A world apart

Two completely different worlds. You realise this all over again when you fly from Malawi to the Netherlands in 24 hours. Especially after eighteen months, you realise just how developed the Netherlands is. But also how busy Dutch life is. Here I can easily go a week without an agenda, but that's unimaginable in the Netherlands. But because of these busy schedules, the stress level in the Netherlands is much higher. On the other hand, everything is organised efficiently in the Netherlands. You don't have to wonder about a lot of things, because they are simply arranged. If you need something, you don't always have to go to the shop; you can also order it and often have it delivered within a few days. But that also means that if you have several presentations a day and are a bit late at one venue, your whole schedule goes haywire. No problem in Malawi, but in the Netherlands half an hour really makes a huge difference.

I had secretly been looking forward to all the delicious food and choice available in the Netherlands. And to finally have more choice in finding toys for the kids again. But lots of choice, also means choice stress. And ends up making it so normal to have so many things to choose from, that you end up not even being that happy. In Malawi, when I see leeks in the shop, I am extremely happy, because they are far from always there. But in the Netherlands, it's so obvious that everything is there, that it's normal again so quickly.

Similarly at Christmas, there was so much choice, I didn't know what to choose. And then I realised again, not the many things are good, but the things that are good are many. And that Christmas is ultimately about only one thing: that the Saviour has been born to you this day! And Joseph and Mary didn't have much to choose either when it came to housing and food.

What a contrast even now that we are back. So much hunger all around us. So many people with almost nothing to eat and no idea how they will get through the next few months. Almost every day we get calls from relatives, friends, acquaintances, asking for food because they have nothing. Everywhere you drive, people are begging for money. Prices that have gone up again. I have no idea how the people who don't have permanent jobs here can survive this. And yet... people who have all the time for you, who radiate joy despite all the worries. Then the petrol that is still scarce. The long queues at the bank when you need money, or at the supermarket when you need groceries. Then again, I sometimes think back to the Jumbo (supermarket) where no more than three people queue at the checkout.

A world of difference. We can learn a lot from each other. A little balance would be nice. But it also teaches you to appreciate the beautiful things about each culture. And to realise that ‘one country’ cannot make you truly happy. But that you can be truly happy anywhere, if you can know Him! That really brings a life-changing difference!