The green plastic Christmas tree, as well as the gold and silver balls set up with so much effort a few weeks ago, is being dismantled now as it has served its time. It is packed in a long rectangular brown box. It will gather dust until December 2024 when the ritual will be repeated. In addition the nativity scene that also forms part of the Christmas paraphernalia, complete with shepherds, sheep, a manger and a baby wrapped in cloth, is unplugged. This usually comes complete with a sound track blasting ‘Joy to the World’ in a joyful, yet tinny sound that does not fall easily on the ears. This is repeated again and again while bright colourful lights reminiscent of a pop concert blink and the characters perform cute repetitive movements. Now, suddenly the light in the stable is out. 

At the same time the deeper meaning, the hope, peace and mercy of the Christ Child seems to wane quickly. The new year brings new challenges, the same as every other year. The light in the stable allows us every year to find hope and courage, but as the days and months swing into action the light fades away until we find ourselves, after yet another rotation of the earth we search, desperately and burnt out, for the light of the stable. It is not simple when hope fades away. It is not simple when we allow dust to settle on the Child of the Manger. We need hope so desperately!

It is the same for the men working at sea...

The large, adult man standing on deck in front of Danie in Gberhqa tells, crying, with shaking shoulders, how desperate and hopeless things are...

It is the same for the man on the cargo vessel in Durban explaining the revolting war in the Ukraine that stole his family...

Similarly for the Philippine third officer that received the traumatic news of his wife’s miscarriage and that she is fighting for her life in a hospital thousands of miles away...

Please do not let us allow the dust settling on the Child of the Manger. Let us not allow the hope that the Child brings to be packed away with the decorations...

Thank you so much for your contribution. With that we can continue bringing the message of the Child of the Manger to every man working at sea that visits our country’s harbours. May the light of the Manger continue to shine brightly for you throughout this year.