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We rarely think what happens to seafarers when they are left stranded or isolated at ports around Scotland. Yet without the intervention of Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), their precarious plight would be much worse for sure.

 

That’s why I’ve been inspired to witness at close hand how the Catholic charity, in its centenary year, is aiding those who might otherwise have been forgotten during these unprecedented times. The spiritual and practical assistance that has been delivered since the outbreak of this pandemic has never been more vital.

 

Port chaplains have had to adapt and change. Severe restrictions are in place around ports and government guidelines must be followed, but still they manage to support seamen on the proverbial ‘front line’.

 

I wonder where we would all be without seafarers, so crucial to our economy by delivering 95 per cent of all trade? Around Scotland’s coast, chaplains are performing an invaluable role in helping these unsung heroes.  For that, we should be eternally grateful.

 

Take Troon for instance. Earlier in lockdown, a group of foreign fishermen found themselves having to stay longer in port because of the pandemic. But being a stranger in a foreign land was never an option. Joe O’Donnell, Scotland’s Senior Regional Port Chaplain, soon brought them much-needed supplies. They asked for a bike and Joe provided one so they could get to the shops for further essentials.
 
This simple act of kindness is likely to be appreciated far more than we could imagine.
 
With so much upheaval, it’s sometimes just good to talk. Helping seafarers keep in contact with family and loved ones back home has been paramount. Equipment has been provided to ensure nobody has been left cut off and increased requests for phone top-up vouchers have been answered.  
 
Doug Duncan, the northeast Port Chaplain, supported a Filipino fisherman who’d been airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for emergency treatment after suddenly taking ill on his boat. Doug picked up, washed and delivered Jericho’s clothes and supplied fruit, chocolates and magazines to the hospital.  He chatted regularly with Jericho via social media, helping keep his spirits up and reassuring him before he returned home for further hospital treatment.

 

Two Fraserburgh fishermen, Samuel and Isaac, also contacted Doug asking for a top up – not for the phone, but a Holy Water top up.  The men had run out of Holy Water on their latest trip out to sea, so wasted no time in getting in touch. Again, help was at hand and the seafarers were able to sprinkle their boat and cabins before embarking on their next 14-day trip.
 
Whatever the seafarer’s difficulty, one guarantee is Stella Maris will continue to support those working on the sea in whatever way possible. COVID has curtailed centenary commemorations, but with much still to celebrate, we’ll start with a Mass at St Mungo’s church in the charity’s birthplace of Glasgow on Sunday October 4 at 3pm. Please join us for the live stream (see Stella Maris’ website:

 

https://www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk / or nearer the
time, Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StellaMarisorg/ ).

And if you would like to become a volunteer, please contact me at euan-mcarthur@stellamarismail.org or phone 07720 093155.

 

 

It is always sad to see people destroy the environment they live in: it’s time to help heal the Earth.

September 1 to October 4 is being marked as the Season of Creation, encouraging people to think and act to give the earth a jubilee – a rest from all that we do to it. So - let us think what we can do to care for Mother Earth.

Here in Zambia we have a wealth of animals – crocodiles, giraffes, elephants, monkeys, rhinos and much, much more. We have beautiful rivers and the waterfalls that attract tourists to our country. Climate change threatens all of this, which is why it is so important that during this Season of Creation, people should unite and celebrate by taking care of whatever surrounds us.

And of course, it wouldn’t make sense to take action only during this short period of the Season of Creation. We must continue that loving care.

In Zambia, some industrial companies now have limits on production, which has reduced the damage to the environment. High use of fossil fuels and toxic oils has damaged the atmosphere and our underground water tables. The lives of animals, people – nature itself – are currently threatened by droughts, floods and the poisoned atmosphere.

Taonga Tembo is the director of an organisation called Barefeet Art Zambia. Barefeet teaches vulnerable youngsters to dance and perform, and he tells me that he has trained young people to become climate ambassadors who can encourage people to care for the Earth. In the Global North, you have school children going on strike to save the planet – here young people get that message across through dance and drama.

Taonga says our mother Earth is slowly “healing” because the global COVID 19 pandemic put millions of people into self-isolation, cutting the damage we cause to nature. He wants to encourage everyone around the globe to participate in this Season of Creation, continuing to improve our common home.

In December this year, Barefeet hope to perform an extraordinary show focusing on the Season of Creation that will teach people how to care for the Earth.
And the Zambian government is currently working with the Plant A Million organisation to engage communities in environmental activities that we can all learn from.

As Christians we share a common role as caretakers of God's creation. I pray we can use this Season of Creation to think how it will be if we don’t tackle the emergency now. By 2030, we will be in severe trouble. The carbon reduction targets of 2040 and 2050 are not ambitious enough. I don’t want our elephants, crocodiles and beautiful rivers to be dead and gone in a hundred years because we didn’t grant a very big jubilee to Mother Earth now.

 

 

A certain wise Teacher asked his students “how do we determine the hour of dawn, when night ends and day begins?” Rejecting their answers, he told them, “It is when you can look into the face of human beings and have enough light to recognise them as your sisters and brothers. Until then, it is night and darkness is still with us.” (Hasidic tale)

 

BBC correspondent Fergal Keane recently travelled to Calais, where hundreds of would-be UK asylum seekers are crowded into small tents and where there is no possibility of social distancing. He said, “For people already living on the margins, the arrival of the coronavirus has been nothing but catastrophic.”

Something of an understatement.

 

Five hundred metres from where Keane was filming, in the lee of the UK-funded “security” wall and overlooked by the Calais football stadium, is the narrow strip of land that’s “home” for some of the Eritrean refugee community. Their tents are sandwiched between the wall - an ironically useful place to shelter from the rain and hang wet clothes and shoes - and a dirty, rat-infested stream. A hoodie on the washing line is emblazoned with the words “This Life is your Adventure. Stay Tough.”

 

The lockdown in France began on 17th March. Many of the volunteer groups working to support the refugee community in Calais began withdrawing. On March 25th Abel messaged me: “We don't get any food today. I don't know what can we do right now. But we will see what happens next day.”  A day later Merhawi wrote: “We have some food but not like past. Little bit hard but no problem God always with us and you.” And a few days later, Abel again: “Today we having lunch and breakfast. Don’t worry about it. We are at the moment good. But thank you for asking. Good night. Sweet dreams.”

 

From the end of March the talk has been about plans by the French authorities to move the refugee community in Calais to safe accommodation in unused hotels and hostels.

 

“We are all fine. We have food. We have charge for phones. Maybe we go camp this week,” Merhawi told me. “I am not happy to move but I think it’s very important.” Abel sounded more positive about the plan: “We have much more food and water. So far none sick for us. They tell to us that it’s voluntary to go to the hotels. I personally accept this because it’s important for me to save the life. I tell you soon what happens. Stay strong with your own family. See you tomorrow.”

 

Meanwhile, every second day, the police continue with the policy of dismantling the camps.

 

“How do we determine the hour of dawn, when night ends and day begins?” runs the Hasidic tale. Michael is a young Deacon in the Eritrean Orthodox church. He is in Calais after years of being shunted from one European country to another. “It is fine. God is with us. Don’t give up.”  Abel writes, “Peace and love for all people of the world. Let’s stand together to fight against the corona virus. I hope the best yet is coming soon for all of us.”

 

In the midst of the current catastrophe, dawn breaks through.