Needy People Not Left At Sea
From the desk of Tek & Goldie:
Tek, having been the chairman of PLKM (Pusat Latihan Kristen Melaka) in Melaka, we have a special place for all who have connections with MBS (Malaysia Bible Seminary: name changed from PLKM to MBS). So when Un Hui and Becky Tay turned up in Perth for a wedding, we immediately welcomed them into our home and invited them to share their remarkable ministry with seafarers in our fellowship group.
By Un Hui Tay
Who are the seafarers?
Seafarers work onboard container vessels, tankers, cruise vessels, bulk carriers or fishing vessels. Each ship has a Captain, Officers, Engineers, Electricians and crew to maintain and sail the ship from one country to another and from one port to another to bring cargos or products. They are the “movers!” From birth to burial, everyone is dependent on seafarers because they bring things such as raw materials to be processed in another country and bring the finished products back to us, whether they are foods and fruits, white goods, clothing, machinery, etc.
My congregation
There are about 1.6 to 1.8 million seafarers at sea at any one time, so I have floating congregations. The country which supplies most seafarers is the Philippines, followed by other Asian countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. With my training at MBS and the mission fields, skills set, linguistic and cultural backgrounds, I discovered that I am at the right place and at the right time! I can connect and communicate with seafarers and relate with them culturally. They are very much at home when we meet at the Mission or onboard the vessels.
As a church planter and pastor, I am very passionate about seafarers’ welfare and wellbeing. I can provide pastoral care and counselling for the crew, especially when in crisis, such as suicide or incidents onboard and advocate for them when there is a dispute and unfair treatment.
Providing a personal touch
Due to the pandemic, seafarers are in complete lockdown around the world. Understanding the psyche of seafarers and their mental health during this unprecedented situation has been challenging. Seafarers are longing and yearning to get off their vessels at each port for a breather, but unfortunately, they have been prohibited due to government policy. Many have suffered from an anxiety disorder, loneliness, emotional and psychological scars, with suicidal rates increasing manifold. When we delivered supplies to them at the gangway, they were so appreciative and wanted to have meaningful conversations with us. They long to connect with the outside world again, and our chaplains provide such personal touch and connection with them, affirming their “humanness”, that they are valued and have not been forgotten.
Gifts for Chinese New Year
Visiting seafarer hospitalized for knee surgery
Conducting a sea burial on board with the deceased remains in a cardboard container. Container was handed to his sister.
Sunday zoom service
When we started our Sunday Zoom Service to seafarers, only three people attended. Today, we have an average of 25. Our largest attendance was 180 participants! The Zoom Service provides a platform for seafarers to connect and interact, singing and sharing, affirming their faith, listening to a short devotion and prayers for them, their families and work. It helps alleviate their anxieties and loneliness and encourages and supports them emotionally and spiritually.
Face-to-face services on board
We conducted three Sunday services onboard the vessels this year and zoomed the sessions across the globe. We have seafarers and supporters from North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, India, The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Australia. The responses from the crew and others have been very encouraging and uplifting. It shows how much emotional and spiritual support they need.
From the beginning of the year till October, I thought it would be a lean year in terms of spiritual harvest as we led only three people to commit their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then on Saturday, 16th October, I received a call to go onboard a tanker to pray for the crew. Upon arrival, the director of the vessel informed me that some of the crew had just had their COVID vaccinations in the morning. Concerned for their safety and health, he requested that I pray for God’s blessing upon them. Before praying for them, I gave a short sharing from the Scripture. Then I gave an invitation for those who wanted to commit their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, and they could pray the Sinner’s Prayer after me. To my surprise, all nine crew members prayed loudly after me to commit their lives to Jesus (see photo below).
On Saturday, 18th December, I was invited to conduct a Christmas Thanksgiving Service onboard another gas tanker. 14 crew attended, and at the closing, I gave an invitation to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. All 14 put up their hands and prayed to accept Jesus Christ! The Holy Spirit is indeed working during this challenging time. I give thanks to God that He works in mysterious ways. This year 2021, 26 seafarers have dedicated their lives to Jesus, and the harvest continues to 2022 when 35more enter the Kingdom! Glory to God!
In the 15 years of ministry in Malaysia after graduation from theological school, they have been involved in church planting and pioneering in Klang, Subang Jaya, Seremban, Petaling Jaya in Mandarin/English congregations. By divine arrangement, they were invited to New Zealand in 1998, where they established an International and diverse congregation in Nelson. Then a Macedonia call came from Sydney, Australia, to plant a church. While still involved in church planting, in 2008, he became a chaplain in the Mission to Seafarers. After ten years, he was appointed CEO/Principal Chaplain. They now live and serve in Sydney.
Hear Un Hui’s interview on 24.2.2022:
Mission keeps lifeline open to stuck seafarers (16mins – Click here to Listen)
