Volker Bohle meets Hans-Willem Oosterloo

My name is … Hans-Willem Oosterloo. My family consists of my wife Aisha and I. Our three adopted daughters are married. I am living since March 1982 in Sierra Leone, and Aisha and I have been married since 1987.

My personal background is ... I was born on 28th August 1953 and I have been a Christian since 1976. I am a historian and teacher by training and profession. After I became a Christian I have been searching for a practical way to serve the Lord and combine my training with my service for the Lord. This became a reality in 1980 when I had the opportunity to serve as a volunteer within EBM at the Lunsar Eye Hospital, where I served for 9 months as Administrator. I then knew that I wanted to be a career missionary, serving the Lord in Africa for the rest of my life.

My favorite occupation is … vreading and writing history, as well as listening to music (jazz-rock). I also love spending time on the internet, visiting a large number of favorite sites.

I am missionary because ... When I became a Christian I asked God to show me where he could use me in the best way. After some time I received the invitation to go to Africa as a volunteer. Upon my arrival in Sierra Leone I immediately felt that this was my destination. Since then I have never questioned the decision to become a missionary, and God has continued to guide me into unexpected new directions.

My daily work ... A large part of my daily work consists of various administrative tasks. In the morning I answer a large number of e-mails from all over the world. During the day I meet a large number of people, some officially as EBM Representative, but others in an unofficial role as counselor. I attend a lot of meetings (incidentally, I like meetings) and I am a good listener.
Most of all I love traveling. Unfortunately, during the civil war in Sierra Leone this was not possible. Aisha and I love to have our doors open to everyone in need.

The greatest challange is ... It has always been my greatest challenge to understand and think like an African. It has always been my greatest passion to be with the African brethren in every respect, sharing my life with them. Especially since the time I met Aisha, I have begun to understand better the African point of view. But the longer I have been in Africa, the more I begin to realize that there is much that I do not understand. In the debate about Africa and the Africans I have become silent.

I am glad about... the fact that it is still possible for me to work as a missionary in Sierra Leone after all these years. I praise the Lord that my enthusiasm and joy for the mission work in Sierra Leone have not diminished. During my years in Africa I have seen many people who lost this joy and who went back disappointed and frustrated. I still go to work with the same attitude as I did in the early 1980s. I have also had the privilege to enjoy seeing my pupils become successful people, spiritually and socially.

I am sad about ... that so much has been destroyed in Sierra Leone during the years of civil war. Before the war we had 4 EBM Mission Stations (Kassiri, Mambolo, Lunsar, and Gbendembu), apart from Freetown. In each station European missionaries were serving. All were evacuated. Now the stations have been abandoned. When I visit such a station I go „back in time“ and remember the past. Now we are living in a new age of missionary activity. The time of the mission station is gone for good. But we have not yet found a good new way to replace it. The people at the grass roots are suffering.

I am learning from the people in Africa ... The most wonderful thing I have learned from the Africans is joy in the simple things of life. African people, even the poor, have the capacity to simply love life. They don’t worry about tomorrow, but enjoy today, even if they are not sure when they will have their next meal. So I myself have been able to worry less about tomorrow, and be more content with what I have already received from the Lord.

My desire is … a greater priority for mission and evangelism among our churches, and more concern for the poor and destitute near (in Europe) and far (Africa, Asia and Latin America). In order to achieve this we need to live simpler life styles so that we are able to give for these causes.

In adition to this ... My greatest problem is to say “no“ to people. I like to say “no problem” and believe that there is a solution to every problem. This attitude has been often exploited by people, but I just hate to turn someone away who needs my help.
During the civil war in Sierra Leone many people knew about our suffering and were giving for “relief“ (Nothilfe). However, it is now, after the war, that we need more assistance to help rehabilitate people’s lives. People are returning to their villages, but their farms have been abandoned for many years. Their houses have been burned down. Clinics and schools have been destroyed. There is much that the church in Sierra Leone wants to do to help people rebuild their lives, but they are desperately poor. It is my greatest wish that we could send missionaries and national co-workers to the interior to help these people. But for this –unfortunately – we don’t have the funds. Please come over to Macedonia and help us!

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