International Lutheran Seafarers’ Mission

Ministry Report for International Lutheran Seafarers’ Mission (ILSM) 2024

We are Thankful!

We thank God for another fruitful year in providing for the welfare and well-being of Seafarers in PSA Container Terminals and Fishermen at Jurong Fishery. We are also grateful to all our supporters for their prayers and volunteering spirit as well as donors for financial contribution. All these help us continue providing all our services free of charge to all Seafarers and Fishermen. We see God’s hand in continually shaping and directing this ministry to be aligned with His will.

We remain faithful to our Ministry Core Interest

We are clear and will stay true to our Ministry Core Interest i.e. to minister to Seafarers at every opportunity every day. We would not want to be artificially driven by external pressures, constraints and performance targets that are pegged to levels of funding support, especially from regulatory bodies. For us, one Seafarer engaged is one Seafarer brought closer to godliness (for the Brethren) or salvation in Christ (for the Heathen). This must be our ultimate aim, hope and earnest prayer. We believe that:

A Seafarer fired up in faith onboard a ship and desiring to do exploits with God will go a long way in sparking revival at sea as land-based Christians back them up in prayer and material support.
A heathen Seafarer who hears the Name of Jesus in his encounter with us in Singapore may well remember to call on Him in times of trouble, witness His saving power and receive His saving grace.

Realistic Ministry Outcomes

Our ministry targets must mirror and reflect the actual benefits received by the Seafarers engaged. This has included, but not limited to the following:

Seafarers and Fishermen receiving copies of ODB in their preferred language.
Seafarers and Fishermen receiving relevant topical booklets/tracts.
Seafarers and Fishermen being prayed for (ship & crew, personal needs, new joiners, sign-off personnel).
Seafarers and Fishermen hearing the Name of Jesus in our prayers of blessing for them.
Seafarers and Fishermen having personal encounters with God as a result of our interaction with them.

Significant Events

The birth of our local team

The most significant event of the year has to be the birth of our very own local team from 01 February 2024 after 25 years of collaboration with Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria. The team is led by the General Manager (Bryan Tay) and supported by up to 2 Operations Executives. Although a small step, it signals our intent to think differently and act differently without being encumbered by past traditions and practices. “New wine must be put in new wineskins.” (Mark 2:22)

Set-up of Coastal Welcome Services (CWS)

We began to develop a pool of Coastal Welcome Advocates (CWA). The CWAs act as friendly shore guides and work together to offer a suite of Coastal Welcome Services (CWS) to the crew who wants to come ashore. With these services, opportunities are aplenty for CWAs to demonstrate God’s love and engage the crew in qualitative conversations, whether opportunistically or deliberately, to bring God into each situation as the Holy Spirit leads.

Application for Grant to purchase a mini-bus

To facilitate our expanded reach to transport and engage Seafarers, we applied for a Grant from ITF Seafarers’ Trust to fully fund the purchase of an Electric Vehicle (Private Mini-Bus). The result is expected to be made known in December 2024.

(Afternote: We have obtained approval and purchased the EV, which became operation on 2 Apr 2025).

Achievements in 2024

The new team quickly got into high gear and made more than 1100 ship visits in Pasir Panjang Terminal and Tuas Terminal Gateway, achieving the 1000^th ship visit milestone on 7 October 2024. More than 10,000 copies of spiritual devotionals such as “Our Daily Bread” were distributed in various languages (English, Chinese, Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia) to the ship crew. At Jurong Fishery Port, our Seafarers’ Welfare Centre welcomed more than 6000 Fishermen by providing a safe haven for them to relax and enjoy free amenities such as wi-fi, F&B, music and games.

Coming up in 2025

Seafarers’ Carnival

This year, we want to do something special to honour all seafaring crew with the first-ever Seafarers’ Carnival 2025! This pioneering initiative represents a significant milestone achievement and strong affirmation of ILSM’s efforts in serving all seafaring crew for the past 25 years, for which we are grateful and thankful to God.

We invite you to join hands with us to bless the Seafarers and make this Carnival a truly enjoyable and memorable experience for them as Sponsor, Co-organiser or active participating organisation.

A Drop-In Centre: International Friendship Centre@Tuas (IFC)

We need a base that Seafarers can recognise and a holding area where captive moments can be created. This should be situated within proximity of Tuas Terminal Gateway and preferably near an MRT station e.g. Tuas Link MRT. We pray that God will move hearts to provide for the setup of the IFC.

New EV to boost our transportation capacity

To cater to the needs of Seafarers in Pasir Panjang Terminal (PPT) and Tuas Terminal Gateway (TTG), we would need to assign one vehicle (Sienta) to PPT and one to TTG (Higer EV).

Training Coastal Welcome Advocates as Friendly Shore Guides

We will train volunteers to become effective Coastal Welcome Advocates (CWA) in performing the following roles:

Ship visitors
Friendly shore guides
Centre hosts at IFC

Conclusion

We are mindful that unless God builds, we labour in vain. We covet your prayers and active support in materialising the ideas and plans that God has laid upon our hearts to engage Seafarers and Fishermen at every opportunity with Christian hospitality and the Gospel experience. To that end, we are fully committed to caring for the well-being of the seafaring community in Word and Deed.

2024 年国际信义会海员（ILSM）事工报告

我们心存感恩！
我们感谢上帝，在这富有成果的一年，使我们能让在PSA集装箱港口的海员和裕廊渔港的渔民受益。我们也感谢所有支持者的祈祷和志愿服务的精神，以及捐助者的财务奉献。这些都有助于我们继续为海员和渔民们免费提供所需的服务。我们看到上帝的手，按着祂的旨意不断塑造和指引这项事工。

我们仍然忠于我们的事工核心利益
我们很清楚，并将会忠于我们的核心事工服务 — 即每天抓住每一个机会为海员服务。我们不希望被外在的压力、限制，和成果目标，与资金的支持水平挂钩，尤其是来自监管机构的资金支持。对我们来说，一名受益的海员就是一名更接近敬虔（对主内弟兄来说）或更接近在基督里的救赎（对异教徒来说）的海员。这必须是我们的最终目标、希望和恳切的祈祷。我们相信：
• 一个基督徒海员在船上充满信心，渴望与神同工，这将大大有助于激发他们在海上的复兴，因为陆上的基督徒会用祷告和物质来支持他们。
• 一个信奉异教的海员在新加坡与我们相遇时听到耶稣的圣名，他可能会在患难中记起要呼求祂，看见神拯救的大能并接受祂的救赎的恩典。

实际的事工成果
我们的事工目标必须反映在海员所获得的实际益处。这包括但不限于以下：
• 海员和渔民收到他们所选择语文的【灵命日粮】。
• 海员和渔民收到相关的专题小册子/传单。
• 为海员和渔民祈祷（船舶和船员，个人需要，签到船员，签退船员）。
• 海员和渔民在我们为他们祈福祷告中听到耶稣的圣名。

• 海员和渔民在我们与他们的互动中，亲身体验到上帝与他们同在。

重要事件

• 今年最重要的事件是我们当地团队的诞生！在与德国巴伐利亚福音信义会合作 25 年后，我们自己的当地团队于 2024 年 2 月 1 日诞生！该团队由总经理（Bryan Tay）带领，并由2 名执行管理人员提供支持。虽然只是一小步，但它表明我们打算以不同的方式思考和行动，而不受过去传统的做法所阻碍。“新酒必须装在新皮袋里。”（马可福音 2：22）。

• 建立海岸欢迎服务（CWS – Coastal Welcome Service）

我们开始建立一沿海迎宾团队（CWA – Coastal Welcome Advocates)。

CWA 充当友好的岸上向导，共同为想要上岸的船员提供一套沿海迎宾服务（CWS）。有了这些服务，CWA 就有充足的机会向船员展示上帝的爱，并在圣灵的引导下, 与他们进行有质量的对话，让上帝在每种情况中运行。

• 申请补助金购买小型巴士为了扩大我们运输和服务海员的范围，我们向ITF海员信托基金申请了一笔补助金，以全额资助购买电动汽车（私人小型巴士）。结果预计将于 2024 年 12 月公布。（后记：我们已获得批准并购买了电动汽车，该电动汽车于 2025年 4 月 2 日投入服务）。

2024 年的成就

新团队迅速进入状态，在巴西班让集装箱港口普和大士集装箱港口（Tuas Terminal Gateway）进行了 1100 多次船舶访问，并于 2024 年 10 月 7 日实现了第 1000 次船舶访问的里程碑。向船员分发了 10,000 多份各种语言（英语、中文、他加禄语和印尼语）的灵修读物，例如“灵命日粮”。在裕廊渔港，我们的海员福利中心为 6000 多名渔民提供了一个安全的避风所，让他们可以放松并享受免费的设施，如无线网络、餐饮、音乐和游戏。

2025 年即将举办的活动

• 海员嘉年华会

今年，我们想做一些特别的事情来表彰所有船员，举办首届 2025 海员嘉年华会！这项开创性的举措是一个重要的里程碑式的成就，也是对ILSM 过去 25 年来为所有船员服务的努力的有所肯定，我们对此深表感激并感谢上帝。我们邀请您成为赞助商、协办方或积极参与的组织，与我们携手为海员祝福，让这次的嘉年华会成为他们真正愉快并且难忘的经历。

• 大士（Tuas）国际友谊中心 (IFC)

我们需要一个海员能够识别的基地和一个可以创造友好时光的等候区。它应该位于大士码头关口附近，最好靠近地铁站，例如大士连路地铁站。我们祈祷上帝感动人心，为 IFC 的建立提供资金。

• 新的电动车

为提升我们的运输能力，满足巴西班让集装箱港口码头 (PPT) 和大士集装箱港口码头关口 (TTG) 海员的需求，我们需要为巴西班让集装箱港口（ PPT ）分配一辆车（Sienta）。也要为大士集装箱港口关口 (TTG) 分配一辆车（Higer EV）。

• 培训沿海迎宾者成为友好的岸上导游

我们将培训志愿者成为有效的沿海迎宾者 (CWA)，以履行以下职责：