Situated on the second floor of the Vrijhof Building, the SPe is the chaplaincy of the university. Nearby on the same floor is a Quiet Room, intended for personal reflection and meditation, as well as a mosque for the Muslim community. Although there is an ecumenical service in Dutch every Sunday morning in the Audiozaal of the Vrijhof, Rev Bekhof-Smit readily agrees that it is of limited benefit to non-Dutch-speaking students. She is closely linked to the ITC Christian Fellowship and recommends their interdenominational service given in English as an excellent alternative.
According to Ms Bekhof-Smit, one of the biggest hurdles for the Student Square is getting the word out. Many students seem largely unaware of the existence of an organization whose sole function is to serve the cultural and spiritual needs of their own student community. By handing out flyers, putting up posters, and mingling with the students on campus, she hopes to gain the trust and interest of as many students as possible.
In order to network and communicate with ease, she invites students to include her as a `friend' on Hyves, a Dutch chatting website. When she goes on maternity leave next month, she will hand her responsibilities over to the energetic Roshnee Ossewaarde, a student of theology set to complete her masters in February next year.
Although a small operation, with only two people on the staff and a handful of students willing to offer their time, the SPe aims to meet the diverse demands representative of the UT community. Ms Bekhof-Smit offers counseling in private and small groups, and she has instructors who give classes in Zen and Diamond Way meditation. She is currently organizing a few events that she hopes will have greater appeal for international students. The first of these is a guided tour of the synagogue in Enschede on October 7 at 3:30pm, followed by a casual meal and discussion. The synagogue, one of the oldest and largest in Europe, is her first destination in the SPe series of activities entitled Visiting Places of Worship. She is also planning future visits to a mosque, an eastern orthodox convent, a Roman Catholic Church and a Protestant church.
Follow The Da Vinci Code is another of her upcoming activities, and one that she hopes will provoke great debate. It involves the discussion of the famous book, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, and is set over four evenings, culminating in an extended weekend trip to Paris, which includes a visit to the Louvre Art Museum to see the works of Leonardo da Vinci first-hand.
For details of these activities or information regarding the interdenominational service provided by the ITC, visit the website: www.utwente.nl/spe/en
