Samira Sheth welcomes Reverend Peter Chase to Fujairah

There is a new Vicar in town. Reverend Peter Chase moved to Fujairah from Boston in September this year and he’s already fighting fit and ready to implement some exciting new ideas to pull Fujairah’s diverse communities together.
For Reverend Peter is no stranger to multicultural communities. Born in Germany to American parents, the young Peter Chase lived in Germany for a while before moving on to countries including Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Italy. He served in Utah and California before taking over a large parish at St. Mary’s in Boston, where he served for 17 years. After the Reverend retired early this year, he had an opportunity to come to Fujairah and he gladly took up the challenge.
Says Rev. Chase, “I wasn’t planning on doing any more work but then this opportunity came up and it really is different from any of my other experiences but that’s why I’m here because it is so completely different. I also feel a connection to this part of the world because in my college years, I was in Jeddah and from 1965-71, I travelled fairly extensively through the Middle East. It’s a very strange thing to say but I never feel a foreigner in these parts. It feels like I belong here.”
The good Reverend represents the Church of England and Diocese of Cyprus in the Gulf as well as the Mission to Seafarers. Most of his time is spent on board the Flying Angel, the boat that goes out to ships at anchorage to allow seafarers access to supplies, computers and books and now, a compassionate listener. Reverend Chase explains, “Most of my work on the ship is called Ministry of Presence, and it means just being there, being available. Being someone who listens, who shows a genuine concern for their wellbeing. People will talk at whatever level they want with me – sometimes it is about rugby, cricket and football. Other times it’s more personal and the seafarers talk about their feelings of isolation from their family and children. The majority of times it’s been more joy than pain because the people I meet have such a sense of gratitude about the little things in life. We have about 5 computers available for them to use and we take supplies out and merchandise they might need as they don’t have access to malls and shops. Sometimes they’ll ask for a blessing or a religious service but most of the time it’s just talking and joking. These men haven’t seen their families for a while and they make so many sacrifices for them. Some of them are stressed about the threat of piracy. Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom. Some of the mariners are extremely well-read and well-spoken and maintain a positive attitude. We have some stimulating conversation on board. They have time to do some of the things we don’t and they are an inspiration to us all. One of my hopes is to get more involvement with the other communities for the Flying Angel.”
The Vicar goes out to sea from 8 am to 8 pm Sunday through Thursday and holds church service on Fridays and Saturdays. “30-40 people are now members of this church. It’s very informal- we share music, readings, prayer. I am now available as a full-time member of the Protestant clergy in Fujairah and I hope to make connections with the community. The church is essentially a family and in a family you really get to know each other well – you’re a part of their lives from birth to death. I hope that what happens here is that we build community among the people who are here. Primarily my work is with the seafarers but it is also with the people on land. Here people feel a sense of isolation. Most people are here to make money and I’m not. I’m doing it because I enjoy it - it hasn’t felt like work yet. But, because money is the primary motivation for people to be here, they don’t feel a part of where they live. One of our goals is to help them feel integrated into the community and one of the ways we can do that is by serving the community. I hope some of the younger people will get a sense of the sacrifices the seafarers make and their service in providing us with everything we use in our daily lives. We could do small things to show our appreciation – collect gifts for the workers, get them food and supplies, etc. We’re also doing our annual Christmas Carol service on December 18th and this is for anyone who is interested. The goal of our church is to be inclusive and make people comfortable.”
The Reverend concludes, “It’s wonderful to be here and I’m looking forward to the next 2 years, to get to know this community better and appreciate it more and more. I love to be out at sea – it’s a beautiful harbour and the environment is spectacular – I hope in my own way I safeguard that for future generations. If anyone wants to volunteer – to come on the Flying Angel they can call me and I’ll make the arrangements. If anyone has any ideas for me or suggestions about things that should be done that aren’t being done I’m certainly open to new ideas and ways of doing things differently. We have a nice community and I think there is a potential for a lot of wonderful things to happen here.”

Join in the annual Christmas Carol Service and share the spirit of Christmas at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club on Friday, December 18th at 5.30 pm

Samira Sheth welcomes basketball coach, Saindee De La Cruz to Fujairah

It is a rare treat to talk basketball with Saindee De La Cruz aka Sid. It’s not often one comes across female coaches and athletes in this part of the world. Sid is the new basketball coach in Fujairah. She currently coaches girls between the ages of 11-16 years at the Kalba Ladies Club and the Wadi Al Halo Club.
Sid was working in Dubai in an HR department before the recession claimed her job. A passionate basketball player, she is affiliated with the Sharjah Ladies Club and was a regular at matches and tournaments there, which in turn opened the doors to her current job as basketball coach.
“I started playing basketball at 13,” says Saindee. “My aunt took me watch a commercial league tournament for men on TV with her and I thought, “Hey, that’s a beautiful move, maybe I can do this.” I used to play volleyball but then I came to love basketball more because it’s more of a challenge for me. I even got a diploma in college through a scholarship playing basketball. I was playing throughout in the collegiate wars, which are prestigious inter-college tournaments.”
The articulate slender young woman holds a diploma in business administration from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila’s oldest university. All through college she continued to play and was a member of the Philippine Youth Team, which is a national level team for under-18s. She also played in the Women’s Philippine Basketball League, which is at a semi-professional level. With several international tournaments to her credit, Sid went onto play in the Streetball Challenge, sponsored by Adidas. The Streetball Challenge is a highly competitive 3-on-3 tournament. Winning the Challenge led to Sid being invited to Florida to watch NBA’s legendary Tracy McGrady in action.
Says Sid, “I was given the choice to join the Philippine National Team but it was at the same time that I graduated and was offered a job so I took the job instead. I thought I should focus on the real world.”

And now, Sid’s life has come full circle. She is back to her first love, basketball. “Cricket and football are so big in this part of the world. I would really like to encourage basketball here. I am planning to build the team here, and would love to have players from Fujairah and Kalba. I am trying to get new players.”
Sid continues to play competitively in regular open tournaments in Dubai. She counts Rebecca Lobo from the Houston Comets and Lisa Leslie from the Lakers as among her role models. Very conscious of her role as coach, Sid is particularly careful to teach her team the basics first. She says, “I focus on stretching a lot because it avoids injury. After all, the players are all my responsibility and it is a very physical sport.
“I want to encourage basketball here because it is such a physical sport and I feel women can play it better. It always amazes people to see women playing the same physical sport as men. It is definitely a challenging sport, which makes it fun.