In the 1980s, a Spanish seminarian named Mother María Jimenez recognized that the job of crewing a ship could be particularly stressful and isolating. Every week, thousands of these 'seafarers' pass through South Florida’s ports. They work on the same ships that bring clothes and computers and gasoline and all the things that make modern life modern. Many don’t have a visa to enter the U.S. - so they can’t leave the port. Jimenez wanted them to have their own place at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. So, she created the Seafarers’ House. LISTEN: Men and Women Who Work On Ships Find An Oasis At Port Everglades It’s a pair of cozy white-and-blue buildings that lie behind a chain-link fence at the port. The fence is clad with faded flags from all different countries. The larger of the two building is called the “casa.” It’s a convenience store, internet cafe, bank, lounge, and church rolled into one. “This place is so helpful,” says Panamanian seafarer Ramon Castillo, 25, who’s
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