Growing as a family

Every year we try to be encouragers in all that we do. All of the activities we plan and are part of are connected to how we hope God can use us for His kingdom. This year has begun and will continue no different. We are looking forward to the various activities we can take part in. 

This past weekend we traveled up to Haarlem (2.5 hours north) for a day of singing. The church there is wanting to learn more about singing and how to sing better together. Mostly they want to do this so that they as a congregation can learn new songs and sing well to the Lord on Sundays. But they are also looking at using this as a means of reaching out in the community with the gospel. They asked us to come and help with learning and it has been a great time of encouragement. Each time we have been, there are at least 10 members learning and singing together with us. 

We have been doing the same thing in Eindhoven for several years, although we have had to miss the last few months. It is exciting and encouraging for us to be able to spend time with congregations in other cities and to see and show how God encourages and teaches us through song. But singing is not all that we are looking forward to in the coming months. 

Before we leave for the US for two months (in May and June) we are looking at various ways of reaching out in the neighborhood in Maastricht. In the coming month we will be going around the neighborhood with a questionnaire about church and society in order to gauge where the neighborhood is and also to encourage people to think about the choices they are making. At the same time we hope to again let people know that we are active in the neighborhood. 

We also hope to get downtown Maastricht at some point to engage with people on the street, asking them what questions they might have for God. We have been preparing for this during our Wednesday studies when we look at some of the questions that people ask and how we as Christians can answer them. We hope to be going into town as weather gets better and there are more people walking outside. We would love your prayers for these efforts. 

In addition we of course are also working on plans for the summer camp weeks and training church members for leadership in those areas. The leadership training “Breathe” will be organized at the end of March. Shirley and I will also be leading the Benjamin week at the end of the summer when we return from our trip to the US. Camp opportunities are always a chance to encourage campers as well as the team that we work with during the week that we lead. 

Before all of that comes, we are also looking at some growing time for ourselves and with church family members. Scott will go down to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) at the middle of February with some brothers from Haarlem and Maastricht. Shirley will go to the Ladies Retreat in March with several sisters from Maastricht. It continues to amaze us how God can use so many opportunities to encourage us and others and to help us all grow in grace. 

(Photo: the invitation for the camp leaders training session "Breathe")

Wild Wonderful Wednesday: Neanderthals in the neighborhood

Just down the way, in the next village over (Veldwezelt), is a Neanderthal site. Our village (Neerharen) was on the site of a Roman crossing of the river and has a castle with parts from the 13th century. But all of that pales compared to the date of the Neanderthal site. It was here, back a long time ago (which all depends on how one dates things) that Neanderthals roamed the river valley and lived in the area. 

The site in Veldwezelt is the first protected archeological site open to the public. The visitors jump back into time, walking along an 80 meter long path where examples of wolf rhino’s, bison and a mammoth can be found - animals that the Neanderthalers would have known. 

The crazy thing is how present day and past cross each other. Right next to the Neanderthal site is the international golf course, running through both the Netherlands and Belgium. As you walk the course, you pass by the Neanderthal site, separated by a fence. As far as anyone knows, Neanderthals did not play golf. That game was begun in Scotland by a completely different people. 

Camp meeting and new beginnings

Every year in January we hold an official meeting for our Bible Camp. This is required by law, but it is also a time to get together and encourage one another. Camp has always been an amazing opportunity for the various congregations in Dutch-speaking Europe to work together and grow in faith. 

This year is one step in several that we are taking toward the future of Ardennen Bijbelkamp (ABK). For one, we are trying to instill some changes in the commission that runs the camp non-profit. Although we have a newer member of the commission, most of the members have been around for some time. To make sure that there is a future and that we do not keep doing things just “because that is how we always did it”, we want to make sure that everyone knows how things work. We also want to plan for a younger commission. 

Although the commission this year will remain the same, we are looking at getting newer members in while continuing involving all congregations and members in how camp is run. The camp leaders, cooks, counselors and teachers all come from the various congregations and give freely of their time to ensure that young people and church members are built up in faith. 

One of the other purposes of this formal meeting is that it is a place to formally announce plans for the future of camp. It was good to hear at this meeting that camp is being used more and more by more of the congregations, even outside of the usual camp week. The past years have also seen several new regular activities. This year will see another training session for camp workers as well as a first aid course so that all will be prepared for any problems. 

In addition, we heard about the renovation plans that are coming up. The first big renovation was done in 2012 when the “hall” was built. A further renovation of the dormitory was carried out before 2020. Now we will work on the earliest building that was built at camp. The kitchen and bathroom section was the first real building, built in 1968. It had been updated lightly through the years, but it was time to bring it in line with the rest of the building and open up new possibilities. We have planning permission and are now in the process of finding contractors and time to build. Next year may see the first use of the new building. 

In the meantime, we continue with plans for camp activities in 2026. I will be leading the Benjamins this year, learning from the gospel of Luke. That will be at the end of July, after we return from our Home Assignment in May-June. We look forward to another busy year in which God can use so many different people in the churches here.

(Photo of what the building will look like)