About Us - Advent Hospital (2024)

Pastor Jan Brinkman (†), president of the “Adventist Mission of the Netherlands Antilles” during the sixties and seventies, had a dream to one day establish an Adventist hospital on the island ofCuraçao, where the people ofCuraçaonot only could receive treatment and care of the physical body, but also guidance for their mental health and fortification of their spiritual life.

When “Kraamkliniek Margriet” [Maternity Hospital Margriet] moved to another building, Pastor Brinkman together with Mr. Timothy Newball, treasurer of the Adventist Mission, started the formalities so that we could become owners of the building.

Nurse Reynen, a nurse who stayed behind and lived in the building at Groot Davelaar, did her utmost in order for the building to fall under management of the Adventist Mission. Pastor Brinkman struggled a lot to get the so desired permit from the Central Governement of the Netherlands Antilles. It was exactly during the year that the political world of Curaçao was in a serious turmoil because of May 30, 1969. And it was the minister of Public Health Mr.A.J. Muyale of the interim government of the Netherlands Antilles, who wasn’t yet so long on the post, who had to approve the petition. On the day that the minister had to take the final decision, at a certain moment as Pr. Brinkman was driving on the ‘Schottegatweg’, he got a strong feeling to pray. He stopped his car nearby the police office at Rio Canario, and pleaded with the Lord, if it was His will, to urge the minister to sign the permit to establish an Adventist hospital.

When he later on visited the Ministry of Public Health in order to know if the minister had given his approval, a secretary who attended him, communicated the good news. Anxious to know, Pastor Brinkman asked at what time the minister had taken the decision and signed the document.

He uttered praises when the secretary told him the hour it had taken place. It resulted that it was exactly the same hour he was impressed to pray. God, Himself guided the process from the beginning for the Adventist Mission to get the permit to establish the Antillean Adventist Hospital. Finally, in October 1969, Pastor Brinkman could see his dream come true when he received the key of the building that formerly was called “Kraamkliniek Margriet”. The Antillean Adventist Hospital, better known as Advent, opened its doors on March 29, 1970. The resources were little, but the desire and the love to serve the people of Curaçao were great. There wasn’t much money, but the employees were putting their shoulders together in order to realize the great work which had been entrusted to them.

Pastor Brinkman, together with some brethren like Victor Osepa,ElodioEloise,Winnick(Dads) Wilson, worked hard to fix the hospital. Also they had to look for employees to manage the hospital. Mrs. Brinkman was the treasurer, Mrs.Ivonneand Mrs.NildaRojas-Leitowere the secretaries, Mrs.MarijkeMedemain the laboratory, sister Eloise (†), sister Diaz (†), sister Manuela (†) and Mrs. Adriana worked in the kitchen, Mrs. De Wit in the maintenance dept. and Mrs. StellaFecundawas in the laundry. NurseJos Wouters(†), during her off duty hours and completely free of charge, prepared nurses aids. Mrs. Brinkman, during her free hours, was washing cups so that we could serve our patients.

Also were needed nurses with backbone and great willpower to serve, notwithstanding all the difficulties. Some of our first nurses were: nurseReynen, nurseSasso(†), nurseBalingen, nurseCroes, nurse Vega, nurse Monte, nurse Adriana, nurse Diaz (†), and nurse Osepa.

No hospital could be run without doctors. Our first doctors were: Dr. Ernest vonPohle(MD), Dr.Gleffe(MD), Dr. Simpson, Dr. Johannes, Dr. Torres, Dr.Blommers(X-Ray) and others who were operating or visiting their hospitalized patients.

When our hospital started its operations, it had only the maternity department. Because of the lack of an anesthesiologist, one from abroad had to be looked for each time that operations were planned. But with the arrival of Dr. Snijder, anesthesiologist, in the year 1972, more operations could be performed. With the arrival of Nurse Rosita Puerto in the year 1978, our nursing personnel got a lot more preparation so they could give better service. In 1986, when Dr. Hilgers started working, Advent initiated eye surgeries. In 1989 Dr. Steward and Dr. Suverkropp started with the implantation of pacemakers and heart catheterisation. Advent started with gastroscopy and other types of scopes when Dr. de Lannoy and other internists started working. So, little by little, Advent continued growing in different directions and as a result of that the amount of personnel also continued growing.