The Port of Savannah is the Closest Thing to a Foreign Mission Field Without a Passport
Or: How I Learned You Don’t Need a Passport to Be a Foreign Missionary
A Thanksgiving Log from the President’s Chair – Maritime Bethel Savannah
Posted November 23, 2025 – Southern Fried Thoughts
By Dean Burnette
President, Board of Directors
Maritime Bethel Savannah
Well, bless my soul and tie me to the mast, if the good Lord ever decides to hand out crowns for “Most Miles on a Savannah Ministry Van in One Week,” I reckon He’ll need extra gold. Between Monday’s sunrise and Friday’s whistle, our two grey vans—The Good News and The Good-er News—ran more laps than a shrimp boat dodging a thunder squall. And every mile was packed with souls from China, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and a few places I can’t pronounce without hurting myself.
But I’m getting ahead of the tide. Let me back ‘er down and tie up to the dock so you can see the full picture.
MISSION WEEK, SAVANNAH STYLE
Now, let me set the scene for you. Picture this: The Port of Savannah, one of the busiest in the nation, where ships the size of floating skyscrapers dock, unload, and vanish into the night like ghosts. On those ships? Thousands of seafarers—men and women from China, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and places most of us couldn’t find on a map if you spotted us a compass. These folks work 90 days straight, sometimes longer, with nothing but steel walls, salt air, and the kind of loneliness that’ll make a grown man weep into his coffee.
And that’s where we come in.
If you ever thought about being a missionary but didn’t want to hop on a jet plane, let me tell you, you’ve got all the adventure you need right here in Savannah at Maritime Bethel Savannah! This past week has been a whirlwind of blessings and gratitude, and I can’t help but share it with you, folks. Let me tell you about a week that reminded me why I believe God still works miracles in the modern world—and sometimes He does it with a couple of gray vans, some faithful volunteers, and seafarers from halfway around the globe right here in our own backyard.
This past week, November 17-21, the good folks from Springfield Oaks Church—that’s a Global Methodist congregation up in Springfield—designated their mission week to serve at Maritime Bethel Savannah. And let me tell you, these people didn’t just show up; they showed out. Monday morning they rolled in like a nor’easter of niceness: four folks armed with smiles, sandwiches, and a prayer list longer than a container-ship manifest. By 0900 they were shaking hands with seafarers who hadn’t felt a handshake since the last port. By 1100 they were climbing gangways that swayed like porch swings in a gale. By 1400 they had already driven to Walmart twice and organized our storage closet so neatly I finally found the coffee filters we lost in 2022.
When Plan A Takes Shore Leave
Now, we’d been expecting the Georgia Ports Authority shuttle service to start their trial runs this week, ferrying seafarers from their massive container ships across the street to our Seafarers Center at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. But as anyone who’s spent time around ships and schedules knows, sometimes a heavy fog slows things down a bit.
The shuttle trial? Well, it didn’t launch this week. But here’s the thing about sailors and people who serve them—we always have a Plan B. And our Plan B’s name was Ben Tablada our unsung hero, who jumped into the fray when the plans for the Georgia ports shuttles didn’t quite set sail. We were steady as she goes with our own Maritime Bethel transport vans, thanks to Ben’s help. His tireless trips ensured that seafarers reached us without a hitch. If you ever wanted to witness God at work, let me tell you, it was right before our eyes!
I honestly couldn’t tell you how many trips Ben made this week or how many seafarers he helped us transport. All I know is that both Maritime Bethel transport vans were running steadier than a metronome at a piano recital. We saw and assisted people from China, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and I’m sure a handful of other countries I’m forgetting.
If you’ve ever wanted to be a foreign missionary but were afraid to fly—well, friend, have I got a ministry for you!
A Crew Worth Their Salt
The volunteers from Springfield Oaks showed up every single day with smiles that could light up a harbor at midnight, prayers that could calm any storm, and handshakes that said “welcome” in a language everybody understands. These folks didn’t just wait at the dock—they boarded a couple of big ships with us, helped transport seafarers to shopping centers and back to the port to board their vessels on time.
And in what they called their “spare time”? They washed windows, organized our storerooms, and offered ideas and suggestions that showed they weren’t just passing through—they were all in.
Gratitude That Runs Deeper Than Any Channel
But it doesn’t stop there, friends. As I walked through that bustling week, I was reminded of the heart and soul behind Maritime Bethel Savannah—the board of directors many of them have been supporting this endeavor for more than five years. Without the unwavering dedication of this board, this ministry would not be here today. Thank you for sowing into this fruitful work.
A very special thanks to Adriana Mestas, our SCAD intern from Peru. She’s been with us all summer, handling media and communications like a pro—spinning stories, capturing photos, and doing double-duty with a smile. And the lady didn’t stop there. When something needed doing—cleaning, logistics, translation—she pitched in, even when it wasn’t on her job description. She leaves at the end of the month, and we’re gonna miss her something fierce. Gracias, Adriana. Que Dios te bendiga.
And how about Rich Hadeed? Rich, you were missed this week—off in Texas enjoying some well-earned time with your kids—and that’s a good thing. But we felt your absence. You’re the heartbeat of year-round ministry here, friend. You’ve ministered to more seafarers than I can count, prayed with ‘em through loneliness, grief, hope. Thank you, brother. We’re praying those Texas skies pour blessings on you and your family. Thank you, God, for bringing us folks like Rich, who do God’s work without expectation.
And though he’s with the Lord now—thanks be to God—my predecessor, Mike Jenkins, was the skipper who steered us through a rough patch. He led us to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, that humble, holy corner property just across from the docks. Mike trusted God’s direction when others had doubts. And now, that location is THE place where the love of Christ is welcome to some of the most forgotten travelers on God’s green earth.
The Harbor Master Himself
Let’s talk about John Houchens, the Executive Director of Maritime Bethel Savannah. John—I don’t know a man who works harder, prays deeper, or loves more relentlessly. The man leads not for accolades, not for a fat paycheck (let’s be honest, it’s not exactly Silicon Valley wages), but because he sees Jesus in every seafarer who walks through that door.
He lives out Galatians 6:10: “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.” I’m not just proud to serve with John—I’m grateful. And I pray God showers every blessing on him and his family, because thousands are blessed through them.
A Rising Tide and a Call to Action
Now, here’s where I need to shift from storytelling to straight talk.
The Port of Savannah is growing faster than kudzu in July. I recently learned that our Georgia Ports are projected to double in size by 2032. That’s about 20% growth per year, folks. We’re talking about going from 60,000 seafarers annually to potentially 120,000.
This fantastic growth has come at a cost. What used to be quiet neighborhoods around the port is becoming increasingly industrialized. Families have been—and continue to—move away from the port area to raise their children. This has resulted in shrinking local church congregations, including Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, which has blessed this area since the 1930s and, they house our Seafarers Center right across from the Georgia Ports Authority.
We hope and pray that God will intervene and provide the means for Maritime Bethel to become stewards of this blessed corner property for the continued Christian faith ministry to seafarers and the local community for many years to come.
All Hands on Deck—Seriously
This week was humbling. Watching the power of ecumenical and united Christians coming together to help others from different countries and different faiths. Methodist, Lutheran, and every flavor of Christian in between, all working shoulder to shoulder to show Christ’s love — to people who most of us will never meet again, well, that’s the Gospel in motion. Christians working ecumenically, offering handshakes, prayer, food, rides, and a listening ear — it’s what being the Church looks like when you take it to the docks..
So here’s my ask, plain and simple:
We were busy all week and barely scratched the surface. The Port of Savannah sees thousands of ships and tens of thousands of seafarers every year, and with projections of a 20% annual growth rate over the next several years, the need is only going to increase.
We need volunteers — drivers, hospitality folks, folks to organize goods, help with media, and people who will simply sit down and listen to someone whose world looks very different from ours.
We need financial help and in-kind donations to keep our vans moving, our center stocked, and our doors open.
If your church has ever thought about a mission trip abroad, consider bringing that mission home. Host a foreign mission week right here at our port — you’ll get to meet the world without getting on a plane.
If you’re part of a church looking for a mission opportunity, contact Maritime Bethel Savannah. Coordinate a foreign mission week for your congregation right here at our port. You don’t need shots, you don’t need a passport, and you don’t need to worry about drinking the water.
What you need is a heart for service and a willingness to show up.
The world is literally coming to our doorstep on container ships every single day. Young men and women spending 8-9 months away from home and family, working under tough conditions, dealing with depression, anxiety, and isolation that a recent Yale University study confirmed is significantly higher among international seafarers.
They need a friendly face, a listening ear, a ride to Walmart, and most of all, they need to know somebody cares.
CLOSING SHOT
As I write this, another ship’s horn just echoed across the river—long, low, lonely. Somewhere on that steel island is a homesick sailor who doesn’t know his name is already written on heaven’s crew list.
Let’s make sure he hears that Good News before he sails.
I’m grateful beyond measure for everyone who gave their time, money, and hearts this week. These moments remind me that the Lord works in ordinary places — in vans, on piers, in church basements, and across a kitchen table over a cup of coffee. He uses ordinary people who decide to show up.
Drop by, y’all. We’re easy to find: right across from the big gray cranes, where the gospel smells like coffee, sounds like laughter, and rides in a van named grace.
Anchored in gratitude,
Dean Burnette
President, Maritime Bethel Savannah
Savannah, Georgia – where the world comes to port and the church meets the world.
Praying for a miracle and for more churches to come alongside us. If you’ve got a spare Tuesday or an extra willing heart — bring it down to the port. The world’s at our doorstep, and there’s work to be done.
To volunteer, coordinate a mission week, or donate, contact us at:
Maritime Bethel Savannah
45 Main Street, Savannah, GA 31408
john@maritimebethelsavannah.org
The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, and the ships keep coming.
Won’t you join our crew?