July 5, Day 2

It was a beautiful day in Sneek.  The locals here say that it's been cloudy and rainy for weeks, and today it was clear and sunny.  Our tour guide, Lothar, said "The sun shines when angels are travelling".  

We spent the morning exploring our Mennonite heritage, by travelling to Witmarsum to view a monument dedicated to Menno Simons.  We then went to Pinjum, where we visited a hidden church.  Here, the Mennonites had to meet in secret to avoid persecution.  We watched a video depicting Menno Simons' life and faith story.  As expressed by Ruth Derksen, "I was surprised at the emotion I felt when participating in a presentation about our Mennonite roots."

We walked down the street to the church where Menno Simons was first ordained as a catholic priest.  Here, we sang together for the first time.  We sang "Wehrlos und Verlassen". Then, we were joined by the men who are travelling with us, as well as our hosts, and sang an emotion-filled "Great is Thy Faithfulness".  Theresa Klassen says "It was an incredible experience to sing this enduring hymn of faith in the church where Menno Simons first began to explore the Anabaptist faith".

This evening, we had our first formal concert.  We sang in the Doopsgezinde Gemeente Church in Sneek.  We were all very moved by the appreciative audience, and the feeling of community that we shared.  They sang and clapped along.  Clap Yo' Hands will never be the same again!  Following the concert, we were treated to a wine and cheese reception at the church.

Tomorrow we leave Sneek, sad to leave such a picturesque, hospitable community.  The people are friendly, the architecture is stunning, and the whole city is beautifully well-kept.  The preferred mode of transportation is biking.  In fact, a 93 year-old woman biked 6 miles to come and listen to our concert!  

Our time in Sneek was a wonderful start to our tour, and we anticipate the remaining days.

Submitted by:  The Hotel Group