Dear Family & Friends,
Here we are on Canadian soil for Christmas! Our first Christmas here since 2002. What a year it has been. On February 22, I flew to Canada to be with my mom for her 70th birthday – she doesn’t want anyone to know her age (so don’t tell!)
I enjoyed my 41 days in Canada and Maarten missed me terribly. He has decided that I can never be away from home (or him) so long ever again… For those of you we will have the privilege of seeing over this holiday you will get to see the book I made of “My Visit Home.”
The year has gone quickly and for the most part, un-eventful.
Maarten’s mother turned 81 in May. I turned 45 in June. Birthdays are a big thing in Holland – and we enjoy them. My friend Esther took me to a real lived in Castle for my birthday - it was a special treat!
June brought Canadian visitors from America. We only had a weekend to squeeze in the best we could to show them what life is like in the Netherlands. Lots of bike riding did the trick, and they enjoyed their time with us. Although I must say, it was way too short.
Maarten and I spent our 6th anniversary at the Westin Hotel in Rotterdam! That was special. Everyone spoke English, and we had a grand room – beautiful views – huge windows! A lovely time!
As many of you know August 21st, Maarten was just about home from work when an aneurysm that he had in his head since “who knows how long” began to leak. He had an instant headache with neck cramps; he was sweating profusely and weak with clammy hands. My response was, “Do you want an Advil?” This was the sort of thing I was unsure of. I grabbed an ice pack and put it behind his neck – grabbed the phone and called Dr. Penner. He wasn’t home, but his daughter Catherine was, and she suggested I take him to Emergency.We called friends, who took us to the hospital, and after the first doctor saw him, she called the Neurologist. What ended up happening was, they did a CT scan, and sent us off to The Hague in an ambulance. Maarten was not allowed to walk again. The following day they tried a procedure known as “Coiling” where they inserted a catheter in his groin area and pushed a wire thread into his brain to fill up the 1.5 cm aneurysm. This did not work and after 2.5 hours they brought him back to Intensive Care. The following day they took him into surgery again, and opened up his head to “clip” the aneurysm. Maarten is now safe! (They used 2 clips!) Photo of MCH Westeinde Hospital in The Hague.
Someone asked me if he is “alright,” Maarten is exceptional! He naturally had moments of being afraid throughout this ordeal, but he also had a dependence on God, that everything would be ok.
My biggest prayer was that God would bring him through this still Maarten. In February 2002 Maarten’s oldest sister had a stroke and she has been left changed, living with a disability, right arm and leg not functioning and she cannot speak in sentences. I was afraid I would end up with a husband with a disability. I really pleaded with God, that one person in a family with a disability was enough – and I had that position! God really has changed us – I am more thankful for my dear hubby! He has a thankful heart to God for giving him more time. Looking at the statistics, the number of people with aneurysms who do not even make it to the hospital is around 50%.
God has been gracious to us. Thankfully he placed people in our lives to love and care for us through this. Géke and Geert, the couple who first took us to the hospital, did my laundry for two weeks, and drove it back and forth, to me in The Hague. They came to see Maarten and me, and to take me out of the hospital for a change of scenery. Laetitia, a friend who lives in The Hague, also came to take me out for coffee and show me around so I saw more than hospital walls. Maarten’s boss, Wim, a man who also loves the Lord, came every week to see Maarten and the company has been very good to us.
The Wednesday afternoon of Maarten’s coiling procedure, the mission organization that Maarten does the website for, “Children Asking” held a special prayer meeting at their office – and they were praying in Brazil too. Our church had a special Wednesday evening prayer meeting to pray specifically for Maarten and what he was going through. In fact, people were praying all over the world. Laetitia had put us on the Hour of Power prayer chain, and they pray through the time zones for two weeks! Maarten was covered with prayer. God heard!
This picture was taken on November 5th at a special Gala Evening in Rotterdam. It was a fund-raiser for “Children Asking” and over 45,000 euros was raised that evening. We had a lovely time, and it was Maarten’s first outing except for Physio.On November 21st, Maarten returned to his work part-time, 4 hours a day. He loves being there. In fact, in January we are going to Portland, Oregon again, for his work. What a wonderful opportunity we’ve been given. We are so thankful! Photo is the view from our room at the Marriott Downtown Waterfront!
We expect to return to Holland around the 20th of January. We will be at home in Thompson, at my mom’s from around December 20th to sometime in early January, not exactly sure when.~
We are praising God and giving Him the glory, great things He has done!
Wishing you and yours all the best this Christmas, and in the New Year to come.
Pisew Falls, Manitoba
