Thursday, 25 August 2011

How He called us

Is it really God’s call? That’s what I have asked myself a lot. It was when Eric and I had traveled and worked for 7 months in New-Zealand and Australia. Eric wanted to live in one of those countries, but I wasn’t ready yet. I am a real family person. So we settled back in Holland where we both were born and grown up.Eric had a real passion for flying from a young age and he tried to get into flying, but it was too expensive in Holland. God blessed us with 3 children, Naomi, Aron and Hannah.When Hannah was born, Eric started again about living in New-Zealand. This was so dificult for me. I really wanted to know God’s way for us. I prayed and prayed: Lord, your will be done and if it is your will to go, make me ready aswell. And God did. Eric got a joboffer from a friend we met in New-Zealand, Jaap v/d Geest. God gave me the peace and I knew it was allright. It still was all new and unknown and so scary! But because it was God’s will I knew it would be alright. It was all sad to leave our family, but it was God who helped us through.
From that time we were more relying on the Lord than before. Whe only knew that there was a job waiting and 1 family we knew. They had organized a house and everything. When we came in New-Zealand in the house, the fridge was full of food, beds were made up, even little presents for the kids on the beds! Amazing.
Our friends took us to Grace church and their homegroup. God knows us and so He knew excactly were we fitted. In that homegroup we met another family, Mark and Leisa Ferguson. And Marks dad had an airstrip in the backyard and he had his private pilot lisence. So they could share their interests. Eric found out that it was much cheaper to learn to fly in New-Zealand than in Holland. Also we got to meet the director of MAF(Mission Aviation Fellowship).
The next year, we were blessed again with a girl Lois. Eric started the flight school. This again was a step in faith. He gave up his job and there we were with 4 kids and no income. But we really felt God was leading us to this point. And Amazing how the Lord provided!! Sometimes we got a envelope in the post without a name, every week we got given the best bread of Nelson, leftovers from the bakery!! Or there was a box with kiwis on the doorstep. And every day we had more than enough!! We thanked God that He is our provider and knows our needs. My Husband got through the training in a little bit more than a year. We signed up for MAF because we thought God was calling us to go and serve Him and other people in a remote area. and although it was a long road with a lot of waiting and lots of learning. I have often asked the question, Lord is this really you calling us to do this? And especially when it is such a strugle and it is not going straight forward, than I look back on how He is caring for us and giving us the peace. Than I know yes it is You Lord!! He blessed us again with a baby boy Ruben a year ago. Now we are in Australia to do a training and half September we will go to Arnhemland Northern Teritory in Australia working in a remote area to bring hope and love and serve the Aboriginal people.
It is amazing if you listen to Gods call and obey Him and wait upon Him and how He guides you. It is really exciting!!


Sunday, 21 August 2011



Today we went to Hartley's Crocodile farm. It was really educational and impressive.
The kids got to see new animals and could even touch them!














































Tuesday, 16 August 2011


We found a huge shell on Green Island



Lois and Ruben enjoying their lollipop



the fish we saw...



Green Island





Ruben eating a sandy rice cracker




Aron and I, Adriana, went snorkeling. But we

saw a stingray and Aron didn't like to carry on.

I decided to go somewhere else and took

Aron hand in hand, suddenly Aron got a big

fright because there was someone else in front
of us, we laughed and laughed.




Naomi and Hannah and Eric on the back of the

boat. back to Cairns, 27 km




Lois playing in the sand at the Lagoon on the

Esplanade in Cairns.



The Lagoon where you can have a free swim!




And free fun at Muddy's playground!

The kids really enjoy this place. The

fountains go on and off and Ruben

is looking where it is gone and then

suddenly the water is popping up, it

is so funny to see his face.








Friday, 12 August 2011

Cairns Australia

This week was Eric's first training. He could stay here on Tree Tops Lodge park. It's full on. Every evening lots of homework + all the information from every day. It is not easy, but he likes it.
Also my first week with the kids all by myself and it was good. The kids are doing really well with their schoolwork, they are selfdisciplined. On Thursday we went for a trip to Cairns Esplanade. There you have a great playground, with waterfountains and further down the road there is a lagoon, where you can swim. Great fun for the kids and so for me.