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Tristan de Cunha

1995

After six days at sea we arrived at this incredible bit of land and population in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It is about a thousand miles to Africa and about a thousand six hundred miles to South America. This is the most remote populated island in the world!

Many times the passing ships cannot land passengers because of rough seas. Praise God this day was quite and calm and almost no waves. We landed by zodiac (small rubber boat).

There is a population of about three hundred people all living in one small town. There is a post office that opens for the visitors seeking the rare postage stamps and postmark.

I carried the cross along the narrow road and then through the potato fields. They try to grow food locally as ships only stop a few times a year.

Denise and I got to know one special family that we have stayed in touch with now for years. I prayed with that one man to receive Jesus.

We had lunch at the little town restaurant and meet many of the locals. They were very welcoming of the cross and us.

This was truly a historic crosswalk and a wonderful day.

The next day we stopped off at a real wonder of the world ‘Nightingale Island’. Home of the Rock Hopper Penguin! Denise and I joined the others in doing a walk around the island.

Then the ship sailed slowly around the fabulous Gough Island. This is a place with masses of bird life.

Just blessed to be able to carry the cross here and meet the people and see the wild life and nature.

All the South Atlantic Islands

Falkland Islands, South Georgia Islands, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension, Cape Verde and The Canary Islands:

For just over a month my wife Denise and I carried the cross in these six remote Atlantic Islands. It was one of the most glorious trips filled with awesome in beauty in nature. There was the peace of being at sea and experiencing the wonder of God’s creation.

We flew into the Falkland Islands from Chile. Carried the cross there in the Falklands and then boarded a ship to take us to the other islands of this trip. The name of the ship was “The Explorer.” It held about a hundred people. Most of the passengers were members of the Century Travelers Club.

The way it worked was for us to sail for a day or two or even a week to an island group. Then we would go ashore by zodiac (small rubber boat). They would go back and forth taking from the landing to the ship. Most of the time it was very difficult and dangerous to get on the zodiac because it was bobbing up and down in the water. You had to go down the side of the ship on some shaky steps then leap onto the little boat. We would wait till last so we could have the cross handed down to us on the bouncing boat! Ha

The cross is six feet across and twelve feet long.

The crew was so nice to us and happy to have the cross. Most were Catholic from the Philippines. They wanted me to do a special mass for them. We planed it and most of the crew came and heard me speak of Jesus and salvation and they prayed to receive Jesus. Then we had the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion!

The people of the Century Travelers Club want to hear us so we spoke to that group one day. Two of the travelers gave their lives to Jesus.

On board the ship both Denise and I were seasick most of the time! On land we were great but get the ship rocking and we were ill. Only Jesus could get me to do something like this. This was not one of the big cruise ships but an old icebreaker used most of the time in Antarctica.

This was our home for a month. We loved it and praise God. What a privilege to carry the cross in the remote Atlantic Islands.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt,
Luke 18:1