Our outreach group visited the Mariner’s Care Home today, a grand castle-like structure situated in the upper hillside, west end of Greenock. The home is a very old institution founded in 1850 as a legacy of Sir Gabriel Wood, a well-known and respected seafarer in Greenock. The home was created to meet the needs of elderly seafarers, but at present it also caters for alcoholic elderly seafarer’s.
As stoic as the building looks, so are the faces of these men, reserved and composed. However, there were some who were expressive with warm smiles and greetings. The team started praise and worship and shared a few testimonies. One of our team members shared a powerful testimony about her father being a hard core alcoholic and how he became a changed man as he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. Upon hearing this, gradually you could see stern faces softening with eyes holding back tears. Then our team leader started sharing the gospel and asked the group if they wanted to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We were amazed to see about 12 men raising their hands high. Our team leader then led them with the sinner’s prayer. What a day of rejoicing when the seafarer’s found the true anchor of their lives, our Lord Jesus Christ.
