The Words of the van Kralingen Family
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The Words of the van Kralingen Family |
The last weeks of March were very exciting and busy weeks. Tuesday the 18th we heard the final news -- our Parents would arrive at the London airport Thursday the 20th at 5:00 pm. All of the Dutch Family went to London. We were very grateful to meet there our Parents, their party, and our brothers and sisters from England and Italy. We had a very wonderful, inspiring time there. The Leader and his party stayed four days in London and Monday they left for Dusseldorf; and the Dutch Family, along with Doris and Dawn, went back to Amsterdam. The next morning Doris, Dawn, and Teddy went to Essen. In the few days left we decorated and cleaned the house. Some of the Dutch Family were able to go to Essen.
Essen was a most international Center. The following countries were represented: Germany, France, Italy, England, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Austria, USA, Holland, Philippines, and then Korea and Japan. They were very busy preparing everything for the wedding. They rented a hall and decorated it very nicely. We just spent one night there. The Leader spoke the night before to the couples and to the leaders.
The wedding was at 7:00 p, m., March 28. It was very impressive, and there was such a powerful atmosphere. We had to leave that evening because the Leader came the next morning to Amsterdam. Saturday morning at 12:20 the plane arrived at the airport. Two blessed couples -- Teddy (Verheyen) and Pauline (Phillips), and Johan (van der Stok) and Elke (Klawiter) -- came with the same plane. Dennis (Orme) and Doris (Walder), Martin (Porter) and Dawn (Faroni) went by car and were also present at the airport. [Other couples blessed were Peter Koch and Gertrud Guser, Paul and Christel Werner, Barbara Koch and Reiner Vincenz, and Romana Maierhofer and Gerhard Kunkel This brings the total number of couples blessed in the Western World to 21.
We were very glad to receive our Parents and their party in Holland and in our new Center. After lunch the Leader's party went sightseeing in Amsterdam. During the evening the Leader gave a talk to about thirty people. The Leader closed the evening with offering a prayer. Next morning we had a prayer meeting at 5:00 am. Miss Kim, Mr. Eu, and Mr. Kuboki shared with us.
At half past ten we went to Laren, where the van der Stok family lives. Mr. van der Tol (73 years) was also there and used the opportunity to ask some questions. In the afternoon we passed the Queen's Palace in Soestdijk and went to Den Haag. In the evening also guests were invited, At the end we offered some presents to our Parents, Mrs. Choi, Mr. Eu, Mr. Kuboki, and Miss Kim. These days passed so quickly. The next morning we had to say good by to all. It was great to have all of them in our midst and it was a stimulus to continue our work with more love, more enthusiasm, and mar e dedication in order to fulfill our goal.
Now we have some more members, and we have two blessed couples living in Amsterdam (Teddy and Pauline Verheyen and Johan and Elke van der Stok). Next time when our Parents come back we hope to show them a home filled with children.