Each and every one of us, from the smallest child to the most venerable granny, holds onto a handful of secret dreams.
These are the aspirations we keep quiet, knowing that they are the very definition of the expression “beyond my wildest dreams.” That said, we still hold onto them because everyone knows somebody who made their own “wildest dream” a reality.
Whether it’s the hometown kid who made it to fame and fortune in Hollywood, or the disabled gymnast who made it to the top — and met her long-lost sister in the process — there are enough stories about fantasies realized to keep the rest of us hoping.
And every now and then, you hear about a dream so big, so impossible, that it seems downright shocking that anyone has the faith and perseverance to see it through.
Such is the case with Johan Huibers, a Dutch carpenter whose lofty mission started back in 1992, after he woke one morning from a literal dream of a devastating flood across his small, water-bound province in Holland.
Years later, he embarks upon a journey that can only be described as biblical…
Johan Huibers, a deeply religious man, had been reading his children a book about the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, where a few chosen humans, led by Noah, must fill a giant boat with all of the world’s animals when a giant flood sweeps across the globe.
That night, Huibers woke in the morning, remembering a dream where God had sent a similar flood across the many small islets of his home in the province of Nord Holland.
In that moment he vowed that, as soon as he was able, he would build an Ark, just like Noah before him.
For thirteen long years, he worked hard at his job as a carpenter and contractor, earning and saving money until he had made himself into a multimillionaire.
In 2005, with his finances stable, he decided it was time to start building the boat of his dreams.
The result is a massive wooden structure made of cedar and pine, built on top of a steel river barge.
It is built to the exact specifications of the biblical ark, 300 cubits in length, 30 cubits in height, and 50 cubits in width.
At the moment, the massive structure serves as a floating religious museum, moored outside the city of Dordrecht in south Holland.
Tourists with an interest in the Bible can tour the boat, visit its conference rooms and theater, and see the many carved wooden animals that can be found throughout the ship.
The ship is approved for 3,000 visitors per day, and can hold up to 5,000 passengers.
Given its enormous size, Huibers feels the time is right to take his boat on the road so that even more tourists can experience it.
His goal? To bring the ark across the ocean to Brazil, in time for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Now, having achieved his dream of building the boat to begin with, Huibers and his backer, American businessman David Rivera, are working to raise the money to bring the ark across the Atlantic, to the tune of $1.5 million.
To us, it sounds like a pretty lofty goal, and potentially a very challenging one, but Rivera and Huibers feel strongly that the deeply religious population of Rio, also home to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue, will appreciate the power and significance of this powerful piece of biblical lore brought to life.
Besides, we have a feeling that if anyone can do it, it’s Johan Huibers.
If you’re astounded by this determined carpenter and his incredible mission to bring his ark to international attention, make sure to SHARE this fascinating story with friends and family!
