Gratitude filled the room when the Mission to Seafarers Sydney community gathered at our 2025 Christmas Thanksgiving Celebration to reflect on a year of blessings and thank all those who had made them possible.
We thanked the many people who helped us to care for more than 10,000 seafarers from over 70 nations throughout 2025, putting God’s love for them into action.
We formally thanked our key partners the SBU and the organisations behind the NSW Seafarers Welfare Fund: the Port Authority of NSW and NSW Ports. We gave gifts to our amazing volunteers who attended and whose daily support keeps our frontline work running.
Stories of Hidden Impact
Principal Chaplain Rev Un Tay shared a series of powerful stories showing the difference that practical support, crisis care and advocacy had made in real lives.
Among our guests were four Filipino seafarers who had been stuck in Sydney for far longer than expected while their vessel underwent repairs. They came as a thank you for how the Mission supported them, from lunches with Rev Retchie’s congregation in Granville to sightseeing around Sydney aboard the Mission bus with Rev Tay.
A highlight of the afternoon was a video interviewing Liberato, a Filipino seafarer whose story has deeply touched our team this year. After being found disoriented at Sydney Airport, wondering alone for three days after losing his memory, his luggage and his passport, we were called to help. He was rushed into medical care where doctors discovered a malignant brain tumour.
Liberato shared how our Chaplains had guided him through every stage of this frightening ordeal: attending medical appointments, replacing essential documents, visiting him in hospital and helping him stay connected with his family. When it came time to return to the Philippines for further treatment, Rev Tay personally escorted him home and ensured he was safely reunited with his family. (See his story on our home page.)
Christmas Message of Hope for All
Chaplain Jim brought a Christmas message grounded in Isaiah 9:2–6, reminding us that God began building his international family of friendship on the first Christmas with an Almighty God coming to earth as a baby. That was the start of a caring a family to which we are all freely and graciously invited. He is the source of the love, joy and peace that we all yearn for whatever our background, and that motivates our work with seafarers throughout the year.
Chaplains Rev Tay and Rev Retchie then led the group in the Thanksgiving Song, Count Your Blessings. Chair Robert Dunn and Clayton Strong shared more news from the Mission and thanked everyone who had helped us to show God’s love to seafarers in 2025.
Community, food and fellowship
Thank you to Mariam and all the volunteers for providing a delicious spread of food for everyone to congregate around after the formalities and enjoy sharing memories of the year that was and Christmas greetings.
As we look ahead to 2026, we remain deeply grateful for the people who stand with us. The Mission to Seafarers Sydney is only able to serve because of this community, and we thank each of you for being a part of it.
Thank you also to the Port Authority of NSW for offering the prize that money can’t buy for our Christmas Raffle – a Sydney Harbour trip for four aboard the Burra, a purpose-built marine firefighting and response vessel. Tickets can be purchased at www.tinyurl.com/25Burra until 18 December.
We also express our appreciation to Taronga Zoo for providing a family pass worth $140 for us to give to one lucky Christmas Appeal donor as a thank you. (Every donor between Nov 1 and Dec 18 is automatically entered into the random draw).
Photographs with thanks to our long-term supporter and freelance photographer:
David Minty, It’s all about The Light photography.
