When Mark and Camille were invited to both the International Christian Film Festival in Wales and to the LDS Film Festival in Brussels, Belgium, they decide that they would have to take a day and go back to Tuitjenhorn where the Boomerang crashed.  The little village is part of 12 villages all governed by the town of Harenkarspel.  “The reunion back in 1994 was great and the people were so warm and friendly.” Mark recalls.  “The return in 2009 was just as warm and friendly.”

After a week in the United Kingdom, Mark & Camille spent a week in Brussels with their good friends Rod and Rhonda Larson.  The Larsons still have a home in Mark & Camille’s neighborhood in Arizona, but they have lived in Brussels for the last two years.  They not only put Mark & Camille up in their palatial guest room, but drove them up to Holland at the invitation of the Mayor of Harenkarspel.

“Lunch was great.” Mark says with a big smile.  “It was so wonderful to see the film stars from the 1994 reunion and present them with a copy of Baby Boomerang.”  The Mayor had been sent an advanced copy and he loved the film.  “The others we met have not yet seen the film.”  Mark says with a little apprehension.  “I hope they like it.  I sure love them in it.”

After lunch everyone went to the Hof-Klejbrrok home to see the propeller blade from the Boomerang.  “They have made a great memorial for the Boomerang,” Mark states proudly.  “It has been repainted to prevent rusting and the brickwork around the blade is impressive.”

Next the Bleekers invited everyone to the home where the Germans took the crew of the Boomerang after the crash in 1944.  “The home looks beautiful.”  Mark recounts.  “The fields were plowed up in May of 1994.  This time everything was lush and green.”

Next the group visited the Surmerhuizen Museum just down the road.  The museum is dedicated to people of Harenkarspel (Specially Eenigenburg) who left Holland to escape religious persecution and immigrated to America.  The people who left had their last name changed to Eenigenburg after the town they left.  The museum also has a historical Holland home, showing people what life in Holland used to be.

Lastly, Mark wanted to see the coast that the Boomerang had flown over.  “When I was making the film I always wondered what the coast looked like in that area.”  Mark said.  “I imagined it very different.  I’m glad we went.”

“All in all it was a fabulous day,” Camille reports.  “Harenkarspel, Holland looks like a storybook land and the people here are the kindest.” 

“And I got a new tie,” Mark adds.