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Sailors’ Society helps to reunite couple separated for three years

11 Mar, 2022

Engaged couple Angelo and his fiancée Mary-June, both from the Philippines had been separated by their work, but thanks to Sailors’ Society they have been able to spend precious time together after being apart for three long years – and get engaged!

Angelo has been a seafarer for five years and, with Mary-June a nurse at Exeter NHS Hospital, geography has kept them far apart.

But when Angelo’s ship docked in Southampton last week, Mary-Jane was contacted and immediately got on a train. She was picked up from the station by Sailors’ Society port chaplain Frans Sahetapy and it wasn’t long before the couple were reunited; if only for an hour.

Mary-June said: “After three years, a chance to see each other comes our way. A brief one hour seemed a million times an hour. It was so nice seeing each other face-to-face. 

 “Mixed emotions and feelings. We are so grateful that God is always on our side and sent chaplain Frans Sahetapy and his colleague to help us make the impossible possible. You are indeed God's blessing for us. He did not let me go home in tears of sadness but tears of gladness.” 

Chaplain Frans said: "It was lovely to be able to collect Mary-June from the station and bring her to the Seafarers' Centre so that she and Angelo could get the maximum amount of time together - his ship was only in port for a few hours. 

 “It was so lovely to see them reunited.”

Last week, Angelo’s ship returned to Southampton and while he was only there briefly, the couple were reunited, and he proposed.

The engaged couple will have to wait to plan their wedding but hope to meet up again very soon, when Angelo’s ship next comes into port.

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