Family around the world

Today I will head off to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) in Germany. This time three other guys will join me in the car. Alexander and Andrey are father and son from Ukraine who have lived in Belgium for the last 5 years. Alexander is a former widower who is now married to a Belgian. Andrey is his youngest son who came out with him and is now married to his high school sweetheart and living in Belgium. Both are amazing encouraging brothers in the congregation in Maastricht. 

Along with them I will be picking up Evgeny from Haarlem, The Netherlands. He is originally from Russia, but has lived in THE NETHERLANDS for quite some time. I first met him before he was married, when he was living and working in Maastricht. He was an integral part of the congregation then and now serves with the church in Haarlem. 

I am looking forward to the time in Germany at this study week because people from all over Europe gather there to learn from each other and encourage one another. I will see some folks I have not seen in quite some time, and others I see regularly. That is the beauty of the family of Christ. 

This past Saturday we were included in the church family from Eindhoven because we help them sing every month. We also feel part of the congregation in Haarlem for the same reason. I look forward to seeing Uli from Cologne again this coming week - we always plan a singing day together in September. The church has connections with church family in Uganda and Ukraine, Kenya and Canada and all over Europe and the US. We are so very thankful for the way that God builds family and that we can be part of this wonderful body. 

In May and June we will be traveling to the US to visit family and church family. We look forward to rekindling those bonds and reconnecting with family there. There will also be some time to meet new members of God’s family - whether they are simply new to us or new in the family. Next week I will post about our travel plans. We hope to be able to see some of you when we come through the US. 

(Photo is ABSS 2025)