“Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.” This is my favorite quote said by Buddha; and I think that it applies to being a NEWARK ACTS intern/missioner in many ways.
Although it is a thrilling to take on new and exciting opportunities such as NEWARK ACTS, it is not easy leaving behind the comforts of home. Through NEWARK ACTS I am meeting new people and learning new things; and I hope to continue to grow as a man for others.
Working for Seamen’s Church Institute has allowed me to understand how truly blessed I am. Hard-working men and women of the maritime industry sacrifice more than I realized in order to provide us with the products and goods that we have become accustomed to utilizing in everyday life. Seafarer’s often spend a challenging and dangerous 6-9 months on board vessels, away from the comforts of their homes in order to provide for their families. Seafarers commonly are from countries such as Korea, China, India, Ukraine, and Philippines among many others. To put things into perspective; below are the distances Seafarers travel from home to serve us!
- Newark to Korea: 6,957 miles
- Newark to China: 6,827 miles
- Newark to India: 7,856 miles
- Newark to Ukraine: 4,780 miles
- Newark to Philippines: 8,589 miles
Having the opportunity to be able to serve and visit many seafarers that sail into Port Newark has been a great blessing for me. It is because of them that I am reminded of the graces in my life: family, friends, and health. Knowing it would be difficult at times to be far from the familiarities of home, I am still more than willing to accept the challenge to become a community leader that continues to strive for justice and peace in our world.
Ryan
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