Making soup & beautiful encounters

René has always been in front of the classroom at a secondary school. Three years ago, he resigned. Now he is a pastor at New Life West neighborhood church in Amsterdam Slotermeer. In addition, he is involved in various voluntary activities from here, such as the Slotermeer Neighborhood Table, where he cooks soup from rescued vegetables for residents every week.René: “I don’t just want to speak beautiful words about God who loves us, but I also want to show that in my actions. Many people in our neighborhood are lonely, there is a certain level of poverty, and there is a lot of psychological distress. I can make a difference here in a very simple way, by having a chat and offering a nice lunch at my soup shop Neighborhood Table Slotermeer. We display and give away products that we have left over for free. Sometimes we even have clothes to give away.”

Indulging in apple pie

“I make soup from products that the greengrocer can no longer sell but are still perfectly fine to use. We call them rescued vegetables. Because we also receive bread from a baker, I can offer a complete lunch with soup, bread, sometimes a spread, and occasionally a salad. Afterwards, we usually have a cup of coffee or tea; and occasionally one of the volunteers brings apple pie and we enjoy it happily.”

Nice detail

“The nice thing is the encounters and conversations at the table. It happens so easily while enjoying a soup. I now speak and meet many more people with a Turkish or Moroccan background. Nice detail: many people also lend a hand with cleaning up or washing dishes, without me asking them. It is really starting to become a kind of community that remains open to encounters with new people, regardless of origin or worldview.”

“I get a boost from that”

“And yes, I also hear the unpleasant stories of people in the neighborhood and how they have to keep their heads above water financially or because of psychological distress. I often have a chat with an elderly Moroccan lady who is having a tough time. I can offer her a listening ear. Recently, I helped her with a letter that she had received back from an institution. And sometimes I can speak encouraging words to her. That gives me a boost and makes me very happy.”

I am learning a lot from them!

“During the Christmas holiday, I fell while ice skating at the Edenbaan. I had to take a few weeks off and then I received help from volunteers through Volunteer Central Amsterdam. To this day, I still receive good help from them. One is Greek, adding a Mediterranean flavor to the soup; the other is an Indian chef who has created delicious spices from his culture and occasionally surprises us with a side dish or dessert.”

“And a young volunteer taking a gap year; she wanted to see if the hospitality industry was something for her. Her input was great too. She made carrot soup with orange and we still make the iced tea she introduced on hot days. And here I was thinking I had to keep the volunteers busy and instruct them. But I actually learn a lot from them!”Photos: Huub Zeeman

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