Team Vedder and Our North Dakota Adventure

Yep, Team Vedder as—VEDDERS CONSULTANTS—got all kind of requests.

Our # 10 Consulting trip brought us to North Dakota where we were going to work for a mushroom farm facing bankruptcy.

On Saturday, January 9, we both left by 1:30 PM for the Atlanta Airport (a good 2 hour drive). 

Our flight went via Minneapolis/St. Paul to Grand Forks in North Dakota where we arrived by 8:50 PM.

On one of the Campbell Soup Seminars that Pieter did in October 1992—the owner had begged Pieter to come to his small mushroom farm in North Dakota—he was desperate!

They made their own compost, had 1 tunnel and 5 growing rooms of 400 m² built by the Dutch company Huub Aerts.

More than likely the son of a Pennsylvanian mushroom grower that liked to leave his Dad's old farm—sorry for his Dad—will come to manage the farm.

Don Dusek came to pick us up and together with him, another hour driving the 60 mi (96.5 km) to our Motel in Park River, North Dakota.

We both slept well and on Sunday, January 10, Don Dusek came to our motel and had breakfast with us. We went to Church with him in Pisek, together with his son and daughter—all Catholic Czechs. 

Next we had lunch and went to the mushroom farm till 3:30 PM.

There was a lot of snow and it was –25°F or about –32°C with a daytime temperature of –5°F or –20.5°C. 

By 5:00 PM we went together for supper to Ron (3rd generation Norwegian) & Renae, together with Steve.  

We got an old car from Don and we both returned to our motel.

Monday, January 11, the day started with an empty battery! Someone from the farm came over. 

After our breakfast at the Guest House we head to the farm to work.

Very busy day with the 9 harvesters. 

Pieter does some training  in the afternoon after first going over the farm.

We had supper at the guest house.

Tuesday, picked with the harvesters and visited them individually training and correcting—they opened up and start to follow my training and it goes well!

For lunch we got stuck in the snow with that old car—due to having gotten off road!

No telling where the road ends—with such a layer of snow... We don't live there.

After work we have supper at the restaurant of our motel: Don, Ron & Renae, Steve and both of us.

Wednesday January 13, Steve departed this morning, back to Pennsylvania. 

Both of us continue with our training. Very busy and working over time in room 4...

We both have supper at the motel at Alice's.

Thursday, January 14. Don's old car broke down and he came to pick us up in his pickup. 

Don was quite a figure! He actually has a gravel business! 

He went on to tell us a nice story. They were at the gravel extraction site, stone breaking when suddenly bones and skulls appeared...

They stopped and called the police as they first thought about a possible murder case.

As a result they halted the entire enterprise for days and eventually the investigation led to ancient Indians—no murder case and it all had cost him some US $ 40,000. 

So he gave his people the instruction: Whatever you see, keep grinding!

Another routine work day and we picked off room 4 entirely and cleaned the beds by removing any stumps and debris. Good feeling!

Friday, January 15, we packed and had our breakfast with Don and he drove us around for seeing a potato grading company, to which Ron was connected. That was quite impressive!

In water through concrete canals under the road they transported them into large sheds where they got sorted and bagged—heavy work! 

Too bad we had forgotten to bring our camera for this trip...

It was so huge that for every American they had 2 kilos or 4.4 pounds in stock—so impressive!

By 10:30 we did a slide presentation for the harvesters.

Farewell to a satisfied group.

My ONLY paycheck were red roses with ferns and baby's breath + card!

Thanks!

You went all out...

...and

The results were outstanding!

Training by Pieter for the men till past 7:00 PM.

Then we had dinner with them, including Sherry their daughter.

Saturday, January 16, we briefly went to the farm and Duane is now also caught up.

At 11:00 AM take off from Grand Forks and via Minneapolis/St. Paul to Atlanta.

Home by 7:00 PM and reading our mail with the fireplace on.

Just received one more letter from Ron Monson, dated January 23, 1995...

That was our North Dakota adventure!

It was quite a surprise that on Facebook one of our mushroom friends reacted to this photo from April 23, 1983 when Campbell Soup flew both of us from Camden, New Jersey to Dublin, Georgia in their corporate Learjet—40 years ago!

Still grateful for being able to read such feedback about our training after 40 years.

Related link:

modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting | previous post by me

International Calling as it WAS

 Both, Pieter and I had a lot to deal with those old fashioned calling cards for making a phone call...

Do you recall any of those?

This MULTIFON was one that we used in México for calling and also for getting on the Internet with our laptop!

A confidential number needed to get 'scratched off', see below on the right of that red arrow.

Any way you used it—phone calls or on the Internet—you had to be FAST as it also did click away FAST... 📞  💻

~

We also have used for years a special AT&T calling card for which you had to use different numbers in different countries—before dialing the number you wanted to reach. That way it got billed to our personal AT&T account here in the USA. 

Mom often used to say—our phone bill was not any higher than usual when using their phone...

Of course not—we paid for it!

And then in 2003 came this...

Calling the 1010 987 prior to the number you had to call!

ONLY for 3 US Dollar cents a minute all day, every day!

For the U.S., to Canada and to Western Europe!!!

That was quite a break through.

This was still way before we had our first Blackberry at the time Pieter had his open heart surgery done.

We've also made phone calls using our AmericanExpress card—very expensive rate but in case of an emergency we have done so.

Calling our sweet Sister–In–Love in The Netherlands from Mexico on our American Express card for a rip off of US $ 49.00—while on vacation in Acapulco, México.

We just had to call her—as she was going home from the hospital to be comfortable in her own surroundings during her final weeks with pancreatic cancer...

Over the years we have used our phone a lot and paid our share for communication with Parents and loved ones.

HOW things have changed since!

Now we can do video calls for free from one smart phone to another.

Guess there are at present no hotels that don't offer Free WiFi...

WISH we'd had that when we were first immigrants—for being able to talk with Mom more than our limited calls on Birthdays and special holidays.

It was the weekly letter writing that we kept up.

And oh, how I always saved those Dutch guilders for pushing into the slot for making phone calls at Schiphol airport... calling Mom especially and Pieter his brothers and some more.

On our lay–over on the way to India or Indonesia...

Related link:

Husband Pieter's DANGEROUS Trip back from India | SCARY time when Pieter on his solo trip could not reach the USA so he informed Dad who in turn called me here in the USA...

December 31 With Pieter J.C. Vedder Visiting Sitanala Leprosy Hospital in Indonesia

 Just wanting to take you back to Indonesia during the time we did still consulting, after having lived and worked there for about 3 years.

So you get to see how we spent New Year's Eve...

~ 

December 31, 1998

Grateful for Gil Gillis from TV 35 (at that time) for putting this together for us to show to the Rotarians and others.

En route to our work, on December 31, 1998, we visited Sitanala to deliver a donation from the Dublin, Georgia Rotary Club and Friends. 

Hand delivering the cash US Dollars to Father S. Binzler, a Jesuit, who worked with the leprosy patients on their designated compound.

On November 04, 1989 Princess Diana visited the very same Sitanala Leprosy Hospital.

On my blogpost: {Like Princess Diana, I also Tried to Tackle the Leprosy Stigma} ←click on link.

On the following video you also will see shocking images of the damaged and burned buildings of the Chinese Christians, who ran the businesses for the majority.

In May and November of 1998, those 'rioters' damaged some 6,000 buildings and tortured, raped and killed some 1,200...

It was for me personally the closest I've ever come to a war zone.

Pieter starts out with his finger on the map showing our route of flight for reaching our 'work' destiny:

Atlanta, Georgia/USA on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to Amsterdam, then on to Singapore and finally reaching Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.

Happy New Year to ALL!

Oahu Hawaii Majestic Circle Island Tour

 With E Noa Tours, Pieter had booked us a Majestic Circle Island Tour 120 miles round.

That was on December 3, 1998.

With 18 people in a mini bus.

Oahu with the capital Honolulu

Earlier we already did tour the USS ARIZONA, see post below.

Waimea Valley

North Shore & surfing beaches

Waikiki Trolley Tours

This is the one we did:

Inside Diamond Head Crater

Hanauma Bay

Blowhole and Sandy Beach

Makapuu Lookout

Windward Oahu Coastline

Pali Lookout

Byodo–In Temple

Sunset Beach/North Shore Surfing Beaches

Waimea Valley

Pineapple Fields

~

The Diamond Head Crater, our first stop was not impressive, but that is because we both know far bigger craters from Indonesia!

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay, often called the BEST beach in the USA

Hanauma Bay view, a coral reef

Pali Lookout at 2,000 feet or 609 meter.

Wind gusts at 90 miles per hour or hurricane power as it doubles on this height!

Holding onto my video camera and The Bridge saddlebag...

Nu'uanu Pali Lookout

Nu'uanu Pali Lookout with botanical garden below

Byodu–In Temple

North Shore Lookout at Laie Point

Lava once streamed through the hole behind me, to the right of my face. 

A volcanic eruption and this is left over from that.

Sharp lava formations churn the waves and emphasize the power of the Pacific Ocean.

Laie Point is also where we both saw the Cliff Jumps!

We do have a video tape, but as often mentioned, all in Dutch for Mom & Dad...

From there we got onto a special bus for driving through Waimea Valley, a tropical paradise.

We also went to the Macademia nut outlet and bought us half a pound.

Our final stop was the Dole pineapple plantation.

We also watched on December 6 from our balcony STREET BIKERS UNITED HAWAII

On December 4, we both walked in 45 minutes to the Ala Moana shopping center to Neiman Marcus where we dined at the Mariposa restaurant on the 3rd level, with fabulous view, see above photo.

View to the right.

We went back to our hotel by bus.

We were home again on December 8.

Fond memories of Oahu Hawaii

We only had been there once before, upon returning home from our consulting work in Australia, see link to post below...

Related links:

Our Vacation at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa | previous post by me

Pearl Harbor Hawaii | previous post by me

OAHU – GRAND CIRCLE ISLAND, ONE DAY TOUR | good YouTube video of the above

Working & Socializing with Staff from Melbourne Mushrooms | previous post by me as we entered the USA in Honolulu, Hawaii coming back from consulting work in Australia.

Pieter's Outfit from Khazana at Taj Palace New Delhi Hotel

 On February 29 of 1991 we were at the Taj Palace New Delhi hotel after our two–week consulting work for Pond's India. This before flying to Indonesia where we worked and lived at the time.

With a guide from Pond's we did go to the State Emporia where we found a whale for Uncle Bo Whaley, and for us a sandalwood carving with balls inside. 

Also a bird painting on rice paper. 

Back at our hotel we found for Pieter a very nice fitting greenish cotton pair of trousers and a striped shirt.

This was on our patio in Wonosobo, Indonesia where Pieter put on the entire set.

Perfect fit!

Admiring our orchids that just hang on wood wool planks against the wall.

Happy times during our life in Indonesia!

The climate was so perfect for our hair...

We also found a perfect pure silk black tie at the Taj Palace New Delhi Khazana Shop.

India has so much!

It is real black, the shine of the silk made it look a bit different... 😉

Pieter wearing his Khazana trousers on his 69th Birthday in our front porch.

Behind him: Our HUGE Clematis lanuginosa 'Candida' in 2022←click it

The same guy, same trousers only 31 years later... 

And yes, those comfy eco friendly Loints sandals are still alive as well!

Notice the Moonflower vine, to the left of Pieter's knee?

Home grown by Pieter from seeds and it is opening its very first flower!

They too are HUGE and bloom at night mainly; hence its name Moonflower — Ipomoea alba.

Photos taken around 9:00 so it was closing.

Pieter on the back step of our gazebo. The white gingerbread from Vintage Woodworks looks so nice after it got painted again.

From inside of gazebo facing the pond area.

Related link:

COME Cross the Tengger Sand Sea to Volcano Mount Bromo, Indonesia | previous post by me both wearing our Loints sandals

True Indigo Indigofera Tinctoria in Pieter's Favorite Color | previous post by me with Loints sandals

Blissful Relationship in the Tropics of Indonesia | previous post by me with Loints sandals

P.J.C. Vedder on Mushroom Cultivation during Technology Transfer Seminar part 2 | previous post where Pieter is wearing his Khazana trousers...

The often HIGH price of being AWAY for Consulting

 Whenever we went to Indonesia, due to the long journey in itself, we were gone for 3 weeks.

Also for India it would be around 2.5 weeks and 2 weeks for Mexico.

Not so good for home and garden when being absent that long!

Consulting often resulted in an unexpected HIGH price of being AWAY

How we kept our HOUSEPLANTS alive...In our kitchen bay window area, I kept many Delft white pots with houseplants, as well as in our veranda with its long windowsill on both sides and planter tables with larger pots.We had friends offering to water them and they did, mainly on the final day before we would return home... to proof they DID water! My collection of 16 beautiful orchids shrunk rapidly.A neighbor once insisted she would water while we were gone, so Pieter brought the most delicate houseplants over to her home. She placed them in her laundry room, Pieter thought she would place them later into the light, and in their final spot...NOT SO, upon his return for picking up the houseplants, they ALL came out of her laundry room, without any window. She sure watered them but they looked all brain dead and yellow; many of them did not survive...So we looked for better solutions.

A programmable Gardena Water Computer...

On March 17 of 1994, Pieter bought our Gardena Water Computer and also a heater for the greenhouse, so we never again would loose our tomato plants to frost in March!

Old spray caps being inserted in pipe, for misting plants from above, using the Gardena Water Computer.

On March 25 of 1994, Pieter worked on a system in the greenhouse with hanging pipe from above and using the old spray caps of Dad's greenhouse in The Netherlands.For being able to do so, Pieter had extended the water pipe, outside on our garage wall, for use on the driveway with a faucet and eventually a hose. So he could use a valve for bypassing the piping system that he'd dug in over our entire garden, and not using the water being pumped up by our pump, but coming directly from our home water system.Pieter hung all plants and checked if they got adequately water, even changed some that needed more than others.It got all PERFECTED and once more we were off to Indonesia for 3 weeks.Feeling at ease with all our precious plants being watered inside the greenhouse.When we came home, we went to the greenhouse and both of us were SHOCKED!We were staring at some skeletons hanging down... ALL DEAD!Then, going inside and wanting to step into the shower, after such a long journey from Jakarta to Atlanta, we noticed we had NO WATER!Great welcome home — what a feeling for hitting the mattress like that.Only in the daylight of early morning, Pieter figured out that the teenage boy, who did cut our grass, had run over one of the pipes with faucet for attaching the water hose for sprinkling. Since Pieter had reversed the system on our main water pipe from the HOME, it kept flooding. So he brilliantly turned off the MAIN VALVE! Killing all our green children in the greenhouse by doing so...He'd cut off more often a pipe so our dream of having our houseplants safe and cared for was out of the window.We ended up instead, putting those Delft white pots in the trenches that Pieter dug alongside the Wood Trail to the left of our Gazebo area where it was rather wet in early years.They were always wet from some underground wells and water was running constantly and there was shade from the trees above.Worked perfect, except my Delft white pots were no longer WHITE... It was quite a task of cleaning them one by one and taking them back inside!So that is what you see in this short video. So many challenges and right now I have no more houseplants... We gave up after all those years.
Related links:{Fall & Winter Preparations} | previous post by me{New Heater for Greenhouse} | previous post by me where you see the nozzles on the overhead pipe

Oversight of Dieng Plateau area in Indonesia with mushroom growing sheds and doing training

 Just wanted to share with you this short video from our time of living and working in Indonesia in the mushroom business.

Pieter did climb up the mountain very high at one of the locations for giving you this overview.The video can best be viewed on YouTube, so you can read the text below, where I've better explained with clickable points.Yes, that was me speaking in my 7th language of Bahasa Indonesia.

Related link:

Dieng Plateau Indonesia - Where We Worked | previous post by me

Karangbakal, Indonesia Exemplary Compost Ricks | previous post

Dieng Plateau area spent mushroom compost being carried up to terraces | post showing the use of spent mushroom compost in horticulture

Karangbakal, Indonesia Exemplary Compost Ricks

Just by using simple machinery and some hand work, already on June 14, 1994 at the Karangbakal location, high on the Dieng Plateau in Indonesia.

Just want to show you:

Short video showing the storage of the Sugar Cane Bagasse; Pre-Wet and then the perfect ricking.
One really has to comb the world for finding such perfect compost ricks!
Related links:Dieng Plateau Indonesia - Where We Worked | previous post by meOversight of Dieng Plateau area in Indonesia with mushroom growing sheds and doing training | post by meDieng Plateau area spent mushroom compost being carried up to terraces | post by me

Shillington, Pennsylvania where we lived

 After our stop in Virginia for one night and next day lunch at General Lee's Headquarters in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania we continued to the Hampton Inn in Reading, PA.

That made our trip now around 800 miles or 1287 km.

Pieter did a seminar for Campbell Soup in Temple, PA.

Meanwhile, I was free to roam around and visit the apartment where we both lived for almost half a year.

Here we are at 402 Community Drive in Shillington, Pennsylvania where our Mercury Sable slept outside all winter, no garage nor carport.Also I spent time at our favorite antique Weaver's Mall, a huge mall with several antique dealers.Found some of our French Baccarat glasses and a decanter with silver spout and lid.That was November 7, 1994Next day I went with Pieter to the Campbell Soup Mushroom Division office, as Pieter did a farm tour, and I did crochet 16 Christmas ornaments for our City Hall: {16 Crocheted Christmas Ornaments I made for the City Hall's Tree} ←click link.Pieter also did a farm tour for Georgi Foods and started his two days of seminar in Temple, PA. Final seminar day at Kenneth Square and it ended with a buffet.Tough days for doing such a one-man-show! But my Pieter always managed to do so, very well.Below this post you can read the 'Mushroom' Editorial Review from Campbell's CEO~Next we visited our widower friend and I cooked for him and his friends.After 3 nights in Wilmington, Delaware we drove home in one stretch... that were 755 miles or 1215 km.
So now you know where we all lived; Dublin, Georgia; Shillington, Pennsylvania; Cornuda in the Venice area in Italy; Wonosobo, Indonesia and again in Dublin, Georgia...
Editiorial Review from CEO Campbell Soup: You Brought a World-Renowned Professionalism to our Operations when they Sorely Needed ExpertiseHusband Pieter became SUPERMAN - When Push Came to Shove | previous post only a couple of weeks after returning from above Campbell Seminar...The Three Most Important Items for Mushroom Production 'Compost, Compost, Compost!' | editorial written by Campbell colleague upon Pieter's resignation and departure to Italy...1988 Juli 27 Farewell to our Beautiful Garden and Baby Devils (squirrels) | video with lots of info below about our move to Shillington, Pennsylvania

Pieter Plays Organ in Bandung Indonesia

On Sunday, June 24 in 1995 while doing consulting work in Indonesia we went with one of the staff people to visit Retreat House Pratista, Cimahi, near Bandung, Indonesia.

There was a Dutch speaking pastor at this Crosier Monastery or Monastery of the Order of the Holy Cross (Kruisheren in Dutch).

When Pieter spotted the organ, he just started playing... without any music, just by heart!

Hope you enjoy this 1:37 minute video.

Starting video with the different Cross they use, not one of the suffering Christ!

The staff member seen in this video became our house guest end of August, the day after my sister and significant other left, after staying four weeks with us.On Saturday August 26, 1995 he flew with us together to San Francisco. On Sunday we got picked up, for going to Santa Cruz where Pieter did a Phase I and Phase II seminar for Campbell Soup for 54 participants. Those were tough one-man shows for Pieter doing it solo for two days and half a day a farm tour towards the end.Pieter did wear a Batik shirt, my sewing creation. The late Pastor Vermuilen was looking on...
Related link:{My Batik Creations} | previous post where I show Pieter's batik shirt as my sewing creation

Delivering Funds to Dena Upakara in Wonosobo, Indonesia where Foster Daughter Anita hails from

 On June 17 of 1995, we did hand deliver the donations from our local Rotary Club of Dublin, Georgia, USA

Delivering the Rotary Club of Dublin, Georgia, USA money to the Dena Upakara boarding school for girls with a hearing impediment.

Pieter handing the US $ 500.00 that we both hand carried to Indonesia when traveling for our consulting work.

A sure way for having 100% of the funds being delivered, and used for the cause!

Happy smiles!

We again delivered the US $ 500 from Rotary Club of Dublin, Georgia, USA on July 2, 1996.

Sister Antonie was very pleased with this gift!

Several of the girls from the boarding school were present as we came to deliver the funds.

Remember, that we used to have about 16 of these girls, come to our home while living and working in Indonesia.

We became their substitute Papa & Mama, as they only ONCE got to see their real Parents during their vacation, as most did not have the means for coming to Central Java to visit them.

On December 15, 1990, when living in Wonosobo we visited Dena Upakara and got to talk to Sister Henricia van Vijfeijke in Dutch! 

Sister Henricia was from the Congregation Daughters of Mary and Joseph, who have a commitment to the deaf, blind and disabled. Founded in 1820 and they went to Brazil, Congo, China and Indonesia.

Surprise to us that she also happened to be a first cousin of Padre Juan Janssen who married us, in Chile; he sure blessed our blissful relationship!

We did present her after our work on December 18, with an article about her first cousin in Chile.

Small world! 

Things happen for a reason...

We have our foster daughter Anita from this very boarding school!

Related link:

{Anita Anggraeni our Foster Daughter} | previous post by me 

{Double Tragedy...} | previous post by me

{25-Year Anniversary of our Church Wedding in Chile quietly passed by} | previous post by me

Delivering Funds to Brother Petrus Hendriks at Don Bosco in Wonosobo, Indonesia

 Already on December 14 in 1986, did I join Pieter for a visit to Don Bosco as the boarding school was called, where several Catholic Brothers of Charity taught boys with a hearing impediment. 

While living and working in Indonesia, we also frequently borrowed Dutch books from their extensive library.

Here on June 2, 1996,  husband Pieter hands the US $ 500.00 from our local Rotary Club of Dublin, Georgia, USA.

Brother Hendriks of course was very happy and grateful for receiving this help!

Two of the boarding school's boys are in this photo.

This boarding school is following the Dutch concept of the institute for the deaf, in St.-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands. Meaning, they are being taught the oral method and not sign language. That way they are not being singled out from society, due to the restriction of only sign language and its therefore very limited access to communication.

Reading lips and having had intensive training for speech articulation, using a mirror and by placing the index and middle finger on the throat, of both toddler and teacher, they learn to mimic the vowels and feel its special vibration in the throat.

Children's 'remaining hearing' is used to its maximum, and that often requires such hearing aids!

Another photo as proof of delivery...

On the left, in the boy's ear you clearly can see the hearing device they used at the boarding school.

Brother Petrus (Piet) Hendriks smiling happily on June 17, 1995 when we hand delivered the previous US $ 500.00

It meant a lot for them, being able to purchase some hearing aids for helping the children with a hearing impediment at this special boarding school.

~ 

Now back to the very first time that I joined Pieter to visit Don Bosco in Wonosobo, Indonesia. Pieter had been there previously and knew there were Dutch Brothers of Charity.

So here we are, seated around the table with a coffee or tea and Brother Piet Hendriks asked where I hailed from.

From Horst in Limburg, I said, mentioning my town and province... in the Netherlands.

Oh, he said from where in Horst?

Then I replied from the Afhang... and he shifted to the edge of his seat and said, oh then we can continue in your dialect as my Parents came from Horst as well!

My Uncle Antoon Hendriks lived there he said, and yes, I do recall the age old home where he lived, only two homes away from where I got born!

UNREAL for being able to speak in your own dialect, when traveling from the USA to Indonesia... and meeting someone that knows.

Upon mentioning that my Dad will never believe this incredible story, Brother Hendriks scribbled down this note for my Dad to read:

Brother Piet Hendriks

Uncle Antoon (Toon) Hendriks

Opa (Grandfather): Derix

Used to be baker, later petroleum seller.

Mother: Marie van den Oliezoes (a dialect nickname, as often was the case back then).

We learned that in Horst, there is a street named after that Uncle from Brother Piet Hendriks:

Toon Hendriksstraat (Toon Hendriksstreet).

Thanks to hometown blogger Wim Moorman (nephew of my high school friend Julia) from Horst sweet Horst I got some information via another mutual historiography/writer friend Jan Janssen.

Turned out that in 1965, a written request was made for having a street named after Toon Hendriks:

~

On behalf of the board, I would like to draw your attention to what we consider to be a very deserving Horstenaar.

This is: "Antoon Hendriks, born March 22, 1888 in Horst, died August 5, 1961". This Antoon Hendriks is a pioneer of the workers' movement in Horst. He has been a member for more than 40 years and a member of the board of construction workers for more than 35 years. In the beginning of the workers' movement in Horst, he was fired several times for his membership. Much incomprehension and poverty was his part, but nevertheless Toon persevered.

He was an example and inspiration to other board members,  by personally working with all his strengths for his fellow workers.

The community of Horst, and especially the workers, owe a lot to him, although Toon never wanted to know about thanks.

He preferred to work behind the scenes, without noting he toiled for his fellow humans. Antoon Hendriks has been dead for 3.5 years, so occasionally his name is still mentioned at board meetings. It would be a nice posthumous gift if this name could be preserved for posterity.

Respectfully,

On behalf of the board N.K.V. Horst-centrum

~

So glad that this posthumous honor has been bestowed by naming a street after him!

Just received another piece of information via writer and historical researcher Dr. Jan Janssen;

published in the local Echo on January 23, 1981.

8. Toon Hendriksstraat for the connecting road between Waterstraat and Schoolstraat in the extension of Weltersweide.

The person concerned, lived in Horst from 1888 to 1961, until 1957 on the Schoolstraat and then on the Afhangweg. He did a lot of pioneering work for the workers and was one of the leaders of the trade union movement. Mayor & Aldermen believe that here too they can certainly speak of a deserving Horstenaar, although his field of work was not only in Horst.

~

The nephew from above Toon Hendriks, Brother Piet (Petrus) Hendriks passed away suddenly on January 26, 2010

Brother Petrus Hendriks was a member of the Congregation Brothers of Charity who are active in care and education.

After his education and study at the institute for the deaf, in St.-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands, he went to Indonesia in 1964. His place of employment was Wonosobo, (where we also lived for about three years while working in Indonesia).

Provincial Councillor of the Indonesian Region of Rama Sandjaja. 

In Wonosobo he showed unlimited commitment in the service of the deaf child. Day and night, around the clock, he was always ready during class hours and in the boarding school. He is remembered as one of the institute's best principals. He did his job with full commitment. 

His spiritual life was an example to his fellow brothers. He was committed to everyone and brought religious life into daily practice. His picture is still in the school of Wonosobo. The Rama Sandjaja Region is still grateful to him and the memory of him lives on. 

In 1998 he was asked to work in Tanzania at the Brothers of Charity's hearing impediment school... He didn't stay there long because he got sick. He returned to the Netherlands and, after a rest period, went to Roermond, where he was appointed Superior. He was also appointed Provincial Councillor.

In 2001 he became the first Superior in the newly built Monastery Eikenburg. He lived there for nine years, with great pleasure. His health slowly deteriorated, but he was committed as a coster in the chapel of the Monastery and as an altar boy in the great chapel. 

Brother Petrus was a modest man, he had enough on his puzzle books and his cigarette. 

During his life as a Brother of Charity, Brother Petrus has done a lot of work, for which we are very grateful to him. More than thirty years in Indonesia, briefly in Tanzania, several years in the Provincial Administration and the years in Roermond and at Eikenburg.

Brother Petrus died suddenly, in Eindhoven at Monastery Eikenburg. He was buried after a solemn Eucharist celebration on January 29, at the monastery cemetery there.

We thank the care at Monastery Eikenburg for their efforts during the last years.

May he rest in peace.

He chose the text of the poem on the next page, by Elly Nieman and Rikkert Zuiderveld.

~

I'm traveling, even though I don't know where. 

But somewhere it was written that I had to go this way, 

And even if I sometimes hesitate along that endless track,

Yet I know:

Someone preceded me, and that's why I'm moving on.

I have no money, no map and no compass.

But I see the signs, and they tell me enough; 

and even if no one answers

on the things I asked,

Yet I know:

At the end, I find hearing, and that's why I'm going to keep going.

I am a bird that spreads its wings;

So I always want to fly beyond the sun.

I am a horse that rides without reins;

But there is someone who leads me and he says, "Come!

~

Sure, Brother Piet Hendriks, just like his Uncle Toon Hendriks, loved being fully committed to the wellbeing of others!

Both were of a very humble nature and that is why they were great at deeds!

A true example for many, that were fortunate, having known them.

Related link:

Visiting Brother Petrus Hendriks at Don Bosco in Wonosobo, Indonesia | short YouTube video from our visit in 1994