A century at Kilindini : the story of Mombasa's Mission to Seafarers 1921-2021 /by Michael Sparrow.

"One hundred years ago The Missions to Seamen opened its doors at Kilindini to the crews of ships visiting Mombasa. The port had no wharves and vessels worked their cargoes at anchorage but the first Chaplain wrote, 'Mombasa is undoubtedly the port of East Africa, and destined to figure more conspicuously among the ports of the world as times goes on.' That foresight has proven true as the port has developed through many challenging circumstances - a World War, Kenya's Independence, regional conflicts, ocean piracy, and the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 - to its leading role in the region's trade. Through all the changes of these hundred years, one constant has been the pastoral and practical care offered by The Missions to Seamen for the many thousands of international seafarers who come to Mombasa each year. As the commercial pressures of shipping intensify, the human needs of the men and women who crew the ships are all too often overlooked. The Missions try to respond to those needs by visiting on board ships in the port and by providing a homely welcome at the seafarers' Centre. Now known as The Mission to Seafarers, the organisation continues actively in its core purpose of promoting the welfare of all seafarers. This book undofls the story of this century of care. It tells a little known part of the history of Mombasa and its harbour, and provides insights into the usually unseen aspects of the lives of seafarers that will be of interest to the general reader as well as to those engaged with the maritime world."--Provided by the publisher.