The Journey to the Promised Land (True Story)

The Journey to The Promised Land is an account of the lives of eight generations of the Boer family, from 1635 to 1998.  The first of the known family line was Evert Kyrs, who was orphaned early in life.  He moved from Hamburg in Germany in the seventeenth century, to live with relatives in Muntendam, a village in the Netherlands.

While roaming the moors, Evert met Adrian Geerts Wildervanck, who had leased the peat moors in that region with the intention of developing a large enterprise, supplying the city of Groningen with fuel for industrial as well as domestic use. 

The first part of the book encapsulates interesting Dutch history as well as the family story.  There is detail of well researched contemporary events and social conditions.  Throughout runs the strong Christian heritage which began with the conversion of Evert Kyrs, an orphan from Germany, in 1635.

Historic pictures and photos are a great adjunct to the text, particularly pertaining to the the nineteenth and twentieth centuries which forms the bulk of the work.  The main focus is the emigration of the Boer family from the Netherlands to Australia after World War 2.  It gives a very detailed insight into the issues confronting immigrants in Australia during this period.  It also details some of the history of the Millgrove Baptist Church of which Henk's parents were founding members, and then later the Wesburn Baptist Church, which began in the home of Henk's parents (Jenny's grandparents) in Warburton.

Written in the style of a novel and including many pictures and photographs throughout, it is a very readable and enjoyable book. 

Softcover, 320 pages