Here's To Life!

Seafarers and International House (SIH) is a Lutheran mission for seafarers and sojourners.  It is one of the ministries of the ELCA and is located in New York City in lower Manhattan.  SIH is an 84-room hotel where many of its mission activities to seafarers, domestic violence victims, immigrants and travelers take place.   It is here where the Lutheran community can be a church at work – with meeting rooms and guest rooms.   Port chaplains board merchant ships while in port and bring needed items (international phone cards, WI-FI hubs for international communication) to seafarers and when allowed, can take them shopping, to see a doctor or dentist, or just come ashore. From 1984 to 1993, my father served as the executive director of SIH.   In December, they dedicated the newly renovated second floor of the hotel and named it the Rev. J. Gordon Swanson Center in honor of his tenure there.   My mother, my siblings and o...

What a trying end of January.  There was a gas issue in our condo unit the last Sunday of January.  It turns out the pipe bringing gas to our unit had a hole in it larger than a quarter.  It was not a Nicor problem but our gas was turned off immediately.  So, no heat, no hot water, no cooking.  And it is winter and cold outside.  A week and a half later we again have heat, hot water and gas for cooking.  Somehow, there was no sense of urgency to get our gas problem fixed, it seemed.  Three bids were required by the condo association which were gotten in a couple of days - but then it seemed to take a couple more days before they decided which contractor to hire to fix the issue.  Then it was a few more days before the contractor could get started, a part needed to be ordered and the problem was finally fixed after 9 days.  We are thankful for our friends who put us up for many nights and to those who lent us space heaters.  Of cours...