Message

Elly, 16 June 2009
Netherlands Alkmaar

Accustomed again

June 2009
Time flies and before we know we are already 2 ½ months at home in the Netherlands. It has been a very nice busy time. Being reconciled with our 2 daughters and their families is wonderful. At teh end of April we all went for a 2 weeks holiday to the isle of Texel in the north of our country and really took time together to enjoy and talk. Next to that we almost weekly visit my mother, who will be 85 years this month and who is glad to have us around again. Also we frequently visit Marts sister, who is hospitalised after a very dramatic fall last winter due to which they had to amputate
Are we through with Nigeria now? Of course not. We phone with Virginia, who is expecting a baby somewhere in September. We also phone with the Weak Home and the project in Ossiomo, where people are glad to hear our voices, and we of course glad to hear theirs. We phone or text Chris Omusi from Charilove to hear how things are and we mail VSO and the Daughters of Charity. All seems to be well overthere.
We are in regular contact with Haruna and he gives us the latest news about our projects. Good and lesser things. Expensive bought cotton, while there are no new orders. The local Marketing Man who is hired by CO Foundation since March did not succeed in getting an order for the projects as yet. A pity. Also Ossiomo project has its hard times, having problems in coordinating everything well. Haruna only visits the project once a month for a couple of days, too less to go for order search and get things run smoothly again.
From CO Foundation, the NGO we worked 2 years for, we did not hear anything since March. We gave the final accounts, made the final copy for the manual and prepared a project proposal to cover at least the first 6 months after our departure.
In the meantime we sent the final reports to IMPULSIS, but did not receive a reaction on it yet. Another test in patience.
The cyber works with different success. There are many interruptions being ‘ in the air’ due to bad service of the provider and due to the fact that the Daughters of Charity are too few and have too little time to follow up consistently. The ICT manager is also reacting very slowly on questions and problems. We are a bit worried about the progress, because when internet is not working regularly, a lot of potential clients will look for other possibilities.
In the mean time we enjoy fully our flat, clean, green and watery Netherlands, where we cannot overtake from the right side anymore because traffic rules are [more or less] strict. Where we can go biking at night without fear for danger. Where no plastic and other dirt is lying about at the roadsides, neither burned out tankers, but instead cow parsley, daisy’s, corn poppy’s and sorrel are growing.
The Netherlands where 3 dear neighbours offered us to use their car when needed, until we find one of our own. Neighbours that put up the national flag when you come home and already buy some groceries and fill your house with flowers from friends and the neighbourhood, which make one feel more than welcome.
Also the Netherlands where we had very nice wheather so far and very little rain and where we luckily still can eat Indomie!
We love you and till next letter,
Elly and Mart