Publisher's Synopsis
Their parents lived through The Great Depression and World War One, and now World War Two is upon them. First they must survive the war, the bombings, the hunger, the German soldiers, all while helping their neighbours and fighting for what they believe in. Then they must try to rebuild in the aftermath of war. Each couple faces their own unique difficult decisions, but all of them choose to relocate their families in search of hope for future generations. Holland is ravaged by the destruction of war, but its citizens anticipate seeing the benefits of their hard work and taxes bringing restoration to their country. Canada, depleted of many resources and reeling from the losses of loved ones that served in the Allied Forces, welcomes in new citizens and is encouraged with the hope that they bring to the country. But still life in Canada isn't easy.During the war in Holland, Corrie lost her beloved mother to illness and her brother due to an air strike. It was a pain she could not describe. In Amsterdam, a couple years after the war, she met a young man, named Jacob Snieder. He brought a love and laughter back into her life that she did not know she was missing. After they married, they saw an opportunity with KLM airlines to relocate overseas, and decided to take the flight to restart with their little family in Quebec, Canada. Hendrika was the happiest she had ever been. Bert Vanden Bogert asked her to marry him, and she said yes. They were excitedly planning their wedding when World War Two erupted, and everything came to a crashing halt. They had to postpone their wedding for 8 years, almost 2 years after the war had ended, and they finally were able to find a home they could call their own in Honselersdijk, Holland. Only it soon became evident that Canada promised more success than farming in Holland. So they bought their tickets aboard the ship Volendam, and started their journey to Ontario.Love found Bertha when she least expected it. After she worked in the munitions factory in Toronto to serve her country in assisting the war efforts overseas, Bertha ended up back in Selkirk, Manitoba at the Mental Hospital for The Insane. There she fell in love with Jack Hubert, who was serving as a conscientious objector after being conscripted by the government. Two months after the war ended, they wasted no time and married. Unfortunately, life in the prairies was hard. Even though Bertha would always feel her home was in Manitoba, their future was in Ontario.Life had not been easy for Gertje. Her father passed away when she was a young child, leaving her mother and her 9 siblings to care for each other. When her sister, Janntje passed away from a brain tumour at age 15, Gertje was heartbroken. Then World War Two started. She thought she found love, but soon discovered she was engaged to a traitor, and called off the wedding. Thankfully, this blessing in disguise led to her true love, the boy next door, Peter Glasbergen. They married and faced the hardships of war together. When the war ended, they saw more opportunity in Canada and embarked on the Waterman Steamliner to Ontario.
