Whodunit Wednesday: Belgian basketball players

Soon the European Championships basketball will be starting - the championships for the men. Djokic, Giannis and more will be playing for their countries. The ladies already had their championship  and the Belgian ladies won. The Belgian men will have a much harder time. This is because most of their best players are playing in the NBA and will not be able to take part in the Championship due to commitments or injuries. 

On the ladies side, you might not know Emma Meeseman, Julie van Loo or Julie Allemand, but you will probably be familiar with Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell plays for the Thunder and won the NBA championships with his team. The other well-known player is Toumani Camara, who plays for the Trailblazers. More importantly, Belgium has been losing its players to college teams. 

Belgium and the Netherlands do not have a system like the US. There is no high school basketball and no college basketball. Players who are good are scouted at a young age and may join the youth training of a national team (like Oostende or Antwerp Giants). But more recently players have been scouted and recruited by college teams in the US. This gives the players a better opportunity and training. They get more playing time and more opportunity to break through into the NBA. 

Players like Retin Obasohan, who played for Alabama, or Manu Lecomte, who found a home in Texas, are able to earn money, get an education and build on a career in basketball all at the same time. Stephan Dibongue Swenson replaced Ajay Mitchell at point guard for UC Santa Barbara. Some players have played under coach Brian Lynch, who happens to be the husband of Belgian tennis star of old, Kim Clijsters. As a meter of fact, Clijster's daughter Jada is now playing for the young Belgian national team. 

Basketball seems to have become quite the national sport in Belgium. They also have a good 3x3 team, although it is the Dutch 3x3 team that has won all of the championships and medals in recent years. So the next time you are watching your favorite basketball team, whether during March Madness or the NBA, WNBA or Olympics, pay attention to the Belgian names (which do not always look very Belgian). 

Whodunit Wednesday: Smurfs

This past weekend Brussels was q a-flutter with excitement over a movie premiere and a vist from Rihanna. That Rihanna would make an appearance in the capital of Belgium had everything to do with the movie premiere and her part in it. The 4th movie of the Smurfs will soon be in the theaters with a song written for it from Rihanna and her voice as one of the title roles. Everything in Brussels was "surfed", even Manneken Pis. 

What are “Smurfs”, you say? And how did they get to Belgium? Belgium has a rich comic book history. Lucky Luke, Tin-Tin (called “Kuifje” in the Flemish version) and many more all come fro Belgium. There is even a tourist walk around Brussels where visitors can discover various walls decorated with well-known comic book characters from Belgium. 

The Smurfs, the little blue characters with white hats, are loved all over the world, although they are not always called “Smurfs”. In Germany they are the Schlümpfe, in Italy the Puft and in Spain the Pitufos. They were created as a side character by Belgian artist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford) in 1958 and were first known by their French name - Les Schtroumpfs. “Smurf” is the Dutch translation. 

These days you can find Smurfs in advertising, tv, the ice Capades, video games, theme parks, toys and - now 4 times - in film. In the film which hit theaters in 2011, Katy Perry played the voice of Smurfette. In the animated film from 2017, Smurfette was voiced by Demi Lovato. In this most recent version the tradition of voicing Smurfette by a leading pop singer has been fulfilled by Rihanna. 

In the US most kids from the 80’s will remember The Smurfs from the Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon. In all of the different media - comic book, tv series, cartoon, film - the word “smurf” is used generously throughout and can mean all sorts of things. It can be used as a verb (“Don’t smurf it up”) or a noun. What it might actually mean to say “I’m surfing to the smurf”, however, is up to the speaker and the listener. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Nikola Meeuwsen

You probably will not know his name, but this past week Nicola Meeuwsen, a Dutchman, won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition for piano. The third place winner was Belgian Valère Burnon. He is only the 2nd Belgian to ever place in the top 3. 

The Queen Elisabeth Competition is a yearly competition for music. Each year highlights a different type of music. This year was for piano. Next year will be for the cello followed by voice and violin in the following years. There have been winners from many different countries since the competition began in 1937. Most recently, Koreans have won quite often (winning voice in 2014, violin in 2015 and cello in 2022). 

The competition began when Queen Elisabeth of Belgium wanted to help encourage Belgian composers and musicians and set up the competition which was first envisaged by Eugène Ysaÿe. Ysaÿe, a Belgian concert violinist, died before being able to set up the competition, so Queen Elisabeth made it possible. It was for many years a competition for composers. It has taken its most recent form (3 instruments and voice in varying years) since 2015. 

Nikola Meeuwsen is a 23 year-old Dutchman studying under renowned international pianists and teachers. He won the prestigious Steinway competition when he was 9 years old. He is a regular guest at Dutch and international festivals and has played with various renowned musicians. This year will see the release of his first solo album and in the coming years he will continue to add to his list of amazing accomplishments. 

Whatsit Wednesday: Mailbox

When we first traveled to the Netherlands, on campaign back in the 1980’s, a lot of what we did for the campaign came down to distributing flyers to invite people to some preaching and singing. We walked all over cities in the Netherlands, up stairs in the big cities, in and out of small front yards in the less urbanized sections of the cities. We became quite practiced at shoving flyers into mailboxes. But we also had to become practiced at finding the mailboxes. 

In the Netherlands many front doors have a special flap put into the door through which mail is placed. These are easy to find. The ones in the old style even say “letters” or “brieven” on them. But some of these slots are much harder to find. They are simply vertical slots in the wall next to the front door. If a bush grows next to the door - as often is the case in a good Dutch front yard - then finding the slot is quite a challenge. 

For those without a slot in the door or wall, there are special mailboxes. Of course people who want to individualize their garden have special mailboxes: some looking like little houses on a stick, others presenting as modern marble-like columns and others a simple box. 

But often there would be a generic green box witha red lock on it. The lock was so that no one can steal your mail. These boxes were most often to be found at the beginning of the small front yard, making it possible to place the mail without having to walk up the yard to the door. 

When we first moved into our house in Belgium, we were accosted one day by the mailman on his bike. Our house is on the street. We do not have a front yard. Our mailbox was just inside a small open entranceway shielding our door from the rain and presenting a nice architectural arch. The postman announced that our mailbox was illegal. He had to be able to reach the box without getting off his bicycle or out of his car (if he came in a car). The box could not be too high or too low. Otherwise we would not get our mail. 

So our mailbox is on the outside wall at just the right height so that our postman can stop with his bike, put his feet on the ground and fish in his front basket for any mail that might be ours. Of course these days we do not get much real mail. Most of it is advertisements for the local stores. But the mailbox is legal and we are happy that our postman is happy. 

(If you look closely you can see the dog we have been dog sitting the last few weeks)

Whodunit Wednesday: Peter Paul Rubens

One of the first times we visited Antwerp I remember having someone point out that the famous painter, Rubens, had lived here. His house is now a museum downtown. I had heard the name of Peter Paul Rubens and knew that he had been a painter, but did not know much about him. 

Pieter Paul Rubens was born in 1577 and is considered the most influential of Flemish Baroque painters. He was also a diplomat who traveled around Europe and mingled with nobility. His paintings are well-known. Rubens’ female nudes were typically full-bodied, which was considered voluptuous at the time. Today we still might call a woman “Rubenesque”. Whereas later generations might consider a thinner woman more desirable, the fashion in Rubens' time was for voluptuous women. This showed that they were rich and healthy. 

Rubens painted all sorts of subjects. He painted portraits of the rich and famous, started with landscapes and continued on in later life with Biblical themes. Several of his apprentices became famous in their own right, just as he, too had followed the greats of his time. You might be familiar with his paintings "Susanna and the Elders", "Lot and his daughters", or "Landscape with milkmaids and cattle".  

Those who enjoy art either love or hate Pieter Paul Rubens. His technique is unmistakeable. One has to decide if the style fits one’s taste. His emphasis is on color, movement and sensuality. But it is clear that he is one of the greats - from the little country of Belgium, right “down the road” from us in Antwerp. 

Whatsit Wednesday: Val Saint Lambert crystal

With a history resounding from the conquests of Napoleon, the defeat of the Dutch to the French and the changing borders in the late 18th and early 19th century, this Belgian crystal has quite the pedigree. The specific crystal which is called Val Saint Lambert comes from a factory which was set up after the fall of Napoleon in what was a former abbey in Seraing, near Liege. This area had changed hands between the French, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and finally Belgium. 

The glass works served mostly Belgium, the Netherlands and Russia of the time, but they also opened a market in New York. It was after visiting this city that the then CEO realized that they had to step up their game and started creating what is now known as their “bright period”. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces from this period are what made the name for the company. These pieces are still desired for collections. 

If you visit the factory in Seraing today - this is a city we drive by often when visiting churches in the west of Belgium - you will find only modern buildings built in the current century to replace the derelicts left after the bombing of WWII. A modern steel and glass factory with museum greets the visitor next to the restored office buildings of the 19th century. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Eddy Merckx and Remco Evenepoel

Belgium and The Netherlands are cycling countries. Every Saturday and Sunday we can see the groups of cyclists flits by along our canal. When we had the dog and went walking, we always had to watch out - although you can hear these groups coming from afar. Even though they are bicycling quite fast, they seem to be going at a normal pace for them, gabbing as they pedal. 

Anyone who follows cycling knows the name Eddie Merckx. Many other names may also come to mind (from various countries), but this is the one almost every cyclist will mention. That is because he won the Giro d’Italia 5 times, The Tour de France 5 times, the Vuelta once and he was world champion 3 times. He had 521 total wins and was known as the best cyclist of his generation. 

This past year Remco Evenepoel did something amazing. In 2023 he became only the 2nd cyclist in history to win the road race and the time trial in the World Championships. At the Olympics this summer he won the gold medal at both the time trial and the road race despite getting a tire puncture. He is the first man to win both gold medals. 

Evenepoel surpassing some of what Merckx did is like when Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth. And this by a young man who was also played soccer for Anderlecht and the under 16’s for the Belgian national team before putting all of his energy into cycling. To live in a time when you see history being made is amazing. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Olympians

At the time of this writing, the Dutch medal count is up to 19 putting them in the 9th place of all countries. When you see how small this country is, it is amazing that they are able to garner as many medals as they do, even if many are in a single discipline. It is perhaps not strange that they won 8 medals in rowing. As in the Winter Olympics when they win many of the skating medals, one would expect a country built on and near water to be good at water sports. 

But then there is also the 3x3 basketball gold, the amazing 4x400 mixed relay with the comeback of Femke Bol to grab the gold and the women’s road cycling silver of Marianne Vos. And the count has not finished yet, with medals expected in athletics, handball or other disciplines.

For the Belgians, the medals came in first from the cycling sports. Again, this is not a surprise, although it certainly was not a given. This became clear when the American Kristen Faulkner surprised everyone and won the the ladies road race through Paris. Even she was so surprised she forgot to celebrate at the finish line. The Belgian Lotte Kopecky took the bronze.

Celebrating at the finish line was something Remco Evenepoel did very well, creating an already iconic picture of him standing with his bike with the Eiffel Tower in the background. He has won the two gold medals for Belgium and has become one of the best cyclists ever for the Olympics. Belgium’s other 3 medals (putting them in 20th place so far) have also been in cycling, except for the one bronze medal in judo. 

The Belgians just missed out on a women’s gymnastics medal when Nina Derwael, coming back from injury, took 4th place on the uneven parallel bars. The women’s basketball team and hockey team both hope to grab a medal in the coming days. And then there are some other opportunities in a few less-visible sports.

Who are you watching and rooting for in these Olympic Games?

Wild Wonderful Wednesday - Walking on La Gileppe

One of the places that we take our kids while at camp is to a dam called La Gileppe. It is not far from camp, so if we need to drive several times in order to get the whole group there, it is possible. This dam was opened on July 28, 1878 by King Leopold II of Belgium. It was originally built to give water to the wool industry in Verviers and was considered one of the strongest dams in Europe at the time.

Atop the dam is a quite impressive statue of a lion. It looks off into the distance toward what at the time would have been the border with Prussia. The city of Eupen, the capitol of the German-speaking area of Belgium, catches this glance of the lion now. Germany is still not far away. The statue is made of sandstone and had to be de- and reconstructed in the 1970’s when the dam was heightened. 

Although at the time people made fun of the engineers for over engineering the dam, the caution that was taken then has been important in more recent years. In the Spring of 2021 the Ardennes experienced what weathermen were calling a “water bomb”. The area received more than 20 centimeters of water in 48 hours. This was far more than the many little rivers and creeks, which usually simply pass by and through the various villages and campgrounds in the area like a gaggle of geese. Instead, the waterways became raging rivers, flooding villages, cities and any campground in its path. 

Everything happened very quickly. At the dam, they weren’t sure if they should release water or not. In the end this became quite a discussion. It didn’t really matter to many down stream from the higher waters. Everything was overrun. Our colleagues were down at camp the morning that it happened and were awake early enough to escape on time. 

This week we will probably visit the dam with the kids from camp and walk the length of the dam talking about water, nature, keeping aware and the care that God has for all of us. And we will have a good look at the giant lion statue before heading back to camp. 

Whensday: Tomorrowland

You might not think that music would have that much to d with small countries. But both the Netherlands and Belgium are or have been home to some of the bigger names in certain genres of music and continue to host festivals that entertain hundreds of thousands of people every year. In our area in the Netherlands, Pinkpop is held every year on the Pentecost weekend (which is why it is “pink”, for “Pinksteren” or Pentecost). 

In Belgium Bruce Springsteen just played at Werchter, just a stone’s throw from where some of our members in Maastricht live in Belgium. And the largest or best known electronic dance e festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Tomorrowland is being held this weekend and next in Boom (pronounced like “home”), Belgium, just outside of Antwerp. 

These weekends are a time to look forward to for music lovers - or at least for lovers of this particular style of music and entertainment. It is a festival where dj’s are king, playing dance music for everyone present. The festival is held on a recreational domain. Many people from around Europe and further plan for and look forward to this weekend as the height of their calendar.

For those whose tastes don’t reach to dance music in Belgium there are plenty of other things to do in these weekends. Belgium has a National holiday on July 21 (there is a Walloon holiday and a Flemish holiday as well on other days). In the village of Spa near our Bible camp they have a French-language music festival, usually during the week that our oldest teenagers are doing their week of camp. The Belgian Grand Prix for Formula 1 is also just around the corner in Francorchamps in the weekend that we will be beginning our week of camp with the youngest kids, the Benjamins. You can hear the whine of the cars whenever you are outside - a different sort of music.

Whatsit Wednesday: Inline skates

When our boys were young, they loved skating. Stephan liked the skateboard, but also loved inline skating. We had our hands full making sure that they were safe as well as having fun. We don’t see as many people with inline skates anymore as fashion has moved on to something else. But skating in general is very well loved in the Netherlands, although it is most often done on ice. 

Still, it is interesting that the first inline skate was developed by a Belgian in the 18th century, depending on what you accept as a real inline skate, of course. Jean-Joseph Merlin from Huy (not far from where we have our Bible camp) was an inventor and watchmaker. He designed the first rollerskate in 1760, but did not take out a patent on it. 

When you look at who invented the rollerskate, you come out at a certain James Plimpton. He took out a patent in 1863 on the four-wheeled rollerskate that many of us older folks know from our childhood days. But the design from Merlin was easily a hundred years older at that time, although it was an inline model. There were even covered roller rinks in England in 1824. 

The idea of being able to skate was of course a much older idea, since people had been ice skating for quite some time. It was the need or desire to be able to skate when there was no ice that may have pushed Merlin to design his skate. And that was also why the skate looked more like a typical ice skate. The wheels were in-line so that the skater could also turn the foot and push off, just as with an ice skate. 

Inline skating is considered more a sport for long distance. Despite its popularity in various countries around the world, inline skating is not yet an Olympic sport, so we will not be seeing any of it this summer in Paris.  

Whatsit Wednesday: Billiard balls

When I was young, I remember going to someone’s house who had a pool table. I do not remember whose house it was, but it must have been someone with some money. A pool table is not a small thing. You have to have a whole room for the thing. But in those days, it was one of the things to show that you were up and coming. Later it might have been a ping pong table, or simply a pool. 

The pool table intrigued me because of the feel, the smell and the game itself. The table was felt, the balls seemed like huge marbles, maybe made of ivory or something like that. The room had a light smell that came from the chalk that you could use, even if you didn’t quite know what it was for. And I could use my maths to play the game, figuring out angles and corners and lines. The billiard cue was a simple stick that, in the hand of the right person, turned into an amazing piece of sport equipment. 

Billiard cue. It was years before I figured out that the game was called “billiards”. By then I had come to know that there were other games on such table. Billiards was played on a table with holes in the corners. But some games didn’t have any holes at all - and the balls were colored differently. “Snooker” sounded like some word that you should be ashamed to say. But it was played all over Europe. 

Some of the best snooker players are indeed English or even Belgian. But all of them use the same kind of balls. Billiard balls, snooker balls and even “bumper pool” balls are all pretty much the same. And amazingly, they mostly come from Belgium. In the past (the games have been played since the 17th century), balls could indeed have been made from elephant ivory. Laster balls were made by certain composites, including balls made of bakelite - a substance also made by a Belgian. 

But modern balls are made of phenolic resin which is resistant to cracking and chipping. Almost 80% are made by Saluc under the name “Aaramith”. Saluc is a Belgian company founded in 1923. They also make Logitechh trackballs and nine-pin bowling balls. So the next time you enjoy any of these sports, you can think of Belgium’s contribution. 

Whatsit Wednesday: Pralines

Delicious. That is what Belgian chocolate is. Every year that I go to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) in Germany, a small argument of sorts kicks off again between the Belgians and the Swiss. We (the Belgians) of course know that we have the best chocolate. The Swiss think that they have the best chocolate. There Germans, Dutch and Americans simply watch and listen, knowing that they do not even come close. 

But it is the Belgians who have praline. You might know it from a store selling specialty chocolates in the shape of “sea fruit”, like sea horses and shells. They are often a marble mix of milk chocolate and white chocolate and they are filled with a smooth cream-like filling - praline. This was first developed by Jean Neuhaus II and brought to market in 1912. Some may know these chocolates as ‘bonbons”. But Belgian praline is much different than the cookie-like sweet with nuts in it found sometimes in the US. 

The praline filling is based on hazelnuts. Other fillings can be based in cream or even marzipan or a liqueur. They come in all shapes and are good for any occasion. If one is visiting a friend or meeting someone new, a box of pralines is always a good gift, especially for those who might not appreciate flowers. When you don’t know what to buy someone as a gift, a box of pralines will always do nicely. They come in white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate and include nuts for those who enjoy them. 

Neuhaus is still one of the major houses known in Belgium and around the world for their chocolates. Others include Godiva, Guylian and Leonidas. Belgians were able to really get into chocolate because of their link with Congo where they had a ready supply of cacao beans. Belgian chocolate is required to have at least 30% cacao butter to be called chocolate. Many other “chocolates” have far less chocolate (cacao butter) and therefore taste waxy or simply sweet. 

Every two weeks I visit a lady of 93 years in a nursing home who has finally figured out that I do not eat cookies (I am gluten intolerant). Now she always makes sure that there is some chocolate (dark chocolate is my favorite, and she knows this) or some pralines. For her birthday I was sent to a special chocolatier (a store that only deals in chocolates) to get a box of pralines for her guests and the nurses. This store deals only with the best, including American presidents, French potentates and local big-wigs. 

Whatsit Wednesday - Skates

Every year the Dutch wonder if it will be this year. Of course the temperature needs to be just right. It needs to freeze for quite a while to make it possible. The “11 City Race” is a skating race along canals between 11 cities in The Netherlands. It is what every skater wants to be able to say they have experienced, even if they never win it. Simply being able to take part is enough. 

The last race was held in 1997 (the 15th since the beginning in 1909) and most people do not expect this year to be the year that the next one will be able to be held. But you never know. I remember when I first lived in The Netherlands and spent the Christmas break with a wonderful family, they took me skating. Everyone seemed to have skates. It wasn’t a question of “if” you had skates, it was what kind of skates you might have. 

Ice skates come in all different kinds. I remember as a child that we had some metal contraptions that we attached and tied to our snow boots or shoes. In the summer we had roller skates that also attached to our sneakers. There are skates for figure skating, for ice hockey or for racing. These days there are also various forms of racing: short track, track and long distances outside. 

The Dutch have always been contenders in the skating sports. When you come to The Netherlands and want to watch sports in the winter, be prepared to hear plenty of skating news. It was the Dutch who invented the ‘clap skate’ which is a skate with a hinge, making it possible to put more power into the skating movement. The Dutch used this skate from the 1980’s but it was not allowed in international competition until 1997. 

Skating in Belgium is not as popular as in The Netherlands, but recently there have been several Belgians making news in the sport. Brother and sister Stijn and Hanne Desmet have made their name in short track skating and the European top female figure skaters include Belgian Loena Hendrickx. But the Dutch continue to dominate the sport, including names like: Irene Schouten, Marijke Groenewoud, Jutte Leerdam, Sven Kramer, Patrick Roest and Kjeld Nuis. 

Although skating races are very Dutch, the other forms haven’t really caught on. Ice hockey teams are not very common here, whereas they are everywhere in the US and Canada. Still, if the weather allows, one day it will be cold enough to finally hold the next 11-city-race and all of The Netherlands will put on their skates to take part if possible. 

And then there are the other skates and skeelers. But that is a story for another time. 

Where oh where Wednesday: Waterloo

"Waterloo, I was defeated, you won the war. Waterloo, promise to love you forevermore. Waterloo, couldn’t escape if I wanted to. Waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you. Woah, woah, woah, woah, Waterloo, finally facing my Waterloo."

We can all hear the music as we read the words. It was the song that won ABAA the Eurovision Song Festival and catapulted them into international attention. Interesting that a song about an epic defeat became their victory. It was definitely not their “Waterloo”. 

We still use this term for all sorts of situations. As in the song, if you have to face your Waterloo, you must face the fact that you are finally and ultimately going to be defeated (ro you will finally give in). This one battle, and one could make the argument that it is because of the song, has entered our collective vocabulary. Many will understand immediately what you mean if you talk about your Waterloo. 

But do people know anything about Waterloo? It is after all a real place. It was a real historical event. As the new film on Napoleon comes out, perhaps the interest for this place will peak once again. But it has been here all the time. 

Waterloo was, at the time of the battle for which anyone remembers the place, a town in the United Kingdom of The Netherlands. It is actually in Belgium - now. Remember, Belgium did not become a recognized country until 1839 and the battle of Waterloo took place in 1815. This was a battle of coalition forces where the armies of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, together with three others clashed with Napoleon until the Prussian forces, who were allied with the others against Napoleon, also arrived and put an end to Napoleon. 

The battlefield was at the crossing of two major roads. It is less than 10 kilometers from Brussels and just outside of the village of Waterloo. Tourism began the day after the battle, it seems. Bodies and remains were found for years afterwards. Today there is a great mound with a statue of a lion at the top and groups stage a re-enactment of the battle regularly. 

The town of Waterloo itself has a population of less than 30,000. It is just south of the language border, lying in the French-speaking area of Wallonia. The name of the town is, however, from the Dutch language and is a combination of “water” and “loo” (which means clearing in a forest). 

In the nearby town of Braine-l’Alleud is the only major disc golf course, where the Belgian Open is played and anyone can meet their own personal Waterloo. I learned disc golf years ago (before the millennium) from good friends in the church in Minnesota and have continued to play whenever I can. I have set up a small course at our Bible camp. But I have yet to visit the course near Waterloo. 

Whensday - King's Day in Belgium

It isn’t really celebrated here, but today, November 15, is King’s Day in Belgium. In the Netherlands King’s Day is celebrated across the country. There are orange flags everywhere and people set up spontaneous street markets to sell all sorts of second-hand goods and self-made food. Of course King’s Day in the Netherlands is at the end of April and often has beautiful weather. 

In Belgium most people may not even know that it is a special day. November 1 was All Saints day and everyone visited the graves of the loved ones who passed away. November 11 was just several days ago when the veterans were honored, mostly by those who have military family and know what it means. The same day is also the beginning of Carnaval for those who celebrate. Sinter Klaas (Saint Nicholas) is on his way to the country, arriving by boat and riding a horse. That happens on December 5 and 6. The children are especially waiting for that moment. So King’s Day in Belgium passes by without a sound. It is not even in the news. 

Mind you, King Philip of Belgium is a pretty quiet king. He takes his job seriously and is never boisterous, as the Dutch king sometimes has been. Many are waiting for the day that his eldest daughter will take the throne as the first queen of the country. Then Elizabeth will be able to celebrate “Queen’s Day”. In The Netherlands it went the other way around. Since the beginning of the 20th century there had only been queens. King Willem-Alexander brought the change from Queen’s Day to King’s Day in 2014. 

Around this day in 1946 the Dutch government was fighting with a fledgling Indonesia which was forming a new independent country. It would take several years before this fighting ended. The consequences of this struggle, with some Indonesians siding with the Dutch and others fighting deadly battles, have continued to this day. The Netherlands has a strong population of Indonesians who were evacuated from Indonesia to The Netherlands when the Dutch finally recognized Indonesia as a country. 

On November 15, 1948 the weather service recorded the warmest day of 17.3 degrees Celsius (63.1 F) in Maastricht. Today the temperature is not expected to rise above 10 degrees Celsius (49 F). 

Across the country

Both Belgium and the Netherlands are small countries. We live on the far East side of Belgium and the church meets in Maastricht, the far South of the Netherlands. It only takes about 3.5 hours to drive across Belgium from East to West. And from South to North in the Netherlands would take perhaps 5 hours. When we were living in Texas, those distances were fairly matter of fact for many people. The same went for our time in California where we even now drive down to San Diego from Long Beach to visit family. 

This small size (if it were a house, it might be described as being “bijou”) means that the congregations in both countries can get together for activities much more simply than in places where the distances stretch out across the plains and mountains. This also means that the congregations work together quite often in various activities. 

Last moth the church in Maastricht organized a Youth Day. In order to make it easier for kids from further away - remember that we are at the ends of the two countries - we held there day in a town more in the center of Belgium. This meant that we were able to welcome many more kids for the day. It is important that our young people can develop friendships with kids from other cities around the country. 

When I have planned a song workshop, helping members of the church learn to sing or learn to lead singing, we also encourage members from various congregations around the country to attend. Twice a year a Family Day is planned for the churches in the two countries as well. In the Spring the churches gather in The Hague - this is mostly the churches in the Netherlands. In the Fall it is held down at camp and serves more of the Belgian churches. 

I remember helping out at a VBS various times when we lived in the US or were traveling during one of our Home Assignments. These were week-long opportunities to reach out to children in the city or direct neighborhood. This week a “VBK” or Vacation Bible Kamp will be held down at camp in the Ardennes. Instead of hosting kids from one city or neighborhood, this is a week for kids from all across the country. In this case only Belgium, since it is a school holiday win Belgium, but not in the Netherlands. This past weekend camp also hosted Fall Camp, which is a weekend at camp for teens which hosts teens from both countries. 

Within the next few weeks the same thing will be happening for different groups. The ladies of Maastricht (including Shirley) will be hosting a Ladies Day in Maastricht, welcoming ladies from around Belgium and the Netherlands for the day. It is thrilling to see how these activities reach out to church family as well as seekers who are interested in the good news of Jesus. 

A week later the church in Ghent is organizing an indoor soccer tournament for the churches. There will be players, young and old, as well as supporters from both countries. They will come to enjoy a day of sport and to see brothers and sisters again. Some players and supporters will just be getting to know the church. We hope to go with a group from Maastricht, both players and supporters. 

It is exciting to see how life in Christ means life in the body of Christ. It is thrilling to be able to take part in activities with brothers and sisters from around the country (two countries even) because we live in such a nice, ‘bijou’ place. Pray for all of these opportunities and thank God for how He makes us a family.  

Whensday: The day the King stepped down

This week is a holiday in Belgium. Friday July 21 is the national holiday - a bit like July 4 in the US, though not completely. There is also a holiday for the Flemish community and one for the French-speaking (Walloon) community. July 21 is the federal holiday. 

Belgium is a complicated situation of political entities and levels of government. What is clear is that on July 21 the banks and such are all closed, as are most stores. Since this day always falls in the summer during one of our Bible camp weeks, the group that is at camp that week has to be sure to have done their shopping before this day comes. 

I remember the day that the king passed away. It was also during a week of camp, so we didn’t get the news until we were going home. He had passed away on July 31, 1993, during our Benjamin camp (for 8-11 year-olds). We had only been in Belgium for 2 years and this was only the third time I was helping with camp. But the death of this king really touched the country. He had been a remarkable king in many ways. 

Modern Belgian kings don’t really have that much power or authority. Not like Leopold II who made Congo his play ground and private zoo in the latter half of the 19th century. Baudouin became king in 1951, married the Spanish countess Fabiola in 1960 and tried his best to rule his country in modern times. It was his reign that made it clear to the government that there needed to be clarity about who was actually in charge - the king or the government. 

All came to a head in 1990 when in April of that year Baudouin made clear that he could not agree with a law that had been passed by the government allowing abortion. Baudouin had always been very clear about his faith and he and his wife were sticklers about morality - even among government ministers. 

The contraceptive pill had been designed in 1961 by a Belgian, Ferdinand Peeters. This was already further than the king would have liked to have gone. But the law now presented was allowing abortion itself. Still the constitution only allows the king to be informed, to warn and to encourage concerning laws. And yet, all laws must be signed into law by the king. 

Baudouin could not in good conscience sign the law allowing abortion when he himself considered abortion immoral and against the will of God. In order for the law to be signed, the king would need to be found “unable to govern”. So for 36 hours, he was technically not king - as the law was passed and signed by the government ministers. 

Many people in the country considered the king’s principled stance very encouraging - even those who might have disagreed with him. And yet, in the period that he was king, even as his faith became stronger, the normal Belgian became more and more unchurched. The government realized that they needed to restrict the power of the king even more, making it more symbolic and simply representative of the country. 

That summer in 1993, the whole country mourned. We found out at the end of our camp week as we went home with the radio on in the car. This year, Belgium will celebrate 10 years of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde on July 21. In the meantime, much has changed around abortion laws and what people think of them. King Baudouin was one of those in power willing to use that power to make his views known. 

Where Oh Where Wednesday: Roads

Having just returned last Wednesday from New York to Belgium I thought it appropriate to mention in this ‘where’ a ‘who’ who makes some of our travels possible. The roads which take us to so many places are everywhere - except in some places - have a link to Belgium.

When we were in Texas, we noticed that the roads and highways are constructed of concrete slabs. And in some other areas we visited in the Midwest, the roads were simply compacted dirt. But in most places, in the US and all over Europe, roads are made of asphalt. 

The Germans are very proud that their highways are extremely well-cared for. They have to take a lot of very fast-driving cars. The Dutch have quite a few kilometers of highway for such a small country, and they are also well-maintained. In Eastern Europe, it used to be that roads were horrible, making a trip of 7 hours into a trip that could take 14 hours because the asphalt was not well-maintained. 

Belgium had one of the first modern highways and has an extreme amount of road for the size of the country. But every Belgian will let you know that there is plenty to complain about when it comes to roads. The asphalt is often pockmarked. Cities are required to place a sign if there is a pothole. But they are not required to fix it. If you see a sign and hit a pothole which damages your car, the insurance will not pay. There was a sign, after all. 

All of this to say that asphalt was first done by a Belgian - Edward de Smedt - in 1870 when he laid a stretch of road in Battery Park and 5th Avenue in New York City. So whether you are driving in Minnesota, Michigan, Maryland, Maine or Malta, whether the road takes you from New York to Connecticut or from The Netherlands to Belgium, it is most likely an asphalt road, originally created by a Belgian (in the US). 

Whatsit Wednesday: Types of ships

It is no surprise that The Netherlands and Belgium have quite a history wrapped up with boats, ships and waters of all kinds. Most The Netherlands is below sea level and its golden age was a time of sea exploration, world discovery and amazing sea battles with the English. Belgium was parts of various sea-going countries before it became its own country in the 19th century. So it, too, shared in these watery exploits. 

But there are some unique styles of boats designed or specifically used in these two countries. The Fluyt (or ‘fluit” which means “flute”) was a Dutch merchant sailing ship in the 16th and 17th century. It was especially useful because it could haul quite a bit of cargo while only requiring a skeleton crew to operate. 

On the Zuiderzee - which was quite shallow - special flat-bottomed boats were designed. They are recognizable by what look like wings on either side. These are used instead of a keel. These boats were fishing vessels as were so many other types of sailing boats in the time. Much of sailing has remained the same throughout the centuries. 

Both the Dutch and the Belgians used canals for transport across the country. Even today these canals are used for bulk transport. A canal runs behind our house between two major canals. The Albert canal brings goods to Antwerp, while the Zuid Willemsvaart brings goods to Rotterdam - two of the busiest harbors in Europe. The Briegden-Neerharen canal (which runs behind our house) connects the two. We regularly watch barges pass by with all sorts of bulk goods. 

Even in our modern day, the Dutch and Belgians remain two of the most important countries when it comes to shipping. Belgium has become one of the premier countries for dredging, with highly technical ships designed to do the job. What is dredging good for? Think of Abu Dhabi or Dubai in the UAE where they have created land from the sea. Or mega harbors in China. This is accomplished with dredging activity often involving Belgian boats. 

Another modern twist has been the need for LNG containers. Liquified Natural Gas is a way of transporting natural gas from where it is mined to where it needs to be used. The Netherlands has a good bit of its own natural gas, but they have decided not to use it. This means that they have to buy gas from places like the US. This gas is then shipped to places like Rotterdam where huge ships become gas terminals. 

And on a funner note, we still can jump on a ferry from Oostende to Dover and enjoy a quick visit to the United Kingdom. A few years back when the boys were still at home, we took a family day-trip to Canterbury using such a ferry. Of course one could also just drive through the ‘Chunnel’, but that’s another story for another time.