So history repeats itself. When CSO was established in 1944, it was mainly to provide assistance to the Dutch soldiers to and from Indonesia. It was necessary to intervene to help the soldiers that were in suffering as a result of the war en distances from home.

Today, history is on our doorstep again. Ukraine and Russian sailors make up 17% of the world's total sailors. This means that almost one fifth of the sailors are directly affected by the conflict between the two countries.

This does however not implicate that the sailors are actively involved in the war. The impact of the crisis is on a different level for the sailors. Thousands of them are stranded in ports because they cannot go home. There are no flights to their homelands. Sanctions cause many of them not to have access to their bank accounts. This could lead to a major humanitarian crisis among the sailors even if they are not in the conflict.

Earlier in history, CSO was privileged to help the sailors in our own ports. Today's crisis is different. It is far from our territory. Yet each of us can do something. Pray for these sailors. Pray for their families with whom they probably have no contact.

Pray that tomorrow will look different for them. This is what this song sung by Rina Hugo is about. Pray that life will tomorrow, look different for every seafarer (no matter if they are Russian or Ukrainian). But also pray for every seafarer who is currently on the ships. Nobody has any idea where this conflict is going to lead. Pray that for the other seafarers, so that tomorrow will be different for all of them.

And please remember this is for you too!