Sailors' Society - strangers on our shore

Sited on the coast of the Cromarty Firth, the small town of Invergordon, population 4k, is host each summer to large numbers of cruise liners putting into harbour to offer passengers tours around the Scottish Highlands. For the 25-30k crew who staffed these vessels in 2014, the 9-10 months (or more) that can be spent at sea bear a hidden cost.
Whether it be the Philippino seafarer who sees his 10-month old daughter for the first time on Skype; or the Ukrainian seafarer who fears for his wife and family’s safety and the shadow of conscription on his return; or the Turkish cook who weeps with the anguish of missing his 5 year old son whilst knowing his absence is to provide a better future for him.
Sailors' Society and their local team of volunteers, led by Drew Anderson, provide support to the thousands of seafarers who visit the centre. They meet thousands of merchant seafarers each year; extending a hand of friendship, hospitality and pastoral care and practical services - like internet access and phone cards to connect with loved ones at home. Over a cup of tea or coffee and shortbread biscuits, friendships are formed, stories are told, and the Bible’s lifewords shared through a range of resources made available in many languages.
SGM Lifewords is all about freely sharing the Bible in a one-to-one way. We create Bible resources and digital content, we run Bible programmes with partners, and we pioneer new projects to engage people with the Bible in their own language and culture.
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