Number 12

 “Kees, you’re going to RIO”. That was clearly not a question. When Sjaak de Boer celebrated the fact that he had been working as a pastor in The Hague for 25 years, he shared that with the public. Vera and I looked at each other: “Okay.” “Then you can immediately see, Kees, where part of the sponsorship money from Auxili-ja! has gone.” I would be going to RIO with some of his godchildren (a total of 5 went) in the year he would turn 65.

On February 28, the time had finally come. We departed from Schiphol with 6 people heading to RIO. After a flight of just under 11 hours, we arrived around 6:00 PM local time. We then got into a taxi and drove to our accommodation, a ride that took about 45 minutes. We decided to sit on a terrace amid all the hustle and bustle. We immediately got a small taste of what awaited us: enormous fun in the city center. You can't believe your eyes: how some people are dressed or barely dressed. At breakfast the next morning, we met the others and the group was complete: a mixed company with Australian, Chinese, Japanese, American, Canadian, Filipino, and Dutch roots.

The trip was, in one word, amazing. What stuck with me the most, if I had to choose, is the fact that 11 strangers formed a group in such a short time and of course, the carnival parade, a show lasting over 6 hours. Inconceivable. We also saw another side in Itaguai. There, we were able to donate a significant amount to Citadao Feliz, a sports project for mentally and physically disabled children, supplemented by the adult travelers. How special is it that Ivan, the driving force behind this project, had already started within a week by making the necessary adjustments to the building. I hadn't had this trip on my bucket list, but I quickly added it and crossed it off right away.