Hundreds of thousands of Dutch people struggle with their origins, says Marlijn Weerdenburg, the new presenter of DNA unknown (AvroTros). And as long as the gene pool is murky, television makers have something to catch. I don’t want to be cynical, really, but I still find it difficult that people who are about to find out who they are descended from have to play a question game first. “Suppose it’s your father not is, how do you feel then?” The envelope with the results of the DNA test, meanwhile, remains closed. Next question: “How do you feel about the fact that your father, your presumed father, was willing to provide DNA, but only on the condition that you do not contact him.”
Pascal, who has asked the television program for help, stammers that he had expected it. The two times he spoke to the man who pointed out his mother as the father, he also received no response. “But on the other hand, it is a bit sad.” Tatarata, surprise. His presumed father wrote a letter. Pascal doesn’t have time to recover from the shock. Not even to read the letter itself. If he wants to read it. The letter contained an apology and an offer to “schedule a meeting by phone”. How does Pascal think that? “Friendly”. In the meantime everyone has tears in their eyes, only him not yet. Then, finally, the envelope containing the DNA test results opens.
This is not a criticism of Marlijn Weerdenburg, she seems empathetic and sincere to me. I just don’t quite understand what drives participants to DNA television. Does the intervention of a television program really give stubborn refusers the push to donate DNA after all? Is it purely practical? The costs, the journey, the arrangements? In Lisa’s case, a test must be taken in Colombia on the woman she suspects to be her biological mother. She found herself, through Facebook. She also met Marina from France, who was adopted from Colombia shortly after birth. Lisa is pretty sure she’s her half-sister.
If she has already figured everything out herself, what is she looking for? DNA unknown, asks the presenter. Lisa wants to make sure. After a few video calls, her mother started asking for money, she already sent her bank account number. Lisa could also have traveled to Colombia herself, but for television a Spanish-speaking camera crew went to her mother to take DNA. The half-sister flies to the Netherlands for the results. Another round of what-if questions. What if she’s not your mother? What if she is? What if you’re not sisters, not even half? “Then I will cry.” Yes, what did you think?
Christian persecution
Later that evening we were back in Colombia, this time with Jurjen ten Brinke, pastor of the multi-cultural Hope for North Church in Amsterdam North. In five episodes, the pastor goes in search of oppressed religious minorities; Rohingya in Myanmar, Yazidis and Christians in Iraq, Christians in Malaysia. The first episode coincides with the presentation of the Ranking Christian persecution of Open Doors, an organization that has been researching persecuted Christians for thirty years. I looked at the top 50, Colombia is in 22nd place.
In parts of Colombia, drug cartels, militias and paramilitaries are fighting for power. Where they call the shots, pastors are often forbidden to preach. The Dutch pastor is surprised about that. “Isn’t the gospel about salvation, peace and reconciliation?” He visits the widow and children of a murdered pastor who tried to protect young people from being recruited by drug gangs. I don’t want to be an exegete, I really don’t, but ninety percent of Colombians are Christians. Was it his faith that cost the pastor his life, or his resistance?
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