Where oh where Wednesday - The Meuse and the canals

Much of The Netherlands is below sea level. Where we live in the valley of the Meuse on the Belgian side. Maastricht, where the church meets, is on the Dutch side. To be more clear, the Meuse runs right through the middle of Maastricht. In fact, the name of the city comes from the latin meaning where you can cross the Meuse (mosa trajectum).

But the Meuse is not the only water in our neighborhood. As I have mentioned on a previous Wednesday, a canal runs right behind where we live. Actually it is two canals. Our little canal and lock is a connecting canal. It connects the Albert Canal and the Zuid Willemsvaart (South William Canal). 

The Albert Canal runs to the Antwerp harbor past a while slew of industry in Belgium.  There used to be a Ford factory in Genk, not far from where we live. Nearer to Antwerp is a major factory for Nike, for Roland musical instrument and for Estee Lauder cosmetics. Toward the south, the Albert Canal takes goods to and from Liege in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Originally that was steel and munitions. The canal finally joins the Meuse (or begins at the Meuse) under this city. 

The Zuid Willemsvaart travels from our canal to the north through Belgium until it takes a jig to the East and enters the Netherlands. In the end this canal enters the Meuse above Den Bosch before the river ends at Rotterdam in the North Sea. 

The Meuse itself rises in France and travels north through Verdun and Sedan. It used to be the western border of the Holy Roman Empire. In the north it joined the Rhine until the Delta Works in The Netherlands separated the two rivers and made sure that the land behind the rivers could not be flooded again as had happened in the 1950’s. 

So, although we live in a quiet little village, the world passes by, moving together with the waters of history, industry and time.

Update on Ukraine and Bible camp

When we first heard of the conflict in Ukraine and knew that refugees would be heading our way, we decided to offer the use of our Bible camp facilities for any refugees who might need it. We adapted the dormitory to use by families or groups and took some gifts of duvets for the beds. We of course had no idea how things would work out. Members from the congregations in Belgium and the Netherlands were ready to help with funds where needed. 

As things became clearer, also to the governments of Belgium and the Netherlands, systems were set up to help the refugees. In Belgium that meant that refugees first went to Brussels to register and then to their local city government where they were staying. This meant that no one was able to use the camp facility. 

We approached the local town government to let them know that, if they needed a temporary emergency location, we had space. The town thanked us for the offer but let us know that this was not needed at the time. The local village is tiny. The local town which the village is part of is not at all large. All of this is out in the middle of the country, surrounded by woods and about a 15-20 minute drive from actual stores or amenities. 

This means that, up until now, we have not welcomed any refugees at our camp facilities and probably will not be doing so in that capacity. Our camp weeks begin in July. We will be welcoming several children of families who are now (temporarily) settled in Belgium and the Netherlands to our summer camp weeks. We have already seen the churches step up to organize youth activities and fellowship activities to include those who have arrived in the life of the church. 

Once upon a time Wednesday - Pentecost in modern times

Belgium celebrates all of the Catholic holidays. So besides a day off for All Saints day when everyone puts flowers on the graves of their loved ones and the birthday of Saint Nicholas at the beginning of December, we also have two days of Christmas, two days of Easter and two days of Pentecost. This last one is the one that people take more for granted. 

Most people know the story of Jesus’ birth and enjoy all the special family time around Christmas. Most people understand that Easter has something to do with Jesus and everyone enjoys Spring sunshine and lots of chocolate. But Pentecost is simply a free day for most. If you were to ask the man on the street, they would not know what it is for. 

A man that I read the Bible with - he is an atheist but willing to listen to what is in the Bible - even laughs at his colleagues on this day. He understands that most are religious in tradition but not in practice. So he told them that Pentecost is the celebration of Jesus’ father, Joseph. "Joseph, as we all know”, he would say, “was a carpenter. That is why we all head down to the IKEA on this day.” 

For the congregations in the Netherlands and Belgium the second day of Pentecost is a perfect opportunity to get together as family and encourage one another. Everyone has the day free. We meet at the building of the congregation in The Hague for a day of fellowship, song and lessons from the word of God. This year we will be joined by Ukrainian brothers and sisters. 

We are planning a hybrid gathering so that we can meet in person but make the day available for those who would like to join in online. We meet from 10am - 3pm (4am - 11am EST), so if you are interested (and out of bed at that time), you could jump in for some of the singing or lessons as well. Let us know and we can send you the link.

Pentecost was a feast of first fruits. This is why God has the church beginning on this very day. We are the first fruits. God is working in our lives, filing us with His Holy Spirit. It is the fruits of the Spirit which are so important in our daily lives. You may not have a free day on Monday, June 6, but we pray that you are filled with the Spirit every day. 

Whatsit Wednesday - A lock

We use it everyday in so many ways. You lock or unlock the front door, placing the key in the lock and turning until the mechanism settles - sometimes with a click. On a locker you might have a combination lock where you turn back and forth until the right numbers have been displayed and the lock falls open. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. 

You might take a good bit of time every morning to make sure that your locks all fall beautifully into place and you are presentable to the world. Curls must be curled or straightened. Straight sections must be curled or combed into place. Some people even cut off their locks off to give to others. But that is not what we are talking about here. 

A few hundred years ago both the Dutch and Belgians went to war with flintlock weapons. A mechanism was released by the trigger which then caused a flash of powder to send a musket ball flying to its target. But that is not what we are talking about here. 

We live on a canal. Every day we can see boats pass by on “our” canal. Boats can come from or go to the harbor in Antwerp Belgium. They could also pass by our house on the way to or from the harbor in Rotterdam. Our canal connects several other canals. 

Just down the acces road along the canal we can visit our local lock. This is where the boats transfer from a higher section of canal to a lower section (or vice-versa). It is always exciting to see the doors open, the boat enter, the doors close and then the boat rise or fall before exiting the other side when the doors open. The lock opens up the life that passes by every day.

Memories of Home

I remember singing Joh Denver songs and listening to Battlestar Galactica (on cassette tape) while falling asleep. That was many years ago when I first lived in the Netherlands as an apprentice. I felt alone. Was alone. But not alone. God’s family was always there taking care of me. And the family that made me feel at home was the family of Karsten Rog. 

Karsten was a teenager then. Henk and Celia, his mom and dad, took me in for Christmas and a few other times. Karsten is the eldest of three sons. Later I would work together with his younger brother, Reuben, at the beginning of the singing group Listen Up!. Karsten married Sandi and they became an active part of the congregation in Eindhoven. 

Years later again, when we were traveling in the US on our Home Assignments every three years or so, Karsten and Sandi and their kids were a certain stop for us in Colorado. Their oldest, Whitney, was born the same year as our youngest before the Rog's moved to the US. So we continued close, with Karsten and Sandi, with the kids, and with Henk and Celia. This was always a place where we have felt at home. 

This past week, after years of struggling, Sandi’s struggle with cancer ended and she went Home. We pray hugs to Karsten, to the kids and their spouses, and especially to Henk and Celia at this time of loss. But we also know that we will soon have some great Home time together. That is something that Sandi and Karsten always made clear to everyone around them. Home is where Jesus Christ is to be found. 

We also said goodbye to another sister here in the Netherlands. When I first went to the Netherlands, it was on a campaign from York College with Tom and Dottie Schulz. Sitting at a table in the church building of The Hague talking to Monica and Oscar was one of the major reasons that I returned to work with the church in the Netherlands. Oscar and Monica, two teenagers in the church, talked about how good it would be for someone to come help. I was already picking up the Dutch language quite quickly. My promise to come help them and the Dutch people was one of the reasons I would return. 

Elly was Oscar and Monica’s mother. She was a quiet woman as I remember her. Every time that I came to The Hague throughout the years (we first met in 1981), she was there and would say encouraging words. She loved to sing, loved to hear from the Word of God and did her best to live for her King. I always felt like I was coming Home when I visited The Hague and saw Elly. Elly was 92 and went Home to see her King last week. I look forward to seeing her again when I get Home. We will sing together and sit somewhere together quietly, wondering at the beauty of everything that we see. 

There have been so many memories made here on earth that are memories of Home. We are so thankful for all the saints that God has brought us in contact with - people who have hearts washed clean by grace and who try to live by that grace. What an encouragement to live the same way, have the same thought, in our own lives. Enjoy every minute with your brothers and sisters in Christ, even now. These are memories of Home. 

Whodunit Wednesday - Painting a picture

Both Belgium and the Netherlands have their fair share of well-known painters. People may not be able to pronounce their names correctly, but they can usually recognize their work. Most will recognize the gobbed on paint of the Sunflowers from Van Gogh who was from the Netherlands. ‘Van Gogh’ is not pronounced "van go" but closer to "fun ghugh" where the "gh" is a sound you make like clearing your throat.  

The 'Girl with the pearl earring' from Vermeer, another Dutch painter, is not only well-known but avidly copied. Piet Mondriaan is highly recognizable for his paintings of blocks of color - red, blue, yellow. Most people think, “I could do that!” And of course everyone recognizes and knows about Rembrandt. 

But there are many Dutch painters well worth discovering, either from the golden age or much more recent. Jan Steen portrayed everyday life in the Middle Ages. Jan Toorop was an impressionist. The church in Eindhoven meets at a building on the Jan Toorop street. 

The full bodied women in most of Pieter Paul Ruben's paintings show what the beauty standard of the day was in his time. You can visit the Rubens House in Antwerp, Belgium. In Brussels you can go to the Magritte museum and see most of his work. Many will be aware of the men with a hat hovering above their head or paintings of what is clearly a pipe - and the words in French “This is not a pipe”. 

Victor Horta was one of the founders of Art nouveau in Belgium. Horta’s buildings in Brussels paint in steel and glass and are one of the main attractions to the city. We we can end with the Brueghels, a family of painters. Pieter the elder, Pieter the younger and Jan the elder were all famous. Both the Netherlands and Belgium claim them in some way. 

That’s how things go here. Although a Dutchman may say that a Fleming (someone from Belgium who speaks Dutch - or Flemish) speaks funny, they can understand one another. There is a bit of common history. And they share lots of commonalities. The churches, too, work well together and are thankful to be family of one another, in whichever country.