The board

Thanks to my wife I was put on the 'track' of Jemima. The work of the chairman is on the one hand serving, on the other hand also leading. I hope to be able to give substance to this in the coming years, together with a very knowledgeable and hard-working board. I've been able to play in the background for a little over a year now, and that feels good. That the work of Jemima in Beit Jala may be done to the 'least brothers (and sisters)' (Mattheus 25) strikes me deeply. Precisely where peace is so difficult to find and achieve, it has been possible for almost forty years to give substance to this serving work of Christian mercy. That is why I also have deep respect for the founders of Jemima: Ed and Heleen Volbehr, and for the current employees and management of Jemima: Lana Zoughbei. And my wife and I have seen that this work is done with the heart. It may be 'easy work' in our eyes, but under difficult circumstances. Jemima in Bethlehem is like a little oasis.

For me, the year 2022 will be dominated by getting to know Jemima. Both in the daily practice of driving and visiting Jemima Deo Volente. Since November 2021 I have been a member of the executive board with the care portfolio; the core business of Jemima in Beit Jala. In the coming year I hope to work together with my mother Janneke Koningswoud-ten Hove, who has shaped the focus area 'care' until now, she will be joining in and I will join in this beautiful task. It has been decided that 'care' will become part of the daily management, which means that we will have regular consultations with General Manager Lana to raise 'care', also through her PhD research. This also means, in dependence on our God and Father, seeking how to be a shining light and salty salt in an area in the West Bank through 'care'. To be able to shape Jemima's long-term policy plan in a context that requires cultural sensitivity and responsible handling of residents, visitors, workers and donated financial resources. A challenge that I like to take on because it fits in nicely with my daily work as director of J&J Totale Zorg BV. Trained as a Social Psychiatric Nurse, experienced in care for the disabled, palliative care and mental health care. Setting up the training for POH mental health care and being a senior lecturer at Rino South will certainly come in handy for further equipping the staff and guiding Lana in her promotion. Above all, I hope to learn a lot, to add in and to contribute in dependence to the greater honor and glory of God's great Name.

In the past 40 years I have worked as a church youth work advisor and as director of various primary schools in the Veluwe. It has been our custom for years to support a number of Christian organizations financially. Jemima was and is one of these organizations. In 2019 I came into closer contact with the board of Jemima via a call in the Newsletter. I joined the board in November 2021 with a special task: PR and communication. It is of great importance as an organization to maintain and maintain good contact with the supporters, because Jemima is completely dependent on donations. It is also a challenge to recruit new donors and to raise awareness of Jemima in our country. We want to do this by, among other things, being available for presentations, being present at trade fairs and meetings by means of. a stand and actively pass on information through newsletters and social media. Following Jesus Christ, I would like to do my bit by dedicating myself in this way to disabled fellow people who grow up in a complex living environment

I have worked for many years as a chartered accountant and retired in 2018. The chairman, Kees Bel, approached me at the end of 2019 with the question whether I wanted to become treasurer of Jemima.

I knew this foundation only vaguely and since Kees regularly gives presentations about Jemima, I attended one of his presentations. I can only say that I was very impressed by the work that is often done selflessly at the home for disabled children in Beit Jala. I therefore did not hesitate for long to agree to his request and hope that my work as treasurer may contribute to providing a safe home for these weak, needy children and that they can come into contact with the Gospel in this way. of Jesus Christ.

From 2011 to 2017 I lived with my wife Tineke in Jerusalem. I worked in Israel for the Center for Israel Studies.

I have often been to Jemima at that time - more often also with groups (students or teachers of the CHE, theologians, other groups) for whom the CIS organized a trip. Time and again I was impressed by the care and love given to severely handicapped children in Jemima.

In the meantime, our period in Israel came to an end, and I am again a 'normal' pastor, in the Andreas Church in Apeldoorn (Chr. Geref. Church Apeldoorn-Oost). I now like to contribute to the administration - from how I got to know Jemima, and also from society and various cultures in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

In my working life I spent 42 years with the Rotterdam police at various services. From street cop to manager at the 112 emergency center. After my retirement I continued volunteering and together with Kees Verboom we run a Repair Café in Rotterdam-West two Wednesdays a month, with various other volunteers from the area. N.a. a request from Jemima to do a job there, I went there for 10 days in September 22 and renovated two bathrooms together with Kees and others. Other volunteers had already done a lot of preliminary work for this and after us, volunteers finished everything. The results are impressive. There are now two “dutch bathrooms” on the 4th floor. N.a. This job gave rise to the idea of expanding the board with technicians in connection with the work. the upcoming renovation of the Helena and Eber buildings of Jemima. Kees and I said yes to that and since the end of 2022 we have been part of the General Board.

Until my early retirement I worked as a senior design engineer. This means designing, building and testing installations for metros, trains and locomotives in a team. I performed these activities in the Netherlands, but sometimes also abroad. In addition, there was also time to work with a group of people, including Philip den Hollander, in Eastern Europe. After the fall of the wall, we worked more or less regularly in Ukraine. There was a lot to do, we worked on all kinds of installations in hospitals, orphanages, schools, churches, with gypsies, you name it. It is wonderful to now use these experiences for our neighbor in House Jemima.

The first contact was in 2000 when our daughter started working as a volunteer in Jemima for a year. Since then, Jemima has held a special place in my heart with the residents and staff.

Working in a different culture is also inspiring and fascinating; it is a challenge that I like to take on.