Netherlands ISB - Robert McCormick, April 2011

Report on ISB to Netherlands 9th-16th April 2011

Bicycles, bicycles, bicycles it seemed that 95% of children and teenagers going to school or college came by bicycle.

School, college and university placements are done from the pavements and not on education property totally different than in Northern Ireland.

Even with what seemed to be a restriction we were able to distribute over 26,000 scriptures in five days with other opportunities opened for the future, this was over half of the total annual distribution for Holland.

Children accepted the scriptures willingly with many coming out of school to ask for their own copy. One young Muslim boy said if it was alright with me he would accept one I said it was and he left reading his testament.

A professor who initially said no when he had reached the top of the steps leading to the library stopped and turned around I met him halfway up the steps where he accepted a testament. There were many instances where an initial no was followed by the same person coming back to ask for a copy.

The blessings we received from that week will be ours forever and the 6.00am prayer meeting when all were encouraged to pray in their own language was a taste of Heaven. The encouragement that the Dutch Gideons received because six Gideons from Germany, America and Britain came to help will remain with them and us for many years to come. 

To God be the Glory.

Robert McCormick