Outreach to Seafarers
http://www.seafarers-ministry.de
One of the nice things about being online is that you receive messages from interesting people all over the world. Just the other week I was contacted by Martin Otto of Germany who, along with wife Monika, is involved in outreach to seamen in the port city of Hamburg. Martin had visited the CMD web site, liked what he saw and made contact. He also sent text copy of a background piece he has written on ministry to seamen ("Seamen - A Forgotten People Group"). If you share similar interests to Martin then visit his web site (see above). If you would like a copy of his article, then let me know < BobHall@cmd.org.nz >.
Mercy Link
( a ministry of YWAM)
http://www.mercylink.com/
This ministry in the past was called Mercy Ships. The purpose of Mercy Link is to express God's love by genuinely serving the poorer more isolated island communities by attempting to meet both their physical and spiritual needs. This two handed approach in proclaiming the gospel has one hand saying "God loves you" and the other hand showing that same love in a practical way. Each ship carries dental and optical teams plus equipment and supplies. Specialised children's teams work with local civic groups and churches of all denominations. Technical teams repair village and hospital equipment as well as test the local water supply. Community Health Care teams work in local schools teaching primary health care.
With the reduction of government aid coming from many developed nations in the Pacific and South East Asia, the gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow. Basic standards of health and education are declining. Mercy Link believes that if everyone helped a little, then a lot could be accomplished throughout these regions. By the year 2005, the world's population will reach an estimated nine billion people. Never have more people shared our planet. No wonder the needs of the poor are more desperate than any other time in history. Since our inception in 1990, Mercy Link has reached out in practical ways. Thousands have been clothed, fed, sheltered and received medical attention throughout the South Pacific and now in South East Asia. In one typical year alone in the South Pacific, Mercy Link has
* Delivered over 1.5 million kilos of relief cargo, including clothing, building supplies, food, seed and medical supplies. * Performed 832 life-changing surgeries including cataract removal, cleft lip/palate, orthopedic and reconstructive surgeries. * Performed 6,790 dental surgeries. * Treated 8,877 people in villages. * Conducted seminars for hundreds of nurses, local pastors, First Aid volunteers as well as agricultural and community health workers.
With the more densely populated island communities in South East Asia, we are now practically doubling these statistics as we continue to minister in the islands of the Philippines. Medical Aid Throughout the Pacific and South East Asia, many island and coastal communities can only be reached by ship. A gift of a simple pair of discarded prescription glasses in a developed nation can change the whole lifestyle of a person in an underdeveloped nation who cannot see. Many cannot afford basic dental check-ups, and a simple tooth extraction can save a person from many years of pain and misery. As a volunteer organisation, Mercy Link can deliver medical aid including cataract operations at a fraction of the normal cost. Join us in our mission and find out how you can get involved. Together we really can make a difference!
Operation Mobilization
www.om.org
Operation Mobilization has a ministry where they travel around in ships
ministering to people in different countries. One of their ships is called
the Doulos.
