Monday, March 18, 2024

Family plans

We are excited. Last year we became grandparents. It was right after we had visited with Stephan and Natalie in Indianapolis that sweet Sophia showed up three weeks early but a few weeks too late for us to welcome her to the world. So we have been patiently waiting, enjoying every last picture that is sent our way. And now we are able to make plans to finally meet her - and see her wonderful parents, of course.

Our dates are set and we are working on getting tickets arranged. This will be a bit of a quick trip compared to our usual visits back to the US. We want to maximize our time with the family, so we will not be anywhere other than Indianapolis. We do hope to be able to see my brother and his family who also live there. We missed seeing them last year due to sickness in the family. 

So we are excited. We will be able to be present for Sophia’s first birthday. Not that she will remember any of it, but we will. This trip will be sandwiched between activities with the church here and our summer camp activities. We are organizing a youth day with the church in Maastricht in April. In May we are organizing a day for the congregation down at camp. We are both teaching directing or helping at Benjamin Camp this year as well as Family camp in August. But seeing this precious child will be the highlight of the activities we are involved in. 

We are so very thankful for congregations who make these kinds of trips possible. We look forward to meeting with the church in Indianapolis as well while we are there. And it is always so good to know that the brothers and sisters in Maastricht take such good care of one another. Our theme this year in Maastricht is about the family of God. All of these places are truly God’s family. We are thankful that we feel at home in so many families. 


You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.  Ephesians 2:19

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Whatsit Wednesday: Pralines

Delicious. That is what Belgian chocolate is. Every year that I go to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) in Germany, a small argument of sorts kicks off again between the Belgians and the Swiss. We (the Belgians) of course know that we have the best chocolate. The Swiss think that they have the best chocolate. There Germans, Dutch and Americans simply watch and listen, knowing that they do not even come close. 

But it is the Belgians who have praline. You might know it from a store selling specialty chocolates in the shape of “sea fruit”, like sea horses and shells. They are often a marble mix of milk chocolate and white chocolate and they are filled with a smooth cream-like filling - praline. This was first developed by Jean Neuhaus II and brought to market in 1912. Some may know these chocolates as ‘bonbons”. But Belgian praline is much different than the cookie-like sweet with nuts in it found sometimes in the US. 

The praline filling is based on hazelnuts. Other fillings can be based in cream or even marzipan or a liqueur. They come in all shapes and are good for any occasion. If one is visiting a friend or meeting someone new, a box of pralines is always a good gift, especially for those who might not appreciate flowers. When you don’t know what to buy someone as a gift, a box of pralines will always do nicely. They come in white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate and include nuts for those who enjoy them. 

Neuhaus is still one of the major houses known in Belgium and around the world for their chocolates. Others include Godiva, Guylian and Leonidas. Belgians were able to really get into chocolate because of their link with Congo where they had a ready supply of cacao beans. Belgian chocolate is required to have at least 30% cacao butter to be called chocolate. Many other “chocolates” have far less chocolate (cacao butter) and therefore taste waxy or simply sweet. 

Every two weeks I visit a lady of 93 years in a nursing home who has finally figured out that I do not eat cookies (I am gluten intolerant). Now she always makes sure that there is some chocolate (dark chocolate is my favorite, and she knows this) or some pralines. For her birthday I was sent to a special chocolatier (a store that only deals in chocolates) to get a box of pralines for her guests and the nurses. This store deals only with the best, including American presidents, French potentates and local big-wigs. 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Youth Activities

One of the things that has always thrilled me about the work in Dutch-speaking Europe (Belgium and the Netherlands) is two well the various churches work together top organize events for the youth. A congregation may only have a few young people, or they may only have a few of a certain age group. But when the congregations work together, the young people can know that they are not alone. And workers from the congregations can work together and get to know one another as well as the young people. 

This year we have already had three youth activities: a youth weekend in Ghent in January, a Console weekend in Antwerp in February and this weekend a Girl’s weekend held in Belgium. Next weekend the boys will be welcomed in The Hague to play some sports on the beach and get to know one another. 

In April there will be a sports day for young people of all ages, near the center of Belgium. This will be at the end of a Vacation Bible Kamp held down at our campground in the Ardennes for kids from 8-14 years old. Scott will be helping teach this group from 1 Timothy. Later in the month the congregation in Maastricht is organizing a youth day in Belgium for younger ages (7-15 years-old). This is because “our” kids (the kids from Maastricht) fall into this age group. But this is also a chance for younger kids to experience a youth activity and meet other kids from congregations around Belgium or the Netherlands. 


At the end of May a CYC (Challenge Youth Conference) is being organized for the 2nd time in Belgium. Last year there were about 70 participants. This is a place where the youth can gather internationally. It is always exciting to meet young people from different areas and countries. We are thankful for members who are willing to work with all of these efforts and are blessed in ways to be able to help. 

We will be working with the youth day organized by Maastricht, the VBK and then later in the summer the Benjamin Camp week of Bible Camp. In addition we will be organizing a day out for the congregation in Maastricht in May. In September we are planning as a congregation to organize a singing day for congregations in the REA (French-speaking and German-speaking as well as Dutch-speaking) and will organize the Family Day at camp on September 14. These are also all opportunities for young people to take part with their families. 


Keep all of these young people in your prayers and pray for all of those organizing and working with them as well. We are so thankful for so many who have a heart for those around them and know that God is working mightily in all of us in so many ways.