Parochie Sint Bonifatius

Family
I was born in beautiful Curaçao and lovingly raised by my parents together with my brothers and sisters. They now live all over the world. My father passed away on Boxing Day in 2010, my mother still lives in Curaçao. Family and (old) friends are very important to me. That is why I am visiting them in Curaçao at least once a year.

Vocation
Our family was always involved in church. We all did voluntary work and I sang in choirs.

As a nurse, I did an internship in a hospital for a while and worked at a rehabilitation center with sick people. It was special to see that many sick people had such rock-solid confidence in their faith. I could simply feel the presence of God. This period confirmed my decision in becoming a priest was the right one.

The Netherlands
I came to the Netherlands in 1995 and entered the  monastery in Nieuwe Niedorp and attended the lectures of the Major Seminary in Vogelenzang. In the beginning I had to get used to the Dutch services. In Curaçao the services were often cheerful and there was a lot of singing and swinging going on during mass. In the Netherlands people are more subdued. I was ordained as a priest in 2003 and was allowed to exercise my wonderful profession in Amsterdam for three years. For the next seven years I was a priest in Den Helder and on Texel. On Texel, a very white community, the parishioners were quite surprised seeing a coloured priest at the altar. But there too we quickly became a warm ‘family’. For the past eleven years I served in the regional parish of Alkmaar. I have really enjoyed working everywhere; saying goodbye was always a little achy. You get used to the people and their ways. But I am always open to new experiences.

Dramatic accident in December 2007
Shortly before Christmas in 2007, I was driving back home after a celebration in Schoonhoven with two colleagues: the newly ordained deacons Quinton Peters from South Africa (driver) and Juan Torres from Spain. It was freezing, snowing and slippery. Suddenly our car was upside down under the ice. My life was passing by me and I prayed to God and trusted my life in His hands.

A certain calm came over me and with the last bit of air I had left, I was able to undo my seat belt and make my way up. Unfortunately, Quinton and Juan didn’t make it.  Juan is buried in the Netherlands and Quinton in South Africa.

Years later I visited Quinton’s grave in South Africa. Only from that moment on I have been able to find some closure.

Busy activities
To be a priest is to serve. It is so meaningful when you can assist people during special events. You also want to convey your enthusiasm for God to others. Being a priest is not a job, it is a calling. You can’t say ‘I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.’ You are actually always switched ‘on’. Even when I’m on a holiday, people still know where to find me. I don’t mind. As a priest you are often also a psychologist and social worker and I am very grateful when people confide in me. For me it is important to be creative with faith and its spread. My motto is that the church should be more visible. By that I mean that if people don’t come to church, we go to them. Either I call them or go for a visit and often during these conversations, reasons are mentioned as to why people are not coming to church.

Spare time
In my spare time I like to spend time with my colleagues or friends. Going out for dinner, watching a good movie, visiting people… that’s what I like to do. People regularly join me for dinner, so I think my cooking capabilities are quite reasonable. I also enjoy singing all kinds of songs and hymns and I enjoy walking. I also like interacting with young people. Having a drink and a snack together and sharing all kinds of life stories.

Excited
It is quite exciting to succeed my colleague Sandor Koppers, who served in Almere for twenty-eight years. The parishioners are of course very accustomed to him. I don’t want to imitate anyone, but just do my own thing and above all remain myself. In previous parishes I worked with colleagues, but in Almere I am on my own. So a new situation, which I will certainly have to get used to. But I understand that there is a large group of enthusiastic volunteers here willing to help me.

Almere
I am extremely curious about the parish of Almere and its parishioners. I hope to meet you soon. We probably have a lot to tell to each other.

This interview is a personal document and may not be duplicated.