{"id":107348,"date":"2019-12-17T13:34:48","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T12:34:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=107348"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:37","slug":"these-vgsr-students-are-celebrating-christmas-with-the-homeless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2019\/12\/17\/these-vgsr-students-are-celebrating-christmas-with-the-homeless\/","title":{"rendered":"These VGSR students are celebrating Christmas with the homeless"},"content":{"rendered":"

Extra subjects? Unpaid internships for work experience? Multiple board positions? Anything to spice up your CV? These students spend their spare time helping people. In this fourth instalment: Karel, Dico and Sander set out to offer homeless Rotterdammers some companionship in late December.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a cold wind blowing, but the living room of William Booth House on Dunantstraat is warm and cosy. This Thursday evening, ten members of the student association Vereniging van Gereformeerde Studenten te Rotterdam (VGSR) are visiting the shelter for an evening of games and conversation with the guests.<\/p>\n

Interesting encounters<\/h2>

The students and the guests meet up around a long table in the middle of the room. Karel (20) is playing cards with Ron and Natascha. Ron can\u2019t talk himself, but he\u2019s clearly enjoying this joint activity. When we ask him his opinion of the students\u2019 initiative, he gives it a big thumbs up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou meet very different people here than you find at the university, which makes for some interesting encounters,\u201d says Karel. \u201cI always enjoy myself during these evenings.\u201d As a Christian, the student feels a need to do something for others around Christmas. \u201cIt\u2019s in our DNA \u2013 we\u2019ve already handed out soup and organised a barbecue with the Salvation Army,\u201d says Karel. \u201cThis year, we\u2019re visiting the folks here at the night shelter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAround Christmas, most people spend time with their friends and family,\u201d says Karel. \u201cBut some people don\u2019t actually have anyone close to fall back on. So that\u2019s why we\u2019ve dropped by to offer some friendly company.\u201d The students have taken along biscuits, warm socks and scarves. \u201cThey can definitely use them with this horrible weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jesus<\/h2>

The plates of biscuits are a hit. Behind the young men, people who will be spending the night at the shelter slowly make their way over to the dormitories. An elderly gent with a heavy beard, but also a young man with a ponytail \u2013 still in his mid-20s.<\/p>\n

In another corner of the room, Dico (24) and Sander (22) are listening keenly to Tyron, a hairdresser with 16 years of prison time under his belt. He talks with fervour about Jesus and the Bible, but doesn\u2019t mind sharing stories about living on the street either. Tyron found Jesus while in prison, and the three seem to connect over their shared faith. \u201cJesus is the way, the truth and the life,\u201d says Tyron, while he bangs his fist on the table. \u201cAmen,\u201d says Dico with a smile.<\/p>\n

Super-intense<\/h2>

Tyron approves of the students\u2019 decision to spend an evening at the centre. \u201cWe\u2019re all equal,\u201d he says. \u201cI think you need to remain aware of people who didn\u2019t have the opportunity to study.\u201d Sander agrees: \u201cThis place gives you a glimpse of another side of our society. I\u2019ve led a very fortunate life so far. I was born into the Church, so to speak. But some of the people here have had a super-intense life. I think it\u2019s very cool that they have nevertheless kept such a strong faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

[Some of the names in this article have been changed to protect the guests\u2019 privacy.]<\/em><\/p>\n

The VGSR students were brought in touch with the William Booth House via Stichting Present.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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