Where oh Where Wednesday: Mining in the area

The area where we live is historically an area of coal mining. Both in Limburg of the Netherlands (for which Maastricht is the capitol) and in Limburg of Belgium (where our house is situated) were coal mining areas. The cities of Sittard, Kerkrade and more in the Netherlands grew up around the industry of coal. Maasmechelen and Genk, Belgium - just down the road from us - have now turned their coal mining past into tourist attractions. Because the coal has long been gone. 

Genk has a site called “C-Mine” which now houses a cinema and stores, as well as a major cycling race every year, but previously it was simply a mine. In August I will go on an outing on a steam train. It will take us along the historical mining sites and we will visit the coal mining museum. All of this in the area of Kerkrade and Simpelveld in the Netherlands. 

Down by our Bible Camp we also have many old mining sites. In the past we have taken the kids on an outing to Blegny in Belgium. There they can go down into the mine and experience some of the sights, sounds and smells of the mine. The guide is an old miner and can tell stories of how things used to be. How they had to eat their lunch while working - preferably quickly and before anyone relieved themselves (which also had to be done in the same space. 

The mines are also why this area of both countries is so diverse culturally. Maasmechelen has a Greek, Italian, Turkish, Bulgarian and Polish community - all of whom worked in the mines at the time. They came as guest workers and built their families in Belgium - although some returned to their home countries. Many simply brought their cultural beauties (and problems) to Belgium. So now anyone can go to an Italian or Greek restaurant, visit various Catholic and Orthodox churches and be amazed at the diversity in general. 

The mines closed their doors in the 1970’s and the area has been trying to recover since then from the economic impact. Ford (in Belgium) and Volvo (in the Netherlands) both had a major factory, but these also closed within the last 10 years. Tourism remains a strong calling card to the area of hills and valleys (some made from the “trash” of coal mining). Some of these areas have been turned into beuatiful spa resorts with twisting bike paths running through the lakes. Others have disappeared into the background of the hills surrounding - as in our area of camp. 

(Photo of Terhills resort near Maasmechelen)

Prayer for coming activities

Our summers are always pretty busy. In the coming weeks we have various activities planned for which we covet your prayers. We know that we are only as strong as we trust in God who is our strength. And partners who are praying for us and the people we are working with are a large part of that trust and strength. 

At the end of this week we will start our week of Bible Camp - Benjaminenkamp. This is the week for the 8-11 year-olds. The Senior week (15-20 year-olds) started on Saturday. The Teens will follow the Benjamins and then Family Camp is planned. I am the camp director and teacher for the Benjamin week. Shirley is helping Tonia in the kitchen. We are looking forward to a good and challenging week talking about Jesus in the gospel of Luke. We pray that the kids will grow in faith, but also that the young counselors we have will especially grow in their faith. 

I will also be teaching during Family Camp. I am preparing lessons on “The Joy of the Lord” for the Tuesday and Thursday. In the past years I have helped with the teens as well and may be able to do this again. It is always encouraging to see people we know and meet new people I this week of camp. Please be praying for all of the kids at the various weeks as well as the teams leading those weeks. 

When we get back we will jump right into preparations for an event in the neighborhood of our building in Maastricht. From August 16-23, the neighborhood is planning week of activities from various clubs (sports, music, dance and more) and we as a congregation will also be organizing a walk through the neighborhood and a Black Gospel Workshop. This is an opportunity for people in the neighborhood to get to know us better. Pray for conversations. 

In September we usually hold a singing with the church from Cologne, although we have not yet set a date. That planning will be for the coming days. There is also a Family Day planned at camp that we will attend and encourage members from Maastricht to attend. This is always a time of encouragement and coming together with members from across Belgium and the Netherlands. 

In the meantime we will also be working through getting our house cleaned, seeing what needs to be packed, looking into various administrative tasks that need to be done and having difficult conversations with people we will miss and who will miss us. We will also continue with the various Bible studies and singing opportunities we hold throughout the weeks. Every first Friday of the month is singing in Maastricht. The 3rd Wednesday is singing Eindhoven. And somewhere along the way we will also plan to get back up to Haarlem to help with singing there. 

We are so thankful for so many who not only care about what we are doing here but who pray consistently for these efforts. We continue to pray for you as well. It was so good to see you again and hear how God is blessing you in walking with Him. God is great and is the only One who truly gives us strength for the tasks he has prepared for us. 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

PS - I will not be posting next week as we will be at camp. 

Whensday: 250, 200, 150, 100 years ago

We just returned to Belgium from our Home Assignment trip I the US. This is a trip of about 2 months where we visit our various supporting congregations and supporters as well as family. We returned on July 1, just before all the big celebrations in the US, because on July 4 the country celebrated its 250th birthday. This was concurrent with all of the celebrations during the World Cup games, which we mostly saw while at our last stop in New York City. 

As we returned home, we were able to renew our joy in where we live on the canal behind our house. This canal is celebrating its 200th anniversary. It was first dug and used back in 1826. For all those 200 years ships have been plying the waters going to and from Antwerp or Rotterdam. The little “bridge-watcher’s house” down the way (there is no bridge any more) has been turned into a cafe and is well attended all summer. 

Across from our house, our neighbor, Cecile (who watched our house while we were gone) will be celebrating about 150 years of her house. Her farmhouse is a monument in our village and she keeps it up very well. The kitchen, bedstead and more are authentic. Every year she invites the village and any other visitors to a birthday celebration in her gardens where fold musicians perform. She herself plays the accordeon. 

Our house was built in 1936 - not quite 100 years ago, but almost. This house was originally a cafe which served the village. It is in the street of the church, so people leaving the church could find something to drink fairly quickly. When we bought our house in 1992 it had not been a cafe for quite some tie. The original door into the cafe had been bricked up and the separation of the front room from the rest of the house had already been removed to make a living room and dining room. 

Time marches on, wherever we are. Even things that last a long time change, whether it has been 250 or 50 years. The house next door (from 1910) is being remodeled for a young couple, but they have to retain the outside walls. Some people will remember the old couple who lived here. Others will be amazed at the new house. Time moves on. We have lived 34 years in this house. It will soon see some more change again, although it will remain. 

(Photo - birthday celebration of the house across from us)

What soil are you?

In Mark 4:1-20 Jesus tells a story - a parable - about a sower, seed and various soils. It is representative of all the different sorts of reactions to the seed of God, the Word, Jesus Christ. For some, the word is never really ever entertained. For others it never really takes root. For a third group the worries of the world choke it to death. And for the last group the seed grows and bears fruit. 

This is how it is in life as well. Jesus was pointing out what we all can see. There are people who will never really ever entertain listening to the Word of God. As we have talked to people throughout the years, we have seen several of these - although we ourselves do not always see it until much later. We do not always know what kind of person we are dealing with. God does. And there are indeed people who are either disregarding God’s word or being actively hostile. 

Then there are those we have experienced in our time here who have seemed at first to be quite happy and excited with the pearl of great worth they had found in Jesus. But they did not put down roots. They did not ground themselves in the Word or in the grace of God. They liked the feelings at first, took part in the visuals, looking like someone who walks with Christ, but never really got into the word themselves or allowed the word to change their daily lives. 

Each of these categories of people are common. We always pray for everyone as they come in contact with the Word of God, getting to know who Jesus is. We do not know what type of soil they are. That is not our job. You notice in the parable that the sower sows the seed everywhere. We are willing to talk to anyone about Jesus Christ. Not everyone will listen in the same way. And we are not the only ones sowing this wonderful seed. 

This past year and a half we have seen 6 people in Maastricht give their lives into the saving hands of Jesus Christ. There have been others we know in other areas of Belgium and the Netherlands as well. It has been exciting to see how some of the “seedlings” in Maastricht have been growing. There are those who courageously stand up to prevent a brother from sinning. There are those who selflessly help others and are willing to struggle with humility. There are those who are still learning what they are capable of with the strength of God. And there will be those who struggle with the worries of the world or really setting down root. 

We all have the possibility to grow and bear fruit if we trust in God to use us wherever we are. What kind of soil are you? I accepted the seed into my life many years ago, but I still need to accept its working in my life every day anew. What are you doing with the seed that is being planted? 

("The Sower" by Vincent van Gogh in the Kröller Müller Museum)

Whatsit Wednesday: Groasis Waterbox

We know what an oasis is. If you are walking in the desert, you are happy to see an oasis - a place where water is to be found. Trees surround it, even in the middle of the desert. One might use the word symbolically to talk about how something gives comfort in the middle of a tough time. Wednesday evening singing was always an oasis for me as a young Christian in the middle of the week. 

So in 2010 Dutch former flower exporter Pieter Hoff won an award for a plant container designed to help trees to grow in dry areas. He called it the “Groasis Waterbox”. You get it - it not only is an oasis, a place to find water and rest, but it helps plants to grow. Essentially the Groasis is a plastic bucket with a lid, but it is much more than that. 

The waterbox is a plant incubator, collects water from condensation which is then  released in measured amounts to help create root structure, and keeps temperature and humidity stable through night and day. The box is installed either manually or with a digging machine, putting one to three plants in a hole. The company has even developed specific drills to make the holes efficiently.

The waterbox can be reused for up to 20 trees, shrubs or vegetable plants. Another version of the concept is called “Growboxx” and is made of compostable material which becomes food for the plant. The box was tested in Morocco where 90% of the plants survived by using the box. It is being used in Colombia, Dubai, Ecuador, Jordan and Mexico, but is also being tested with wineries and in cold mountainous regions. 

Plans for the coming year

My last name is Raab. This comes from the German for “raven”. This is why our blog site is called “The Raven’s Roost”. Although we are ravens, we will find our roost wherever God places us and can use us. Our “roost” is wherever we are and wherever we will go. 

In the last two months we had the pleasure and the blessing to speak with so many of you, pray with so many about our situation and future plans. In the meantime, the church here in Maastricht was praying for our travels and our conversations. They too knew that we might be approaching a moment of change. Yesterday we took the time to talk about that change with our brothers and sisters here in Maastricht. In the coming days we will be talking about it with others we work with in both Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Our plan here in Belgium and the Netherlands was always to serve God however we could and in any capacity that God made possible. The idea is always that God works through each of His children - as He sees fit. We do not always know how this works best, where we might be sent or be useful. But we always try to be aware of opportunities and challenges that move us into trusting God. That is why we have always said we serve God wherever we are or wherever we go. And that is also what we teach others. 

We have been working with the church in Belgium and the Netherlands since January 1991. Actually even longer when we count the time we came on campaigns in 1981 and my two year stint from 1982-84. We will always be working for the gospel in these areas, wherever we are. But the time has come for us to plan moving out of Belgium (from the house where we have lived for 34 years) back to the Untied States. This is due to how things have changed financially for us - especially the Belgian tax situation - as well as how our family situation is evolving. 

While we were on our Home assignment (the trip we just took to visit family and supporting congregations) we were able to get to know our granddaughter in Indiana even better. She has just turned 3 years old and we would like her to know who Opa and Omi are. At the end of our trip we received the wonderful news in New York that our son, Sean, and his wife, Jill are expecting to welcome a little girl to the world in January of 2027, bringing our second granddaughter into our lives. 

So we are making frantic plans to try and be moved back to the US by the beginning of next year. Not only because the financial situation makes it necessary, but also to welcome a new granddaughter and get closer to family in general. This will be a new season in our lives as we head into the season of “retirement”. We are the right age, even if we don’t feel like we will ever retire. 

Before any of this happens, we have so much to do on the Belgian side. We will be leading Benjamin Camp at the end of the month and teaching at Family Camp. Our Wednesdays and Fridays singing with the church in Eindhoven and Maastricht will continue. In August the church is taking part in a neighborhood activity in Maastricht. In November Shirley and I are part of a marriage workshop. Life goes on and there is so much to do - wherever we are. 

We would greatly appreciate your prayers in the coming months: for our kids and their kids, for our wrapping things up here and the lives being touched with the gospel, for our moving plans (selling house, buying house, etc), for a full trust in our wonderful God who knows how things work and how He is going to use each of His children wherever we are. Our supporters have agreed to continue supporting us through 2027 as we make this change. Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement and support in this time of transition. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Rietveld

While in New York we visited the Brooklyn Museum. Besides wonderful paintings and amazing Egyptian and Syrian artifacts, there was a floor dedicated to the aesthetics of everyday items. The entrance to this floor had a display with an iron, a teapot and more. It was later in the exhibition that was even more interesting. 

One section was dedicated to chairs. There we found a few designed by Gerrit Rietveld. Mind you, not the well-known “Red and Blue Chair” which can be found in the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). We didn’t make it to the MoMA. But we did see this design. 

Gerrit Rietveld designed the chair in 1918 as an experiment, along with smaller versions of other things for his children. It is one of these that we also saw in the Brooklyn Museum. But it was that Rietveld made something simple and from simple materials that started changing the way designers were thinking. 

In 1930 he designed some worker’s houses in Vienna and then a bit later in Utrecht. Some of his architectural designs are also quite remarkable, but it is his chairs that people remember. It was another chair, made illegally (because he would not register during WWII) that many would recognize. This chair was made from one single piece of pressed plastic. 

Rietveld is a Dutchman anyone can remember if they think about remarkable chairs. He was born in 1888 and died in his birthplace, Utrecht, in 1964, just a few years after I was born. 

Home Assignment 2026 Stage 6 - New York City

As I wrote during our visit in 2023, there are all sorts of sights, sounds and smells in this vibrant city. Every time you visit, it presents a different face and you can be struck with new experiences. This is now the third time that we have come to visit Sean and Jill in their adopted city (we came in 2019 and 2023 as well). And, as expected, we have seen and experienced so many new things, not in the least because the city this year is also home to the World Cup. 

Everywhere we go we are greeted by laughing faces and various languages. People in shirts of all colors, flags from many nations and the sounds of languages from all over the world greet us every day we step on the metro to head to our destination. There are many people visiting with their families, including small children. It gives the already exciting city a vibe that speaks of life and happiness - even when a team has lost. 

We were blessed to be able to stay in the home/studio of a friend while in the city. An apartment in a neighborhood, surrounded by the normal everyday sounds of the city. These include plenty of sirens, buses, trash trucks in the morning and people talking (loudly) on the street. We are surrounded by beautiful brown-stone buildings, fire-escapes climbing down the side of each building. Our walk to the metro leads us past local groceries, deli’s and hairdressers plying their trade. 

Our time here has mostly been spent with Sean and Jill, being able to see them and what they are doing. We were able to spend Sunday morning with the Harlem church (Harlem is the area we are staying) and were greatly encouraged. This group of saints were very welcoming and encouraging. It was in many ways reminiscent of our own congregation in Maastricht. We finally walked into the warm sun baking the streets just before 1pm. 

We have enjoyed seeing more of Central Park on walks with Sean, visiting Jill’s new store which we have only seen on her socials, going to the Statue of Liberty (with people from all around the world on the ferry) and getting to know our subway line every day. After a day or two, the city becomes a part of you: the screaming of the subway trains as they come to a stop, the whoosh of air before they arrive, the constant sirens in the distance or passing you on the street, the amazing smells wafting out of restaurants from all different cultures as you walk the streets. 

We are thankful to have seen where Sean and Jill live. Their apartment is just across from a neighborhood park and gardens where they have a small plot and help out with maintaining the park. The older people sitting in the shade were all glad to meet Sean’s parents and pass on how thankful they were for him. The garden itself is a small oasis in this part of the city, a daily walk for Sean and Jill’s dog, Twiggy, and a place where people gather or just sit and rest. 

On this last full day in the city we will enjoy getting to see more of the city, but from the water. We plan on taking some of the various ferries which are meant for transport, but serve very well as a way to see the sights. Soon we will fly home to Belgium and pick up the various tasks awaiting us. We will be able to hug and greet those we have missed for two months. But for now we will enjoy these last drops of delicious family time in this place-of-many-people. 

If you are interested in seeing our (far too many) pictures, they can be found here. 

Where oh Where Wednesday: Manhattan

As we were traveling from Muscatine, Iowa up to Minneapolis, Minnesota where we would take our last continental flight, we saw all sorts of familiar names. Iowa was full of place names which had clearly originated in Europe: Klein Quarry, Waterloo, Waverly (with Wartburg College), and Geneva. But we also passed places who had clearly taken their names from the native people living there: Owatonna, Nashua, or Hiawatha. 

We fly out today to New York City and will be staying on the island of Manhattan. This is one of the 5 boroughs of New York and has a population of 1.7 million. The name is said to have come from the Manna-Hatta tribe who had lived on the island. It is also said that this could come from the dialect of the Lenape Indians, meaning “island with the hills”. Others say that it comes from the Delaware or Mohican tribes. In any case the name comes from the native tribes. 

It was however Henry Hudson who in 1609 came to map out this area for the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) - the Dutch company which was traveling all over the world. Hudson has a river named after him. In 1624 the first permanent dwellings came on the land and the area, after a purchase of 60 guilders, was called New Amsterdam. You may have heard of the various places that have a Dutch background: Wall Street, Broadway, Brooklyn, Harlem. 

Of course this all changed when later in the century the city and area came into the hands of the English. They promptly renamed it New York. The English were only finally pushed out of New York by George Washington during the Revolutionary War (the war of independence) in 1783. Since then the names have taken on all forms and backgrounds. We will look forward to discovering some of them while we are visiting there. 

In the loop: Home Assignment 2026 Stage 5 - Iowa

The loop is coming full circle as we leave Colorado and head back East. In the past we would have stopped for a few days in Omaha, Nebraska to visit Shirley’s family. Recent years have meant that what is left of her family has settled in Council Bluffs, Iowa, just across the river from Omaha. So we headed there, looking forward to seeing nephew and niece and their kids. 

We had had to organize an AirBnB in town because the College World Series was in Omaha and most of the normal hotels were full. But what a blessing this place was! We stayed in an historic house basically right down the road from where the niece lives. We were able to enjoy an evening walk, a morning walk as well as the time together with family - all in the ambiance of this historic house. 

Although our stay was short, we were thankful for the time to see and visit with family. We were able to sit with Shirley’s brother and also meet with everyone for a meal on our last evening there. After this very quick stop, we moved on across the state of Iowa to Muscatine in the southeastern corner of the state. Here we met with the last of our supporting congregations and stayed with good friends, Rudy and Pam Schellekens. They were both our mentors in the past as well as helpers most recently teaching and cooking at Ardennen Bible Camp. 

One of our days we spent out at Midwest Bible Camp getting ideas of how others do camp. We were able to talk to the kids, the camp directors and the cooks. This got us into the mood for our own week of camp which is coming up at the end of July. Then we will be leading the Benjamin week of Ardennen Bible Camp. Being at a Bible Camp reminded us of how far away we are and how soon we will return to these tasks we love so much. 

On Sunday Scott was able to teach the Bible class and lead singing at the Muscatine church. It is always amazing to worship God together with those who love Him so much - wherever we are in the world. We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones - although finding names was quite a challenge. In the evening we met again with some members at an evening get-together where we could answer questions about our work. Then Scott met with the elders to talk about the future and their part in our work. 

We had one more day in Iowa to wind down and get everything ready for the last stage of our trip which will be in New York. The rain of the previous day (which couldn’t disturb the “family” lunch we were invited to with our hosts and others of their family) made way for sun as we got the last little things necessary for our trip and packed our bags. 

We have enjoyed walks along the Mississippi, drives around the town, watching World Cup games together and lots of food and conversations with people who love us and the Lord. Last stop on our trip is coming up - New York City! But that is another story. 

Here are the pictures from the stops in Iowa. 

Whensday: 1924 Nobel Prize

In our travels we have had contact with various people who have struggled with or are struggling with their health. This is not strange considering that we, too, are getting on in years - even if we do not know it ourselves. Some of these people had heart trouble and went to the hospital to be checked. 

In 1924 Willem Einthoven received the Nobel Prize for his discovery and invention of electrocardiography. We are all familiar by now with the monitor above a hospital bed showing all sorts of lines and numbers, recoding the health of the patient in the bed. Although doctors in the 19th century knew about the heart’s electrical activity, it was Einthoven who in 1903 developed a meter to measure the signals precisely. This revolutionized cardiography. 

These days we still can be confronted with the electrodes placed on the skin and tied to a monitor. The electrodes have to be stuck to the skin and removed later. The patient cannot move. They are restricted to the hospital bed. But we are perhaps even more familiar these days with things like a smart watch which also registers heart signals and gives us information. 

Willem Einthoven would certainly be surprised by modern technology. He was born in 1860 on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies, which is now Indonesia. He became a professor in Leiden in 1886 and was admitted to the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1902, a year before developing his galvanometer. 

In the loop: Home Assignment 2026 Stage 5 - Colorado

Some things just never get old - no matter how old we get along the way. Driving down from Montana to Colorado Springs, passing through Denver, the drive between Denver and Colorado Springs is baked into my memory from the many times that we crossed these passes. Even though the “towns” - which have become cities - along the way have spread out along the highway and into the foothills of the mountains. Even though Colorado Springs reaches all the way to Air Force Academy, turning what had been a city of 225,000 people into a city of almost 500,000 people. Some of the views and places remain the same. 

My heart skips a beat every time I see “the Peak” - Pike’s Peak. Almost every road you take in the Springs points down or away from the Peak, with Cheyenne mountain on its side. I will never tire of seeing this sight. The play of the sunlight on its sides or the dancing of the shadow of the clouds being blown past on the wind all make for a show that never ends. It is new every time I see it. And it is nice that we can have some certainties as well as new moments every time we come to visit. 

One of our certainties includes visiting the same coffee place we have visited since before we even moved to Belgium. La Baguette was one of THE places to be in Old Colorado City back in the 80’s and it is still there. The coffee is not worth drinking, but we like to visit. This time we were able to visit with Scott’s brother and his wife. Then we walked the old town street, stopping in some beautiful galleries and making new acquaintances. Scott stopped in to a barbershop to get his hair cut and meet more new people. 

On Wednesday evening we went to the midweek Bible study at Pikes Peak Avenue. This is always a meeting of good friends and family. Some of the members there went to high school with Scott and John (Scott’s brother). Others knew Scott from when he first put on the Lord in baptism. But we also met several new members of the congregation and talked of how God has touched our lives in so many ways. It is good to have family in so many places. 

Our last stop in Colorado Springs included dinner with Scott’s sister. Conversation included memories of old times, of course. Barb is the oldest child of the family, but she was often the mom at moments. Scott and John sometimes remember things differently or not at all. But it was good to share together. It continues to amaze that time and distance does not completely dissolve our relationship. 

After the few days (much too few) in the Springs, we drove up to Denver to share and make new memories there as well. My other brother - Bret Carter has been my best friend since Junior High School and brought me to Christ - now has a growing family. It is fun to share laughter and new games with the kids as well as memories with Bret and his family. 

On the Saturday we were invited to join with Ruby Mirror, which is a group made up of Bret and his sister, two of his cousins and Scott’s brother, John. There was also a new guitarist for this session. Scott used to sing with them when they were all teens in a group called Summer Breeze. You can find the recording of this fun “concert” (we were basically jamming a planned set of songs) on Facebook. 

We also were able to meet up with the Ross. Henk and Celia are not only good friends but mentors. Scott spent time with them and their sons when he was an apprentice back in the 80’s. And Henk and Celia (who worked with the church in Den Dolder, the Netherlands) helped us with Bible camp and much more. They have since moved to the States to be with their kids. 

On Sunday Scott brought the sermon and the study at the Miller Street church of Christ and we once again got to meet new people and connect again with old friends and church family. In the evening we visited Bret’s mom in hospital where she is recovering from a broken arm (she is 92). She still teaches Bret’s kids piano and hopefully will again soon when her arm heals. 

And then, as soon as it rolled into our travel days, the time in Colorado was finished and we were driving away East, up into the cornfields of Nebraska and Iowa. But that is for the next story. 

You can find pictures of this stage here. 

Whatsit Wednesday: Hand axe of Kesselt

What do you think of when you think of a fist? A fist might be used for various things, but I think first of using it as a weapon. When one gets angry, someone might tell you to put your fists away. A person might stand with balled fists when they are ready to fight. So hearing about a fist axe might give a clear picture of what is meant - except that it doesn’t. 

Our town in Belgium is made up of seven little villages. We live in Neerharen, our colleagues live in Veldwezelt and on the edge of the whole conglomeration is the farming town of Kesselt. They also have a large brickworks there. But long ago, this was one of the places that people came across the river and started settling. And in settling, they used a “fist axe” or as the English language would generally say, a “hand axe”. 

The “hand axe of Kesselt” is well-known because it is probably one of the oldest tools found in all of the Benelux. It was made and used by the Neanderthals or earlier. These are the people who first populated this area. The hand axe is made of silex or flint and can be created in 15 minutes by those who know what they are doing. The hand axe of Kesselt is in the Gallo-Roman Museum in Tongeren. 

A hand axe was multifunctional. They could be used to file things down, to cut up animals that had been hunted, to dig up edible roots or to work wood to a useful shape. It find in the hand - or more specifically in Dutch, the fist. There are very few examples of these tools in the Netherlands except in South Limburg and the area around Maastricht. Kesselt is separated from Maastricht only by the Albert Canal which was dug around 1930. 

The Belgians continue to be a people who are very creative in how they use their hands and their tools. The saying goes that every Belgian is “born with a brick in his stomach” meaning that they all want to build their own house. But they have moved on from “fist axes” to modern tools in building these house - although they still use bricks. 

Beginning the loop

Each time we plan this Home Assignment (the trip we take every three years to re-connect with supporting congregations and family) it always includes a section of driving. We usually leave Minnesota and make a loop through Iowa, Colorado, returning to Minnesota before flying on. When Stephan moved to Indiana, we cadded this to the loop, but later made Indy a flight.

This time, since Scott’s brother and mother moved to Montana, the loop will include Montana, Colorado and Iowa before returning to Minnesota. The beginning of this loop includes three stops: Sioux City, Iowa; Belle Fourche, South Dakota; and Billings, Montana. Pull out a map and follow along on this exciting first section of the loop. 

Our first real stop on the loop is planned to be Billings, Montana, but to get there from Minnesota we have to drive quite a few miles (or kilometers). So we split the drive up into three sections and planned on visiting good friends and supporters along the way. The first stop was after a shorter drive of 5 hours to Sioux City, Iowa. This city is in the Northwest corner of Iowa and is only about an hour away from Omaha, Nebraska. We stopped here back in 2023 on our way to visiting Shirley’s family and took a picture of our friends’ house before they even saw it. 

This time we stopped to spend an evening and morning with Daniel and Tonita Stovall and also got to see Dale and Vicki Hawley who live in the area and have been mentors and encouragers throughout our time. Tonita is originally from Omaha, where Shirley is also from. She and Shirley were roommates at Harding and Tonita was the maid of honor at Shirley’s wedding. Daniel sang at our wedding. They were influential in connecting us with the support of the congregation in Minnesota when they were living and working there. 

They have continued supporting us financially and we have almost always found a way to get together in Texas for an afternoon when they were living there. This time we were able to play some guitar, reminisce and even talk about future plans. It was an encouraging stop along the way to our next stop in South Dakota. 

After spending a night on the edge of Iowa, we drove out across South Dakota on what would be a long 8 hour drive. Much of eastern South Dakota is farmland and flat. But toward the West the country starts getting quite rugged. We took a short section through the “Badlands” and stopped for a restroom break at Wall Drug. Hundreds of billboards along the route across South Dakota tell all drivers to stop in at Wall Drug Store. 

Our trip ended in Belle Fourche, South Dakota where we connected with the sister of one of our members from Maastricht. She and her family work with the church in this beautiful little city and surrounding area. They had arranged a beautiful retreat for us after our drive. This was the first time we had been alone for some time. The sunrise woke us for another new day and we met the family for a breakfast in town before heading off on another long drive towards Montana. 

To get to Billings, Montana, we would drive through the Northwest corner of Wyoming, driving right past the natural monument of Devil’s Tower. This looks like a mountain that has been scratched down the side by a monstrous bear (which is one of the myths around it). We skirted a severe storm, glimpsed the Rocky Mountains in the distance and finally drove into Billings by the evening. Scott’s brother and sister-in-law welcomed us along with Scott’s mom who lives with them. 

For a few days we enjoyed the quiet ruggedness of this cowboy state. Lots of pickup trucks and casino’s (entering the state we were greeted with a sign “Entering Crow Country” - the Crow being the local Indian tribe). We went out to breakfast with Scott’s mom - a local “greasy spoon” eatery where she has met lots of regulars sitting at the counter and the waitresses all know her by name. We went walking along the Yellowstone River with Chris and Lynette one morning and visited an immense sporting goods store called Scheel’s (“Like a Cabela’s but better” we were told). 

This was a place of rest and retreat, connecting with family. The severe weather came and went, slashing hail across the yard, but we were safe and well inside. Scott got to discgolf again (he had done a little in Minnesota and California) and we enjoyed time together. On Sunday we met with the local church of Christ and ran into some people who knew people we knew as well as being built up by a wonderful lesson and worship time. Family is clearly important in Montanas. 

This first section of the loop was full of sharing memories and making new ones, time to rest and recover from the traveling we have been doing. Our next stop will be in Colorado. It will start with a long drive through Wyoming and down to Colorado Springs, but we are looking forward to the next step. 

You can find pictures of this first section of the loop here. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Theodore Roosevelt

As we drive through South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, we drive past or through many National Parks. The idea of National Parks and monuments was first championed by president Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt. Before becoming governor of New York, he recuperated from the death of his wife (and also of his mother at the same time) by purchasing and running a ranch in the Dakota’s (what is now North dan South Dakota). 

Following his time as assistant secretary of the navy, he formed the Rough Riders and then went on to become the governor of New York. But his penchant for progressive changes seemed to be the impetus for New York to put hi up as the running mate of McKinley in 1900. McKinley and Roosevelt won by a landslide. 

When McKinley was assassinated, Roosevelt took over as President of the United States. 

It was during this time that he established the national parks, forests and monuments which now are all over the Untied States. We drove past the Badlans, Buffalo National Grasslands and will drive by Devil’s Tower today. We did not have time to drive to Mount Rushmore where Theodore Roosevelt shares space with presidents Washington,Jefferson and Lincoln. Theodore Roosevelt was of Dutch decent, being a great-great grandson of Herman op den Graeff (from the late 16th century)

Home Assignment 2026 - Stage 4

God’s family can be so amazing. Our time in Minnesota means meeting wonderful servants, sharing memories and getting to know new members of the congregation. 

Our arrival in Minnesota this time was even more surprising - the kind of surprising that only God does regularly. We were picked up at the airport by our friend Jimmy just as he was dropping off the couple with whom we would later be staying and who was loaning us their car for several days while they were away. We had met them originally in Europe when they came to sing. The songs they sang with Psalom, written by Constantin Zhigulin, have become standards in many congregations in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. I have translated some to Dutch. 

We picked the Cawyers up from the airport when they returned (in their own car that they had leant us) and our last few days were spent at their house. We last saw them in the Dallas area on one of our previous visits. Now they have moved to Minnesota and we were able to share even more time. 

It is these family times that are so important to our work wherever we are. Our first host was Jimmy, with whom we have stayed in the past. He connected us with everyone else in the congregation, made sure that things were arranged and made time in a busy schedule to eat dinner with us. He had a real home for us to stay for a few days. 

It was while we were at Jimmy’s house that we also did a few fun things together, bringing back memories of past visits. We went to the Mall of America - an absolutely huge mall with tons of stores and even an amusement park in the middle. We had always enjoyed going there in the past when the boys were young. Scott was also able to go disc golfing a few times at a local park which had a simple 9 hole layout. Simple because that is what is best for Scott when it comes to disc golf. 

Memories were also shared when we got to visit for a meal with the Davidson’s. Their boys have grown and this family continues to be a real influence on us and our work. They all take part in supporting the Bible camp (Flaming Pine) where both Shirley and Scott had memories. Scott even did some disc golf putting with the boys and Kent after dinner while Shirley caught up on news with Christy. 

On Sunday we were able to meet so many members of the congregation that we know (and test whether we still knew names) as well as meet new members. Scott taught the Bible class and presented the thought at the Lord’s Supper. Earlier in the week Scott had presented the Bible study with the young people and it was great to see them again on this Sunday morning. The potluck after services was a perfect opportunity to continue sharing.

This evening will be our last meal here in Minnesota for now and will be shared with more members of the congregation. The Edwards just married their daughter off this weekend (we had seen the soon-to-be-wed couple when Scott taught the young people’s study earlier in the week), but there is always a place at the table of the Edwards. This is a place of families - no matter what the family looks like. God has placed His children - all of us followers of Jesus Christ - into a family that is everywhere in the world. We are so thankful for this family and the opportunity to meet so many in such a short time. 

It is this family which has always made it possible for us to do our “driving loop” coming up tomorrow. We often borrow someone’s car and drive thousands of miles through several States so that we don’t have to fly. We will talk about that more in the next stage. 

Here are a few pictures of our time here. 

We have also added some late pictures to some of the other albums.

Where, oh where Wednesday: Ghent, Minnesota

We have moved on to Stage 4 of our Home Assignment and are currently in the area of Minneapolis-St. Paul. This is the main urban area of the state of Minnesota in the northern Midwest. The “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul straddle the Mississippi River which runs through the city on its way to the Gulf of Mexico after crossing through the middle of the United States. 

Much of Minnesota is historically populated by Scandinavians who came to the US looking for new opportunities. But as with so many places around the world, both Belgians and Dutch settlers also left their mark. There is even a village named Ghent, Minnesota. This village (population 376), named after the major city in the west of Belgium, was first established as part of a colony in 1881 for Irish settlers, but it attracted Belgian and Dutch families. The area - including Marshall and Minneota - remains a notable Flemish-Dutch ethnic settlement today. 

Ghent itself is known as the “Rolle Bolle capitol of the world”. Rolle Bolle is a sort of sport looking like a mix between curling and lawn bowling or jeu de boules. Originally it was known as “krulbollen” - literally “curve balls” - and was played in the Flemish region of Belgium before being brought to the US. It is played with wheels that curl in to a pin in the ground. 

In addition to these namesakes, there is plenty of Dutch and Belgian culture throughout the state. Belgian Malinois (a very intelligent dog breed used often for the police and military) are bred in Rochester and St. Paul. One can find Belgian beer at the Thirsty Belgian in Rochester. Or one could go to the Holland neighborhood in Minneapolis to find the Dutch Bar. Old Dutch Foods is a well-known snack producer founded in St. Paul in 1934 and sporting a red and yellow windmill logo. Most people will recognize the logo and the potato chips.

We are looking forward to our time here, visiting with church family. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to discover some of these Dutch and Belgian tints as we enjoy the cities.