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. 

Home Assignment 2026 - Stage 3

The last 10 days or so we have enjoyed our time with the family in California. This stop is always a bit of a warm hug in so many ways. The colors, smells and beauty of California wraps you in a warm, colorful blanket even as you arrive. If you look past the traffic on the way from the airport to where we are staying, you can enjoy all of the colors of flowering plants and trees everywhere. It is amazing to me when people say of the blooming oleander, “Oh that. That is just a weed that grows along the highway.” But its pink and white flowers - literally everywhere - make every moment of the day a little lighter. 

We saw plenty of the oleander and much more when we drove up to Mokelumne Hills (pronounced - if you can believe it - “Ma-cúllum-nee hills”) to meet Shirley’s cousin. They found each other on Ancestry and were so thrilled to share stories and histories for the day and a half that we were there. It is amazing what technology can do in these days. Shirley didn’t even know that she had this cousin - and neither did the cousin know that she had Shirley as a cousin. We unfortunately were not able to hook up with Scott’s sister-in-law and nephew in San Diego, so we missed the beautiful cactus and more down that way. Our communication efforts stranded on the internet.

We had two Sundays while we were here. Long Beach is our sponsoring church and we wanted to make sure that we were able to re-connect with everyone, especially as the church is changing. So the first Sunday Scott gave the Bible study. Afterwards a Pacific Islanders potluck was already planned and gave us both the opportunity to visit with and meet new members. On the second Sunday, the congregation moved up their quarterly Missions Sunday so that Scott could report on the work and present the thought during the Lord’s Supper. 

Around each of these meeting moments there were other chances to meet with members we knew and new members we were getting to know. You can read more about those in the post from last Monday as well. Eating together is always a good time to share life events and questions. We were thankful to spend our last evening with our hosts, Kerry and Marisol. 

Throughout this time in California, we were extremely blessed by the hospitality of so many. We had a place to stay and were welcomed into several homes or meeting places. We had the use of a car - which was essential since were in Southern California where you can’t really get around if you do not have a car. We had walks, talks, time to play guitar, time to laugh at stories and memories, time to encourage and be encouraged by new life in Christ and the grace of Christ in our lives. 

As with other years that we have come through California, we will leave with some wonderful memories. This time it will be an evening walk across the golf course, a discgolf session with a random guy in the park who had just returned from Hawaii and watching Shirley do a hula dance with several others while celebrating Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. We will take memories away of flowering trees in the golden hills, flowering bushes along every stretch of highway and hugs from loved ones that filled our hearts with the fragrance of Christ. 

We now move on to our next stop in Minnesota before beginning our road loop. But that is for next time. 

If you are interested, take a look at the pictures here.

Whensday: Memorial Day

Because we live in Europe and do not have a television, one of the things we generally miss are tv advertisements, including those that come with special days. A holiday always gives a good excuse for special deals of all kinds. And although Belgium has plenty of special days (often connected to religious holidays), the US has plenty of their own. 

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, although I was not aware of it when I planned our travels. Memorial Day is always the last Monday in May and is a day when those who died for the country are remembered. We will be traveling this weekend and will be flying to our next stage on Monday. Hopefully the fact that we are flying on Monday - when everyone else is celebrating at home - will make flying easier. 

And although we will be traveling, we will be remembering. But we will be remembering other important things. This weekend we will be driving up to get to know a first cousin that Shirley did not know she had. She is the daughter of the brother of Shirley’s father. Years ago Shirley looked into some dan results, looking for the sister she knew she had but had never really met.  She finally found the information but never met the sister, who unfortunately had already passed away. 

But we are looking forward to this cousin visit. This will be a time to remember families, share information and simply get to know each other. I imagine there will be some pictures and talk of current families. We do not have a lot of time, but it will be worth the long drive. 

If possible, we will also drive down to San Diego to visit more family and remember that we are family. Since we only come around every three years it is sometimes difficult to keep in touch or have the correct contact information. We look forward to the opportunity to share some time on the Saturday in San Diego. 

And on Sunday we of course will be remembering the most important death for all of us - as we do every Sunday. We are very thankful for the soldiers who gave their lives so that we can be free. And yet we are never truly free unless we accept the death and resurrection of Jesus who gave his life so that we could truly be free of sin and death. 

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom. 8:1)

(Photo of the area we are traveling to this weekend)

Food and Fellowship

A lot of the time that we are in the US traveling we are moving from group to group, getting to know new people and getting to see old friends. When we are in an area, connected with a church, or when we are with family, eating together is a good way to spend time getting to know one another. That means lots of opportunities to try new things. And it means a lot of eating. 

In Texas we went to a fish fry and got to meet a whole family out at a ranch. We also were treated to meals prepared for us in a home setting. In Indiana we got together for a birthday celebration and met up with family for taco salad. We also shared in coffee and donuts on Sundays while we met new members of congregations in both places. 

In California, where we are currently, we took part in an Asian and Pacific Islander potluck with the congregation. Places were reserved at each table so that Shirley and I could make our way around the room to the various tables and get to know people from the congregation while enjoying delicious foods. Shirley even got to learn some hula-dancing with some of the others present. The day before we had helped prepare a potluck lunch with some of the leaders in the church.

We have also gone out to eat with our hosts and met their friends, getting wonderful opportunities for good conversations. This coming week will include more lunches and meals with old friends and even new family. We hope to drive up to meet a first cousin that Shirley found through her searches for family as well as see family down in San Diego. 

We are thankful for all the people welcoming us to their homes, preparing meals, joining us at restaurants or churches for a communal meal and simply sharing time with us. We look forward to the coming times of fellowship in the areas we have before us. 

Whatsit Wednesday: koffielepel

As we travel through the US (it has now been two weeks) we realize what some of our normal habits are. We always wake up with a cup of coffee. Neither Shirley nor I take anything in our coffee - we drink it black. But we definitely like our coffee. And not everyone we stay with enjoys coffee as much as we. 

Many people in many countries drink tea as their hot beverage of choice. We have seen this in several of the places we have stayed so far. Even if one goes to a restaurant (even a breakfast restaurant) one cannot be assured of a good (dark, full) cup of coffee. One can usually get plenty of whatever is being served (cup sizes in the US are quite large), but not always the taste one would expect. 

And along with the coffee comes a “koffielepel”. This is a small spoon meant for stirring your coffee. It is small because coffee cups in Europe are small. One does not drink a mug of coffee (or tea for that matter). So a “koffielepel” or “theelepel” are perfect. In English we are of course familiar with a teaspoon. Somehow, for the Dutch, coffee became more important. A “koffie lepe” is also smaller than what I would consider a teaspoon. 

In any case, we have had a week of instant coffee (but fantastic company, which is much more important) and will now be moving on to California where we may or may not be in a place where we can drink a usual morning coffee. In the past, people would also collect coffee spoons from the various places they had visited. Special spoons, commemorative spoons, could be put up in a display case, showing off where one had traveled. We have seen estate sales where kids have no idea what they are to do with these collections of small spoons. 

Thankfully, we do not take anything in our coffee, so we technically do not need a “koffielepel”. And we collect pictures and memories as we travel from place to place. Today will be a moving day. We should arrive in California in the early evening. We will be in a new time zone (we had been in Eastern but will be in Pacific by the time we get in) and with a different group of wonderful people. 

If you are reading this in the morning, enjoy your warm beverage, however you enjoy it. With spoon or without. And enjoy your travels, even if it is just across town to visit friends or family. 

Home Assignment 2026 - Stage 2

Indiana is more or less in the middle of the United States. We took a roundabout way to get here, flying from Texas over Atlanta, Georgia to Indianapolis. Indianapolis is the city of fast cars, basketball and the Colts (NFL team). More importantly it is where family lives. At this stop we get to see Stephan and Natalie and our granddaughter. We also get to see Scott’s brother, Mike, and family. And then we have church family and Natalie’s family here as well. 

On our first day here we were glad to be able to greet our granddaughter, hug on Stephan and Natalie and just get some rest. Scott jumped online to lead the Bible study in Maastricht. There is a 6 hour time difference from Indiana, so it was morning for Scott while it was evening for the rest. But it was good to see and speak (in Dutch) to everyone. 

The next evening we drove out to the family we stayed with when we came for our granddaughter’s first birthday (back in 2024). They are members of the church in Noblesville, a congregation that has won our hearts on each of our visits. The Mahan’s were very welcoming back in 2024 and it was good to see them again and spend the evening together. This time we got to meet Doyle, who had been away farming when we came in 2024. 

At the weekend we headed out with Stephan, Natalie and granddaughter to Fair Oaks Farms about 2 hours north of us. This is a sort of farm outing for families. It was exciting to see all sorts of families enjoying their time together. There was a hotel with a pool, tours to the cows and to the pigs and all sorts of delicious food. We were joined by new friends of Stephan and Natalie (they had met at a playground nearby and their kids hit it off) who also came with their parents. So the grandparents also bonded I the short day we were together, watching cows being born, checking out piglets and enjoying grandkids. 

Sunday was a refreshing time with church family in Noblesville (about 10 minutes away). This church family has always been very welcoming and loving - to everyone who comes. It reminds us of our family in Maastricht. In the evening we headed over to Natalie’s parent’s house where the rest of Natalie’s family was present to celebrate her mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day for all the women present. The little cousins had a rambunctious time together and it was good to finally make it back home and get to bed. It had been an encouraging but long day. 

Monday brings another day to celebrate mother’s, since the previous day wasn’t really possible. We will go out to eat lunch with Stephan, Natalie and granddaughter before driving down to see Mike and Amy, Scott’s youngest brother. Being able to see family is always good. Some families see each other all the time. We tend to see each other every 3-10 years, picking up wherever we are at the time. 

The last day will be a day to help family as Natalie’s sister's family are moving house and can use some extra hands. It has always been good to help out where we could. In the past we have helped with building a deck, but we have also enjoyed seeing the new steps in each young family. 

Indiana has come to be a place of family and we have enjoyed looking around. It has been good to spend time with our granddaughter, getting to know her better and seeing her grow up (we will just miss her birthday, but will be able to congratulate her). It is exciting to see her growing, talking, becoming her own person. To see Stephan and Natalie as parents and husband and wife as well as being our children. We have been very thankful for the family time here. 

We will fly out on Wednesday to our next stop in California where we are mostly with church family. We will also meet some newly discovered family, but that is for next time. 

You can see some of the pictures from Indiana here.