Photographer of the cover photo: Emile de Graaf
My name is May-May, mother of a grown-up son. God has asked me to send love to the world. That is why I founded the peace organization Peace SOS app ten years ago. In order to contribute - together with others - to peace by peaceful means. Peace SOS supports the soft forces in countries with armed conflicts. In addition, we support vulnerable people with food.
Christ asked me to write the book Here I Am, which is the sequel to my earlier book Inner Voices. I write in these books how psychosis gradually entered my life. I was working as an assistant professor at university and mother of a young boy, when my world was turned upside down. I thought that the intelligent service was spying on me, and therefore I didn't dare to talk to anyone anymore. Not even to people who were very close to me. This led to a stay in solitary isolation. In addition, I was categorized with ''schizophrenia'' which made me feel an outsider, not belonging to society anymore. The medicines I needed to take had/have many side effects. With help of my family, the psychiatrists, nurses, and fellow patients and Christ, I recovered. It took me many years to find a meaningful life again.
Since I have been in forced hospitalization myself because I suffered from psychosis and depression, I try to help people in mental crisis as well by working as an experience expert, volunteer, at the Psychiatry Department of the UMC Utrecht.
I also pass on messages from God in the form of photography. During my forced hospitalization in 2013, I started to photograph the world around me, with my mobile phone. I was locked up and couldn't talk with anyone and strolled around alone in the small patio of the closed ward. Christ showed me something beautiful, a red rose. I thought if such beauty can grow here in the darkness, I hope it will contribute to my recovery and world peace will come. I toke a photo of the rose. The rose really gave me hope at that time.
A friend of me who graduated from the Rietveld Academy saw my photos and mentioned it is 'art brut'. Because Christ and Gods light very often inspires me, I also call my photos 'spiritual art.' But in the first place, I hope to convey the message of Christ. To cherish life. When I take a photo, it is sometimes a testimony and sometimes I just enjoy looking at nature.
I am very grateful that the photo of the rose and some of my other photos can be seen in the online gallery of the Dutch national peace museum.
The photos ''Cherish light" and "Gods light at the beach" will be exhibited at the International Art Brut Biennale in Hengelo, 9 to 17th May 2026. At the photo "Cherish light", I am standing in the sea in God's light. At the background is a father holding his child. We need to care for all the children in the world. My father, Gerard Meijer took the photo, helped by God's guidance and me. See the 'art exhibitions' section for an overview of the coming and past art exhibitions.
With all that I do, I hope to convey the message of Christ. To cherish life. It is time to end all violence. For world peace, ending hunger, taking care of vulnerable people and of nature, a worldwide nuclear ban and a ban on killer robots. Together for: "A world where all children can play."