Author: Erik de Kievit

In recent weeks there seem to have been breakthroughs in a number of areas in our ministry. This made it possible for us to organize the Marriage Course together with friends of ours. We also welcomed an outreach team again and this year we are organizing a Marriage Couples Night and a Bible Summer School for the second time. These are all activities that we hoped and prayed for. What a blessing that this is possible and that the preparations seem to be going well. But to top it all off, we see that the ministry in San Nicolas, Cas di Restauracion, is growing considerably and that several churches now want to support this initiative. What first started with Mama Sandra (see blog 009), is now starting to develop as an initiative by and for the community. Something that seemed impossible in Aruba in recent years is now really happening. Organizations start to work together selflessly and what is even more special, church congregations are willing to let go of the past and humble themselves together before God.
In two meetings with pastors and leaders from different churches in San Nicolas we experienced that they really want to do what God calls us all to do; care for “the widows and orphans”. Different insights and different ecclesiastical cultures are no longer decisive for these shepherds. They want to focus on Jesus and from there commit themselves to their immediate neighbors. Not by staying within four walls and preaching about how things should be done, but by going out, rolling up their sleeves, working together and complementing each other as the body of Christ. And me? I watch, amazed at the new things happening here, impressed by the silent revolution that God is unleashing. 
When seven church congregations come together to ask forgiveness for what was, to magnify God’s name above all else and to expect a new beginning under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work. I’m in awe and looking forward to more!

When you start working in another country, there are many hurdles to overcome. Although I sometimes thought about this when our friends were working in South Africa, I did not realize at the time what this must have meant to them. And now that we are working here in Aruba, I often ignore the impact of everything that has changed. I like to work and enjoy results. So my natural commitment is to create positive change. But that does not work here. Not if you come from outside, not if you don’t know the culture well enough, not if you don’t have the right relationships and contacts. Without knowing it, we have been working way too hard to achieve all those positive results. We had planted a plant and it had to grow. We put the plant in the right soil, we gave it enough water and we provided a little extra pokon. We just didn’t pull the plant up so that it seemingly would grow faster, but we at least checked it every day to see if any growth was visible.

This week we had a conversation about how we can best help the families in San Nicolas. In the middle of the meeting, a good friend asked me: “Why did you keep saying in recent months that we had to wait without taking action?” This question got me thinking. I could have asked it to other people who wanted to achieve something here. What motivates me to no longer want to pull the plant? Am I still passionate enough for this mission? Fortunately, I can answer that last question with a resounding “yes”. But what’s stopping me?

The answer to that question came for me two weeks earlier. During coaching that Hanneke and I received from two experienced YWAM-ers; a couple who, with at least twenty more years of mission experience, know how to pioneer. During that conversation I talked about how I really felt about being cooped up on this island for almost three years and feeling like I couldn’t move forward. One of our coaches then asked the question: “Can it be that God lets you experience what it is like to live as an Aruban?” Phew, that came in. I knew the answer. That’s exactly what happens. Do I like it? Absolutely not! But is it necessary? Absolutely!

It is important to realize that we cannot force this mission, no matter how much we may want to move forward. This applies to us, but it also applies to our fellow missionaries with whom we work and to our supporters. God has a plan in place and He knows what He is doing. He gives each plant exactly the time it needs to grow, bloom, and be fruitful. We can be ready to sow, water and harvest. But things will always happen a little differently in Aruba than in the rest of the world. We must, despite ourselves, walk the process as God intends it here. Fortunately, we were also able to explain that to our friend in the meeting as well. I hope that with this lasting realization in mind the first hurdle has been taken.

This weekend, I have a few days off after a long time. I even left home for a while and the peace of not having to do anything at all overwhelms me. Taking time for myself is a luxury I haven’t had for a long time. But I also realize that it is a luxury that many people never have. That may be one of the reasons I put it off for so long. The need is so great here and there is so much to do. So much could be different, so much better than what it is now. This inaction forces me to reconsider that our mission is not my project, but that of our Assigner. Good thing, too! I don’t have to solve everything. Yet the problems in this thirsty country do not let me go.

This morning, I read a passage about thirst in Amos 8:11-13;
‘“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. “In that day the lovely virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.”’

This text touched me while reading. While I understand that this passage was written in a different context, I feel the need for it every day. This is exactly what is going on. In Aruba… and in large parts of the world. And most people don’t recognize their thirst or think they can solve it with junk food.
Aruba is a thirsty country. The dry soil reflects the hearts of the people who belong here. So many people here feel like the Samaritans; not recognized, not seen and not heard in their need. But even though Aruba has a good water purification plant, water is not a given for everyone here, and Living Water certainly isn’t.
I recently heard the statement, “Either you will shrink your faith to the level of your experience, or you will allow God to increase your faith to the level of His promises.” Would you like to pray and believe that our Father will fully pour out His Living Water over Aruba?

Mescos cu e bina^[1]

Mescos cu e bina ta sklama pa awa
Mi alma ta sklama na Bo
Abo so ta e deseo di mi alma
Y mi kier adora Bo so

Abo so ta mi escudo fiel
Y na Bo mi kier somete
Abo so ta e deseo di mi alma
Y mi kier adora Bo so

^[1] Like a deer in Papiamento.

Sometimes, you suddenly hear a small piece of interesting information that changes your perception. For example, I once read somewhere that a retirement home had hung photos of the people who lived there at the doors of the rooms when they were young. I found that very inspiring at the time. And now, I got such an insight into someone’s life.
His name is Marcelino and he is over 90 years old. There is a beautiful photo of him in his house, where he must be about 25 years old. A beautiful man with a charming smile. Now he sits in the same chair every day, watches TV, eats and chats with the neighbors who pass by, or his brother who lives a few houses away. He laughs a lot, has great stories and keeps his spirit up. We bring him food and always have a chat.
Recently some of his relatives were leaving just as we arrived. They said goodbye and I heard them say something strange; “Pan y vino”. I looked quizzically at the relative and he laughed and told me a little anecdote. 
They call him Marcelino pan y vino. When he was a little boy, he used to spend a lot of time talking to God and asking questions. He would go to an attic and ask God things like: ‘Didn’t your neck hurt when you hung on the cross?’ Sometimes he would take a piece of bread (pan) and some wine (vino) upstairs to share with God and to celebrate supper. And that’s how he got his nickname.
When I went in to greet Marcelino, I could imagine that little boy asking God complicated questions and living close to him. And he still does that. We always pray together and I think it’s a fantastic idea that he used to do that, always has done that, and now does it together with me. What a richness!

Photo: Geda Žyvatkauskaitė on Unsplash

She is a special woman with a striking appearance. Every Saturday I meet her in the Hub. Every Saturday she sits there on a chair with her back against the open door, catching every breath of wind from outside. It is way too hot inside the room and while sweat is dripping down my spine when I’m preparing the food and drinks to take to the families, she makes nice and funny remarks to me and others. From the first time I met her, she liked it when I prayed for her before I go. After a few weeks she even started to ask for it. Now, we no longer need words. I pray for her first, and then I go to the families.
When I have some extra minutes, I like to sit next to her on a chair. She tells me the most important facts about what is happening in San Nicolas and beyond, and how we all can deal with it. Her comments help me to see the world from a different perspective, and for that I am grateful!
It is special to me that mama Judith, with all her life experience, is happy to accept that people are praying for her. She is a true prayer warrior herself. The great thing is that she thinks about people that others don’t think about. In addition to praying very faithfully for her children, “the pilots and the co-pilots that are up in the air, and the captains of the ships on the ocean” are always prayed for. What a blessing that there are people with enough life experience to fill in the gaps that I, and probably many others, don’t think of. The Holy Spirit does mighty things!

The house wasn’t a huge mess, but cleaning it completely was clearly over her head. No wonder given the circumstances in which she lives. But how brave she was! She had gotten over herself and asked for help. Perhaps that was her greatest victory, and we happily said ‘yes’ to that.

We grabbed some all-purpose cleaner and some wipes, we came with a trailer and, together with friends, we helped her. A few hours of rolling up our sleeves, driving up and down a few times to load the laundry machine and walking back and forth to throw things in the trailer and the result was there. A tidy and clean, well-organized house. Easy to keep clean and inviting to live in.

But today we got the icing on the cake. We received a text. “Thank you! Today the housing association came for an unexpected check and I let them in without any stress or tension! And then the maintenance department called and I could immediately make an appointment for tomorrow! That may not seem like anything to some people, but to me it is very special!”

I never knew that all-purpose cleaner could be so effective…

Photo: Crystal de Passillé-Chabot

“Bon dia.” She suddenly turns around. “Bon dia, I know you,” she says. “That’s right, I was here last week too,” I respond. She is skinny and cheerful, very volatile in her behavior, but at the same time so present that she cannot escape you. Despite the smile on her face, it is clear that she is not doing well. She makes hardly any eye contact and it is difficult to decipher what exactly is going on in her mind. She is not properly dressed, but she has really tried her best to appear decent with little clothing. “How are you?” I ask her. “Good, good,” she answers and quickly looks away. “How are you, okay too?” She doesn’t wait for my answer and walks away from me, into the warehouse where we work. She doesn’t know how to handle my sincere attention and tries to divert it. Or is she really distracted again?
I don’t know. Two seconds later she is talking to one of the female volunteers. Fortunately, this volunteer has a good idea of ​​what is going on and arranges extra clothes for her without asking any questions. A little later she gratefully settles down with a cup of soup and a sandwich. Meanwhile, she talks endlessly about everything and basically nothing. In her own way, she tries to make contact with the people around her, ignoring the looks of addicted and often homeless men. After she finishes her food she hangs around for a while. It is noticeable that she appreciates the atmosphere in the warehouse. One of the volunteers talks and prays with her. Then she has had enough, gets up with, greets us generally, and leaves. No one knows where she is going. Later that afternoon I see her walking the streets. She comes up to me in the middle of the road, looks me straight in the eyes and says, “I’m so grateful for what you guys do. Please, don’t stop.” She looks away and she is gone.

When we chose to go on this long-term mission to Aruba, we could not have foreseen how it would go. We went with the confidence that God knew what He was calling us to do. I am still honored that He sent us out and at the same time I am so grateful that I did not know then what we would encounter. Living on a tropical island is a nice thing in itself. We regularly receive comments about this from our supporters. Several people say: “How wonderful, you can go to the beach every day.” Or they sigh: “I wish I was there and could enjoy the sun.” These are understandable comments, especially when they are made from a cold country, covered by gray clouds with more rain than sunshine. Yet it is good to realize that living in another culture is not a sunny holiday. You have to continuously adapt to different habits, crazy situations you can find yourself in, and many moments when your sense of justice is being challenged. Now you can say: “But you chose that yourself, right?” and you’re right, we did. We made the choice to go on this mission. At the same time, it is too simplistic to assume that everything will be fun when making such a choice.

Suppose you meet the man (or woman) of your dreams and you love him (her) dearly. Then you would do anything to be with that person, wouldn’t you? With making that choice, you accept everything that comes with it. But it doesn’t mean that everything will be easy, that life from then on will go smoothly always. It’s the same with missions. Yes, we live here on a sun-drenched island with a beautiful blue sea all around. But the raw reality is that what the tourist sees during those few weeks of holiday on this One Happy Island is not a reflection of what is really going on; broken relationships, serious addictions, generational abuse patterns, deep-rooted corruption, and much more. If you don’t look away at the beautiful beaches and the beautiful sea, the pain of all that brokenness can easily get under your skin. Especially if that injustice regularly enters your own life too. It is therefore a good thing that we have a Father on whom we can focus. His love is the oxygen we desperately need to continue breathing underneath the surface of this beautiful life.

Photo: Willem Poppe

This week we have friends from America visiting. It was on their list to climb the Hooiberg mountain. So we got out of bed at 5:30 am and were on top just before sunrise. What a view! One of our guests brought his drone with him to take some nice photos and videos. As he flew his drone over the water park at the bottom of the Hooiberg, he said that he thought it would be fun to go to the water park. 

A few hours later we were in San Nicolas helping out at the Hub. There he started talking to another volunteer. It turned out that she knew the owner of the water park. Long story short; the owner turned out to be interested in the video footage and a day later we could enjoy the water park with six people for free. 

Last Sunday we went to church in the morning. The pastor spoke about how we can ask God for everything and that we can trust that He will give us what we need. At the end of the service we had silent prayer. I asked God why it is taking so long before we can sign for our house. During the prayer I had the thought: “this week”. I noticed that, based on various recent disappointments, I quickly dismissed the thought with: “it will be okay”, and after the prayer I just went on with the day. But on Monday we received a message from the notary that she has collected all the papers and that we will receive an appointment to sign shortly. What a view!

Today I had a counseling session with a lady. She told me everything she has been through. It was mind-blowing. Even now, her situation still looks dire and hopeless. I talked to her about how our Father never lets go and wants to walk with us in all circumstances. She told me about how she knows that her Father speaks to her and lets her know what she can do in every situation. She always keeps her eyes on Him and continues in confidence, despite everything. What a view!

We have a milkweed plant in our yard. This is the only plant on which the Monarch butterfly lays eggs. These eggs become caterpillars and these caterpillars eat all the way around the plant. When they have eaten enough, they pupate into a beautiful cocoon, green with a golden edge. The potential is there and we know that if the cocoon survives eight days in a row, a beautiful butterfly will emerge. We’ve seen it happen. So beautiful!

We also saw several times that the cocoon had been eaten by flies. The beautiful and promised potential was never born. And honestly, that feels pretty bad. Even if it is just about a single small butterfly. That is why my wife came up with something. As soon as a caterpillar had pupated, she removed the cocoon from the plant and hung it on our wooden notice board. This way, many caterpillars were spared and we saw beautiful butterflies emerge from their cocoon day after day.

We know a girl in San Nicolas who regularly comes to the teen club. It is the only place where she can and is allowed to be herself. Of course, there are limits on her behavior, but if she wanted to wear a hood, that was okay, and if she did or said something strange, it was handled well. She often spoke in a dark, extra tough voice and maintained a tough and semi-shy attitude. It was not easy to communicate with her. Although she understands English and Dutch perfectly, all her answers came back in aggrieved Papiamento mumbling. Or she hid in her hood and looked away.

Last Saturday, I brought her home and I noticed that she had taken good care of herself. She no longer wore that eternal hood and she had beautiful dreadlocks and neat glasses on her head. Her eyes were bright and she talked to the other kids on the bus in a light tone that I had never heard before. Of course, I have no idea what exactly made her change so much, but what struck me is that she felt free and made contact. And when I dropped her off at home and wished her a nice evening, I actually got a smile back. It’s nice to see how the teen club can function as a kind of notice board for young people who still have to develop themselves. For me this was an evening with a golden edge.