Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1940, Page 213

THE NORWEGIAN SEAMEN’S MISSION
20 7
world of beauty, the spiritual and cultural values which a nation
is proud to possess and pleased to display. In this way the Sea-
men’s Mission does its part to promote international understand-
ing and build a bridge from nation to nation — a work of which
there surely cannot be too much in our day.
Of no less importance is the work for the sick seamen re-
niaining in hospital after their ship has left port. Sometimes it is
merely minor accidents and troubles for which they are treated.
At other times serious injuries or diseases may keep them tied to
bed in a lingering and painful illness. Under such circumstances
the days and nights will seem long to those who only hear an
unknown language spoken around them and only see people
they do not know. What a boon then to receive a visit from the
Mission, from some one, who talks the seamen’s own language
and will listen when a soul in distress unburdens itself, who will
speak words of consolation and bring the Gospel tidings to a
sorrowful heart. The Mission workers will come and go as a
father and mother, and often they will write when the patient
cannot do so himself and send a last greeting home from him
who has closed his eyes and found a grave on foreign soil. —
The activities of a modern Norwegian Seaman’s Church being
thus very varied and the contact with the seamen extensive and
intimate, it is only natural that those who have lost track of a
seafaring man should apply to the Mission for help. In the years
1914—1938 altogether 14000 such enquiries were made, and
some 9000 men traced. The reason why the connection was
broken may be various. Often it turns out to be letters that have
gone astray, or misunderstandings, unemployment etc. may be the
cause. In most cases it is possible to settle the matter, so that the
correspondence can go on again to the mutual satisfaction of those
at home and the seamen abroad.
With regard to their mail the seamen will as a rule be less
fortunate than we who have a fixed address. In order to remedy
this defect, all Seamen’s Churches will gladly receive the seamen’s
tuail. At our New York station this work has at times been of
considerable dimensions. The Church has no less than 1031 post
boxes which are let to seamen on very reasonable terms. By keep-
Jng the Church informed to which address the mail is to be for-
warded, the delivery will be as quick and secure, as it can be for
one who “sails and sails, and has no abode.” —
In most places the Seamen’s Churches are also the churches