What help do we offer now?   

The nature of our work has changed. In the great chaos of 2016/2017, there was mainly a demand for the basic necessities of life: a roof over the head, clothing and food. We haven’t been to Greece in recent years. The people we have met there have slowly spread across Europe and we are still in contact with some of them. (see extended family)

Now we are more focused on newcomers in the Netherlands and Utrecht. The nature of the request for help is now different. People have lost their homes and their property, miss their family, have to get used to a different culture, different language and customs and are understandably degenerate with all the nasty consequences that entails. There are questions of meaning; people become depressed because of the long wait for asylum and not being allowed to work all that time; having to live in a huddle with many people for months without privacy appears to take its toll and long-term loss of family understandably breaks people down. When one eventually has one’s own living space, a deeper level of trauma often surfaces.

Perhaps our most important ’work’ these days is: ’being there’, staying present with an open heart. Support these people. Getting touched by them. Feeling their pain without judgement or solutions and listening with an open heart. So we drink a lot of tea/coffee, do fun things, eat together and enjoy each other’s company. The many conversations are deep, connecting and often heart-warming. 

Besides that, we spend money on:

* supporting rent

* supporting livelihood

* decorating an appartment

* random financially support, like for a new telephone

* very poor families in Yemen by a contact person overthere

In addition, newcomers are increasingly coming to Hans’ practice for a free session and for healing. See : Steunfonds

This fund is created by engaged people who donate money for people who need help but don’t have (enough) money themselves. 

Lately we have been busy with raising our foundation and making this website. Now it’s time again to think about new projects.

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