Far from home, seafarers docked in Vancouver get some Christmas cheer with donated gift bags

Ship bosun Martin Gustilo has been aboard a bulk grain freighter for nearly two weeks as it travelled from Central America to Vancouver. He'll spend the Christmas holiday on the vessel along with 18 fellow crew members as they steam back toward the equator. 

Seafarers learn to live with the isolation. They can be at sea for weeks at a time and away from their families for months. There's no going home for the holidays — in Gustilo's case, home is the Philippines, thousands of kilometres from Vancouver.

"I find it quite lonely because I'm far from my family. ... I have two kids waiting for me, so I miss them so much, especially this holiday season," said Gustilo, 32.

"I want to hug them and I want to be with my family during Christmas season, but this is my profession, so nothing I can do."

Mission to Seafarers chaplain Peter Smyth understands what the sailors are going through. That's why he and his organization have assembled more than 1,500 gift bags to deliver to ship crew members as they pass through Vancouver's port over the holidays.

The gift bags are filled with donations from supporters, church groups and people in the marine industry. They contain practical items, like soap, toothpaste and razors, as well as sweets like candy canes and chocolates and warm socks and tuques.

"It's a season of thinking of those who are less fortunate. It's a season of expressing gratitude, so we try to do that," said Smyth. "We let them know that we care about you, you matter, we're grateful, and to bring a little joy when they're away from home."

Many of the bags contain thoughtful little notes written by school children. Many of the tuques — meant to provide a little warmth for someone who may not be prepared for Canada's cold weather — have been hand knitted.

Delivering the cheer

As chaplain, Smyth is able to move freely through the secure port. He knows little about Gustilo's ship as he approaches. It's being loaded with some sort of grain and flies a Belgian flag. 

At the gangway, he meets the ship's cooks. Rodel Gatbonton, the chief cook, has been working on this freighter for six months.

"Working on a ship is very hard. You know, rough seas. Everything you will encounter, rough seas, bad weather, everything," says Gatbonton, who laments that he'll be spending Christmas on the boat. "We love spending Christmas at home."

Smyth learns half the crew is from the Philippines and half is from Ukraine. The captain is either sleeping or off the vessel running errands in the city, so the chaplain heads up the gangway in search of the chief officer. He has a big clear plastic bag full of gift bags in each hand.

On the deck, the crew is busy with resupply.

Sometimes, Smyth will find the crew hanging out, relaxing. Sometimes he'll spend more time with them, providing an ear for anyone who wants to talk, advice for anyone with questions about the city, looking for wi-fi or seeking spiritual guidance.

"Sometimes they ask us, 'Can you do a blessing on the ship? Can you do a mass, or a eucharist or prayers on the ship?' So that's also important. They're looking for that, too," he said.

Sometimes all is not well on a ship — for example, a crew member might have died during the last leg of a voyage.

'It's a hard life'

But on the Belgian ship, everything seems fine. The crew is just busy with their work.

Smyth finds the chief officer and hands off the gift bags. He expresses his gratitude for the work the seafarers do and his well wishes for the holidays.

The Ukrainian chief officer thanks Smyth and says he'll hand out the gifts on Christmas Day, when the crew enjoys a little party.

With that, Smyth makes his way off the ship. He finds a moment to briefly chat with a couple other crew members and remark at the boxes of Glenfiddich whisky and other alcohol sitting on the deck as part of the resupply.

Smyth will make similar visits to dozens of ships before the new year.

"It's a hard life," he says of seafaring. "So, if we can make it a little easier, that's what we try to do."