The Big Move

In June 2025, after working and living as a missionary in Ghana for 54 years, I was repatriated to the Netherlands. The plan was to move directly into the new flats on Olympiapad, but the flats were far from ready. According to the contractor, the news about this was fake news.

I was able to join the Emmaus community on Burg. Cortenstraat in Maastricht. Most rooms in that house were completely full, and I got an attic room that was quite drafty. Fortunately, it was summer, so it wasn't cold but very warm. I spent several nights sitting by the open window instead of lying in bed. As a trained builder, I was fortunately able to do something about it. The rooms upstairs were not insulated at all. Between the walls were large unfinished gaps where the wind had free rein.

So first, I sealed those gaps with sealant. For that, I had to walk to the Gamma store. That store is located in the middle of Burg. Cortenstraat and Olympiapad. It took me three quarters of an hour to walk there. Fortunately, that was the route of the cook Elena, who came by with her car to her house. So I only had to walk back with my stuff. Because I have had difficulty walking for several years, I considered that quite an achievement.

In that attic room, there was an old desk, a bed, and a wardrobe. I repaired and adapted that desk so that my computer and monitor had space. Later, some old desktop computers and a printer were added. So I had no side tables, nightstand, or bookshelf. I had given my butterfly books to brothers who attended the general chapter in Ghana. What is now on my suitcase and the toolbox is now the nightstand.

The leader of the religious house in the Netherlands, Lo Koeleman, asked me to assist with the preparations for the move to the flats on Olympiapad. Together with Brother Jos Bom and Ms. Wilma Weerts, who worked for years at Beyart, we form the "moving committee."

F.I.C. buildings involved.

The Beyart was sold several years ago, but 11 brothers still live there. Also, quite a few pieces of furniture, statutes, and other items are stored that need to be moved. The Red Lion and community in Capucijnengang are involved. These houses have not yet been sold. The house on Burg. Cortenstraat must be emptied. This house has already been sold.

Furthermore, the large building in PBS must be emptied. Next to it are three houses where brothers live or have lived. Brother Wim Swusten is moving, the house of Gerard Langelaan in The Hague, and also the house of Henk Rovers, who passed away a few weeks ago in Halfweg, must be cleared.

All the contents of these houses can, in principle, be moved to the 16 flats, but of course, that won't happen, and we don't need everything.

Who is moving and to which flat?

There are 16 flats purchased spread over 4 floors. The committee studied the technical drawings and visited the construction site on three different occasions. Our conclusion was to use the ground floor exclusively for common areas and offices.

A lot of space is needed for dish storage, food and household items, and a space for a freezer and a refrigerator. There is also storage downstairs by the garage, but there are no power outlets to prevent people from making a workshop there. So we cannot place the freezer there. Also, the batteries for the bikes cannot be charged. However, there is a separate bike storage room.

The brothers who now live in the various houses will be assigned a flat or a room. The General Councel has chosen to live together. Each flat has two or three bedrooms, so the possibility to live together is there. It was also decided that the General Superior and the leader of the religious house in the Netherlands would set up a meeting room in their flat. So flats with three rooms were assigned to them to make that possible. Brothers who need help should, of course, not be given a room on the third floor because if, for example, a fire breaks out, the elevator may not be used. An international community will be established on Olympiapad; to emphasize this, brothers of different nationalities will be spread over the three floors. Unfortunately, our General Superior, Brother Augustine Kubdaar, has passed away; may he rest in peace. He had his own ideas about the move and the needs of the General Council.

Each flat will have a kitchen with a small refrigerator. Cooking can be done in the dining room, but there are not enough burners to cook for twenty people. So cooking must also be done in the recreation room. The construction is almost finished, but we wondered if a passage could be made between the recreation room and the dining room. According to the contractor, that was no longer allowed because the wall was a so-called load-bearing wall. The interior contractor had different ideas. She said we could apply for a permit from the municipality and that she was willing to carry it out. So now there will be a sliding door between the dining room and the recreation room.

The kitchens and curtains have been selected, the color of the walls and the type of lamps chosen. It was agreed that the interior work would begin immediately when we received the keys on February 2, 2026. Unfortunately, that date has already been postponed because the water pipe cannot be connected on time due to heavy snowfall (January).

Inventory.

We first had to make an inventory of the various buildings. That means that the private rooms did not count. For the private rooms, we made a list that each fellow brother could fill in himself. Most brothers did that, and we thus had an overview of what needed to be moved.

The committee made lists of the furniture, statues, vases, and other knick-knacks present in the various rooms. There is little space for statues, vases, and paintings in the common areas. We expect individual brothers to select these items for their own flats. Some buildings had to be visited several times because there was too much. We took photos of chairs and cabinets, etc., so that we have a better picture and can also sort better.

On our journeys, we encountered all kinds of things. Many statues of saints, large paintings, the historical archive in objects and photos, model trains, etc. The archive photos were sorted by Jo Boetsen, who unfortunately has just passed away. May he rest in peace. What are we going to do with all the stuff? At one of the meetings, we proposed not to sell the Red Lion yet and to place furniture and other items there that we still want to keep.

It was also decided to donate tools from the Beyart carpentry workshop and hand tools from Burg. Cortenstraat to charities. Years ago, this could be shipped to our brothers in Ghana and Malawi, but nowadays, transport costs are so high that this option is no longer feasible.

Other items will be collected for sale. The Beyart Team is helping us with that.

We have agreed with the mover that everything will be moved in two parts. The ground floor and the first floor first, then the second and third floors. We have received moving boxes and stickers that we now stick on the items. Each floor gets a different color.

Now that we have the lists ready, we have selected furniture for the common areas; the dining room, the recreation room, and the chapel. Brothers who get a desk on the ground floor must select their own furniture and stick on stickers.

We have made proposals that the board must approve; then we can select furniture that individual brothers want to have for their living room.

To be continued Brother Jos van Dinther