September 1620-     

399 years ago, a young English girl took her mother’s hand and stepped onto the Mayflower. “Mag ik op het dek rondkijken, mama?” she asked. Her father, James, looked at his daughter and shook his head impatiently.  “Mary, stop talking Dutch and go to the kitchen at once to see where they need you. James was a member of the congregation and felt fortunate to be chosen as the oldest passenger to join the other 99. Mary could have stayed with one of her older sisters, but James was worried about the liberal influence of the Dutch. It was time to leave Holland. He was secretly envious of his daughter’s excitement to embrace this very risky crossing of the big ocean in a small vessel with too many people.

At least she was not alone…

September 1984-

35 years ago, a young Dutch girl let go of her mother’s hand. Just before she went through security, her father yelled: “Astrid, pas goed op jezelf”. She clutched the boarding pass in her hand and looked back at her mother and father who were still waving. Even from a distance, she could see they were crying. It was their second child leaving for the New World. Only her twin brother remained in Holland. Astrid spoke very little English. She had graduated from Atheneum but the cost of further education was just too high. It was a good time to leave Holland. She was excited about getting on an airplane and crossing the big ocean for the first time in her life.

At last she was alone…