A heart attack is bad enough without being far from home and family, as one of our regular seafarers found out first hand. But he also discovered first hand that we are never alone. His attack happened when he was heading out of Montreal and thankfully he was able to debark and make it to a hospital here in Montreal. The doctor noted that if he had been out to sea he would not have lived. Our chaplains visited him regularly and Jason even brought some of his fellow crew mates to cheer him up.
Several days later Jason made an off-handed remark on another ship about the seafarer in the hospital. – And this is where it gets good. – It turns out the man that Jason “just happened” to be talking to “just happened” to be the cousin of the man in the hospital and back home they live a stone’s throw away from each other. How happy was the sick man, so far from home and family to see a family member walk into his hospital room. As our chaplain said, “You should have seen his face; at first shock and then absolute joy!” How good is our God!

A little shout out to ALL the wonderful knitters who not only warmed the heads of many a seafarer but also their hearts. We received many gifts of hand made hats and scarves which we hand out to seafarers who arrive in frigid Montreal not quite ready for the weather. Here is a picture of just one of those faithful friends of M2S, Wilma Ocher, who knit one toque each week for the entire year!

We are already underway with our Christmas Parcel Drive. We hope that you are willing and able to participate!

Each year we give about 1500 parcels away to seafarers from all over the world. This is on way that we can show them the love of Christ while they are far from home and also have the opportunity to share with them the reason for the season and the Savior!

So roll up your sleeves and start packing!

MAKING PARCELS

To ensure that parcels are of similar value, we ask that you follow the following guidelines as closely as possible:

1. Fill a box (perhaps a small shoe box) completely. It is better to have a small full box than a half empty big box.
2. Enclose a Christmas card with a personal note and your name and address. Many of those who receive these gifts want to acknowledge them.
3. Parcel contents: Enclose one or more of the following: scarf, toque, gloves, socks. writing pad and envelopes, address book, letter opener, ballpoint pens, scissors, scotch tape, calendar. Other suggestions: packaged candy, aftershave lotion, handkerchief, face cloth, playing cards, soap, nail clipper, a small souvenir of Canada.
4. Wrap the individual parcels in Christmas wrapping paper.
5. Please note the approximate value of the gift on the top right-hand corner (postage stamp area) of each parcel as follows:
Value: Mark your gift:
$11-$15 B
$16-$20 C
We ask you to do this so that we can give the “richer” gifts to the less fortunate seafarers.
6. Pack the parcels into cartons. On the outside of each one be sure to: 1) print the name and address of your church so that we may acknowledge your gift; 2) indicate how many parcels are in the box: 3) please refer to a special enclosed sheet which gives shipping instructions.

SPECIAL NOTES

Please send your parcels as soon as possible. We would like to receive them any time after November 1 and before December 25.

Last year we did not have many women and so we have quite a few parcels for women left over therefore we ask PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY PARCELS FOR WOMEN this year.

We sometimes receive parcels that are poorly wrapped or that contain used items that should not be used as a gift. Please, give of your best, not of what you no longer want or need.

SENDING PARCELS

When sending the parcels by delivery service address shipping boxes to:

The Ministry to Seafarers
MONTREAL SEAMAN’S CLUB
Iberville Terminal
Shed No. 3, Second Level
OLD PORT, Montreal, QC H2Y 2C9

514-849-3234

When sending by Canada Post please address shipping boxes:

The Ministry to Seafarers
PO Box 128, Place D’Armes Postal Station
Montreal, QC H2Y 3E9

Sending by post or parcel delivery services such as UPS, Fed Ex, etc. are great but you can also send by truck or traveler to Montreal and we will meet up with them and get them to the Seafarers’ Center. Let us know either by phone, 514-844-1476 or email, min2seaf@colba.net.

Thanks for all of your support.

May God bless you in your giving.

Food is a universal source of enjoyment and variety is a key to that happiness. Our chaplains have been met recently with increased requests by ship cooks for cookbooks. So we're putting it out to all of you. If you're anything like me you've got a stack of cookbooks which you've collected over time - some are covered in flour and tattered along the binding but others... well they weren't what I was looking for and so they sit - loyally holding up others who stand unused and providing a leaning place for the more broken in ones. Well here's how you can put those less used cookbooks to good use - send them our way!

Now as much as we all like Christmas cookie cookbooks and no matter how good our intentions were when we picked up that "French Chef in a Day" cookbook these are not what we're hoping for. Our guys here are just looking for Mom's home cooking - easy straightforward every day cookbooks.

If you've got some of those type of cookbooks and you're willing to pass them on please send them our way addressed to: The Ministry to Seafarers PO Box 128 Place D'Armes Montreal QC H2Y 3E9.

Thanks to all of you our continuing supporters - Bon Appetit!