Once again on the Queen’s official birthday on 30th April, conveniently providing a public holiday, Mbuma-zending held its annual gathering in the cattle market in the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. This year the day was special in that Queen Beatrix was being installed at The Hague to succeed her mother, Queen Juliana, who had relinquished the throne in favour of the younger person. National celebrations were not to deter some 6,000 persons, including whole families from babes to old men and women, from attending; although it was believed that fear of violence from extremists en route had deterred some from making the journey to Utrecht:
At 10.30 a.m. the Chairman of Mbuma-zending, Ds C Smits, opened the meeting, and after singing the opening verses of Psalm 27 and the reading of Isaiah chapter 61, he addressed the vast congregation and more especially from the concluding verses of Matthew’s Gospel. In keeping with the national character of the day, 2 verses of the National Anthem were then sung as all stood in dutiful respect.
As guest-speaker from Scotland, I then addressed the largest congregation of my life from the words, “Jehovah-jireh” in Genesis 22:14. In the way of introduction, I referred to our interest in the events of that day in respect of Queen Beatrix, and also the encouragement I received from Ds Smits address as possessing for me a special interest as related to my call to the ministry (Mr van Waveren was at my side kindly translating the salient matters). All my words were, of course, in English, so the Chairman read a Dutch version of my address prepared by Mr J van Woerden. Ds Smits then made a speech of thanks to me, and assured Rev A Ndbele, Mr D Nlovu and myself of their great interest in Holland in the mission work at Zimbabwe. This also was in both English and Dutch.
The morning session was concluded by an address by Ds de Waard based on Psalm 89 vv 47-52, and prayer by Ds v.d. Isel. During lunch the deputies took the opportunity to speak with Committee members and also with a cross-section of the congregation.
Singing of part of Psalm 119 and prayer by Ds Schinkelshoek opened the afternoon session, when addresses were given by Ds de Yong from Luke 10:42: Ds van Voorthuyzen on Matthew 12:42: Mr Scholten on Samuel Rutherford; and after Rev A Ndbele had spoken and thanked the friends in Holland for all their good work (a translation was then read), Ds F Mallan, the vice-Chairman of the Committee, concluded with an addressed based on Psalm 72:11b, “All nations shall serve him.” Before we were dismissed with singing and prayer, several announcements were made by the Treasurer, Mr Reijers, viz. the morning collection amounted to 70,000 gilders, that in the afternoon to 46,000, 18,000 came from the congregation at Staphorst, collection boxes in the homes gathered by children added another 74,000 and the final tally reached the amazing figure of 217,000 gilders (divide by 4 for pounds sterling).
As Mr Nlovu remarked to me when both of us were witnessing this event for the first time, the vast concourse of people had to be seen to be appreciated, and how humble he felt that all this was taking place on behalf of his people in Zimbabwe. I agreed and I also felt assured that although all was done on behalf of other fellow-creatures in far-distant lands, yet they, themselves, in Holland were being blessed in their deed, and even in the proceedings of such a day of Gospel fellowship, “that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” (John 4:36b)).
Alex Murray