When he was transferred to Peshawar he became acquainted with the ‘hippy’ phenomenon and was very helpful to them in life and death. Fr Jaap realized that a new problem was on its way: drugs. At the back of the parish house in Peshawar, he renovated a couple of rooms, in which he made arrangements for the treatment of people caught up in the web of drugs. Till his death he spent all his spare time helping and curing the drug addicted. Fr Jaap was a man, who had the special gift of being with the sick, the dying and the dead. He was also a man, who was always at home; and if he was not there he was bound to be returning soon. On the occasion of his Silver Jubilee in 1981 the Superior General wrote to him, among other things: “I think that Rawalpindi is the most demanding of all our missions. All the more credit to you, then for the way you have carried on over the years doing a solid job of work and keeping up such a good optimistic spirit. I should mention too, your keen interest in the history of the ‘Pindi’ Mission and the very worthwhile contribution in this respect which you made to the Centenary.” (‘The Opening Door’ History of the Diocese of Rawalpindi, by James van der Klugt and Michael Conroy) The last two years of Fr Jaap’s life were at Nowshera, and he ran his drug detoxification centre from there. After his sudden death, Fr Tom Rafferty continued this drug apostolate until, almost a year later; Fr Greg Rice could take over the running of the drug programme permanently. In Nowshera, during the early hours of the 2nd of July 1988 Fr Jaap suffered a severe stroke. It was some time before this was discovered and the fact that the house and his room were locked did not help matters. He was taken to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, but on the 3rd of July he had another stroke and he died at 2:10am. It was the feast of the St. Thomas the Apostle, Patron of Pakistan.
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