There is a loud buzz in the dining area where Chinese seamen surround Danie. A rumour, clearly per ship telegraph, spread and according to the rumour Danie, a man with many connections, is on board. He is peppered with many questions from a ten-deep crowd and every man wants to know something. It is a little chaotic, especially because of the small problem that impedes the flow of communication... language.
It is a gross understatement to say the English skills on board are limited. Danie’s Chinese skills are just as limited. He knows about five words in Chinese, covering mostly ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. It quickly transpires that the conversation is going nowhere, but they have no wish to give up. The solution is to play a little charades and Pictionary. The Chinese men talk to each other and use sign language. Two of them appear with a pencil and a little notebook. The result is definitely not in the league of Van Gogh, but the drawings do help with understanding.
From the chatter and stick men on the dirty page, Danie finally understands that the crowd is under the impression that he sells diamonds. It is definitely a first for him. He explains and signs back to them, trying to make it clear that they have the wrong end of the stick. At last they understand that they are barking up the wrong tree and the realisation that Danie’s backpack does not contain sparkling stones clearly disappoints. The atmosphere changes visibly. The excitement has been lost. The only noises that remain are the sounds of chopsticks scraping the porcelain bowls as they finish their lunch.
But, Danie’s backpack does contain something important. In the silence after the stormy discussion, he unpacks the Chinese Bibles and places them one by one on a table. It is a silent invitation to something larger than normal life. As the men try to steal a view of his ‘product’ he points at the cross on his jacket badge while indicating ‘no cost, for free’. Just like that a new door opens...
As eager hands grab the Bibles one by one from the table, they start a new conversation - without words. It builds a bridge, not only between cultures and languages, but also between man’s heart and God’s heart. Rather than with diamonds that they so desperately want, they leave with a message of mercy, love and hope.
Your donation of to the CSO makes stories like these possible - every day. It takes the Word of God to men working at sea and these men come from all over the world. For that we thank you from our hearts, on behalf of each person touched by our work and service.
Bankacc: Christelike Seemansorganisasie. ABSA. Cheque. 630509. Nr: 1520-230-226.
Their meeting takes place along André’s Via Dolorosa. The footsteps en route lie deeply entrenched along the road, all the way from the Ukraine. If he dares to look back for a moment, seeing the suffering along the way over the past two years, he sees the horror, the heartbreak and pain. It is glowing in his soul like a burning coal, unsympathetic and destructive.
André’s Via Dolorosa is about loss. In a war situation, one immediately wants to jump to the conclusion that loss refers to loss of life, to the victims of bullets and bombs. Yes, it is part of it. But, it is more. It is also about loss of self, loss of humanity, loss of everything that you once thought was important or that it had meaning.
War strips absolutely. It swallows your coming and going. The horror tracks in the rear-view mirror are one thing, but the never-ending black storm clouds on the horizon are what threaten to destroy you. You want to shout: ‘I cannot go on’. For André the reality is that his eight-year-old daughter and her mother had to stay behind in Odessa. There is no other option. The money he earns is the only hope to escape. But, to leave your child and wife behind in a war is not an easy cross to bear. Which father, which man does this? This is his guilt.
Nico of the CSO, sits quietly and listens to André’s story. Nico is deeply aware of how cheap words could be. Any advice or recommendation he could offer the broken man in front of him would be hollow and mere symbols. He knows, however much he wants to, that he cannot understand the true depths of André’s sorrow. With great care, without prescribing or suggesting that he, Nico, has any answers, he can tell of another man that had to walk a similar road. Along the Via Dolorosa, like a lamb, the Messiah, Jesus Christ the King, came because he loved you and me. Along the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Golgotha... Now we know what lies beyond Golgotha - an open grave.
Every meeting that we at the CSO have each day with the men working at sea, is not a wonderful tale of someone that had been changed irrevocably. More than often, when we meet such a man along his Via Dolorosa, our task with the greatest of care is to help that man take a single step forward. Sometimes it is a step away from the ‘I cannot go on’, but at other times it is a step that gives new perspective. Sometimes it lies in the smallest thing. One step can change everything.
Do you not want to consider, praying, supporting us financially? It will help us continue being there for the men to lean on us for a moment, to enable them to take one more step. You can change everything.
PS. Our bank details are: Christelike Seemansorganisasie. ABSA. Current. 1520-230-226.
Just look at the joy on these seafarers’ faces. This is about something that may be commonplace for you and me: A Bible in your own language. It is God's joy that radiates from them. There is the well-known Hymn that reads: In You is joy! They meet the Lord in this Bible. Here they hear His joyful voice. That is the wonder of this, they hear right where they are.
Of course there are other ways they can hear. After all, we live in the age of technology. There are podcasts, TV channels and Bibles on their mobile phones. But it is not the same joy for the seafarers as literally having the Lord's Word in their hands and leafing through it. After all, a Bible in a native language speaks to your heart. It gives the heart joy. God's joy.
Technology has taken over. There were the days of the homing pigeon. Beautifully written letters. CSO's letters to donors. Seafarer's letters to their loved ones. Unfortunately, the postal service today presents us with a whole lot of challenges. Mail items, such as the newsletters you have received regularly, do not reach you. Donations sent to CSO by mail do not reach us. It disappears like fog before the morning sun. My plea is therefore whether you do not want to consider signing a debit order for donations from now on. We do all the administration at our office and can make any changes with an email or Whatsapp or phone call from you. The options of monthly, quarterly, every six months or annually are at your disposal. You can also choose any day of the month. Other options include EFT’s and setting up regular payments on your banking app. Please contact us via email for more information. Please consider this prayerfully. Click here https://bit.ly/43khwDO to download the debit order form. Fill out and send back to us and we'll do the rest! The email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Wimpie van Schoor: Chairman.
PS. There are donors who have already taken this step. We know who you are. Thank you very much for that!
Bankacc: ABSA, Current, 1520-230-226
There is news of a new war in the air, although we have hardly recovered from yesterday’s bombs. Around the Red Sea another thousand barrels are being oiled for battle and swords are being sharpened as they were sharpened in the past.
Over the Black Sea heavy artillery thunders constantly now, as if it is a quite normal part of the daily existence of many. Peace seems to be an extremely expensive commodity and love a seldom experienced commodity. When will reports tell us that Eden had been restored?
It is not a surprise that Danie and Yuri, a sea-working man from the Ukraine simply pray together in the dining area of the ship: ‘Dona nobis Pacem’ – Lord, give us Peace. The fear created by war gobbles up peace on every conceivable level of existence. When Yuri shares his story, he shares it with his mobile phone gripped tightly in his hand. He explains that every message received has the potential to change his existence irrevocably. Every message contains a potential bomb. It could be a missile intent on destruction. When Yuri speaks, Danie realises that Yuri had been more passionate before: However, war tempered the passion, changing it into dejection. His peace was replaced by a high-tension cable running through his heart, threatening collapse at any moment. War steals everything, especially inner peace. So, simply: ‘Dona nobis Pacem’. Please Lord!
Danie and Yuri talk intensely and urgently. War creates another type of urgency that lies way beyond sweet talk about the weather. It causes you to doubt the reason for life. It makes you wonder about God, humanity and existence. For Yuri, the chance to talk to Danie and Danie’s willingness to listen bring light within the continued trauma surrounding him. For a moment he can share the world that he carries on his shoulders with another person. Long after their conversation, they can pray together, begging: ‘Dona nobis Pacem’ – Lord, give us Peace.
Yuri’s story is one of thousands that sound similar. These are stories of unimaginable heartbreak caused by bombs and bullets. It does not matter whether war takes place around the Red Sea or Black Sea, war is war. Yet, not always. Yuri is unique, one of God’s creations. That is why we at the CSO see each person as a unique individual. We shall listen to each story and in listening we shall share with the seafaring men the hope, mercy and love of the One God that gives Peace that transcends all.
We need your support to do what we do. Your donation strengthens our hands to serve men working at sea in each of our country’s harbours every day. Please consider becoming part of this care and service.
*Some partial sentences used and translated from Jannie du Toit’s song, ‘Vrede Vanaand’.