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.

In the meantime…

As we are traveling, visiting and experiencing all sorts of things in the US, tasks continue back in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is so good to know that the congregation in Maastricht continues to help one another and reach out in love to those around them. Our sisters in the church continue to visit our sister who is a shut-in, visiting her and sharing the lessons we all are learning. Some will call, others will visit on a Sunday and others will do her shopping. 

A Sunday morning is a time for all of the brothers to share the gifts that God is developing in them. Even if someone is sick and can’t do the singing, another can step in and help. Whereas I often do the translating, there are others capable of translating from English to Dutch or Dutch to English. God provides what we need and helps to grow the gifts needed for the congregation. 

And speaking of growing, our grass continues to grow whether we are there or not. The day before we left I tried to get our grass done. In Belgium you have to mow when it is dry since you are never sure when the next dry day will come along. But I am not there to mow. Thankfully, there are brothers like Jef who will come along and get after the high grass, taking care of our lawn. 

And there are still activities planned for the coming months. This past weekend was a “Survival Camp with Papa” where fathers can bring their children to camp. Everyone sleeps in tents, they cook on fires outside and learn how to use knives, axes and such to survive. In the pictures I saw, they also had to figure out how to deal with very wet, rainy weather. Our brother Paul and his youngest son, Isaak were there to experience this. In the coming weeks there will be a work camp. Some of the brothers will spend a day or two at camp helping get camp ready for the summer. 

Everywhere one goes there is plenty to do. Keep your eyes open and be ready to lend a hand wherever you are. And know that you are not alone. This always reminds me of the text in 1 Peter. We are never alone and God is powerful. 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 5:8-11

Whodunit Wednesday: Herman Snellen

How well do you see? Anyone who has ever been to an eye doctor recognizes a certain chart on the wall. The large “E” is at the top of the chart. If that is all you can read, then you have a problem. All of us may be able to say how good our sight is. If it is 20/20, the we see well. Anything lower (20/70??) means that you have a problem with your sight and need eyeglasses of some sort. 

The chart you are familiar with is from Dutchman Herman Snellen. He lived and worked in Utrecht around the end of the 19th century. He published the Snellen Chart which measures visual acuity and was designed and presented in 1862. It is the same chart that you recognize when you go to the eye doctor today. 

Truth doesn’t change. Wisdom doesn’t change. We are looking through the wisdom of Proverbs with the congregation in Maastricht. We will even be doing this on the Wednesdays that we are not traveling while on assignment in the US (which includes today). Proverbs makes it clear to us that we can check our wisdom by seeing if we are following God and His desires. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Tuning your ears and eyes and actions to God will always be a good thing. 

Both Shirley and I wear glasses. I have worn mine since I was 9 years old. Our granddaughter is only turning 3 and already wears glasses. But it is a good thing to be able to correct our vision and see clearly. We pray that we all will continue to correct our hearts and minds to see clearly in a world that is troubled. We will not need a Snellen Chart, but the words of God.  

Fish, Fellowship and Family

As we round up our stay in Texas we look back on a wonderful time of church family and fellowship. We drove out to the Bundy Ranch out in the middle of nowhere near Throckmorton, Texas to spend an evening with the Bundy family. Bill and DeeDee Bundy have been a part of our family for quite some time. They were in Antwerp, we saw them in Bern, Switzerland and Sean lived with them when they were in Brussels. 

This evening was an interesting mix of family feelings and reminiscing. Bill is a member of a family of 12 kids (he is the youngest) and most of them were present for this fish-fry. The brothers all did the fish-frying while some of the ladies had brought the "fixings". Good food and meeting new people is always exciting. And afterwards, before we drove back to Abilene, we spent some good time catching up with Bill and DeeDee. 

We were well cared for at E.B. and Jean’s house the whole tie we were in Abilene (see photo). They have been our best friends from Abilene since the beginning of our life together. We still love watching old movies together and sharing the beauties of God’s love and grace as we see it in so many lives. At their house, we also enjoyed the parakeets (I am probably mentioning the wrong type of bird). Max is Jean’s and Fiki (for Rafiki) is E.B.’s. 

On Sunday we spent almost the whole day with the Oldham Lane congregation who picked us up as supporters in 2023. This is a congregation of 600 people that feels very homey. We enjoyed Bible class and worship in the morning. After services people stood around talking, introducing themselves to us. A girl whose family is from Belgium, a woman who lived in the rue de Trone in Brussels and some South Africans who speak Afrikaans. 

Later in the day we met with the missions committee to talk about how God is working in Belgium and the Netherlands. After evening services there was a “small” group fellowship at one of the members house. I say “small” because this was a group of about 40 people. Good food, amazing conversations and once again connections all over. The pulpit preacher went to Bear Valley. His wife grew up in Colorado Springs and we once again were able to speak some Dutch with the people from South Africa (who speak Afrikaans). 

We ended up our Texas leg with the McNeill’s in Haslet (just outside DFW airport). This house with the yellow door is our home away from home whenever we travel. Tim and Debbie and Nathan simply open the door and make us at home in every way. We know where things are and are welcome to grab whatever we need. It is so good to feel at home in a place away from home. They lived for a while in Belgium and know our quirks. 

Tomorrow we drive out at about 5 am to catch a flight around 9:30 am which will take us over Atlanta to Indianapolis. We are looking forward to the next stage of this trip since we get to spend it with Stephan, Natalie and Sophia as well as see Mike and Amy (Scott’s brother). Texas has been a wonderful start to this trip. More to come. 

You can find pictures of this stage here.