Conversations that connect

The past few weeks have brought us some wonderful conversations. The coming weeks will offer more opportunities. We are so thankful for the various ways that we can talk to people and how God works through those conversations. 

Some of the conversations have been in person. We had a wonderful visit from Rudy and Pam Schellekens from Muscatine. We had worked with them in the past and they are a part of our lives and of how we were formed by God. As you have been able to read, they helped out with our Youth Day and Rudy spoke for us on the Sunday they were here. We also enjoyed a day in Maastricht taking them around to the various sights. 

Just after they left we hoped to be able to see some other old friends (Dottie Schulz and her daughter, Rachel), but due to sickness we had to adapt our visit. We had driven up north to stay with Jim and Ruth Krumrei for the night before visiting Dottie the next day. Dottie was not feeling well, so we had a great day with Jim and Ruth. Jim was Scott’s mentor back when Scott first came to the Netherlands. 

We had actually just seen Jim and Ruth at a wedding celebration for Ruud and Karla’s youngest daughter. We were thankful for the conversations at that meeting as well. We saw some of Ruud’s family who we seldom see and were able to see Ruud and Karla’s 3rd daughter who lives in the US. We met her two kids as well and were amazed that they spoke Korean, Dutch and English (Kyana is married to Juheon who is Korean). 

This reality and a conversation with others on this day about grandkids and language helped to convince Scott that it would be good to speak some Dutch to granddaughter Sophia. And then we are very thankful for technology and how it helps us with conversations. Scott has started sending short video’s to Sophia (often in Dutch) to keep in touch. Thankfully, we were also able to see Sophia on our last video call with Stephan. 

And video calls have been good for many of our conversations. Every other Tuesday we have a Bible study online with the English speakers in the congregation. One of our sisters who moved to France with her husband has also been able to join in online for her Bible questions. Technology can be amazing and we are very thankful for these opportunities. 

And still, sometimes meeting face-to-face is the best or only way to have a conversation. Our old neighbor is currently in prison in Antwerp. We cannot call him or send an email, although he can call us sometimes. So Scott makes time to visit him in prison and encourage him however possible. Mostly this is in letting him know that he is not alone and sharing the things we have been studying in the Bible (this neighbor used to come to our home Bible studies). This last weekend Scott was also able to vote for this neighbor since he could not go (using a power of attorney). 

We are thankful for every moment that we get to talk to our sons, daughters-in-love and our granddaughter as well as all of our brothers and sisters in Christ and family members. Short messages via social media channels, or even simply making a call. Taking time to talk brings us together. How do you stay connected? 

Whatsit Wednesday: Licorice (“Drop”)

Every Tuesday I visit our sister from the church who is homebound and terminal. We talk about family, church family and God. We pray together. And I take her list to the grocery store down the street so that she has enough food in the house. I have come to know her writing and her list quite well. But the other day she had a new one on the list, since she has been getting some visits from people: “drop”. 

Some of you who know us and are not from the Netherlands or Belgium might have heard of and even tasted “drop”. This is something that Dutch ex-pats miss immensely when living outside the Netherlands. Our friends who recently visited fro Muscatine also came ready to buy things to take back to the US. “Drop” is one of those things. It is certainly something one will never forget once one has tried it. 

“Drop” is black licorice. I don’t know that I would call it candy, but it is something for eating between meals. Whereas some in the US might recognize the word “licorice”, they would not recognize “drop” if they tried it. Dutch “drop” comes in at least 4 types: salt, extra salt, double salt, and sweet. Most would recognize the sweet “drop” as licorice. It can come in various colors, is chewy and is sweet. But that is not what the Dutchman is typically looking for. 

The real “drop” is salty. It is black and comes in various shapes, although most often in the shape of a coin. Some are shaped like little cars. There are specific brands that people would swear by, and there are store brands for those who are just looking for a hit, needing to be able to put some “candy” on the table for the visitors. Some people can eat 3 or 4 pieces. Some people know that they have to have someone put the sack away before they eat the whole thing. 

Most non-Dutch people are quite surprised by “drop” the first time they try it. They are expecting sweet licorice and are hit by the extreme salty nature of this candy. But some come to like it. I do not. My son Stephan is also not a fan. But Shirley and Sean love it. If you get the chance when you are in the Netherlands, drop in a store and get some. Don’t worry about getting it at the souvenir shop where you will pay too much. Just go in to any Dutch supermarket and you will find it on the shelves by the candy. 

(The picture is of "double salt")

Whodunit Wednesday: Mark Rutte

Yesterday, Mark Rutte was sworn in as the new Secretary General (or SecGen) of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO is headquartered in Brussels, right down the street from where I used to have to bring my Sony videocamera to be repaired. Rutte takes over the reigns of NATO at a very serious and difficult time in the world. 

Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician known for being able to bring people together and keep his own job at the same time. Some in Dutch politics consider him a slick dealer. Others consider him an accomplished politician. He was able, in any case, to remain prime minister of the Netherlands for longer than any other, lasting 13 years until last year. 

Rutte is not married and was known in The Hague for riding his bike to work, even as Prime Minister. He is always ready with a smile and a quick handshake, but knows how to throw out a sharp one-liner as well. At one point he bit off the words “Doe gewoon” (Act normal) in response to a political leader. At another time he was not ashamed to tell young people who were being rude to “Get out” (“Pleur op” in his own dialect) if they didn’t like what was going on. 

It will be intriguing to see how his form of politics and diplomacy work with the various countries tied together in NATO. He becomes SecGen as the Middle East is once again heating up and as the war in Ukraine and Russia seems to be growing even bigger.