International thanks

This past weekend we were able to celebrate ‘Thanksmas’. This is what we here call the day that the Americans, Canadians and those linked to such get together to celebrate Thanksgiving. Since it cannot be done on a Thursday, we find a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year it was actually very close to Thanksgiving - the Saturday following. We had just been able to talk to our son, Stephan, his wife, Natalie and our granddaughter the day before on a video call. They had been gone on Thanksgiving, so the Friday was better for all. And the following day we were with friends in Antwerp celebrating and eating turkey and pumpkin pie. 

This event brings several different cultures together, but all of whom have a link to the Thanksgiving in some way. Some Dutch or Belgian husbands or wives are linked through their spouse. This means that the kids also get a taste of the day. Some church family has been involved for many years. And sometimes people are invited to simply share the food and fellowship. 

Years ago we brought our Chinese professor friend, Jia (who passed away unexpectedly this year), to share as part of our family. Others have also brought guests. This year we had 5 Chinese visitors who came with their colleague - an American who was living in Belgium but has moved with his family to China for his job. Now he was back in Belgium for a few weeks with his colleagues for a work visit. And they were excited to be able to experience this American holiday.

I spent some time speaking with Justin (his English name). He was thrilled with the singing we did as well as the food differences. It turns out that his parents have also become Christians - in China. But he assured me that the songs they sing sound nothing like what we sang. And he asked if every family at Thanksgiving sings like this. I assured him that at least this group did. 

There are all sorts of holiday traditions. Our son runs a 5K Turkey Trot (with some of the in-laws). Our other son, who lives with his Belgian wife in New York City, has spent time in the past with friends who invite them to a sort of family gathering. This year they spent time on a walk in Central Park. We have previously invited our neighbors and members of the congregation in Maastricht to celebrate with us at our home. It is always a time of meeting, blending families and cultures, and sharing the many things we are thankful for. 

What did your Thanksgiving look like? 

(Photo: games after dinner and before dessert)

Where oh where Wednesday: Suriname

50 years ago much of the world was in turmoil. As a child I was quite interested in maps and flags and countries. We had an encyclopedia - a set of books in which you could find all sorts of information, a paper “Google” if you will - and I would spend hours looking at and copying over the flags of the world. But it was difficult in those years because there were a lot of changes taking place, a lot of new flags. 

Many of the countries that had been colonies were declaring and finding the independence from their colonizers. Africa was changing rapidly, as was much of Asia. Even in South America there was some change. One of the little countries on the shoulder of South America also declared independence. Suriname was a colony of The Netherlands. Although the country at the time barely had a population of 300,000, it was rich in natural resources. 

Even today, Suriname only has a population of around 600,000 of which half live in the agglomeration of the capitol city, Paramaribo. But the country is still rich in natural resources and the population is still quite diverse - a remnant of its colonial past. And it is this colonial past which still calls many from Suriname to the Netherlands. The official language is Dutch and many young people have in the past traveled to the Netherlands to study. 

In 1975 Suriname declared its independence from The Netherlands. This was celebrated recently in The Netherlands by the Dutch and the population which was originally from Suriname. There are approximately 350,000 Surinamers in The Netherlands. At the time of independence, people from Suriname could choose to keep the Dutch nationality and many idd, emigrating to the Netherlands. 

The current president of Suriname is Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, the first female president of the country. She was elected this year by the parliament who are also elected for a term of 5 years. The Netherlands has recently offered official apologies for its part in the slave history of the country. The flag is a red center stripe with a yellow star, framed by a green stripe above and below and a white stripe operating the center red field from the green stripes. 

A certain future

This past Monday evening our sister, Rita Davison, went Home to her reward with the Lord. Her daughter, Tonia, is part of our family in Maastricht, together with her husband and son, Liam. Rita is well known among the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands. She and her husband Roy have been part of the Dutch-speaking work for decennia, having links to the congregations in Brughe, Ostende, Roeselare, Antwerp and Eindhoven. Rita was 88 years old.

As I was looking through the things so many said of her on the memorial site, many of the same things returned. Rita’s smile was amazing and her love for the people around her came from her great love for the Lord. She and Roy have been an influence on many people in the Dutch-speaking work. Rita was especially an encourager in all she did. 

This past month we have had her children visiting us in Maastricht because they were visiting her. We always get to enjoy Tonia and Mario and are grateful for her influence in Tonia’s life. But we also got to spend time with her daughter Connie who lives with her husband Ian McGuiggan in South Dakota. I was a counselor and teacher for both Tonia and Connie at Bible camp when they were both young. Rita’s son, Stuart, and his wife Connie were also visiting this past month. We all spent some good time singing spiritual hymns together. 

There will be many in the churches here (and it would not surprise me if there are plenty in Canada as well) who are looking forward to seeing Rita again and singing with her, hearing her wonderful alto voice lilting high, mixing perfectly with the other voices in praise to the King of kings. We are so very thankful for heroes of the faith, good examples of what it means to remain faithful to the end. So we praise God, comfort those who are hurting deeply, and look forward to the certainty of the future with our Lord and Master.  

What is so beautiful in all of this is how we see God working. The week that Rita went home to be with her Lord, Kristof decided to give his life to Jesus as his Lord. This young man works with our brother in Christ, Danny. He had questions about faith, which Danny talked about with him. And he realized that he needed a firm foundation and good future. So he was baptized this past Thursday, dying to his old self and rising to new life, eternal life, in Jesus Christ. 

God is amazing and gracious. We are so thankful for the secure future that we all can have in Him and that there are so many choosing for this life.