Christmas Caps for Sailors

Every year on October 1, we begin giving out watch caps to the sailors as Christmas presents.  For many of these men, these caps may be the only Christmas presents they receive.  We have been blessed by the generosity of so many people in the churches of the Charleston Baptist Association, South Carolina, and beyond in knitting or crochetting these caps for the seafarers.  (see below for suggested patterns)

 “Dear Friend: A warm Christian greeting to you and your family, hoping all is well during Christmas season. I would like to say thank you very much for the gift you made for us merchant seafarers. My name is Rudy. I am a Filipino seafarer working on a Norwegian ship calling the Port of Charleston each month. I am used to sailing and being away from my family, but Christmas is a very lonely time to be at sea. This is the best Christmas I have had in three years for this is the first time I received a gift. Thank you again for your lovely gift, and may you have a fruitful and promising new year ahead.”  -  A Seafarer, 1999

We went aboard a ship in early January.  We made our way into the mess room of the ship and began giving out the watch caps to the seafarers who were present.  Apparently, one of the men wore his new cap out onto the deck.  This we surmised from the fact that a few minutes into our visit, the entire deck crew stormed into the mess room looking for their caps.  As I handed each of them a cap, they each gave me an ice-cold handshake and thanked me before returning to their posts.  Had anything gone wrong on the deck during those few minutes, they would have all been in trouble for not being at their posts, but the prospect of the warmth from these caps overrode that concern.  The men truly appreciate these gifts.  -  Chaplain, 2007

You can make caps all year round, and then send them to us.  We thank you for your interest in this special Christmas gift project for seafarers who come to the Port of Charleston. 

Before you start making a cap, think about who may receive the cap you make. 

What do they look like?  Where do they live?  Do they know who Jesus is?  Please individually wrap each cap, including your name and address with each one so that they can write to you if they wish. 

Please enclose with each cap the Gospel tract “3:16: The Numbers of Hope.”  You can get this tract from Crossway at https://www.crossway.org/tracts/316-2728/ or from Christian Book at https://www.christianbook.com/the-numbers-of-hope-25-tracts/max-lucado/pd/731610?event=CFCER1.  The cost at Christian Book is $2.99 for 25 tracts. Crossway is more expensive, so try to get them from Christian Book first.

Then send the caps to the appropriate address below, or contact Christopher Dale at 843-554-6695 or petros555@hotmail.com to schedule a delivery to the Charleston Baptist Association office.  If you would like to get a driving tour of the port or even to go aboard a ship and get to give their caps directly to the sailors, we can possibly work that out with some extra advance notice.

DROP OFF SCHEDULE FORM

For UPS or FedEx packages only:
International Seafarers Ministry
3625 Azalea Dr.,  North Charleston, SC 29405

For U.S. Postal Service letters and packages only:

Charleston Baptist Association - International Seafarers Ministry
P.O. Box 71486 ,  North Charleston, SC 29415

Thank You – and God Bless You!