MOV-workgroup Moergestel directs their attention to Bolivia.
For many years, Missie Ontwikkelingswerk en Vrede werkgroup (MOV. Literally: Mission, development aid/work, and Peace ‘workgroup’) has been active in Moergestel, Noord-Brabant. The MOV-workgroup Moergestel is a group affiliated with the parish of Moergestel and works towards the aim of mission, development, and peace. The workgroup hopes to inspire people to not strive for self-centered endeavors, but rather for acts of solidarity and help to our fellow man in the Third World.
The workgroup consists of five members, who, throughout the year, organize various events in Moergestel. Two of these events are geared towards supporting fellow Moergestelaar Theo Raaijmakers in Cochabamba, Boliva. The first event is on Epiphany, or Three Kings’ Day (Drie Koningen), on the 6th of January. On Epiphany the kids, as is the longstanding tradition of Moergestel, go past all the houses singing. The money raised goes to Theo Raaijmakers’ project in Bolivia. The second event is a cycling tour – ‘TOER MEE’ (literally: Tour along!), which is held every last Sunday of August, which starts at St. Jansplein. As a participant, you can choose either a track of about 25 or 40 kilometers – the exact route varies every year. The ‘TOER MEE’-tour has become something of a tradition itself, as it was held for the 35th in 2015! In the past couple of years the organization has also started an alternative departure point in the neighboring town of Berkel-Enschot. The Berkel-Enschotse Katholieke Bond voor Ouderen (Literally: Catholic Union for Elderly) has organized these parts of the tour, which usually start at Boerderij Denissen. Many companies, as well as individual investors, contribute to the ‘TOER MEE’-tour. Their long-term contributions are a sign of the larger support of the people in Moergestel for the efforts of Theo Raaijmakers in Bolivia.
There have also been alternative activities, such as the 2014’s Advent tour, which was very successful and helped our organization a lot. Another example is 2015’s other tour on Ascension Day, which was held in the larger context of Moergestel’s public health in a campaign called ‘Fiets- en Wandeldorp Moergestel’ (literally: Cycling and Walking village, Moergestel).