PROFILE
The Rev'd Victor Salve, Mission to Seafarers Chaplain, Bahrain


Victor & Ruby

I arrived in Bahrain on the 25th November 1970 to join Cable & Wireless Ltd.  Ruby joined me in June 1971 with our two children Ranee, then one a half years old, and Ricky aged 3 months.  I worked for
Cable & Wireless and later for Batelco for 22 years.

In 1980 during the Iran/Iraq war, when Mr. David Pellett was the Lay Chaplain to Mission to Seafarers in Bahrain, I joined the team of volunteers to assist him in the Seafarers' Centre and since then I have always been involved in the Mission's work.

At the beginning of 1992, during the incumbency of the Very Rev'd Derek Taylor, then the Provost of St. Christopher's Cathedral, I was selected for training for ordination; at the same time, due to Bahrainisation, I was relieved of my job at Batelco at the short notice of just 29 days.  However, Fr. Derek Taylor and the St. Christopher's Cathedral Council decided to sponsor me to complete my studies, part of which was spent in Wales at St. Michael's College, Llandaff.

Between 1992-94, while undergoing training under Fr. Derek Taylor and Dr. Canon Ian Young, then the Diocesan Director of Ordinands, I was appointed Cathedral Administrator.  Around this time there was an urgent need for a Mission to Seafarers' Chaplain in the Bahrain International Seafarers' Society (B.I.S.S.) as the Rev'd Roy Topping, then the Mission's Chaplain was completing studies in the U.K. and the locum Chaplain needed to return home.  I was called upon to take over the Chaplain's work in the Port.  On the Rev'd Topping's return I was offered a part time Administrator's job in the Mission and this I held until December 1994 when I left for my studies in the U.K.  After returning from the U.K. I was ordained to the Diaconate then to the Priesthood, serving my title at St. Christopher's Cathedral.

During 1997 I was appointed as the Seafarers' welfare representative of B.I.S.S., a post I held until the 31st December 2005.

On 1st January 2006 a new chapter in the history of B.I.S.S. and MtS was opened in Bahrain.  After eight years as Seafarers' Welfare Representative I moved from B.I.S.S. and now am Mission to Seafarers' Chaplain and Assistant Chaplain to St. Christopher's Cathedral; roles I very much enjoy.

It is worth mentioning that from the age of 17, I have been very much involved with sea life having been a seafarer myself.  I understand and am aware of the life, difficulties and problems that seafarers face while on the high seas.  In my present calling I meet seafarers from different parts of the world some of whose home countries I have visited, and share something of their native place which makes them very happy.  Both Ruby and I have the advantage of being able to speak several Asian languages/dialects that makes my work both more interesting and enjoyable.  Ruby's assistance in writing and interpreting letters (sometimes love letters) to seafarers in different languages, not only brings happiness to seafarers (giggles to us as well) but has been very much appreciated.