Priest helps spread festive cheer to sailors spending Christmas at sea away from families
Parish priest Kent Middleton leads a small team of relief workers, called Mission to Seafarers, who aim to help sailors separated from their families over Christmas.
The mission’s managing director is aware that long periods away from shore can take their toll, with feelings of separation all the more focused at this time of year.
Father Middleton, who is also the mission’s justice and welfare chaplain, offers comfort and support to crews who sometimes find themselves thousands of kilometres from home.
“This is a major livelihood for so many people around the world, and yet people aren’t always aware of the work that’s being done,” he said.
“Because they are out of sight, that doesn’t mean they’re any less important.
“Quite a large percentage of the seafarer population is Filipino who very much have Christmas on their minds at this time of year.
“But for those on board, it can still be a lonely time as they are detached and separated from their families.
“It’s celebrations like these that heighten the detachment and they feel it more.”
This week, the mission will deliver hundreds of Christmas packages, collected from a recent charity golf day, to about 40 ships at Dubai Maritime City, some of which are preparing for months-long voyages.
Donations of chocolates, biscuits and other festive treats have been packed in Christmas bags to offer some festive celebration for crews.
“Encouragingly, a lot of ships now have internet connections so they can contact their families. That does help,” said Father Middleton, the parish priest of St Luke’s Anglican church in Ras Al Khaimah and St Nicholas’s Congregation in Fujairah.
“Christmas Day will be just like any other working day for them because of the routine. They are either out at sea on Christmas Day itself or they’re coming into a port or leaving port. It’s certainly not a day off.
“On some ships, maybe the cook will do something special on that day.
“Or they might organise something among themselves during their recreation time, it will have that heightened feeling of wishing they were at home with their loved ones.”
On a typical day, Father Middleton visits up to five ships to speak with the crew and check on their welfare, alongside his duties as parish priest.
His packed schedule included a Christmas Mass at St Luke’s at 11pm last night, followed by a Christmas morning service at the same church at 10.30 this morning, then a festive lunch with friends.
“We are hearing more about seafarer welfare and the mental health support they often need,” he said.
“Not only seafarers, but for a lot of people, it can be a very sad and lonely time.
“Christmas is supposed to be joyful and about light hope and peace, but it also brings to the surface a lot of suppressed emotions.”
Next year, the mission is exploring the possibility of opening seafarer support centres at cruise terminals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and is planning workshops on how to deal with the challenges of life at sea.