning af Barsø klassen/ Y-kutterne, som Bethel tilhørte. Moralen er, at selv i dårligt vejr med temmelig få besøgende er livet ombord på M/V Bethel langtfra kedeligt! •

By general secretary Nicolaj Wibe / Af generalsekretær Nicolaj Wibe

Help /

Hjælp In the Bible we find this account: Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

”

There is no doubt that the disciples did their utmost to keep the boat from capsizing. They’ve been pouring water overboard constantly.

PHOTO: COLOURBOX

Wake him up

et me begin by giving you a challenge. Show me just one person who has never felt the need to call out for help. It is simply impossible to find one - there is no such human being in this world. And according to a recent Danish survey, many of us will not hesitate to call out to God for help, even though we might not be regulars at the Sunday service. But why is it God who pops up in so many of us when we are truly in need of help? Really, the answer is rather simple; it is because these moments call for someone who

is strong, efficient, and present – and in such moments the idea of God turns out to be deeply ingrained in most of us. But why do we need to face such extreme situations before we turn to God? This is a difficult question, but it might have something to do with lifestyle and habits. You can’t just suddenly change your identity if you haven’t considered yourself to be religious in the past? Your friends might make fun of you or call you “holy” if you suddenly define yourself as a Christian. And is it even ok to call yourself a Christian if you can’t live up to all the ideals?

There is no doubt that the disciples did their utmost to keep the boat from capsizing. They’ve been pouring water overboard constantly. Only when all hope seemed gone, they woke Jesus up. Completely normal behavior. You must be out of options before you call out for help. Jesus was asleep. I love this little detail for several reasons. One reason is that the disturbance didn’t annoy Jesus. The scene is simply that the ship is sinking, Jesus is asleep, and now it is time to wake him up. A parallel to our own lives might be that we are way too good at letting Jesus rest. We simply don’t want to disturb him. He is there somewhere in our lives, but we try not to interrupt him. We’d rather solve things on our own. We fight our own battles, and we struggle to pour water out of our own sinking ships. But this is ridiculous because he is right here in the boat with us. Not waking up Jesus and asking him for help in any situation is simply nuts. He never gets annoyed or angry with us.

”

Det er fuldstændigt sikkert, at besætningen har gjort alt for at holde båden på ret køl. De har øset vand som gale. On the contrary, great things tend to happen when we decide to disturb him.

Nicolaj Wibe

A great way to start your day

You who are reading this might be close to the sea. If so, you know that the sea can’t be tamed. Instead, we must wait for the winds to tail off. This is a law of nature. But the laws of nature are just some of the laws that Jesus tends to break. He does what he finds best, and no law can keep him from taking action. “Why are you so afraid?” he asks the crew. But isn’t it quite obvious, Jesus? I mean, just take a look around! But Jesus is well aware that they are about to go down. And yet he finds no reason to be scared. Why is this? It’s because they’ve woken him up. Every morning at 5:30 pm my alarm clock goes off. That is where I prefer to be woken up. After my morning shower, I “wake Jesus up” in my morning prayer. I did it just a few hours ago. And it is a wonderful way to start the day. In fact, I don’t think he was asleep at all, but I don’t just want to call for him when I’m in need of help. He is too important for that. I’ve chosen to ‘come out’ as a Christian, and I stand by that. It feels good and honest. •

is mig det menneske, der aldrig har haft brug for at råbe ’HJÆLP’, og jeg vil kvittere med stor forbløffelse. Det findes ikke. Og ifølge en frisk dansk undersøgelse er der rigtig mange af os, der ikke vil tøve med at råbe ’HJÆLP’ til Gud, også selvom man måske ikke er den, der slider mest på kirkebænkene. Hvorfor det lige er Gud, der popper op hos mange, når man virkelig har brug for hjælp, det er ikke så underligt. Det er fordi, der er brug for noget stærkt, hurtigt og nærværende. Og det ligger dybt i de fleste, at så er der kun Gud tilbage. Hvorfor skal vi så langt ud, før vi råber hjælp til Gud. Det kan man undre sig over. Men det har måske noget med livsstil og vane at gøre. Man kan da ikke begynde at kalde sig selv troende, hvis man ikke før har gjort det? Vennerne vil bare kalde en ’hellig’ og gøre nar, hvis man springer ud som kristen. Og kan man i det hele taget kalde sig selv kristen, hvis man ikke helt kan leve op til idealerne?

Et sted i Bibelen er denne beretning: Jesus gik om bord i en båd, og hans disciple fulgte ham. Da blev der et voldsomt uvejr på søen, så båden skjultes af bølgerne. Men han sov. Og de kom hen og vækkede ham og sagde: »Herre, frels os! Vi går under!« Men han sagde til dem: »Hvorfor er I bange, I lidettroende?« Da rejste han sig og truede ad storm og sø, og det blev helt blikstille. Men folk undrede sig og sagde: »Hvem er han, siden både storm og sø adlyder ham?«

Væk ham Det er fuldstændigt sikkert, at besætningen har gjort alt for at holde båden på ret køl. De har øset vand som gale. Først da de var ved at gå under, vækker de Jesus. Helt normalt. Man skal være langt ude, før man råber ’HJÆLP…’ Jesus sov. Jeg elsker denne lille detalje i beretningen. Af mange grunde, og en af dem er, at Jesus ikke blev muggen over at blive vækket. Scenen er den, at skibet er ved at synke, Jesus sover, og nu er det på tide at få ham vækket. En parallel til vores eget liv kan være, at vi er alt for gode til ikke at vække Jesus. Vi lader ham bare sove. Han er et sted i vores liv, men vi lader ham være i fred. Vi vil hellere selv. Vi kæmper vores egne kampe og øser vand som gale for at få det hele til at hænge sammen. Men det er åndsvagt. Han er jo lige

’her i båden’, han er altid i vores nærhed. Det er skørt ikke at vække Jesus i tide og utide, for han bliver ikke muggen. Tværtimod sker der ting og sager når man gør det.

En god begyndelse på en ny dag Du, der læser dette, er måske tæt på havet. Om nogen, så ved du, at et hav ikke lader sig dæmpe, før vinden tager af. Det er en naturlov. Naturloven er en af de love, Jesus ikke overholder. Han gør, hvad der passer ham bedst, og ingen lov er en hindring for hans indgriben. ’Hvorfor er I bange?’ spørger han besætningen. Okay Jesus, prøv lige at få søvnen ud af øjnene og se dig omkring! Men Jesus ved da godt, de er på vej ned i dybet. Og alligevel mener han, at der ingen grund er til at være bange. Hvorfor? Fordi de har vækket ham. Hver morgen bipper mit vækkeur kl. 05:30. Der vil jeg vækkes. Efter morgenbadet ’vækker jeg Jesus’ i min morgenbøn. Det gjorde jeg også i morges. Og det er en vidunderlig start på dagen. Jeg tror faktisk ikke, han sov, men jeg gider ikke kun vække ham, når jeg har brug for at råbe hjælp. Det er han for vigtig til. Jeg er ’sprunget ud’ som kristen. Det står jeg ved, og det føles godt og ærligt. •

Interview by Finn Løvlund/ edited by Hanne Baltzer / Interview af Finn Løvlund/ redigeret af Hanne Baltzer

Greenland / Grønland No man is an island / Man kan ikke leve helt alene

Lars Mathæusen on duty / Lars Mathæusen på job

n Nuuk, Lars Mathæusen works as a fisher and catcher, and he has worked at sea since he was very young: “When you have your own dinghy, you can hunt for rain deer and seals, and you can catch cod and halibut. These things go together. I also used to catch shrimp. In 1970, we caught 8.000 tons total in Greenland. In 1985 it was 70.000 tons, and ten years later it was 150.000 tons. The trawlers simply grew bigger and bigger,” he explains. At the harbor in Nuuk, it is normal for the fishers to help each other when needed: “We help each other a lot because we depend on it. If I am not familiar with the cutter I need to repair, then someone else might be. Or if I have a bit of extra food, I always share it with the others. Those who aren’t fishing for a living often don’t have access to the local seafood that we can provide. I am good a cooking Greenlandic dishes, and I love eating together with others. When we haven’t done it for a while, I always say to my wife and children: Next weekend we must eat together with our friends. I’ll take care of the cooking!” “This is also the message of the Bible: If you have one, it is yours. If you have two, then give one away.”

We are never alone When I get tired of all the problems in our town, I often sail out to be alone and talk to God. Out there I get to be in the real nature where there are no such problems. Out there I can simply enjoy life and enjoy that God

created it all. And unless I get a problem with the engine, I can just enjoy life and clear my brain together with God. This is very important to me. “God means a lot to me because I am alone in my dinghy. I used to own a 44-foot cutter. When a storm came or I had to spend many hours alone in the wheelhouse, I often felt lonely. In my father’s wheelhouse it was always the youngest son who got permission to come inside. I remember it clearly, even though I am now 64 years old. You can experience dangerous storms even if you are a great catcher or fisher. One of the oldest in the Nuuk area is 83 years old. He still sails, and he knows what I’m talking about. We are never truly alone when we are alone. You are not alone as long as you have a brain that you can fill with other thoughts.”

The strength of the ocean When a storm hits, Lars often talks to God: “When you are fighting against the waves during a storm, you need to stop and instead fight with the waves in order to get home safely. All I can do is tell God that he is the strongest. You can’t fight through everything alone. You just can’t. The ocean is too strong, and as we say, the storm is the will of God, and he brings it to us when he needs to clear the coast or clean out our lives.” Lars’ grandfather worked in the local church, and the family always went to the Sunday services. He clearly remembers the sound of his grandfather singing. He died

back in 1989, but as Lars puts it, “he now lives with God.” “When you come to Greenland, you don’t know anything about our original culture. Cultures differ a lot. If I give you something, I expect you to accept it and thank me. You can never say: “I don’t need that.” I know that you need it, although it is not your culture. Giving is part of our culture. It is very important to us.”

When life sinks In 2015, Lars was hit by a coronary in the heart. Although he received treatment at the National Hospital of Denmark, the incident has left its mark: “When you are young, you feel like you have all the time in the world. But when you get weaker, life begins to sink. One of the nurses said to me that I should remember to enjoy life, and I know that the doctors are there to help when I need it. I now depend on all my medication, but it bothers me, and I can feel how my body weakens. I’ve come to this place in life, and I’ve said to God: “Help me live my life in the best way possible. After my stroke, I promised God that I would be a good man for the rest of my life. I quit smoking and drinking. God helped me move on. I’ve tried passing out in the dinghy twice, but I always woke up in time. I’ve told my family that if I die in my dinghy, they shouldn’t be sad. That wouldn’t be a bad way to leave – it is my life. But I’ve also said to God: “Help me live on and give me strength to enjoy life while I still can. No man is an island.” •

Lars has his own dinghy / Lars har sin egen jolle.

Nuuk er Lars Mathæusen fisker og fanger en stor del året. Han har været med på havet, siden han var ganske ung: ”Når man har en jolle, kan man jage rensdyr og sæler og fiske torsk og hellefisk. Det hører sammen. Jeg har også været rejefisker engang. I 1970 fangede vi 8.000 ton i hele Grønland. Og i 1985 var det 70.000 ton. Og ti år senere 150.000 ton. Det er nok fordi, trawlerne bliver store,” forklarer han. På havnen i Nuuk hjælper fiskerne hinanden: ”Vi hjælper meget hinanden, fordi vi har brug for det. Hvis jeg ikke kender noget til den kutter, som jeg skal reparere, så er der andre, der kan hjælpe mig. Hvis jeg fx også har overskud af mad, så giver jeg det til folk. Når de ikke er fiskere, så mangler de grønlandsk mad af de ting, vi kan fange og jage. Jeg er god til at lave grønlandske retter, og jeg elsker at spise sammen med mange folk. Når jeg ikke gør det, så begynder jeg at sige til min kone og børn: Næste weekend skal vi spise sammen med vores venner. Jeg skal nok lave mad!” ”Det er det, som Bibelen har sagt: Hvis du har en, er den til dig. Hvis du har to, så giv til alle de andre.”

Vi er ikke alene ”Når jeg bliver træt af alle problemerne i byen, sejler jeg ud og snakker med Gud. Når man kommer på havet – så er jeg i den ægte natur uden problemer. Der kan jeg bare nyde livet og nyde, at det er Gud, der har skabt det hele. Og har jeg ikke problemer med mo-

toren, kan jeg nyde livet og rense hjernen sammen med Gud. Det er meget vigtigt for mig.” ”Gud er meget vigtig for mig, fordi jeg er alene i jollen. Jeg har også ejet en kutter på 44 fod. Når det blev storm, eller jeg var alene i mange timer i styrehuset, følte jeg mig ikke ensom. I min fars styrehus var det altid den yngste af hans sønner, der måtte være der. Det husker jeg, selv om jeg er 64 år. Stærke storme kan man sagtens opleve, selv om man er en stor fanger eller stor fisker. En af vores ældste i Nuuk-området er 83 år. Han sejler endnu. Og jeg ved, at han kender det. Vi er ikke alene, når man er alene. Vi er ikke alene, når man har en hjerne, man kan bruge til andre tanker.”

Havets kræfter Lars kan godt tage en dialog med Gud, hvis det stormer, og jollen vipper voldsomt: ”Når man kæmper imod bølgerne i et stormvejr, kan man så kæmpe med dem for at komme i sikker havn. Jeg kan sige til Gud, at han er den stærkeste. Man kan ikke bare kæmpe imod, det kan man ikke. Det er havets kræfter, og som man siger, det er Guds vilje, når han skal rense kysten eller livet. Så kommer stormen.” Lars’ farfar var kateket, så han arbejdede ved kirken. Derfor var familien altid i kirke, og Lars husker tydeligt sin fars stærke tenorstemme. Desværre døde han tilbage i 1989: ”Nu lever min far sammen med Gud.” ”Når man kommer hertil fra udlandet, kender man ikke noget til vores gamle kul-

tur. Der er stor forskel på kulturer. Hvis jeg giver dig noget, så skal du sige tak for det. Du skal ikke sige: Jeg har ikke brug for det. Jeg ved, at du har brug for det, men det er ikke din kultur. Det er vores kultur at give til andre. Det er meget vigtigt for os.”

Når livet synker I 2015 fik Lars en blodprop i hjertet. Den blev behandlet på Rigshospitalet i København, men har sat sine aftryk: ”Som ung mand synes man, man har masser af levetid. Når man bliver svag, begynder livet at synke. En af sygeplejerskerne sagde til mig, at jeg skulle huske at nyde livet, og jeg ved også, at lægerne hjælper, når jeg har brug for det. Jeg kan ikke leve uden piller, men jeg er træt af dem, og jeg kan mærke, at jeg bliver svagere og svagere. Jeg er nået hertil i livet, og jeg har sagt til Gud: Giv mig det liv, som jeg har, jeg skal leve. Da jeg blev svagere, lovede jeg Gud at være en god mand resten af mit liv. Jeg holdt op med at drikke og ryge. Gud hjalp mig videre. Jeg har prøvet at besvime i jollen to gange, men jeg vågnede igen uden at få problemer. Til min familie har jeg sagt, at hvis jeg ikke kommer hjem men dør i jollen, så skal de ikke græde over mig. Så er det helt i orden, det er mit liv. Men jeg har også altid sagt til Gud: Hjælp mig med at leve videre. Så får jeg kræfter til at nyde livet, mens jeg lever. Man kan ikke leve alene.” •

By Hanne Baltzer / Af Hanne Baltzer

When God is your shipmaster David Rasmussen is convinced that he will return to a career at sea

Når Gud er ved roret David Rasmussen er overbevist om, at han skal arbejde til søs igen

While walking the Camino de Santiago, David found plenty of time to reflect on his future life / Der var tid til at tænke på fremtiden, da David for nylig gik lidt på Caminoen i Spanien

ack when David Rasmussen went to the Maritime college in Marstal at the Danish island of Ærø, he often visited Aggershøj which is a drop-in house for maritime students. There he always felt at home among the Christian employees and volunteers. After his graduation he found hire at DFDS Seaways where he sailed from 2019 to 2021. The cargo ship maintained a regular service between Sweden, England and Belgium. “Working there was a very positive and exciting experience. I learned a lot,” David says. The crew counted 18 members, most of them Danish. The permanent staff worked for two weeks followed by two weeks ashore. David and those who shared his rank worked for four weeks at a time with only two weeks at home. This meant that their co-workers were often replaced, and they got to experience the changing social and professional dynamics on board. One thing quickly became clear to David: Politics, economy and religion are topics that most seafarers try to avoid. “The most important thing is to know that we have each other’s backs if something happens, and it is crucial to stay at a good foot with everyone – a priority that often leaves certain topics untouched. That being said, I think I talked to a lot of co-workers about more personal things, including questions about God and faith.”

The night shift In David’s experience, the night shift at the bridge is a natural occasion for more personal conversations. Although having to learn how to command a ship at night, these shifts also left time for other topics. David often shared his shifts with the same mate, and they often talked about faith, doubt, and life experiences. “One night I got to tell him, in my own way, that being a Christian is not about living up to a set of laws and rules, but that it is simply a matter of believing in Jesus. That is where mercy can be found. This was new to him, and the following night we talked about several similar questions.” “This particular colleague became my mentor, and he taught me many valuable lessons. He saw who I was and taught me a lot about shipping and navigation. I looked up to him in many ways,” David says. David enjoys meeting people whose perspective on life is completely different from his own – encountering others gives him renewed energy. “When having to paint a ship for a full day, there is lots of time to chat. If people ask, I gladly tell them that I am a Christian.”

At sea, David also brought his Bible with him. Here he finds encouragement, and reading it helps him tune in on God and remember him. It also inspired him to pray for those who were around him. “To me, praying for my fellow crew members was also a way of bringing God with me on board.” David tries to pass God’s love on to others in his daily life by helping his co-workers, caring for others, listening, showing empathy and being kind.

The inspiration David’s dream is to become a shipmaster, and one day captain. This dream was born in his teenage years where one night David had a dream that he has never forgotten. Instead, the dream has become a guiding star in his life. In the dream, he saw a clear image of a hard sea with several small, helpless ships drifting around in the dark. My vision is to bring these people hope: “Jesus can provide the light that is needed at sea. I want to help make Jesus visible in the maritime world, although I know it is a huge task. I believe it can be done by showing kindness and caring for others on board. I have experienced the difference that this attitude can make in my own life,” the young seafarer says. David is currently in the middle of a stay at a folk high school. Here, he is getting ready for the next chapter in his young life. He recently walked 70 kilometers at the Camino de Santiago in Spain along with his fellow students – a trip where they all helped each other succeed, step by step. “I probably have a calling to be a Christian seafarer. From January I’ll be going to Nuuk in Greenland to do social work as a volunteer. It is extremely exciting, and I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me there. Hopefully, I can make a positive contribution there”, he adds. David is still not done building up his maritime skillset, and he knows that he will someday resume his maritime training. •

a David Rasmussen tog HF søfart i Marstal på Ærø, var han ofte forbi Aggershøj, som er et hyggeligt værested for søfartsstuderende. Med den kristne besætning der følte han sig godt hjemme. Efter uddannelsen tog han til søs og sejlede hos DFDS fra 2019-2021. Fragtskibet sejlede fast mellem Göteborg, England og Belgien. ”Det var virkelig godt og spændende at være ombord. Jeg lærte en masse,” fortæller David. Besætningen talte 18 – flest danske. De fastansatte arbejdede 2 uger ude og 2 uger hjemme. David og en anden ubefaren kollega arbejdede 4 uger ude, 2 uger hjemme, hvilket betød, at de mødte en del forskellige kolleger, og også oplevede forskelligheden i fællesskabet og ledelsen ombord. En ting fandt David hurtigt ud af: Politik, økonomi og religion er emner, de fleste undgår. ”Vigtigt er det, at vi ved, vi har hinandens ryg, hvis noget sker, og så er det ikke hensigtsmæssigt at være uvenner, hvorfor vi sjældent italesatte de emner. Alligevel synes jeg, jeg fik talt med mange om meget forskelligt, også om det at tro på Gud.”

David

”

David’s dream is to become a shipmaster, and one day captain. This dream was born in his teenage years where one night David had a dream that he has never forgotten. Instead, the dream has become a guiding star in his life. 13

David dreams of returning to sea. During his last sign-on, he learned a lot about shipping. / David drømmer om at sejle igen. Han lærte en masse om søfart, sidst han var til søs.

Nattevagten Der bliver ofte talt meget om natten på broen, når der kun er et par folk på vagt. Det er den oplevelse og erfaring, David sidder tilbage med. Udover at han skulle lære en del forskelligt om at føre et skib, så var der også tid til at snakke, og tit havde han vagt med den samme styrmand. Der blev talt tro, tvivl og livserfaring. ”En nat fik jeg fortalt på min egen måde, at man som kristen ikke skal opfylde en helt masse love og regler, men blot skal tro på Jesus. Og det er der, frelsen er at finde. Det var nyt for ham, og natten efter snakkede vi videre om andre ting.” ”Styrmanden blev en mentor for mig og lærte mig mange fif og tricks. Han så mig, som den jeg er og lærte mig en masse om søfart. Ham kunne jeg spejle mig i på mange

”

måder,” siger David eftertænksomt. Han kan lide at møde mennesker, der mener noget helt andet end ham selv. Ja, han lades op i fællesskabet. ”Over et større malerarbejde ombord kan man nå at snakke om meget forskelligt. Hvis jeg bliver spurgt, hvad jeg tror på, står jeg gerne ved, at jeg er kristen.” Til søs havde David sin bibel med. Den brugte han til opløftede læsning, så han kunne blive ”tunet ind på Gud igen”. Den inspirerede ham også til at bede for dem, der var omkring ham. ”At bede for resten af besætningen var også en måde for mig at have Gud med ombord.” Han ville gerne i det daglige vise Guds kærlighed gennem fx at hjælpe kollegerne, vise omsorg, lytte, havde empati for de andre og være venlig.

Drømmen er at læse til skibsfører og engang blive kaptajn. Den blev født tilbage i teenageårene, hvor David en nat drømte en drøm, han ikke kan glemme, og som han er sikker på, var en slags guidning for hans liv. 14

Inspirationen Drømmen er at læse til skibsfører og engang blive kaptajn. Den blev født tilbage i teenageårene, hvor David en nat drømte en drøm, han ikke kan glemme, og som han er sikker på, var en slags guidning for hans liv. Han fik et klart billede af et oprørt hav med en masse små mørke skibe uden håb, der var udfordret. Det håb vil han gerne levere: ”For mig kan Jesus levere det lys til søs. Jeg vil gerne bringe Jesus i spil til søs, selv om jeg ved, det er en kæmpe opgave. Det kan man blandt andet gøre ved at vise godhed og være noget for nogen ombord. Jeg ved selv, hvor meget det betyder,” siger den unge sømand. Lige nu er han på højskole for at lade op til næste livskapitel. Han har for nylig gået 70 km på Caminoen i Spanien sammen med de andre højskoleelever, en tur hvor de hjalp hinanden med at komme igennem. Skridt for skridt. ” Jeg har nok et kald til at være kristen til søs. Fra januar tager jeg til Nuuk i Grønland for at arbejde som diakonal-volontør. Det er virkelig spændende, og jeg glæder mig rigtig meget til at se, hvad Gud har i vente for mig deroppe. Forhåbentligt er der også lidt, jeg kan bidrage med,” tilføjer David, der ikke er færdig med at uddanne sig, for skolebænken til skibsfører skal nok kalde på ham. •

No shipping no shopping

uring the Covid-19 shutdown, two million seafarers around the world have done an exceptional job at keeping the international supply chains running. Therefore, The UN’s maritime organization, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has covered their headquarters in London as well as on the London monument known as Seafarers Memorial. Andreas Nordseth, director of the Danish Maritime Authority, also directs his gratitude to those seafarers who have managed to navigate and overcome the unpredictable and difficult conditions that the pandemic have caused. At the height of the crisis in 2020, 400.000 seafarers were unable to leave their ships, and some worked for far longer than their contracts dictated. “Seafarers all over the world have been subject to strict regulations and heavy burdens for more than eighteen months. Many have had extraordinarily long signon periods that have kept them separate from friends and family. We are deeply grateful to them for keeping the international trade on course,” he says. Source: Maritime Direct. •

o millioner søfarende verden over har gjort et exceptionelt stykke arbejde under Covid-19 for at holde forsyningskæderne i gang. Derfor satte FN’s søfartssorganisation, International Maritime Organization (IMO), blåt lys på hovedkvarteret i London, samt monumentet Seafarer Memorial. Andreas Nordseth, direktør i Søfartsstyrelsen, sender i den forbindelse en særlig hyldest til de søfarende, som har navigeret og leveret inden for uforudsigelige og vanskelige rammer under Covid-19. På krisens højdepunkt i 2020 var 400.000 søfolk ude af stand til at forlade deres skibe, og nogle arbejdede i mange måneder ud over deres kontrakter. “Søfarende rundt omkring i verden har været underlagt strenge retningslinjer og tunge byrder det seneste halvandet år. Mange har haft ekstraordinært lange udmønstringsperioder væk fra hjem og familie. Vi skylder dem en stor tak for at holde verdenshandlen i gang,” siger han. Kilde: Maritime Direct. •

Blue experiences /

Blå oplevelser

his Tuesday, the small coastal town of Thisted in western Denmark is ready to receive 63 wooden ships that are all part of the North’s largest sailing event for wooden ships, the Limfjord Tour – and the missionaries to seafarers are ready too. On a clear autumn day, the Danish Mission to Seafarer’s ship Bethel looks magnificent in the dim sunlight, and many people come in to borrow a shower or have a cup of coffee and a chat. Before the ship opens up, missionary to seafarers Per Jerup finds time for a quick visit to one of the little shacks on the harbor. Here, a group of men from the local community gather every morning to chat and look back on their time as fishers. They all have lots of experiences and knowledge in common. One has worked as a fisher in Greenland, another as a ship builder, and at third has worked with both trash fish and edible fish from age twelve to age sixty. Today he is 89 years old, and as he says: “I’ve tried it all!” “We are always happy to see Per here at our shack,” Jan says, and the others silently approve. •

enne tirsdag er Thisted klar til at modtage de 63 træskibe, der er med i Nordens største træskibsejlads Limfjorden rundt. Det er sømandsmissionærerne også. Sømandsmissionens skib Bethel ser strålende ud i det flotte blå efterårsvejr, og der kommer mange på besøg for at tage et bad, få en kop kaffe og en snak. Inden det vrimler ombord for sømandsmissionær Per Jerup tid til en tur over i et af de hyggelige skure på havnen. Her mødes en gruppe mænd hver formiddag for at snakke om tiden som fiskere og om løst og fast. Her er meget fælles viden og erfaring. En har arbejdet som fisker i Grønland, en anden som skibstømrer og en tredje på havet med skidtfisk og konsumfisk fra han var 12-60 år. Nu er han 89, og som han udtrykker det: Jeg har prøvet det hele! ”Vi er glade for at have besøg af Per her i skuret,” siger Jan. Der nikkes fra de andre. •

Hjælp

t sea, fire- and rescue drills are performed on a regular basis because when something goes wrong, everyone must be ready to act, help, and save lives. Although it is not always a matter of life and death, the need for assistance and readiness is also part of our everyday lives – offering a helping hand at work or taking time to listen when needed. In this edition of Waves, we ask how we can help each other as fellow human beings. •

yppigt er der brand- og redningsøvelser ombord på et skib, for når det virkeligt gælder, skal alle yde deres. For at hjælpe. For at redde liv. Der kan også være brug for assistance i hverdagen i små og store ting. En hjælpsom hånd til arbejdsopgaven eller at én gider lytte til det, man fortæller. Dette Waves handler om, hvordan vi hjælper hinanden på forskellig vis. •

Happy new year

oon, Christmas presents will be distributed to sailors all over the world! Seamen’s missionaries and volunteers from Mission to Seafares distribute Christmas presents in Danish and Greenlandic harbors. Often, Mission to Seafares encounters sailors, who can tell them about specific Christmas presents or cards, which they received from the Mission to Seafares many years ago. It makes a visible impact when someone cares for you trough actions – when someone sees you. Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2022. •

nart uddeles der julegaver til søfolk over hele jorden! Sømandsmissionærer og frivillige deler julegaver ud på skibe i danske havne og Grønland. Ofte støder Sømandsmissionen på søfolk, som mange år efter kan fortælle, at de fik den og den gave eller et julekort med en varm julehilsen. Det gør indtryk at blive tænkt på. At blive set. Sømandsmissionen ønsker glædelig jul og godt nytår 2022. •

First visit to a container ship Første besøg på containerskibe

issionary to seafarers Jørgen Knudsen and newly employed youth worker Lara Legarth had positive experiences at Aarhus Harbor where they visited a range of container ships. Lara tells us about her first impressions: “We spent the day handing out newspapers in various languages to seafarers, including Russian, Ukrainian and Filipino. It was exciting to speak to them. They come from all over the world, and many of them work for nine months at a time. In the Danish Mission to Seafarers, we wish to meet the seafarers where they are. I had an interesting conversation with at Russian seafarer about life and faith, and he told me what matters to him.” •

ømandsmissionær Jørgen Knudsen (tv) og nyansat ungdomsmedarbejder Lara Legarth (th) fik oplevelser på Aarhus havn, hvor de var ombord på flere containerskibe. Lara fortæller om sine første indtryk: ”Dagen gik med at aflevere aviser på alverdens sprog - russisk, ukrainsk og filippinsk - til søfolkene. Det var spændende at snakke med dem. De kommer fra alle steder i verden, og mange af dem arbejder ni måneder ad gangen. Som sømandsmission ønsker vi at møde sømændene der, hvor de er. Jeg fik spændende snakke bl.a. med en russer om tro og liv, og hvad det betyder for ham.” •

Returadresse: Indenlandsk Sømandsmission, Havnepladsen 1, 7100 Vejle, Denmark

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