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By William Van Zyl

Published 3 August 2025

The Story Begins.

In the half-shadow of a 1970s New Zealand shed—its timber walls cluttered with rusted spanners, dented oil cans, and posters of racing legends curling at the edges—two boys crouched on the scuffed wooden floor. The air was thick with the musk of grease, sawdust, and turpentine, mingled with the sharp tang of old paint. Scattered before them glittered a hoard of tiny metal treasures—wheels, bolts, and steel girders from their father’s vintage Meccano set, chrome edges flashing like relics pulled from the earth.

John Broadbent, his cheek sticky with peanut butter and golden syrup, hunched over his creation, tightening the final screw on what he proudly called his “Formula 1 M-racer.” Its skeleton of perforated strips and brass connectors gleamed beneath the single dusty bulb. At his side, Benjamin Bennet leaned in, eyes bright, as the low-slung green chassis with its red body began to take shape. The mock suspension arms and hand-spun axles blurred the line between toy and machine. John’s cap sat snug on his head—already the mark of a racer in waiting.

The last screw clicked into place, and in that instant, the shed dissolved. Timber walls melted away. The boys were no longer children crouched on a dusty floor; they were champions on the track, the roar of engines rising all around them.

John is on the left, and Benjamin is on the right. The two boys are busy planning and creating their racing cars—AI-generated image. Credit Copilot (3 August 2025)

Benjamin gripped an invisible steering wheel, the roar of an unseen crowd rising in his ears. The track unfurled before him—tight curves, long straights, the sun glinting off burnished chrome. He took a corner too fast. Skid! Grass sprayed as his imaginary racer veered off the tarmac and onto the lawn. But he laughed, heart pounding, unshaken by the slip.

From the sidelines, John cupped his hands and shouted in mock urgency, “Next time, tighter steering!”

Back in the dusty shed, they both collapsed in a fit of giggles, surrounded by their tiny creations, mismatched bolts, rusted tools, an old radio crackling softly in the corner, and a tired dog named Frizzles, thumping his tail against the floor. The shed, with its mismatched wood panels and patched tin roof, was their garage, their workshop, their world.

The bolts and nuts on the cars were genuine. So was the wonder.

This is where it all began—with small beginnings. Two boys and a box of vintage Meccano. It sparked their imagination that would never fade.

Decades later, John owns a thriving dairy empire in the North Island of New Zealand. An inventive and visionary farmer, he holds multiple patents for revolutionary milking machines now used worldwide. Benjamin, once a legendary Daytona race car driver in the US, now serves on the board of the Formula 1 Committee in Europe, mentoring the next generation of racing talent.

“Never despise small beginnings.”

It is a reminder that even the most unassuming starts—born in dusty sheds with squeaky hinges and old toolboxes—can lead to greatness. Every bold endeavour begins with a first turn of the screw.

——-END OF THE INTRODUCTORY STORY——-

Dear reader, I include this stunning scripture.

10. For who has despised the day of small things?

For these seven rejoice to see

The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.

They are the eyes of the Lord,

Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” 

*Zechariah 4:10

Let’s take a closer look at the text.

“For who has despised the day of small things?”

This rhetorical question reminds us not to look down on small beginnings. Whether it’s two boys building Meccano cars in a shed or someone starting a new journey in life, every great story starts with a first step. The small, faithful acts we do today can become the foundation for something much greater tomorrow.

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“For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

The plumb line symbolises precision, planning, and the beginning of construction. Zerubbabel was laying the foundation for the temple—a monumental task. Yet, the joy wasn’t just in the finished temple, but in the act of beginning, of stepping out in faith.

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“They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

This is a reminder that God sees everything—even the smallest efforts. He watches over us, not just when we succeed, but when we begin, when we struggle, and when we persevere. Nothing is hidden from His sight, and nothing is too small to matter.

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The Message for Us Today

• Start small, but start faithfully. Whether it’s a creative project, a new habit, a ministry, or a dream—begin with what you have.
• Trust God with the outcome. He sees your effort, your heart, and your faith.
• Celebrate the process. Just like the boys in the shed, joy can be found in the building, not just the finished product.

About the Artist: William Van Zyl

William is an experienced Urban Sketcher working with fountain pens and watercolours.

He has a love for all things mechanical and technical. This work was inspired by a vintage Meccano set which he found at a Treasure Shop in the Waikato (New Zealand). He had a vision of the painted board with the Meccano parts assembled and installed on the board. He consequently completed the multi-media artwork. See some of the planning stages and the progress shown in the pictures in this article—the final work hanging in his study against the wall. 

William has the vision to become an experienced lyrical multimedia artist. He loves to tell stories of his childhood and the rich childhood memories of others. 

What is a Lyrical Multimedia Artist?

A lyrical multimedia artist blends artistic expression through a combination of different media, often incorporating music, poetry, and visual elements to create a unique and expressive experience. They may employ a range of tools and techniques, both digital and physical, to make their work. 

Here are some of the planning stages and the progress of the work.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ARTWORK: Multi-media Artwork on plywood (board). Acrylic paint, charcoal, cold wax, paper montage, with the installation of a vintage Meccano set. Created in July and August of 2025. 

Final artwork on the wall in the author’s study:

The Planning And The Process:

ABOVE IMAGE: The planning of the artwork: Meccano parts arranged on the plywood board.

ABOVE IMAGE: Planning the layout. Wife Malinda, very supportive, provides some critical advice: “The colour combination is vital, combine red, green and include more white.”

ABOVE: Second layer of acrylic paint. Paper montage at the bottom, right (copy of the front cover of an instruction manual).

ABOVE IMAGES: The almost completed artwork. Not yet screwed down onto the board.

Image Acknowledgements:

*Credit e-book cover Wikimedia: Stabil Meccano tractor model (2007). Author Jorge Royan. Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Munich_-_Deutsches_Museum_-_07-0647.jpg

*Credit 2 nd cover: Vintage Meccano Set. Flickr. Author: Leo Reynolds

Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/2766425652

————–0————–

Copyright © 2025 by William Van Zyl

Small Beginnings – The Art of Storytelling.

All rights reserved. This eBook/article or any portion

thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner

without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.

Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)

First Publishing, August 2025.

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