Waves #1 - Januar 2017

#1 NEWS FROM THE DANISH SEAMEN’S MISSION

4. årgang Januar 2017

Laurence arbejder for fremtiden

Ydmyghed

Laurence works for the future

Humility

6

8

Fanget af pirater Caught by pirates

10

1

YDMYGHED ER AT SE STORHEDEN! HUMILITY MEANS SEEING THE GREATNESS! et fatalt livsvilkår, man næsten kan dø af. Læs på side 10 om styrmand Søren Lyngbjørn, der i mange måneder sad ydmyget og fanget af pirater i Somalia sammen med resten af mandskabet. •

”

Det handler ikke om at lade sig udnytte, men om at træde lidt til side.

O P

å de næste sider går ydmyghed hånd i hånd med sømandsliv. Ægte ydmyghed handler om at anerkende og respektere den, du er, og hvad du kan udrette uden noget behov for omverdenens bekræftelse eller billigelse. En ægte ydmyg person føler sig hverken overlegen eller underlegen i forhold til andre. En ægte ydmyg person føler sig privilligeret og kan se storheden omkring sig – ja hele livets og universets storhed! Som når du tager ud i bjergene og står der midt i den store natur og mærker, hvor lille du er, eller du løber en tur ved havet en ruskende vinterdag og mærker naturens kræfter; når du står med et lille nyfødt barn i dine arme, eller du ligger på dækket under stjernehimlen og tæller stjerneskud.

I Waves er vi inspireret af den måde, Jesus gik til andre mennesker på. Han viste, at ydmygheden står i modsætning til både forfængelighed og hovmod. Uden ydmyghed fylder egoet det hele, og medmennesket reduceres til en genstand eller et middel til egen vinding.

Med ydmygheden tillader vi derimod at give den anden plads. Det handler ikke om at lade sig udnytte, men om, at når man træder til side selv, kan andre komme til.

Ydmyghed er at erkende andres værd.

Nu er virkeligheden ikke altid fyldt med ægte ydmyghed. Desværre så langt fra. Ydmygelsen er ydmyghedens værste modsætning. Således kan ydmygelsen blive

2

n the following pages humility goes hand in hand with life at sea. True humility is about recognizing and respecting yourself and the things you are capable of, without a need for constant confirmation or praise from others. A truly humble person feels neither superior nor inferior in relation to others. The humble person feels privileged and sees the greatness that surrounds him or her – including the greatness of life itself, as when you go up into the mountains and stand in the middle of the amazing nature and realize how small you are, or you go for a run by the sea on a cold winter day and feel the strong force of nature; when you hold a new born child in your arms, or you lie on the deck on a starry night and count the shooting stars.

"Waves" is inspired by the way that Jesus met other people. He showed that humility goes against both vanity and pride. Without humility our ego takes over and our fellow human being is reduced to an object and a means for our own ambitions. Through humility we give the other person space. It is not about letting others take advantage of us, but about stepping aside and making room for others. Humility is the recognition of the value of other people.

In reality true humility is difficult. Very difficult. Humility’s worst enemy is humiliation, and the experience of being humiliated can almost kill us – read more on page 10 about sailor Søren Lyngbjørn, who was held prisoner and humiliated for months by pirates in Somalia along with the rest of his crew. •

”

It is not about letting others take advantage of us, but about stepping a bit aside.

”

Kammeratskabet husker jeg som noget af det bedste. Og så de store udsigter på havene med en albatros flyvende som medpassager.

Sandalerne stod tilbage Only the sandals were left behind Det kunne have været en dag i 2017. Den dag Poul forlod skibet på åbent hav.

Tilbage stod kollegerne.

It could have been a day in 2017.

The day that Poul left the ship out at sea. Back onboard stood the colleagues.

Tekst: Hanne Baltzer

D

et er som om, det var i går og ikke for 50 år siden. I 1965 var Jens Jacob Christensen matros på stykgodsbåden ”Kirsten Skov”. Båden havde netop forladt Sydamerikas største havneby Santos for at sætte kurs mod Recife, der også ligger i Brasilien. Den 25 mand store besætning var nu reduceret til 24, da motormanden var agterudsejlet. Han dukkede ikke op ved afsejling, så kaptajnen meldte til politiet, at han ikke var ombord længere. Motormanden, norske Poul, elskede at drikke masser af billig cachaca - brasiliansk brændevin lavet på saften af sukkerrør med en alkoholprocent på mindst 40. Han gik ikke op i kvaliteten, men kvantiteten. Den billige sprut drak han derfor rigeligt af. Politiet fandt ham, og fik sendt ham til Recife, hvor han kom ombord igen. Normalt ville han have været fyret, men det var for dyrt at flyve ham hjem.

Poul var ikke sig selv. De kendte ham som en venlig og god kollega, men når sprutten gik ind, gik al fornuft ud. Hans tilstand blev forværret, da han udviklede delirium som blandt andet giver mareridt og hallucinationer. Derfor var kaptajnen også opmærksom på, at han skulle holdes under opsyn, fordi han truede med at tage sit eget liv. Poul kom op på broen, så styrmanden kunne holde øje med ham. Alligevel lykkedes det Poul at

smutte. Der på pullerten agter stod kun hans sandaler tilbage. Poul var væk. ”Jeg husker stadig helt tydeligt, at sandalerne stod der. Og jeg kan da ikke undgå at bebrejde mig selv lidt, at vi ikke kunne hindre det. Vi søgte i 12-18 timer og sejlede tilbage den vej, vi var kommet. Det var forfærdeligt, for han var jo vores kollega. Man skal lede naturligvis, for man kan måske overleve i vandet, når man er god til at svømme. Vi skulle gøre alt, hvad vi kunne for at finde ham. Telegrafisten udsendte en melding til de andre skibe i området, men vi fandt ham aldrig, og det gav bestemt en trykket stemning ombord," siger Jens Jacob Christensen stille.

Syr hoved og slukker ild Jens Jacob sejlede fra 1960-1982, hvor han gik i land for at være i nærheden af familien, men han arbejder fortsat indenfor søfart over hele verden. Han har specialiseret sig i bjærgning af udstyr og skibe efter fx havari.

Som sømand nåede han at sejle jorden rundt et par gange, og han var ofte ude et år ad gangen: ”Kammeratskabet husker jeg som noget af det bedste. Og så de store udsigter på havene med en albatros flyvende som medpassager.”

Han sidder et øjeblik, inden han fortæller om dengang, de var sejlet ud fra Puerto Rico, >

3

En gang sømand, altid sømand! 71-årige Jens Jacob Christensen nyder at tjekke søkort.

One time a sailor always a sailor! 71-year-old Jens Jacob Christensen enjoys looking at the nautical chart.

og kollegaen gik amok, fordi kæresten havde slået op. Han hældte benzin ud over sit kammer, som lå lige ved siden af skibets brændstoftanke. Han satte ild til skibet, slog maskinchefen ned og skar sig selv i armene, inden han ville hoppe ud over rælingen. De fik ham overmandet og bundet. Ilden blev slukket, og Jens Jacob syede stille og rolig flængen i maskinchefens blodige hoved.

Uden bedøvelse forstås. Dog med is som eneste smertestillende.

At tale med hinanden Jens Jacob mener, at de fleste har en ven eller fortrolig ombord, som de kan tale med, når noget svært rammer dem. Det kan ofte

4

være lige så godt som psykologhjælp. Bare det er én, der lytter, og som man har tillid til. ”I en besætning er det vigtigt, at man er opmærksom på hinanden og er villig til at lytte og hjælpe, hvis nogen viser tegn på at være kede af det eller have problemer. Det er naturligvis også skibsledelsens opgave at være opmærksom på folkenes mentale tilstand og skride ind, hvis det er nødvendigt,” siger han. Han kigger op et øjeblik og tilføjer: ”At tro på Gud betyder for mig, at jeg altid har én at komme til med mine sorger og glæder. Det er én af grundene til, at det er godt at fortælle om sin tro på Gud og Jesus, når lejlighed gives. Også ombord.” •

”

I remember the good fellowship as one of the best things, and the view of the ocean when the albatross followed alongside the ship like a passenger.

Som ung sømand et sted i verden As young sailor somewhere in the world.

Jens Jacob Christensen

I

t is as if it was yesterday and not 50 years ago. In 1965 Jens Jacob Christensen was a sailor onboard the general cargo ship “Kirsten Skov”. The ship had just left Santos, the largest port city in South America, going to Recife, another city in Brazil. The 25 member crew was now reduced to 24, as the motorist had not shown up for departure. The captain had informed the local police. The motorist, Poul, from Norway loved to drink lots of cheap cachaça, a Brazilian spirit made on sugar cane juices and with an alcohol percentage at about 40. He did not care about the quality and drank large amounts of the cheap booze. Eventually, the police found him and sent him to Recife, where he re-

joined the crew. Normally he would have been fired, but it was too expensive to send him home.

Poul was not himself. They knew him as a good and friendly colleague, but when the booze went in, reason went out. His condition got worse when he developed delirium, which leads to nightmares, hallucinations and delusions. The captain was aware that they had to keep an eye on him as he threatened to take his own life, and he was placed on the bridge, where the captain could keep him under observation. However, Poul got away, and on the bollard they found only his sandals. Poul had vanished.

“I still remember how the sandals just stood there. And I can’t help blaming myself that we didn’t manage to stop him. We searched for 12-18 hours and sailed back the way we came from. It was terrible because he was our colleague. You have to search, of course, since it is possible to survive in the water if you are a good swimmer. We did everything we could to find him. The telegrapher sent out a message to other ships in the area, but we had no luck, and it created an atmosphere of despair onboard,” tells Jens Jacob Christensen quietly.

Stitches a colleagues head and puts out a fire Jens Jacob sailed from 1960 to 1982, where he went to shore to be with his family while still working with off shore affairs. He has specialized in salvage of equipment and ships after shipwrecks. As a sailor he got to go

around the world a few times, and he was often gone for a year at the time.

“I remember the good fellowship as one of the best things, and the view of the ocean when the albatross followed alongside the ship like a passenger.”

He is quiet for a moment before he tells of an incident where they had just left Puerto Rico and his colleague went nuts because his girlfriend had broken up with him. He poured gasoline all over his room, right next to the fuel tanks. He set the ship on fire, struck down the chief engineer and cut his wrist before trying to jump overboard. They held him down and tied him up. The fire was put out and Jens Jacob calmly stitched the chief engieneer´s head – with no anesthesia except a bit of ice.

The importance of conversation Jens Jacob believes that many crew members find a close friend onboard whom they can talk to when times get difficult. This can be as helpful as talking to a psychiatrist. As long as someone you trust is there to listen.

“In a crew it is important to be aware of each other and be willing to help and listen, if someone is in trouble or seems sad. Also, it is the responsibility of the leaders onboard to be aware of people’s mental condition and take action if necessary,” he says, as he looks up for a moment and adds: “To me, believing in God means that I always have someone to come to with my sorrow as well as my joy.

That is one of the reasons why it is good to tell people about your faith in God and Jesus whenever the time is right for it.” •

5

Arbejder for fremtiden Working for the future

Her på GERDA er mandskabet fra samme nation. The crew on GERDA shares the same background.

Filippinske Laurence Bermejo Jr. er 2. officer på GERDA, en tanker, der denne dag ligger i Fredericia Havn, men ellers sejler i Nordeuropa med Italien som sydligste punkt.

L

aurence Bermejo Jr. har ansvar for arbejdet med lasten og arbejder seks timer, seks timer fri osv. Det samme gør de andre syv filippinere, der udgør mandskabet ombord.

Laurence har været seks år i firmaet og sejler seks måneder, så tre måneder hjemme, og hvis han er heldig, er der en hyre igen.

Selv kan han godt lide måden at arbejde på, og når han er hjemme, nyder han det, men kun hvis han ved, der er job igen: ”Af og til vil de ikke have os tilbage, og så må vi prøve at finde hyre et andet sted. Heldigvis har jeg en nu og til en rimelig løn. Det kan være hårdt at finde arbejde, fordi der er så mange sømænd ledige,” fortæller Laurence.

Han bor i den nordlige del af Filippinerne, blev gift sidste år og har en søn på knap to år.

Laurence Bermejo Jr. is from the Philippines and works as an officer onboard GERDA, a tanker which today is docked in Fredericia Harbor in Denmark but usually sails in Northern Europe, with Italy as its most southern destination.

Svært Tekst: Hanne Baltzer

6

Hustruen har svært ved at forstå, at han arbejder som sømand:

”Hun spørger, om jeg skal afsted igen. Det skal jeg, for hvad skulle jeg ellers arbejde med? Når jeg er væk, tænker jeg hele tiden på min familie, men jeg arbejder jo her for at tjene penge til dem, for at vi kan have en fremtid. Heldigvis må vi bruge skibets SKYPE og internet gratis. Det benytter jeg mig af, når jeg skal snakke med familien," siger den unge sømand, inden han kaster et blik på den blanke vielsesring, finder sin telefon og fremviser et billede af en smuk kvinde og en lille dreng.

På spørgsmålet, om han vil anbefale sønnen at bliver sømand, siger han prompte: ”Nej! Arbejdet er for hårdt, og vi savner vores familie. Derfor arbejder jeg for at kunne give ham en god uddannelse.”

Kaptajnen nikker i baggrunden. Han går nok snart på pension, men takket være hans mange år til søs – 20 år som kaptajn - har hans børn fået gode uddannelser. Prisen for ham selv har været, at han ikke så børnene vokse op, fordi han tjente penge til fremtiden.

Kulturbaggrund og respekt Kaptajnen lægger vægt på, at arbejdsklimaet er godt ombord på GERDA. De deler jo tilværelsen en stor del af deres liv lige nu, og derfor skal det være et godt sted at være. Det er heller ikke usædvanligt, at de møder hinanden hjemme på Filippinerne, fortæller kaptajnen.

Netop det, at mandskabet er fra samme nation, betyder noget, er Laurence sikker på: ”Vi taler samme sprog, har den samme kulturelle baggrund og er katolikker. For mig er det vigtigt at arbejde et sted, hvor vi har respekt for hinanden. Det har vi her. Vores kaptajn er lidt som en far for os. Selv om jeg ikke har været hjemme til jul i seks år, så hjælper det på savnet af familie mm, at traditioner og kost ombord er næsten ”som derhjemme”. Det prioriterer kaptajnen i høj grad til højtiderne. •

”

På spørgsmålet, om han vil anbefale sønnen at bliver sømand, siger han prompte: ”Nej! Arbejdet er for hårdt, og vi savner vores familie."

L

aurence Bermejo Jr is responsible for handling the cargo onboard. He works six hour shifts alongside his seven Filipino colleagues, who make up the rest of the crew.

Laurence has worked for the company for six years. He sails for six months and then spends three months at home. And if he is lucky, he gets another hire when his leave ends. He is content with this form of work and enjoys his three months at home, but only if he knows that he has employment when he returns:

“Sometimes they don’t want us back, and then we have to look for a new crew to join.

Luckily I have a job now, and the salary is fair. Finding work can be difficult because of the many unemployed sailors,” says Laurence. He lives in the Northern part of the Philippines, got married last year and has a son who is now two years old.

Hard His wife finds it hard to understand why her husband works as a sailor: “She always asks me if I have to leave again. I have to, because what else would I do for a living? When I am gone, I think about my family all the time, but I work here to take care of them; to make sure that we have a future. Luckily we can use the internet and Skype free of charge. I use it to speak to my family," tells the young sailor before he glances down on his wedding ring and takes out a picture of a beautiful woman and a little boy.

When asked if he wants his son to become a sailor he answers with a clear: “No! The work is too hard, and we miss our families. I work as a sailor to be able to provide him with a proper education.”

The captain greets us from a distance. He will soon retire, but due to his many years at sea, 20 years as a captain, he has been able to provide his children with a good education. The price, however, has been that he did not get to see his children grow up because he was working for the future.

Cultural Background and respect The captain emphasizes the healthy work environment onboard GERDA. Onboard the crew shares a large chapter of their lives, and therefore the ship has to be a comfortable place to be. It is not unusual that they stay in contact back at the Philippines, says the captain.

The fact that the crew shares the same background means a lot according to Laurence: “We speak the same language, have the same cultural heritage and are all Catholic. It is important for me to work in a place where we respect each other, and we do that here. Our captain is a bit like a father to us.

Even though I haven’t been home for Christmas for six years, the shared traditions and homely food helps to keep the longing for home at a distance.” This is a high priority on board during the holidays. •

”

When asked if he wants his son to become a sailor he answers with a clear: “No! The work is too hard, and we miss our families."

Laurence Bermejo Jr

FAKTA Knap 30 procent af alle sømænd i verden er filippinere.

Det svarer til ca. 450.000. Dermed møder sømandsmissioner i alle lande ofte filippinske sømænd.

FACTS About 450.000, or almost 30 percent of all sailors, are Filipinos, and the seamen’s missionaries around the world encounter them on a daily basis.

7

” Den ydmyge er fyldt med

sundt selvværd

Hvis Jesus var ombord, havde han været skøn at være sammen med. For han havde givet jer en følelse af at være noget værd.

A humble person has healthy self-worth Af generalsekretær Nicolaj Wibe / By General Secretary Nicolaj Wibe

H

vad betyder ”ydmyghed”?

Han hjælper, trøster og bruger tid på andre.

Han viser, at de andre har værdi.

Man kan sige, at det er unfair at bruge Jesus som forbillede. For han er jo bare perfekt. Men selvfølgelig kan man bruge den perfekte som forbillede. Det er jo ham, man kan lære mest af.

Forstået i relation til andre mennesker er ydmyghed at erkende den andens værdi. Jeg er ikke den vigtigste person i verden. Jeg er ikke verdens navle. Jeg er ikke den vigtigste. Den anden, ham jeg sejler sammen med fx, han er vigtigere end mig. Ikke sådan at forstå at jeg er mindre værd end ham, men jeg er heller ikke mere værd.

Ydmyghed er ikke at være selvudslettende, men det er at have den holdning til andre mennesker, at de er vigtigere end mig. Ofte bliver ydmyghed misforstået på den måde, at den ydmyge person lader sig sætte til side, lader sig tale dårligt til og får de dårligste opgaver. Det er en misforståelse af begrebet ydmyghed. Den ydmyge person er ikke som en kuet hund. Tværtimod, så har han så meget positiv selvfølelse, at han ikke har problemer med at synes, at de andre er vigtigere end ham selv. Den ydmyge har råd til at give de andre plads.

Hvis Jesus var ombord på dit skib eller en del af din arbejdsplads, hvordan havde han så været? Han havde været skøn at være sammen med. For han havde givet dig og alle de andre en følelse af at være noget værd. Og det kan man godt øve sig på i sit eget liv uden at være lige så god til det som Jesus. ”Alt, hvad I vil, at mennesker skal gøre mod jer, det skal I også gøre mod dem,” siger Jesus. Det er verdens bedste råd til ægte, sand og sund ydmyghed. Hvad er det, du ønsker, de andre skal gøre mod dig? Smøg så ærmerne op og begynd selv!

Falsk, usund, sand og sind

Invitation

Der findes tre former for ydmyghed: Den falske, den usunde og den sande.

Den falske ydmyghed lader, som om han agter og ærer andre, men gør det egentlig kun for selv at blive agtet og æret. Den usunde ydmyghed er den, hvor man mister sig selv, når man tjener andre. Den sande ydmyghed skal vi til Bibelen for at lære.

Nu har vi netop fejret jul. I julen viser Gud vejen for den sundeste og skønneste ydmyghed. Jesus, Guds egen søn blev født – ikke på et 5-stjernet privathospital – men i en stald.

Hele hans liv, alt, hvad han sagde og gjorde, havde til formål at tjene mennesker. Jesus er et fantastisk forbillede på sund ydmyghed.

Han ser og møder andre med et åbent sind.

Et møde med Jesus er den bedste måde at lære ydmyghed på. Dels fordi han er et forbillede, men især fordi han gør noget ved den, han møder. Han møder dig med en ubeskrivelig og vidunderlig kærlighed, og du føler dig virkelig elsket af ham. Som én sagde: ”Hvis mennesket var en beholder, vil den beholder blive fyldt med kærlighed, når mennesket begynder at leve sammen med Jesus.”

Det menneske, der ved sig dybt elsket af Jesus, har lettere ved at gøre det mod andre, som han gerne vil, andre skal gøre mod ham.

For den person, der ved sig elsket, er ydmyghed ikke en beslutning, men en livsstil. At invitere Jesus ind i sit liv er at invitere sand ydmyghed ind i sit liv. Hvad venter du på? •

8

Verdens bedste råd

W

hat does “humility” mean?

Understood in relation to other people, humility is the recognition of the value of other human beings. I am not the most important person in the world. I am not the center of the universe. I am not above others. The other, such as my colleague onboard, is more important than I. Not to say that I am less valuable, but I am not more valuable than him or her.

Humility is not about denying yourself. It is about having the right approach to other people and seeing them as equal to you in value. Humility is often misperceived as describing a person who sets himself or herself aside, accepts the worst assignments and tolerates when others are being disrespectful. This understanding of humility is flawed.

The humble person is not like a subdued dog.

To the contrary, he or she carries such a strong feeling of self-worth that it is no problem to accept others as equally valuable.

The humble person can afford to make room for others.

False, unhealthy or true humility There are three forms of humility: The false, the unhealthy and the true.

The false humility pretends like it respects and values others, but does it only to gain and build its own respect and value. The unhealthy humility takes form when a person loses himself by serving others. To learn about the true humility we must turn to the Bible: We have just been celebrating Christmas.

Through the birth of Jesus God brings the most healthy and beautiful humility into this world – namely his own son. He was not born in a five star hotel but in a stable. His whole life, all that he did and said, was aimed at serving other people. Jesus is an amazing role model of true humility. He sees and encounters others with an open mind.

He helps and comforts others and spends time with them. He demonstrates that others have value.

Since Jesus is without fault, you could argue that it is unfair to have him as a role

”

If Jesus was onboard, he would have been wonderful to be around. He would have provided all of you with a feeling of selfworth.

model. But of course you can use the perfect example as a role model. He is the one who can teach us the most.

The best advice ever If Jesus was onboard your ship or a part of your work environment, how would he then behave? He would have been wonderful to be around, because he would have provided you and everyone else with a feeling of selfworth, and every day we can strive to do the same thing. ‘Do for others what you want them to do for you’, says Jesus. This is the best piece of advice you can receive in order to reach a true and healthy humility. How would you prefer to be treated? Roll up your sleeves and do exactly that!

Invitation A personal encounter with Jesus is the best way to learn to be humble. Partly because he is a role model but also because he changes the people he meets. He comes to you with an indescribable and wonderful love, and he truly makes you feel valuable. As some once said: “If man was a container, the container would be filled with love when it encountered the love of Jesus”. Those who know that they are loved by Jesus find it easier to treat others in the way that they would prefer to be treated themselves. For the person who knows that he is loved, humility is not a decision but a lifestyle. To invite Jesus into your life is to invite true humility into your life. What are you waiting for? •

9

ILLUSTRATION: COLOURBOX

Efter 838 dages ydmygelser: Jeg er i live After 838 days of humiliation: I am alive Søren Lyngbjørn er færdig som styrmand – 50 procent invalid efter 838 dage i somalisk fangenskab. At være i piraters pinefulde greb går ikke ubemærket hen over et menneske.

Søren Lyngbjørn no longer works as an officer. He is now 50 percent disabled after 838 days in captivity. Being held prisoner by pirates is not something that leaves a person unmarked.

Tekst: Hanne Baltzer

K

alenderen står på den 12. januar 2011, nytåret er nydt omkring Suez, og skibet MV Leopard sejler tæt på Omans kyst i Det Arabiske Hav - 800 kilometer nordøst for Somalia. Destinationen hedder Mombai i Indien. Styrmand Søren Lyngbjørn, der har sejlet, siden han var 16 år, ser pludselig to hurtige prikker på radaren. Han bliver oprørt, for med mange års erfaring ved han, at det her ikke er godt. Slet ikke. Han skynder sig at kalde på kaptajnen Eddy Lopez. De er enige. Piraterne er på vej. Og de kalder MAYDAY, mens de prøver at styre væk, selv om de ved, det er omsonst.

Hvid regering må betale De små både er fyldt med pirater, der kravler om bord og tager magten over skibet. I løbet af nul komma fem går sømændene fra at være på job til at være i livsfare. Normalt vil somaliske pirater holde besætningen om bord, indtil de får udbetalt en løsesum og derefter slipper både skib og mandskab fri.

Med Leopard er det anderledes. Piraterne beskadiger ved en fejl skibet under angrebet, så det ikke kan sejle videre. De vælger derfor at tage den seks mand store besætning med sig til et stort tankskib og lade Leopard drive videre alene. Det bliver begyndelsen på Danmarkshistoriens længste gidseldrama: ”Havde vi fået skibet og lasten med, så havde vi ikke siddet så længe i fangenskab.

Næsten samtidig betalte den spanske regering for frigivelse af to spanske sportsfiskere, og det var meget ufordelagtigt for os. Så regnede piraterne med, at det ville den danske regering sikkert også gøre. Piraterne vurderede, at danskerne var rigere, og derfor var jeg fx mindst 10 millioner dollars værd,” bemærker Søren tørt.

Fokuser eller bliv sindssyg Gidslerne bliver først ført til et tankskib, hvor de prøver at fatte, hvad der er sket. For at sprede frygten for fremtiden læser Søren 1500 siders amerikansk faglitteratur om navigation – en bog han finder i skibets bibliotek.

10

Senere bliver gidslerne flyttet rundt på land, og piraterne tæsker, torturerer, truer og sulter dem efter forgodtbefindende. Her er ingen toiletter, sparsom vand og sovepladser på jorden i utålelig hede. Alligevel bliver det deres hverdag i 2 år, 3 måneder og 19 dage, og det koster næsten Søren livet. Selv piraterne er bekymrede for, at deres guldfugl ”kradser af”. Udover malaria i Somalia fik han posttraumatisk stress og en nervebetændelse, som bl.a. giver ham kroniske smerter. ”I Somalia lærte jeg mig selv ikke at fokusere på smerten, men på noget andet. Jeg prøvede på ikke at have ondt af mig selv. Det var svært. Jeg lærte også galgenhumoren for alvor.”

Der var al mulig grund til at føle selvmedlidenhed, og han troede da også af og til, at han skulle dø i fangenskab. Dog var han mere robust, end de fleste havde troet. Forskelligt var det, hvordan gidslerne prøvede at holde helvedet ud. En af filippinerne kunne det meste af Biblen og en række salmer udenad, og det holdt ham beskæftiget og gav ham håb.

En meget lang biograftur Søren overlever blandt andet ved at se film!

Ikke sådan rigtigt, men i sit hoved: ”Jeg har altid set en masse film, fordi jeg har sejlet i så mange år. Så når jeg lå der på madrassen, og piraterne troede, jeg sov, da så jeg film.

Jeg besluttede mig for at se en film og genkaldte mig filmen replik for replik. Det var jo lige meget, hvor lang tid det tog, for tiden var det eneste, vi havde meget af, og så kom frygten ligesom også på afstand.”

På den måde prøver han at flytte fokus, og det er godt for psyken, som er voldsomt udsat og overophedet, fx må gidslerne kun udveksle små bemærkninger på engelsk, ikke tale sammen.

Ydmygelsernes ydmygelser Piraterne gør, hvad de kan for at ødelægge sømændenes psyke. Især kaptajnen Eddy Lopez går det hårdt ud over, for han ville ikke accep-

”

Galgenhumor er et effektivt overlevelsesmiddel, for begynder man at få selvmedlidenhed, er man færdig.

Begynder man at tude, kan man ikke holde op igen, og så dør man.

Søren Lyngbjørn

tere, at han nu er gidsel og ingen indflydelse har på eget liv. På etårsdagen for gidseltagningen og det uværdige liv i fangenskab er det ved at gå helt galt, da de alle tænker i konkrete måder at begå selvmord på: ”At blive ydmyget er ikke til at beskrive, men hvis man ikke tager det ind i hjertet, så kan man komme igennem. Det afhænger meget af personlighed. Jeg har altid taget tingene lidt afslappet, og måske har det reddet mig efterfølgende rent mentalt. Eddy er bitter og har psykiske problemer, større end jeg har haft. Hvis man er alt for selvhøjtidelig og stolt og bliver ydmyget med den brutalitet, vi oplevede – både psykisk og fysisk, så er det måske sværere at blive hel igen.”

Sømand først Den 30. april 2013 slap de væk i live. Hele besætningen blev endelig hentet af det danske frømandskorps på en strand i Somalia, efter at rederiet Shipcraft havde udbetalt omkring 40 millioner danske kroner i løsesum. Der gik lang tid, før de troede på, at farer og ulykker ikke fortsat væltede ned over dem, for de var i den grad mærket langt ind i samtlige nervebaner.

Nu bor Søren Lyngbjørn på Ærø. Her er stille og roligt, bortset fra den sort-hvide kat, der guffer rejer.

Godt nok er Søren kendt som gidslet fra Somalia, men inden havde han en lang karriere på havet. Fra han efter 9. klasse i 1982

kom ind på Svendborg Søfartsskole, har han sejlet. Den første hyre var ”en tjans som dæksdreng” på et tankskib fra Årøsund. Siden sejlede han med alt fra krudt og kugler til store amerikanske biler, dyr, olie og fødevarer af forskellig beskaffenhed. Og han arbejdede på små og store skibe, slæbebåde og rustbunker. Efterhånden fik han arbejdet sig op og tog mere uddannelse, så han kunne sejle som styrmand. Søren blev indkaldt til Søværnet og sejlede orlovskutteren Y300 Barsøe. Senere blev han ansat i Maersk, hvor han styrede containerskibe rundt på verdenshavene, indtil han blev træt af det og fandt nye rederier, nye skibe, nye kolleger, nye sejlruter. Hans CV er alenlangt. >

Somalia-piraterne er skyld i, at Søren Lyngbjørn ikke længere kan arbejde. Derfor er han mest hjemme.

The Somali pirates are the reason that Søren Lyngbjørn is no longer capable of working. That´s why he´s mostly at home.

11

Nu tumler jeg lidt rundt, sejler i min båd og prøver at overskue køen i Netto. Det værste er at stå op længe, selv om jeg har min stok, da min balanceevne er svært beskadiget på grund af den nervebetændelse, jeg pådrog mig i Somalia”, fortæller Søren Lyngbjørn.

Now I take care of the little things, sail my boat and try to make it through the line at the grocery store. The worst thing is to stand up for a long time, even though I have my walking stick, because my balance nerve has been severely injured due to the neuritis I got in Somalia,” tells Søren Lyngbjørn.

Sømandskvaler De mange års erfaring som sømand kan Søren ikke længere bruge konkret. På spørgsmålet om, hvordan han har det, svarer han: ”Jo, det er pisseirriterende at være syg. Jeg føler, jeg er blevet kasseret, og så gammel jeg da heller ikke. Jeg erkender, at jeg ikke kommer til at sejle igen, fordi balancen er ude af kurs. Jeg har svært ved at stå op, og det er voldsomt ubehageligt. Som om der er pakket tidsler under mine tånegle. På grund af mit helbred har jeg fået tilkendt pension."

På væggen hænger tegninger af den nye Ærø-færge. Den vil Søren bygge en model af, og måske kommer den også på det lokale museum ligesom et af Sørens tidligere skibe, der minutiøst er genskabt: ”Jo, jeg er da næsten kommet på museum”, griner han. ”Lige nu er det stadig lidt som at være hjemme efter mange måneder på havet. Denne gang er den koncentrerede frihed bare uden ophør.” Søren Lyngbjørn er en overlever. Taknemlig for at være i live. •

12

T

he calendar says January 12th 2011.

New Year’s Eve has just been celebrated in the Suez area and the ship MV Leopard passes the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, about 800 kilometers northeast of Somalia. The destination is Mumbai in India. The officer, Søren Lyngbjørn, who has been a sailor since he was 16 years old, suddenly notices two fast dots on the radar. He becomes alert, as his many years of experience tells him that this is never positive. He quickly calls the captain, Eddy Lopez, and they agree; the pirates are on their way.

They send out a MAYDAY on the radio while they attempt to escape, although they know that is probably impossible.

White government must pay The little boats were filled with pirates who got onboard and took control of the ship. In no time the crew went from a normal day at work to a life threatening situation. Normally Somali pirates keep the crew hostage until

they receive a ransom and then they let both the ship and the crew go free, but this time it was different. The pirates accidentally damaged the ship during the attack and it broke down. Therefore they decided to bring the six crew members along to a tanker and let Leopard drift. This became the beginning of the longest hostage situation in Danish history: “If we had stayed on the ship or brought the cargo with us, we wouldn’t have been held hostage for so long. At the same time the Spanish government payed pirates for the release of two fishermen, and that was not to our advantage, because then the pirates expected the Danish government to do the same thing. The pirates considered Denmark to be richer, and therefore they set my ransom at 10 million dollars,” says Søren.

Stay focused or go insane First, the hostages were brought to a tanker, where they were placed in a small room while trying to grasp the situation. To escape

the fear Søren began to read a 1500 pages long book about navigation, a book that he had found in the ship’s library. Later, the hostages were brought to shore, where the pirates beat up, tortured, threatened and starved them as they pleased. There were no toilets, only little water and they slept on the ground in the heat. This became their life for two years, 3 months and 19 days, and it almost became the death of Søren. Even the pirates became worried that their golden ticket would die. Besides malaria he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and neuritis, which leads to chronical pain. ”In Somalia I taught myself not to focus on the pain but on something else. Or at least I tried to. I also learned the value having a rather sinister humor.”

There was, however, good reason to feel self-pity, and now and then he thought that he would die in captivity. But Søren showed more strength than most had expected. Each hostage tackled the difficult situation differently. One of the Filipinos knew most of the Bible and some hymns by heart, and that kept him occupied and gave him hope.

A long trip to the movies Søren stayed alive by watching movies. Not on a screen but in his head: “I’ve always watched a lot of movies, because I’ve been sailing for so many years. When I was lying on my mattress and the pirates thought I was asleep, I would watch a movie. I simply decided to watch a movie, and then I recalled the plot step by step. It didn’t matter how long it took, because time was all we had.

Sometimes it drove the fear away.”

The greatest humiliation The pirates did what they could to break down the hostages’ psyche. Especially the captain, Eddy Lopez, got a rough treatment, because he refused to accept that he was now a hostage and had no control over his own life. After one year in this undignified situation it almost ended in complete disaster. Everyone was completely down and considered suicide: “We were desperate and

”

A dark sense of humor is an effective means for survival. If you begin feeling sorry for yourself you are dead meat. If you start crying, you can’t stop again, and then you die.

Søren Lyngbjørn

thought of ways to take our own lives.” But Søren and the others managed to regain some faith, although he has no idea how.

“The feeling of being humiliated is hard to describe, but if you don’t let it in, you can survive it. It depends on your personality. I have always been easy going and maybe it has saved me mentally. Eddy is bitter, and today he suffers from much more severe mental problems than I do. If you are a very proud person and you go through the humiliation that we did, both mentally and physically, then it is very hard to recover.”

Sailor first On April 30th 2013 they were rescued alive.

The whole crew was picked up by the Danish Navy Seals at a beach in Somalia, after the shipping company Shipcraft payed about 40 million Danish kroner in ransom. It took them a long time to realize that they were no longer in constant danger, as they were all severely marked by the traumatic experience.

To Søren Lyngbjørn “home” means his house at the island Ærø in Denmark. Life here is quiet, except for the cat eating its meal, and Søren returns calmly to his armchair. Today’s work can wait until next week if necessary. Even though Søren became known as the hostage from Somalia, he also carries a significant history from life at sea.

He has sailed all over the world, and he has been to most ports and experienced many different cultures. He has been sailing since 1982, where he got into Svendborg Maritime College. His first job was as a ship’s boy on-

board a small tanker. Since then he has been transporting everything from weapons to expensive American cars, animals, oil, and food products of all kinds. Søren has worked at both small and large ships, tug boats and old rust buckets. Over time he gained experience and expanded his education till the point where he could work as officer.

Søren was drafted into the navy and joined the warship Y300 Barsøe. Later he was hired by Maersk, where he steered container ships around the world until he had had enough and turned to new shipping companies, new ships, new colleagues and new routes. Søren’s resume goes on forever.

A sailor’s challenges Søren has many years of experience at sea, but today it won’t help him find his next job.

When asked how he is doing today, he says: “Yes, of course it is terrible to be sick. I feel like I’ve been dumped, and I am still not that old. I realize that I won’t sail again, as I am struggling with my balance. I find it difficult to stand up and it makes me feel very uncomfortable, as if someone stuffed thistles under my toenails. Due to my health issues I am now on an early pension.”

“At the moment it still feels like being home after many months at sea. Only this time my freedom has no restraints. Earlier I would stay occupied while I waited to go back to work, but this time the period on shore is never ending.“ Søren Lyngbjørn is a survivor, and he is thankful to be alive. •

13

Af sømandsmissionær Moses Sloth / By seamen’s missionary Moses Sloth

Gud bliver ofte en udvej,

når vi har det værst

God often becomes our rescue when life is hard

E

n kaptajn fortalte mig om en oplevelse, han havde ombord på et tankskib i Nordatlanten. De røg ind i en orkan, der var så voldsom, at de ind imellem ikke havde kontrol over skibet, til trods for at de rent faktisk stod på kommandobroen. Men vejret havde frataget dem kommandoen over skibet.

Hans styrmand vedgik åbent, at han var bange. Kaptajnen var også bange. Både skib og besætning kom i land. Men de to kom ikke hele i land. Deres syn på deres egne evner havde lidt et knæk. De var blevet ydmyget - de havde indset, at overfor Nordatlanten kan selv de bedste komme til kort. Et menneske er kun et menneske. Nogle gange går det godt alligevel. Det var de glade for!

Når naturens kræfter ydmyger os, er det i virkeligheden naturens skaber, som gør det.

Det overrasker de fleste af os, når det sker.

Vi bliver overraskede over, hvor små vi er.

Samtidig bliver vi måske også overrasket over, at Gud kan finde på at ydmyge os?

Hvorfor gør han det?

Han gør det, fordi han elsker os og ved bedst. Han vil lære os, at uden ham klarer vi den ikke, hverken i dette liv – eller i det, der kommer bagefter. Nogle gange kræver det en orkan at råbe os op. Andre gange kan mindre gøre det. I Salme 119 vers 66 - 67 + 71 møder vi en, som har lært ydmyghed hos Gud:

Giv mig dømmekraft og kundskab, for jeg stoler på dine befalinger.

Før jeg blev ydmyget, for jeg vild, men nu følger jeg dit ord.

Det var en lykke for mig, at jeg blev ydmyget, så jeg kunne lære dine love.

Skribenten lærte, at uden Gud for han vild pga. manglende dømmekraft. Men nu stoler han på Gud og siger, at det var en lykke for ham, at han blev ydmyget… det lyder mærkeligt. De fleste af os hader at blive ydmyget af mennesker. Men når Gud ydmyger, gør han det, fordi han elsker os og vil hjælpe os! Og så er det faktisk en lykke at blive ydmyget – for ydmygelsen har potentiale til at lede os til Gud. Når jeg bliver ydmyget, beder jeg Gud om hjælp til at forstå det, han vil lære mig, og jeg må sige som skribenten i Salme 119: Det er en lykke at lære noget af Gud! •

14

A

captain told me about an experience he had onboard a tanker in the North Atlantic. They got caught up in a hurricane which was so powerful that they lost control of the ship even though they were the ones standing on the bridge. The weather had taken charge of the ship.

His mate admitted that he was afraid. The captain was also scared. Both the ship and the crew made it to shore, but the two leaders didn’t fully recover. Their belief in their own abilities had been damaged. They had been humiliated, and they had realized that against the North Atlantic even the best can be defeated. A man is only a man. Sometimes it works out in the end, and they were happy it did!

The force of nature is strong When the force of nature humiliates us we often get very surprised. It shocks us that we are so small. At the same time we might be surprised that God will let us go through such humiliation. Why doesn’t he act?

He does what is best for us. We learn that without him we won’t make it through; not in this life nor the next. Sometimes it takes a hurricane to get our attention, and sometimes less will do. In Psalm 119, verses 66, 67 and 71 we encounter a man who God has taught to be humble:

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.

Without God we get lost because of our lack of judgement. The author of the psalm trusts in God and says that he is happy to have been humiliated. He needed it in order to realize that he needs God in his life. Being humbled can sometimes lead us to God, even when we don’t realize it right away. •

WAVES Nr. 1, Januar 2017, 4. årgang No. 1, January 2017, Vol. 4 Udgives af / Published by: Indenlandsk Sømandsmission The Danish Seamen’s Mission Ansvh. redaktør Executive Editor: Generalsekretær Nicolaj Wibe Redaktør og journalist / Editor: Hanne Baltzer, tlf. 2288 4496 Mail: hab@somandsmissionen.dk Oplag Print run: 3500 Årsabonnement Yearly subscription: 200 Dkr. Layout og tryk / Layout and print: Jørn Thomsen Elbo A/S Forside / Cover: Filippinske Laurence Bermejo Jr. er 2. officer på GERDA. (foto: Hanne Baltzer) Laurence Bermejo Jr from the Philippines is officer onboard GERDA. (Photo: Hanne Baltzer)

GRØNLAND Sømandshjemmet Nuuk Marinevej 3, 3900 Nuuk Tlf. 00 299 32 10 29 Mail: nuuk@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl Sømandsmissionær Søren Eriksen se@somandsmissionen.dk tlf. 002 99 27 89 18 Sømandshjemmet Sisimiut Frederik IX´s Plads 5, 3911 Sisimiut Tlf. 00 299 86 41 50 Mail: sisimiut@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl Sømandshjemmet Aasiaat Sammiarneq 9, 3950 Aasiaat Tlf. 00 299 89 27 11 Mail: aasiaat@soemandshjem.gl www.soemandshjem.gl Sømandsmissionær Christian Dyssegaard chd@somandsmissionen.dk Tlf. 002 99 29 39 04

DANMARK Hotel Bethel Sømandshjem Nyhavn 22, 1051 København K Tlf. 0045 - 3313 0370 Mail: info@hotel-bethel.dk www.hotel-bethel.dk

Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Havnepladsen 1, 7100 Vejle Tlf. 0045 – 3393 2543 info@somandsmissionen.dk www.somandsmissionen.dk Facebook: Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Kontorets telefoner er åbne mandag-fredag kl. 9.30-15.

Sømandsmissionens gavekonto: Giro 8003300 Bank 9541 8003300

Hotel Frederikshavn Sømandshjem Tordenskjoldsgade 15 B 9900 Frederikshavn Tlf. 0045 - 9842 0977 Mail: info@fshotel.dk www.fshotel.dk Hotel Aalborg Østerbro 27, 9000 Aalborg Tlf. 0045 - 9812 1900 Mail: info@hotel-aalborg.com www.hotel-aalborg.com

Sømandscafeen Bredgade 5, 6960 Hvide Sande Feriehjemmet Aggershøj Møllevejen 50 5960 Marstal Tlf. 0045 - 6253 1349 Mail: ssa@somandsmissionen.dk International Seamen´s Club Polensgade 3, 8000 Århus C Tlf. 0045 - 8612 1599 Mail: seamensclub.aarhus@mail.dk www.seamensclubaarhus.dk

Sømandsmissionærer/ Seamen’s Missionaries • Finn Løvlund, Esbjerg.

Tlf. 0045 - 2073 3806. flp@somandsmissionen.dk • Simon S. Ambrosen, Marstal.

Tlf. 0045 - 2982 2771. ssa@somandsmissionen.dk • Jørgen Bech Knudsen, Aarhus Tlf. 0045 - 2865 5277. jbk@somandsmissionen.dk • Jørgen Erik Larsen, Sorø Tlf. 0045 - 2343 0568. jel@somandsmissionen.dk • Moses Sloth, Aalborg Tlf. 0045 - 2243 9023 ms@somandsmissionen.dk • Leif Rasmussen, Strandby Tlf. 0045 - 2029 3738. lr@somandsmissionen.dk • Hanus Poulsen, Slagelse Tlf. 0045 - 6117 6838 hap@somandsmissionen.dk

Brug mobilepay: 2939 3775

15

Returadresse: Indenlandsk Sømandsmission Havnepladsen 1 7100 Vejle Denmark

Brug for hjælp?

Tillykke til de nye ubefarne skibsassistenter / Congratulations to the nye inexperienced ship´s assistants

Havet er verdens største arbejdsplads The ocean is the world’s largest workplace

G

ennem fem måneder har eleverne fyldt køjesækken med faglige værktøjer på Svendborg Søfartsskole. Selvom de måske føler, at køjesækken er fyldt til bristepunktet med viden om maskiner, svejsning, sikkerhedsregler og nautiske beregninger, så er der plads til mere. Det mener forstander Jens Fredriksen: ”For mange af jer var det nyt at træde ind i den maritime verden, en verden med sit helt eget sprog, udtryk, betegnelser og specielle fagområder. Skolefagene bygger på, at I skal have stor rutine og nærmest kan tingene i søvne, da der ikke er tid til at studere sikkerhedsmanualer, når man står midt i en nødsituation.

Danskere er ikke ene om at uddanne søfolk. Der er tale om en international uddannelse, hvor andre uden problemer kan tage de samme hyrer. Derfor er dét, som vi skal sælge vores arbejdskraft på, at vi kommer fra Skandinavien med vores normer og kultur.

Heldigvis har søfartserhvervet vind i sejlene. Aldrig før har den danske handelsflåde indsejlet et større beløb til Danmark: mere end 200 mia. kroner, mens landbrugserhvervet til sammenligning står for 75 mia. kroner.

Med den maritime grunduddannelse som ubefaren skibsassistent har I fået nøglen til en port, som åbner for en maritim verden.” •

16

F

or five months the students filled their duffel bag with maritime skills at Svendborg School of Maritime Studies. Even though they might feel like their bags are now filled with knowledge of engines, welding, safety procedures and nautical calculations, there is still room for more. At least school leader Jens Fredriksen thinks so: ”For many of you, stepping into the maritime world was a totally new thing when you arrived. It’s a world that has its own language, expressions, terms and professional fields.

Many of the courses here seek to provide you with experience, so that you can complete the crucial procedures in your sleep, as there is no time to study safety instructions when you are in the middle of an emergency.

We Danes are not the only ones to train sailors. This is an international education, where others compete for the same jobs as we do. Therefore, we have to promote ourselves on our Scandinavian roots, norms and culture, and luckily the maritime industry is doing well. Never before has the Danish merchant navy been more profitable than today.

More than 200 billion Danish kroner have been earned, while the agricultural industry has only made 75 billion.

With the basic maritime education as inexperienced ship’s assistant you have been given the key to a gate, that lets you enter a world of maritime opportunities.” •

Har du brug for hjælp, en personlig samtale, en der har tid til at lytte?

Vi har dygtige folk i mange danske havne.

Kontakt Sømandsmissionen: Generalsekretær Nicolaj Wibe Tlf. 0045- 2369 9664. nw@somandsmissionen.dk

Need help?

Do you need help or a personal conversation with someone who listens?

We have experienced people in many Danish harbors.

Contact the Seamen’s Mission: General Secretary Nicolaj Wibe Phone: 0045-2369 9664 nw@somandsmissionen.dk