Weer een geslaagde reis

26th December - 3 January - totally 9 days have come to an end. It is nothing but pure joy to see friends and their families doing well. 

Ronald Nagtegaal dropped me at the station this morning at 3:30 AM. It was freezing below 0 degrees and he had to remove the ice from his car front glass and side window panes. I really treasure their love and care and the trust they have on me to treat me as their family. This is my fifth yearly visit in their home and their hospitality is noteworthy.

I still have an email where I told them that I would visit them on 26 June 2010 but couldn't make it without even giving an excuse since I was admitted to the hospital.

Their Children Shanu Nagtegaal (along with Lennart) and Arjen Nagtegaal have visited me in Chennai in the year 2017 and it was simply beautiful to be in touch with them every year. Tineke works in the same hospital where I was operated and she visited me many times.

Willine and Willem Jan are special. Willem Jan works in the Utrecht university near the hospital where I was admitted. There are many times he took off from his work in the afternoons to visit me. After my last operation, I was in their home for about a week and it was not easy for them since there was a lot of cleaning to be done because of the post operative bleeding.

My initial memories of staying at their home, for several years were of severe post operative pain and also at the same time the help they offered during my stay. It was beautiful mixed memories. They did not have children then. 

It is such a joy to visit them and their 3 children now and also visit the swimming pool so that I dont forget deep water swimming. This year it was to Laco, the pool in Driebergen Zeist. The depth at one end was 3.25 meters (about 10 feet and 6 inches) 

Both Willine and Willem Jan have visited me twice in Chennai and were along with me in the recovery journey. 

Family Westerveld helped my parents during their visit and they were very helpful when I had to vacate home. They serve cheerfully for the sake of Jesus Christ in practical ways.

The last appointment which I managed to squeeze in was on 1 January to meet Mw.Gaasenbeek, a 84 old grandmother since she requested a visit. It was about a hour's train journey. She was in so much joy after the visit and I was happy to see her doing well inspite of old age related ailments. 

It was fun juggling appointments and I enjoyed talking to each and every one. There were about 14 appointments with different friends in 9 days. The early morning runs along with the cold water daily showers helped to face the freezing weather especially when it was raining while on the bicycle.

Finally after some shopping for Cheese, stroopwafels and black coffee pads late evening the vacation was complete.

Stir up your kindness and love

"Heeft u ooit buiten Nederland gewoond ?" (Have you ever lived outside Netherlands?) I asked Pastor Jasper after the Church service who responded jokingly "Nee hoor, ik ben gewoon een kaas kop" 

(No, I am just a cheese head - referring to how the neighouring European countries refer the Dutch). 

After the conversation, he then rode his bicycle back home with his wife on another bicyle. I then had a few minutes talking to Gert Schipper who was on his wheelchair and his sister Tera Schipper who had returned from Jordan.

(picture of the church in Zeist)

The art of being content in one's setting and creating a beautiful environment for the people around. To keep the home, city and surroundings clean. To love God with all your heart and be a good example following Jesus Christ.

Zeist has awed me with the kindness and love of people. It is not that I only expect from them and not give back because it is only when you reciprocate that you feel the warmth of the love.

It is also that you cannot be unkind to some people and love the other group. It doesn't work that way even though it might look fine at that moment. Some how the animosity given a chance would flare up over-ruling the love and kindness. You cannot love God whom you have not seen and hate your brother whom you see, said Jesus (1 John 4:20).

It is the contentment and finding joy consistently day in and day out. Moving to a different city with lots of opportunities doesn't assure the beauty of love. It is often that the greed for money and success gets disguised as love and fades over times.

There is also a need to fight greed, lust, hatred, cultural pressures and work hard to preserve it. 

The desire for greatness and to be "someone" robs ones beauty and joy.

May God stir up the love and kindness once again.