Lifestyle — Travel

Navigational Chart Aligned Perfectly

Alternative perspectives might align more with a biblical interpretation of the world, but they nonetheless fail to accurately depict the truth.

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2025 September 14 . 5:47 PM

2 min read

Navigational Chart Aligned Perfectly

In the summer of 1971, Jeff Fountain, the Director of the Schuman Centre for European Studies, found himself at the helm of a misadventure in the heart of Amsterdam. He was leading the Shekinah Company, a troupe of sixty singers, dancers, and musicians, on a concert tour across Europe.

The tour was scheduled to kick off with a performance in the Westerkerk, the city's most prestigious Protestant church, located on Olympiaweg. However, as Fountain navigated the driver towards the church venue, he realised that something was amiss. The street names on the map did not match the ones he was passing.

Fountain's confusion grew as he discovered he had the wrong map. Instead of a map of Amsterdam, he was using a map of Rotterdam, another Dutch city that shared similar street names and was built around a river, much like Amsterdam. This realisation led to a moment of disorientation, but Fountain's spirit remained undeterred.

Amidst the chaos, Fountain had an unexpected encounter. At the Shekinah concert in the Westerkerk, he met Floyd McClung, the leader of the fledgling YWAM ministry in the city and future International Director of YWAM. McClung extended an invitation to Fountain, inviting him back to Holland to edit a magazine he had started.

This mix-up marked the start of a new adventure for Fountain. He used this experience to encourage Europeans, and specifically Amsterdammers, to discover the map that fits reality. His visit to Amsterdam led to a return to the Netherlands a year later and eventually settling in the capital.

Interestingly, the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam share more than just similar street names. Both were built around a river - Amsterdam around the Amstel River and Rotterdam around the River Rotte (later renamed Rotter-dam). This connection between the two cities was a testament to the shared history and culture that Fountain would come to appreciate during his time in the Netherlands.

Fountain's account of this misadventure was first published on his blog, Weekly Word, and later picked up by Evangelical Focus and Window on Europe. Today, he continues to share his insights and experiences through his work at the Schuman Centre for European Studies, inspiring us all to navigate the complexities of life with the same spirit of resilience and adventure.