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The American celebration of Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays in the United States. This is not a festival that we celebrate in the Netherlands, but we wanted to give the Bridgebuilders who traveled to the US this past summer this special experience.
So on November 17th (the real Thanksgiving was November 23rd this year) we got everyone together at the Vierslag, invited guests and celebrated our Turkey Day!
With thanks to all the Americans who supplied food and ideas, and our EVS interns who helped organize it all, our program started by the Bridgebuilders writing down all the things they were thanful for that year and hanging them in our thank you tree. Then they watched the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. This was followed by an explanation about the history of Thanksgiving and its meaning in current American society.
They got creative with a special Thanksgiving-themed cup cake decorating (and eating!).
After this we had our mouthwatering dinner which featured (among other things) scalloped patatoes, glazed carrots, green bean salad, sweet patatoes with marshmellow topping and of course a turkey with stuffing! It was all a little unusual for our Dutch guests, but they overcame their cultural boundaries, tasted everything and asked for recepies afterwards!
After all this, we still had a little room for desert: a pumpkin pie (courtesy of one our Bridgebuilders's mom) and apple crisp with ice cream!
We finished the evening with a few fun thanksgiving games and a special movie!
And given that it was the Sinterklaas season, the Bridgebuilders who stayed the night for the Bridgebuilder Weekend celebrated the Dutch tradition by putting their shoes by the door. Luckily they had been well-behaved and they all found candy in them the following morning.
For an impression of this unforgettable night, check out the photos below!
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Bridgebuilders are always encouraged to find a way to (partially) gather fund for their trips as a team. Last summer the Bridgebuilders from Tholen NL organized a sponsored event called the 7 Bridges Marathon on Tholen.
The objective was to find a crazy, funny, or difficult way to complete a course set out previously. Depending on the difficulty, the lengths of the tracks were varied. This year a few crawled on hands and knees, used an office chair, had rollerblades or rode on horseback. All in funny costumes of course! And afterwards they had a wonderful lunch together to reflect on this crazy race!
They collected quite a bit of money and even made it to the local press! Go team!
Enjoy these photos from the event! May it inspire you to do your own event.
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Seven Hungarian Bridgebuilders from the town of Sopron travelled to Iceland to be hosted by their Icelandic friends who visited them last summer.
In the summer of 2010 I went for the first time to Hungary. I had no idea what I was to expect from the trip. I didn‘t know the country, the group, the traditions or the language so I was certainly more than excited but still a little nervous. It turned out I had nothing to worry about! The group was extremely friendly, the country was beautiful, the traditions weren‘t so unlike ours and there were no languagebarriers. In the ten days or so that we spent in Hungary we checked out Sopron, which is the hometown of our group, we went to Lake Balaton and relaxed in the sun, travelled to Budapest, the capital of Hungary and did many more amazing things which I think none of us will ever forget! We made great friends there, many of whom I hope to keep for life. Then in May 2011 the Hungarian group came to Iceland to see our country. They stayed here for a week and saw a little part of the unique nature of Iceland. It was so much fun reconnecting with all of them and to get to introduce our country to them. They got to experience the raw nature of Iceland along with the ever-changing weather, the one of a kind food and the culture. I believe and certainly hope they all liked their stay, also that they will come back to Iceland and that someday we will meet again and remember our good times in Hungary and Iceland.
Melkorka Kristjánsdóttir
Our Icelandic journey was one of the most remarkable tours in my life and am so much thankful for that! The volcanic eruption, trying the traditional foods, the landscape, the kindness of the people, the whole icelandic worldview.. the time, that we can spend with a family. I think I learned a lot. Besides all of the wonder I really enjoyed the time that we spent in the church with all of the funny games and keen talking. I have never expected that a church also can be a clubplace, where people can just have fun. I believe honestly, that the Icelandic people are really good at making joy in the other’s heart!
Szonja from Hungary |
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Dutch Bridgebuilders meet Tachov Bridgebuilders |
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Sunday August 30th. After a journey of about 10 ours in a car with soooo much luggage and seven people, we are welcomed in a nice room by the Tachov Bridgebuilders in the Czech Republic. It is all a little bit awkward. |
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After our welcome we did a few games to get to know each other. The effect was instant: the mood changed quickly from awkward to fun and excitement! |
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We got a T-shirt that we painted on with textile markers. We had to describe or paint all the things to do with our identity. |
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Monday, August 1st. We visted the city Marianská Lázné, which is very popular with tourists. |
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A picturesk Anglican little church on the edge of a large hiking park. We checked out a Russian Orthodox church on the inside. Very surprising. |
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In this shop you could buy the best warm, traditional and fresh Czech waffles. Both Czech and Dutch Bridgebuilders dug in. Not a crumb was left. |
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Marianská Lázné has many fountains because it is a city with many springs. You can drink at the many fountains that are spread all over town. Most surprisingly: each fountain has a different flavor |
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There was even a very musical, dancing fountain that be posed for of course. |
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Or just plain fountains in a pond. |
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These are the Dutch Bridgebuilders looking forward to the next day because Esther would join the group. |
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Tuesday August 2nd. A few people traveled to Prague to pick up Esther from the airport. A quick visit to Ikea tp pick up supplies for the International Youth Festival. Naturally we enjoyed the typical Ikean snack.
Two most happy people at the airport.
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Pay reaaaal close attention to Zuzana, the leader of the Tachov Bridgebuilders explaining the plans for these day in the garden of the"Fara" (church center) |
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Wednesday August 3rd A nice day spent on a walking/climbing trip through a forest with sports and games. |
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Starting that afternoon until the next day, we were allowed to camp out at the Animal Rescue Centre.
We got the tour, shooting with tranquilizer gun with darts, a real Czech Goulash from an open fire, sleeping under the stars and helping out at the centre.
That sums up the ingredients of these 24 hours. It was so very cool. We will simply have to do it again.
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The owner/vet of the centre next to the wild boars.
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Saturday afternoon was spent going to the town's annual festivals with a real parade, traditional food and stalls with goods.
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After a long hot day, relaxing with a little bit of music.
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Together with Zuzanna the group visited this elderly Vietnamese lady in a home. They visited her several times throughout the week.
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Dutch Bridgebuilder Thijs gives a firebreathing demonstration. This apart from the Dutch country presentation with the hiphop-chacha.
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Sunday morning after the Church service led by Zuzanna the Bridgebuilders posed in the shirts they made themselves.
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Singing songs in the Husite church. |
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Dutch youth on a mission to North Bohemia |
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Houten's DISCOVERY CLUB become Bridgebuilders
Twenty zeven youth and youth leaders from the Lichtenboog church in the Dutch town of Houten were on tour for two weeks in North Bohemia and Saxony, visiting Mittweida (D), Prague, Liberec and Zatec. The name of their youth group is Discovery Club. Their mission was to serve local communicaties and build bridges. In February they started their cross-cultural learning at the Atlantic Bridge centre in Kruiningen, using the Bricks. From there on Yvette Boertje, our Brick specialist, met with the group in Houten to finish the training.
On July 4 they left Houten on their two week mission visiting Mittweida (town in east Germany), Prague, Liberec and Zatec. On the way home they stopped at the Camp Knul near Kassel to take part in a German-American English camp for one evening!
Ilse van Veldhuizen, one of th e host leaders in Mittweida, wrote:
At the final youth event at a main church in town, one they do not often work together with, lots of people showed up and the Dutch youth created a great atmosphere. Everyone participated. How unusual for us to experience this here. So now there is a first step made for cooperating in the youth work between churches.
The Dutch participated in a social day, a day where the students of the Secondary high school (Gymnazium) help people in town with various service projects. Some of the Dutch were given a project that would take two days to do, but they finished it in one day and did another project the second day. The newspaper in town made mention of it and of the positive influence of the helping hands from Holland.
Bridges were built with local youth through a soccer game, but the bad weather stopped the contact. So Ilse and Gerard and their little church are very happy for the help and encouragement the Dutch gave. Now we hope to start a Bridgebuilders Club in Mittweida in the fall.
 In Liberec the group led a special youth service at the local baptist church which was greatly appreciated. They also did a project to help fix the garden of the church, something the church had been dreading to accomplish. After a lot of hard work duyring the three days in Liberec, the team left with a good feeling of accomplishement for a grateful church.
The final days in ZATEC
The setting:The group also spent the last 4 days of their mission in Zatec. Six hundred years ago Zatec was one of the main towns of Reformer Jan Hus whose name is found everywhere in the land. Then the Bible was very important in the town. Today Zatec is best know for its beer. After Pilzen it could be considered the main beer town of the Czechs.
 The meaning Regional Coordinator Lenka Fritschova hoped that the Dutch would be an inspiration for her students at the Obchodni (business) high school. The Dutch students did not stay in homes, but were together at the school. Milada Fohlerova came from Jicin to help with the cooking for the group.
The a ction: Students from the Obchodni high school met the Dutch when they arrived and some of them stayed involved for the whole time. They had a great time together. On Friday they visited an orphanage and did a variety of activities, working with children, etc. On Saturday they had a special meeting in the garden of a church and people from town and the church were invivted. Some good friendship bridges were built between the Dutch ande the Czech youth.
The Mayor wants to hear more music!
When they were welcomed at the Zatec City Hall, they sang a song. Later in the day, the Mayor of Zatec called to ask if they would sing again at a
special event at the garden of the monastary.  They were happy to do that! At this event they expected only a few people, but when the children of the orphanage heard about it, they all came, as well as some of the students from the high school, so they had 100 people sitting in only 10 chairs! Well.....maybe not.
The result: Were there any new bridges built or old bridges repaired?
1. Bridge to churches in Zatec. Before this week, there was not so much contact between the churches and Atlantic Bridge. This changed during the week. People from the churches helped to make all the arrangements. On Sunday they ended their time in Zatec at a service in the Czech Evangelical Brethren church, and the other churches also joined. Still there were only 30 people, but for Zatec this was a great number and a great experience for all. 2) Some of the students also came to the church on Sunday and we hope it was a good experience for them. With the coming of two American English teachers to the region, perhaps this week was also a good start for a new Bridgebuilders Club in Zatec. |
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Dutch Bridgebuilders in New Jersey |
Michiel, Jesse, Mariska, Manon, Marjolein and Rick flew from Brussels to New York (Newark airport) on Friday April 29 to meet and stay in the homes of American youth, to visit their schools, to share about Dutch culture and lifestyle and to discover the role of heaven and faith in the lives and culture of Americans.
Some joined the Bridgebuilders last year after Circuit Rider Rob Demaggio visited their school and taught the book by Mitch Albom "Five people you meet in heaven", others as a result of the Europe week in July.
In just 9 days they were hosted by 3 different guest homes, visited 2 different high schools in 3 days, saw the Yankees win from the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, followed in the footsteps of Henry Hudson going up the Hudson River, sat on large guns at West Point MIlitary Academy, met people who had a touch of heaven, experienced two very different churches, (the small Ringwood Community Presbyterian church and the huge Christian Cultural Center in the Flatlands of Brooklyn), and rode the subway in Manhattan from Port Authority to Greenwich Village, Ground Zero, the Staten Island Ferry, Central Park, Harlem and Times Square. What were their impressions?
Let's follow them on their journey to discover the heart of America.
Arrival at the home of the Caviasco's in Ringwood, New Jersey.
They never told us that Ringwood has the most highest concentration of rattlesnakes in the country. But we did not see any.
Our first American dinner.
Our first surprise.
We were just going somewhere to throw a ball around. Then they took us in cars to New York City. But we still did not know where we were going until the moment we arrived at Yankee Stadium. What a great surprise it was!
more photo explanations of our journey are coming!
The highlights are too many to mention, but we will not forget the time Rick and Michiel were unable to get out of the subway train in time and found their train moving on without the rest of their group.
We are not likely to forget the experience at the Christian Cultural Center on Flatlands Ave in Brooklyn, a church of more than 10.000 people and hardly any with a white skin. A real Black Gospel Church with a fantastic youth choir and band, welcoming smiles, a preacher congradulating Mariska on her birthday in the middle of his talk. A real connection to people you can meet in heaven.
Very likely the most memorable experience was the warmth of hospitality in the guest homes and the friends made in Ringwood where we stayed the first 3 and the last 2 nights.
We are still getting together to evaluate the trip, but first, we need to get Rick out of this difficult situation at West Point.
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