Center helps people connect
by Ann Graham Price

Jackie Wyse at Inloophuis de Ruimte, the drop-in center in Almere, the Netherlands. Photo: Ryan Miller

The Inloophuis de Ruimte drop-in center in Almere in the Netherlands provides a place for neighborhood residents to connect in an increasingly isolated culture.

“Coming in contact with other people is an important part of being healthy in this society,” said Jackie Wyse, a worker with Mennonite Mission Network who came to Almere in August 2002 to help the Dutch develop a vision for urban ministry. The Inloophuis was founded by the Dutch Mennonite Mission Board in 1989.

There are currently 13 volunteers working as hosts and hostesses at the drop-in center. Another four or five work with a special children’s outreach. A handful of volunteers fix things when they break, and an intern does social work.

“[Coming to the center is] sort of [like being] naked. It requires openness in acknowledging what you need,” said Marjan Kip, who serves as center coordinator.

Kip said the Inloophuis accomplishes three goals:

1. It spreads the gospel
2. It helps heal society. “I see that as an order for us as Christians.”
3. It gives space for people to search for God. “Our way is the Mennonite way. We are not in a place to give each other a lot of answers.”

In July, Wyse hopes to publish the findings of some research she has been doing to compare the ways the drop-in centers function in their respective cities.

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