When YWAM first came to the Netherlands, they began in Amsterdam reaching out to the hippies looking for meaning in life and spiritual enlightenment. Soon discovering another location, more removed from the temptations of the city, was needed, Romkje Fountain and Floyd McClung set out to look for a new base. On their way to the north of the Netherlands to look at a potential property, they stopped in Heerde to meet Romkje's friend who wanted to show them a place that was for sale there. After touring the property, they continued north to look at the location they had in mind. While they were there, they decided the place in Heerde was a better fit for their needs and matched what they had envisioned. The property in Heerde was Heidebeek.
Heidebeek was founded in 1975 by Jeff and Romkje Fountain and Floyd and Sally McClung. The grounds were previously a leper colony and had sat empty for some time. When new management took over, the surrounding community first thought Heidebeek was a rehab center. The confusion was quickly corrected, though, as the work at Heidebeek truly came underway, and Heidebeek hosted the first DTS in the Netherlands in 1977.
How Heidebeek began is well and truly a story of faith and God's work, but there is more to Heidebeek's history than just the beginning. Everything that has happened since then has been a testament to the Lord as He has called people from all over the world to this place, and sent many out to the unreached corners of the world, as well.
The McClungs moved back to Amsterdam in 1980, leaving Heidebeek in the care of Jeff and Romkje Fountain. The Fountains, wondering what the future would hold, asked God if He still had plans for Heidebeek. Within a week, they had two separate people tell them they had received a vision years ago of an asteroid coming and striking the Netherlands in the center of the country, with the impact sending out sparks that reached the whole nation. Both had been reminded of the image that week with the feeling it was related to Heidebeek.
With this confirmation, Heidebeek continued on, becoming a "springboard for missions." Heidebeek envisions young people coming to the base to be taught and prepared for missions, then sent out into the Netherlands as well as the world. So, Heidebeek "springs" missionaries out from the base to where God calls them, and is a stepping stone in their journey.
Along with sending out missionaries and ministering to the community, Heidebeek has also made some more well known changes to the Christian world. Songs were recorded at 's Heerenhof, one of Heidebeek's other buildings, and contributed to creating a new form of worship, changing from hymns to the style we know today. Concerts for the King, one of Heidebeek's programs, also attributed to this change.
As well as attributing to change over the years, Heidebeek itself has changed as well. The base used to provide much of it's own food. There was once a greenhouse and fields for gardening, as well as chickens, rabbits, and pigs. Meals were usually beans and rice, with meat served once a week or on fancy occasions. Maintenance teams would sometimes go on an outreach, like when they helped build a church in Frydlant, Czech Republic. The base acquired new buildings, like s' Heerenhof and Herdershof, as well as building expansions on the property they have. Heidebeek itself has seen multiple add-ons and a new dining hall and kitchen. A new housing building is the latest addition, aging now four years old.
Heidebeek has also had a plethora of ministries, such as the King's Kid's youth program and a Heidebeek bookstore. There was even a preschool ministry on base. Though these old ministries are no longer, there are many other ministries that have been added and are still going strong. There are the classic YWAM schools, like Discipleship Training School and the Children at Risk School, and some that focus on youth in the surrounding community, such as TwentyFour and The Vine. There are also summer events, including Missions Fest, RFLX, Go Teams, and more.
Heidebeek celebrated their 50th anniversary last year, and are excited to see what God does in the future as well as looking back and celebrating the past. Heidebeek has seen that following God's guidance leads to great things. Their beautiful history is evidence enough of this. So, by continuing on God's path and keeping Him at the center of every ministry, they know there is still more to come and are excited to see what God has in store for the future.
