Precious moments in Toronto – some snapshots

“Pastor Joel, would you please pray for my mommy, she doesn’t like her haircut!”
We were having a little chat and pastor Joel Kok, has this amazing memory, and recalled not only the names of our girls, after being away for two and a half year, but also their characteristics: Marijke, always reading, with her head down. Judith caring for the animals and Femke, at age 7 chasing the teenage boys! We were laughing loud out, when he remembered also those funny prayer requests from Femke and he said that he had a pretty uneasy time, translating this to the congregation. I can believe that!

In this picture you see Hye-Jin and me, playing the tenor. Just so amazing lovely to go on where we stopped last time. We played: Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, Vater unser im Himmelreich. And a few other small pieces for the recorder from Bach. Also with Tricia with her alto. I didn’t tell them how special this is to me. I don’t know why. I always seem to love it very deeply when there is something what makes a connection between me as a young girl and me now. Maybe because of all the changes, you start to look at things what stayed the same, didn’t change, only got more precious over the years. Playing my recorder is one of these things, bought from my first serious pocket money, at age 16.


We had a few lovely times that we shared a meal.
And how can I tell you about the lively evening, when we were listening to stories at the -woman from the school night-  Sharing about God at work in Toronto and the ministry among girls “people who don’t like to go to church” (well fitting name eh!) and at the end a very precious moment, sitting under a plaid with friend L. and sharing our latest happenings, worries and life.

Prepared for the cold outside and bright sunshine, I am smiling, but these were the cold days, that the little boy of Laurens age just walked outside the house and was found frozen after a couple of hours. -28 is cold, no kidding! (this was even in the Dutch newspapers)

Snow and a truck, picture for Laurens.

This is in Holland Christian Homes. This man in his wheelchair is an uncle of Frans in our village Randwijk. He was so glad when he heard that I came from Randwijk. I am born there! Was what he said! I could give him the latest news, and that was so precious and unexpected. And now I can pass on his greetings to his family in Randwijk.

The speech in Holland Christian Homes. It was different than I expected. I was prepared for a small group of 10 to 15 people, in English, but it turned out that I had to speak in Dutch for 80 people. (no powerpoint) They loved to hear stories in Dutch. I talked about the last people group in Europe what doesn’t have the Bible in their heart language. Paul got a dream from the Macedonian man. Every country in Europe has God Word for centuries, only the Roma don’t all have one. The big task is to sort out who has one and who doesn’t and who needs a Bible. (one of Jelle’s tasks)  It was a nice experience, hearing the psalms and hymns from the fifties, the psalms so familiar and the hymns many unknown to me, also some sweet Dutch poems from primary school sharing, long ago.
Another precious moment was on the second day after my speech in the school. There was a small concert in the church. I find it amazingly lovely to have this kind of outreach for people in the neighbourhood. Everybody is welcome, nobody has to come, just as you like it. This time there was beautiful music from three home schooled teenage girls who played Christian music and talked a little bit about the background. On the back row was a woman laying down, with bare feet enjoying the music. Come, just as you are. May God bless her.
How can I recall from the enlightening eyes of the little boy at the school, who was so amazed by the Gospel of Mark in the Bayash language? He spoke over four languages at age 6. (not so unusual in Toronto, but still!) And this was new to him. He was so into languages. Pray that God will use his gift in this young boy for His Kingdom.
How can I recall how it was to meet our friend having dinner for a few hours and still not yet enough time to catch up?
How can I recall about the silent breakfast with my hosts Korean mother in her eighties. How little do I know about her life story and uneasiness in talking English? Oh I love non-verbal communication! What a mystery.
How can I recall the precious moment of just a prayer and blessings in the pew, the day before I went back home again.
How can I explain what happened when you haven’t seen each other for a couple of years and experience that we didn’t change at all. (we only got a bit older and grey) Share our life from the heart and love it! You know it when you’ve been in the same situation.
So this blogpost is just a snapshot from a bubbling city weekend. I loved it!
Thank you all who just shared your life with me!