The Munich Olympic Games in 1972 are historic for a wide number of reasons. Outside of the new records and fanfare that follows every Olympics, these Games took place during the Cold War and Middle East conflicts. The Berlin Wall was a symbol of this stark reality, and tensions were high. These were the Olympics with the Munich Massacre, that shocked the world and shook the games.
But these Games were historic for another reason, also. A more cheerful, hopeful reason. It was the beginning of a major growth spurt for Youth with a Mission (YWAM), when Loren and Darlene Cunningham led 1,000 international young people in a major evangelistic movement. For three weeks, they spread throughout the city in small groups, talking to people of every nationality, faith, and political stance. They organized rallies and converted an old warehouse into a coffee shop, where they could bring people for more in depth conversations.
Of these 1,000 youth from around the world, 50 of them were Dutch. This was the beginning of YWAM coming to the Netherlands.
After the successful campaign in Germany, Don Stephens decided to run another campaign in Amsterdam in the summer of 1973. This was the time of the hippies, and Amsterdam was right along the popular “hippy route,” making it a prime location for evangelizing. Hippies from around the world came here on their way from Western Europe to the Middle East, as they searched for spiritual enlightenment and answers to their questions about life. Stephens recruited Al Akimoff and Romkje Fountain (then Romkje de Graaf) to his cause and sent them in search of housing. They bought two large houseboats and docked them behind Central Station. These boats, dubbed “The Ark,” became the first permanent YWAM base in the Netherlands.
Vondelpark was an easy stop over for the hippies, and tents and young people could be found there at all times, along with music, beer, and a haze of smoke. Stephen’s group spent their time evangelizing here and around the city, and some travelers were invited to stay at the Ark as a form of ministry.
At the end of the summer, Stephens invited Floyd and Sally McClung to take over the Ark and continue the movement in the city. Working in Afghanistan at the time, also to minister to hippies, they packed up and came to Amsterdam in an old, converted bus. The Ark quickly became a positive light in the city, where people were welcomed, and questioners could find answers.
Amsterdam succeeded in becoming a light in the darkness, but a new base, further removed from the chaos and influence of the city, was soon needed. This base was going to be different than Amsterdam, which was built with ministering to the community in mind. They wanted the new base to be a training center, where they could equip young people in order to send them out properly. In 1975, Romkje found Heidebeek, an old leper hospital and community, located between the quiet villages Epe and Heede. Once the sale was official, the McClungs moved in to get the base up and running. In 1977, Heidebeek hosted the first Discipleship Training School (DTS). Buildings Herdershof and ‘s Heerenhof were added as the base grew.
When Heidebeek was firmly established, the McClungs moved to Amsterdam and left Heidebeek in the care of Jeff and Romkje Fountain. Amsterdam also expanded, adding De Cleft in 1979 and Samaritans Inn in 1980. Both bases now run multiple schools and training programs, as well as community outreach projects. YWAM Netherlands has also expanded across the country to other cities, including Maastricht and Rotterdam, and look forward to continuing their growth in the coming years.
