My new Job
By Yvonne van der Tas

YES! On January the first 2009 I started working as a nurse in Almere Flevo Hospital in Holland on the maternity ward with many new things to learn: giving injections, taking blood pressure, CPR, personal development, etc. ... The route to get this job has been very special; I’ve experienced a clear guidance from G'd which I’d like to share with you. For some time I had had the desire to refrain from working on the Shabbats of the Eternal One (Saturdays and festivals) but in my former job this was not possible (as a rule, I could take days off for the festivals but I had to work on Saturdays every other week), so I prayed about this.

In February 2008 my colleague, who is also my friend, applied for this job, and she told me that there would be another place available in autumn, so I decided to send in an open application straight away. Later I realised that this letter had been written in the middle of the Passover week. (The significance of Passover is, to leave behind the old.)

At Yom Kippur (this festival stands for reflection, thinking about your relationship with G’d and your attitude in life) I received a phone call and I was asked if I was still interested in the job. They also asked if I was willing to have an informative interview. This would be on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. I asked if I could have the interview a day earlier. That was possible, so in the end I had the interview on October 12, the day before the Feast of Tabernacles, it was my first interview. It went just fine, they thought I was well prepared.
That morning, before my job-interview,  I had an appointment with the physio- haptonomist and she taught me a lesson in non verbal communication and asked what I wanted to say and how I wanted to come across. This was great and so helpful, I experienced it as a gift from above! At the above job-interview I was able to apply the advice of my physio-haptonomist.

Because it was very busy in the hospital and they wanted to employ someone as soon as possible, they asked if I could give them a ring the next day to let them know if I wanted to go on with my application. If not they would have to look for other candidates. So at that moment I was the only candidate and that made me feel very good. It was on the first Day of the Feast of Tabernacles that I called to say that I wanted to go on with my application. I made an appointment and guess what... they wanted to have the next interview on the 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles. So I said I’d rather do the interview a day earlier. I did not want to do the interview that day, because of the Festival celebrations.

I could have the appointment on October 20 and I went there, feeling very calm. I was going to receive this job from G’d! I was interviewed by three potential colleagues. They asked me the following questions: ”What was I going to miss; what did I believe I was going to gain; how would I fit in the team; my strong and weak points, etc. …”
As I had thought over these things very well, my answers were very well thought out and I felt really good. When I left, the interviewer said, “I think it was a very good interview. I’ll phone you tomorrow to let you know if you’ve got the job”. I felt quite triumphant when I left the hospital and thought, “Tomorrow I’m going to receive a phone call”. This would be the 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Because we were redecorating our house and we had to move our eldest daughter this year, we hadn’t set up a Suka this year so my husband and I went to his parents to be in their Suka. (The Suka symbolizes our dependency on the Lord. The feast has a special meaning: it is a harvest festival so with joy you can look back at the fruits of the past year.)
This is why I found it so particularly special that while I was sitting in the booth together with my husband, I received a phone call and was told that I could start my new job on January 1. She thought my interview was very strong; I had made a good impression on them, I knew what problems to expect and what qualities I had.

At an earlier stage I had decided that I didn’t want to start working in December but in January because we were redecorating our house. I first wanted to have our house in order before I could proceed with this application, step by step. This was so because I noticed that I was still a little hesitant about the training phase. Even though there had been a lot of healing this year, it was still quite heavy (a child leaving home, building works and also the unexpected application process). Later on in a phone conversation she said: “It’s just like finding a husband; all of a sudden you know, ‘This is the one’, and then you stop looking any further!” We had a good laugh together. I wept for joy because of G’d’s amazing guidance and I’m so sure that this is His plan, so we thanked G’d together for this job.

As for the festival times, I can mark these in my time schedule and if this doesn’t work out at any time, I will always be able to swop with my colleague. In return I am willing to work on Sundays and Christian Holidays which is obviously very attractive to many.
And this is why after 25 years I’m going to hand in my notice with the ‘Kraamvogel’ (formerly Icare) in November. I do this in good faith, trusting that He will be with me and I may live in His protection! It will be a 25-years-of-service party combined with a farewell party.

I would like to end with Psalm 32:8-11: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you, Yvonne. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”
 
When I went to work on Thursday, the last day of my old job,  I was told which family I was going to work with. The person who plans our schedule said: “The baby has got such a nice name. His name is LEVI!” I told her that my daughter’s boyfriend’s surname is Levi and I also told her that my daughter had moved out and about our renovation works. I couldn’t keep silent about my application and I told her how everything had come about. Of course she was not happy; many good maternity nursing-aids are leaving… and the ones that come back are different. But she was happy for me and that made me feel good. I went to the family by bike, the sun was shining and then it finally dawned on me: Wow! This name means covenant or attachment, this is a very special name. Well, I was so happy that I turned around and rode back home and told my husband and father-in-law, “G’d has begun a covenant with me and is showing me, ‘I am with you’ ...........” When I was with the family I asked them if they knew what the name Levi meant. I could explain it to them because they didn’t have a clue. Later that day I shared my ‘application-story’ with these people, they found it very special.
The whole festival cycle round ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... From Shabbath to Simchat Tora, an end and a new beginning ................. I have never been so full of joy about the wonderful guidance of the Almighty, all honour be to God.

Love, Yvonne