Benjamins

We have been doing Bible Camp for quite some years. There are photo albums at camp with a history of who all has attended and helped throughout the years. The kids love finding these and trying to recognize who is in the pictures. I was amazed to see how often we (Shirley and I) have done the Benjamins throughout the years. We have also done the other weeks, but often the Benjamins. 

And my birthday usually falls in the week of the Benjamins, so I get to celebrate with them down at camp. Some years that means a balloon crown or funny hat. Any year it means some kind of cake or brownie and some good singing. This year we also had two campers with birthdays on the following day as well as a counselor at the end of the week. 

The Benjamin’s are the youngest group: 8-11 year-olds. Their week follows the senior camp of 15-20 year-olds. The week following Benjamins is the teens (12-14 year-olds). The last week of camp is Family Camp. One of the kids this past week asked me why they were called Benjamins and I explained that Benjamin was the youngest of the sons of Israel, as they are the youngest group. But young never means that they can’t learn or be a challenge. 

We enjoyed our challenging week and I look forward to teaching two days during Family Camp next week. At Benjamin Camp I was the camp director as well as the teacher and we learned about the gospel of Luke. It was exciting to see some of the campers making links between what we were doing in the day and the lessons we heard or the songs we were singing. 

Luke taught us that we can trust what we have been taught about the good news. He takes the reader through how remarkable Jesus is - from his birth, through his teaching and miracles, to his death and resurrection. There are pieces that we only find in the gospel of Luke. It was exciting to see how many of these moments we talked about were being lived out during the week. We talked about things being “remarkable” for example. That very day, just before class, the kids found a lobster in our creek! 

Luke also showed us how Jesus taught about forgiveness and choosing to follow. Several of the kids struggled with this very thing - how could they forgive one another. Thankfully, they are young and also had the example of the counselors around them. 

We had a great team to help out with the week. A Ukrainian couple brought their youngest to camp to have the experience. She has dealt with some very serious health issues for the past years they have been in the Netherlands, but they prepare city camp weeks in The Hague for Ukrainian refugees every year. I knew that they would be a great help. In addition we had two young people from two different congregations helping as counselors, translators and activity directors. They were amazing with the kids. We also had the help of a young lady from the church in Eindhoven who had already done a week of camp helping in the kitchen and will also be helping with Family Camp. 

Shirley helped out our sister in Christ, Tonia, in the kitchen, making sure that everyone ate well and remained healthy. This week saw a lot of dry weather which also meant some ticks. The Ukrainian girl ended up having 5 ticks removed and also fell one day over a wall. She got the full camp experience. Shirley was often the nurse for the kids, several of whom had medicines to remember throughout the week. 

In a few weeks, after we have had time to recover and get the photo albums ready, we will be putting pictures up. As mentioned, I will still be going to Family Camp in a week. We know that many of you are also busy with your summer camp weeks and continue to pray for all of the kids whose hearts will be touched with the word of God in all of these places. 

Prayer for coming activities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Training

One of the joys and challenges of our work in Belgium and the Netherlands is working with young people and those wanting to learn more. The body of Christ is just that - a body. The church is made up of all sorts of people and God can use us all in many ways. Buut we learn from each other how we can be used to help others. That is part of what we are doing, helping to train and mentor others to become leaders and helpers. 

This past weekend we offered a day of training for those wanting to work with the Bible camp. It was Inspiration for Aspiring leaders, so we called it “Breathe”, knowing that it is the Holy Spirit who prepares us and forms us in our tasks. Last year we held this day at the church building in Antwerpen because that was more central, easier for people to reach. But we have wanted to hold it at camp itself so that the prospective leaders can see in person what they are working with. So this year we met down at camp. We are thankful to be able to do this with good colleagues (Luk Brazle). 

It was great to see the willingness of these few young people to learn and be aware of the responsibility of leading a team for a week of Bible camp. This is a time of reaching young hearts with the truths from God’s word and putting those into practice every day for a week before they return home. It is a time when many young people from the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands see friends from around the country or make new friends. This is all facilitated by good camp leaders. 

We are also helping to mentor some of our couples and singles in Maastricht. We meet on Mondays to study and talk about situations in leadership. On Wednesday afternoons we have a Bible study in English for some of our young people where they can ask questions and get honest answers. It is exciting to see how the members of the congregation are maturing in Christ and stepping up to new challenges in their daily Christian life. 

In April we will also be taking part in a First Aid course for those who work down at the Bible Camp. This is another aspect of learning and teaching. The Red Cross will offer the course and we are thankful for the various people who will attend, including several from the church in Maastricht. We are learning how to use the spiritual muscles God has given us and feeling the challenge of using those abilities and trusting in God’s strength and leading. 

(Here are some more pictures of the training day at camp.)

Challenges and blessings in 2025

Many people send out a year-end letter to catch everyone up on what has happened in the past year. I thought I would take a little space to round up some highlights of this year. It has also reminded me of the various blessings and challenges we have had. 

Singing

Much of our work and fellowship has to do with singing and this year was no different. Every first Friday of the month we get together with members from the church in Maastricht to learn new songs and encourage one another. We also travel to Eindhoven every third Wednesday evening to do the same with that congregation. Although we do not make it every month, we enjoy the months that we do get to share with that church family. 

This year we also traveled to Cologne for a singing day with the congregation there. Throughout the year we recorded songs for the YouTube channel as well. This is a wonderful way for the singers from various congregations to help others throughout the Dutch-speaking churches. You can hear the results on the YouTube channel - which includes the songs that Luk Brazle also records. 

New this year was our working with the congregation in Haarlem which decided to put together new song books and learn to sing better as a congregation. So we have traveled the 2.5 hours there about once a month this Fall. We are looking forward to continuing this relationship in the coming months. 

Studying, young people and Bible camp

We take time every week for approximately 7 Bible studies with various people and groups. Some of the studies are with the congregation, some with those who are growing in faith or learning about faith. Along with the studies have come some planned youth activities, including a youth day again organized by the congregation in Maastricht. It is exciting to see this kind of growth in sharing faith, knowledge and grace. 

As with all of the years we have been working here, we also spent time with Ardennes Bible Camp. This included a special training day for new camp leaders, planning meetings with new possible board members and of course the weeks of Summer camp. This year we directed the oldest youth (15 years and older) as well as helping with the teens during Family camp. 

You can find pictures of camp here or on the camp website (www.bijbelkamp.eu)

Comings and goings

This has also been a year of change. Several of the people whom I have been helping and visiting passed away. Some of these were expected, others quite unexpected. Monthly visits to the prison in Antwerp and to a mental health facility nearby both ended near the end of the year. We also said goodbye to two faithful sisters who we will see again when we get Home. 

We said 'au revoir' to several of our members who moved on to other areas. Our American families have either been stationed back to the US or are almost on their way. This has changed the make-up of the congregation in Maastricht a bit, since we do not need to translate as often or as much. At the same time, we have had some new people move in and we are looking forward to what this will mean for the congregation in the coming year. 

New life

We welcomed three new brothers to the church in Maastricht this year as well. Isaak is young, but understands how important and beautiful life is with Jesus Christ. His 12 years of life are quite different from Jef, who is in his 60’s. But both of them have made the choice not only to give their lives to Christ, but to allow the Holy Spirit to change them as they grow in faith. (Photo is of Jef's baptism in the Spring). Most recently we also welcomed Kristof to the family of Christ. He is a colleague of our brother, Danny. 

We are so thankful for the blessings that God has brought us this year, along with the challenges. Every new day is a good day, bringing new things to learn and new people into our lives. Thank you for being part of this journey and work as well. Your faithfulness, your prayers, your example and help are a blessing to the church here and to God’s kingdom.  

Planning for Camp

This past weekend I was blessed to sit down with about 20 people to evaluate and plan camp. We wanted to see what had gone well this past summer or needed changing and also look forward to the coming year. In 2025 we hade full or almost full camp weeks all summer. Shirley and I were blessed to help run the oldest group this year and I helped with the Family camp week as well. Next year it looks like I will be helping with the youngest group again. 

The exciting thing about Ardennen Bijbel Kamp (ABK) is how much the church members from around Belgium and the Netherlands are invested in it. There is an amazing mix of younger and older people who help each other plan and run the various camp weeks. These are memory-making times for so many young people who then also go on to help others make the same kinds of memories in their lives.  

In 2026 we will have 3 new camp leaders, people who have stepped up to a challenge to help others. It is exciting to see how this happens and to see the courage of those who step up. A young brother with a growing new family will lead the teen group, assisted by another young couple with a new baby. In the Fall a young man will lead his first Fall Camp after having helped this year in various camps. And in the Spring, when we meet to work on camp, a brother has stepped up to be present and help direct the efforts while our usual leader for that week has to be away. 

In the meantime there are all sorts of new teams forming. Bible camp is a place where people can put their talents to use helping others. It is a place to learn how to lead and how to help. It is a place to help young people and families grow in faith in the Lord, learning in practice what God tells us in His word. I am so thankful that we get to be part of this effort and working together with these people. 

Where oh Where Wednesday: Verviers

On the way down to Bible camp in the Ardennes, we pass through the city of Verviers, traveling a bridge which spans the edge of the city and gives a view into the valley in which the city has spread out. Verviers is an old industrial city of Wallonia, the French-speaking area of Belgium, but it is much older than the Industrial Revolution which made it important. 

Although Roman coins have been found in the area of the city, it is known that people lived here even in pre-history. In the 7th century an abbey was Stavelot and the whole area belonged to the bishopric of Liege (which we also drive past on the way to camp). Later the area was known for its industrial activity, especially textiles. This was because the water from the high fens had a low calcium content and was perfect for washing wool. 

With the advent of the Industrial Revolution Verviers became even more important. British industrialist William Cockerill brought machines which turned Verviers, together with Bradford in England, into the “Wool Capitol of the World”. Although the wall has long gone, the water remains and Verviers is also known as the city of water (Spa water and Chaudfontaine are both in the area). 

More recently the area made the news due to the “water bomb” that hit in the summer of 2021. The heavy rain I a very short time flooded the area, wiping some parts of various villages completely away. The damage has still not been completely restored in all areas and people will for a long time remember that summer. We also remember that summer as the floods hit our Bible camp, forcing us to hold our camp weeks in other locations. 

One of the first times I visited Verviers was to visit the church there. This congregation still has a link with Freed-Hardeman University. When I talk about the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) held in Germany every year, it is a program that originally began with the church in Verviers. Every once in a while we get to see members from the congregation at camp activities. When I was a young man in Haarlem, the Netherlands, I biked to camp, passing through Verviers on the long journey (my knees still remember the trip). These days we still regularly pick up kids traveling by train to camp via the train station in Verviers (see the photo). 

Whensday: Three summers

The summer of 1991 was our first summer as a married couple and evangelists in Belgium and the Netherlands. We had arrived in January of that year and only moved into our house in June the following year. But we were already plugged into the church in Antwerp and fully active in serving in any way that we could. That summer I was one of the teachers for Benjamin Camp at Ardennen Bible Camp. That includes the 8-11 year olds. 

I remember working out lessons and activities (for the first time in Dutch) and trying to make sense of the Dutch language. You see there are lots of dialects in Dutch and Flemish. And young kids usually speak their own dialect. This meant quite the challenge for me since I only spoke Dutch with a Dutch accent (the northern part of the Netherlands where I learned the language). 

In the summer of 2001 I experienced several different things. We had accepted apprentices from York College in 2000, so I was working with them in the summer. These were challenging and very rewarding experiences. It is nice to see how God continues to touch these two lives. 

But I had also taken steps in that year to gain Belgian citizenship. This was because our visa was going to be denied after 10 years. Rules were being changed and it became possible for me to become a Belgian citizen without giving up my US citizenship. I got the news in August that my citizenship had been granted, a short time before important events in September which made it hard for some to understand why I would want a different citizenship. But this way I was now able - like the apostle Paul - to use my citizenship for the kingdom of God. 

In the summer of 2021 we were scrambling to figure out how to continue holding Bible Camp after flooding had devastated the area where our camp is located. We had already dealt with a year organizing camp under corona rules and were thankful that it had been possible. But now our camp had been struck by the flooding. The first two weeks of camp even had to be held at different locations. But they turned out being amazing weeks. That year we not only led the Benjamin Camp at a different location, but also led the Teen Camp week as the first group back at our camp location. 

Our summers are always exciting and challenging, blessed by people and activities that God puts in our lives. 

You can find pictures of the camps in 2021 here: Benjamin Camp and Teen Camp. (The picture is of Benjamin Camp in 2021)

Camp conversations and challenges

We are in the middle of Bible camp season. Shirley and I started at Jongerenkamp (the 15-20 year-olds) and took the following week to recover at home. In that week the Benjamins (8-11 year-olds) were down at camp, enjoying a lot more rain that we had had. This week the teens (12-14 year-olds) are down at camp and next week the Families will arrive. IN that week I will go down each day and help with the teen lessons. We enjoy the various weeks that we get to help with these times of growth. 

Each week is different and unique every year. This year was the first time since before corona time that Shirley and I did the older young people. We had 24 campers and it was an amazing week. The questions that come from this group are very different than those which come from a Benjamin. And the conversations during the day are much deeper (and last much longer. It is always exciting to see how everyone at any of these camp weeks has multiple amazing opportunities to grow spiritually. 

During our week there were lots of conversations going on about the week’s theme (our identity in Christ) as well as challenges in daily life. We had all sorts of singing time with this group that loved singing and wanted to learn more. And our counselors - who were barely older than the campers themselves - could easily get a group together for an activity. The group mixed well and the young people even ran out for a game of soccer in the rain. 

We were thankful to have good friends from the past working with us that week as well. Rudy and Pam Schellekens joined us from Muscatine, Iowa after already having done good work at Midwest Bible Camp. Rudy taught the lessons and Pam helped in the kitchen. The kitchen team was a bundle of laughing, giggling girls at times and an efficient team for the group of hungry teens sat at every meal. Rudy sat patiently and fielded questions about the lessons and life all through the week, discussing patiently Greek words and their meanings as well as implications for our daily lives. 

Next week I look forward to dropping down to camp to help out and experience the group during Family Camp. We are blessed to live fairly close (an hour’s drive) and I can just drive down for the lessons and a bit of the afternoon. I will help out with the teens during the second lesson as we look at the Minor Prophets. I am also looking forward to the conversations I will be able to have with people I only see during this week of the year. 

In the meantime we are praying for the young people that were at our camp week, the young ones who attended the week after and for the teens experiencing camp this week. We are especially praying for the counselors - several of whom were campers at our week and counselors at the Benjamin week as well. Thank you for your prayers for these moments and for so many of you who also take part in camps and activities in your area. 

Whensday: Flood of summer 2021

Eline woke up early. She was staying down at camp with her family - mom and dad and brother, as well as grandma and cousins. It was a fun week to be together in a very nice place - Bible camp. This morning she was hoping it would be a bit better weather since it had been raining. Especially last night. As she looked out the window she was surprised at how high the creek was that ran next to camp, so she went and woke Grandma to show her. In a very short time - 15 minutes or so - they whole group had gathered as many belongings as they could, loaded the car and driven away from camp. The creek had become a flood. 

That day in 2021 the weather people called it a water bomb. It had rained enormously in a very short period that night. Later, studies would show that some poor decisions had been made as far as opening gates or closing gates. These decisions contributed to some of the extreme damage caused in the various valleys that were flooded by this water bomb. 

At our Bible camp the bubbling brook that runs through cam became a streaming river and swept away all sorts of things. There was a wooden building behind our dormitory which was swept into the dormitory and torn to pieces as it was swept along. All of the tools and metal lockers full of things we use for camp were swept away. Thankfully the lawn mower was off for repairs. 

The tiles that had recently been placed on our terrace , a place to sit outside to eat or study, were rolled up and pushed off into the adjoining field, along with the picnic tables (heavy wooden tables). It looked like a frozen wave of cement tiles. Glass from broken windows accompanied stones thrown up from the creek bed and covered the field. It would be a year before we were able with several cleaning crews to clear up the field well enough to be played in without danger of being cut by glass or sharp stone. 

That summer of 2021 the youth Bible camp weeks had to adjust. The first planned week was only a week after the flood and had to find somewhere else to hold the week. The Benjamins also had to seek other accommodation until the camp could be cleaned up. But by August several crews had been to clean up well enough that the Teen camp could be held back at our normal Bible camp grounds. The kitchen and bathrooms had been flooded, but had been cleaned and disinfected. 

The summer of 2021 was to be a summer that would be different for Bible camp. The summer of 2020 had been a special year because of covid rules. This year was to have been more “back-to-normal”. The flood made it a memorable summer for everyone. In the villages and cities around camp there were people who lost their houses and lives. Some have, even now, not yet been able to recover from the loss. We are thankful for all the people around us that made this bad situation into a strong memory.

(Picture is after the flood and after some of the cleanup - the flood took all the tiles away and the cleanup crews came later and stacked them).

Blessing in Bible Camp

One of the most important moments in my spiritual life was when I went to Bible Camp. For me that was a Carter camp, run by Jack, Dave and Ron Carter in Colorado. It is still being run today (run by Bret Carter and Julie Oehlert) and is called Kamp Koinonia. These camps bring all sorts of memories and touch lives in so many different ways. 

As scenes of the Texas flooding filled my news feed, I thought of our Bible camp a few years back and the flooding here (more on that later this week). But I also thought of all of the ways that these camps have taught and are teaching young people and parents about the grace and glory of God. God is here always and we will all experience amazing wonderful times, and difficult challenging times. But He is there to guide us through. That is what I remember learning at Bible camp. 

When I first attended, I was not a Christian. I was a believer in God, but my life did not belong to Jesus Christ. And my life at times seemed to be falling apart. My parents were divorcing, my relationships within my family were strained and I didn’t know what was going to happen. It was camp that was part of what taught me that God is everywhere, all the time. 

Camps like these teach us that Christians know what fun us. As a matter of fact, Christians know best how to have fun. When we love one another and are in tune with God and His will for us and our hearts and bodies, we can really have fun and experience really joy. That is one of the things I learned when going to camp and one of the things I try to pass on in 0our Bible camp weeks here. 

This weekend Shirley and I will be down at Ardennen Bijbelkamp leading Jongerenkamp. This is the 15-20 year-old week and our week is almost full (21 campers). We will be looking at our identity in Christ and will be enjoying getting to know these young people. We pray that we will be a good example to them as so many were for us in the past. 

We have been praying for Kamp Koinonia, Midwest Bible Camp, WCYC, Flaming Pine, King’s Kamp and many more that we have experienced in the past and know are taking place in the coming weeks. We would appreciate your prayers for us and the kids in the 4 weeks of our camp, starting this Saturday and running through August 16. I will not be posting next week (although I may post the Where oh Where Wednesday early), but you will know where we are. 

(You can find pictures of all the years we have been doing camp on our picture site)

Training to be a leader

One of the great things of our Bible camp (Ardennen Bijbelkamp or ABK) is that it is for and from everyone in the various churches in the Netherlands and Belgium. From the beginning this was a place to help church members grow, to grow contacts among church members, and to learn new skills - all in the wonderful beauty of the Ardennes. I know that I have learned and grown so much through the years because of the things organized at camp. 

One of the things that we want to make possible is that those who want to become a camp leader have the training necessary to do that. And those who don’t know that they can become camp leaders, actually can. We have done this in the past by inviting people to be an assistant camp leader and training them “on the job”. Those who have served as counselors have also grown into camp leaders. And we continue to use this way of training, because it is very hands-on and personal. 

In addition to this we have dreamed for some years of developing a training to help teach some of the things we have all learned through the years. This could be a weekend, a week or simply a day. It is always hard to find slots in schedules for people from across the country, so we settled this year, for the first time, on a day. This was a training session, as we called it: Inspiration for Aspiring leaders. We want those learning to lead to know that although it is scary to take this kind of responsibility, we are not alone. We are busy working with God and in His might. So His Spirit can lead us in these efforts. That is why I called it “Breathe”. 

I planned this together with pour colleague from Ghent, Luk Brazle, and with Shirley. We had a compact group of 5 others who in some ways had already helped at camp, either as counselors, assistant leaders or teachers, but wanted to learn more about being a camp leader. Our camp weeks take on the character of the camp leader who is leading them. There are some things which are always the same (like the age group of the campers, dates and some of the themes, but there is a lot that comes down to the style of the camp leader. 

The training day was a mixture of information that is necessary for a camp leader to run a week of camp as well as practical information and training on how to deal with certain situations that experience has taught us will always show up. “What is leadership?:” was the most important question and we looked at Jesus for our example and answer. 

We are so thankful to be able to be part of this effort. It is so good to see how camp has touched so many lives throughout the years and that it is still a place where members can learn to lead and serve. It continues to be a wonderful place and time where campers get to know who Jesus is, what God does and is doing, and how life in God looks like and works in everyday life. 

This summer Shirley and I will be working with a team leading the oldest age: Youth Camp (15-20 year-olds). We are thankful for the team we have been able to gather to help with sharing the beauty of this life in Christ. 

What experiences have you had with Bible Camp? Did you go to camp when you were young. Have you helped in the past? Are you a helper still? How else are you letting God change you and grow you in His grace and love? 

(In the picture - How do you work with a team to complete a task?)

Planning ahead for Camp

Every January we are required to hold a meeting of the commission that runs Ardennen Bijbelkamp - our Bible Camp. Our club is officially known as “Shield bearers of the Faith”, but in short we always use “ABK” which is an abbreviation of Ardennes Bible Camp. This official meeting is necessary to do all of our official stuff, but we also use it as a time to encourage one another. 

This year we are looking ahead to some bigger changes. As always we encourage everyone in the church in Belgium and The Netherlands to remember that camp belongs to all of us. Until recently, everything that was done at camp was done by members. Even the renovation in 2012 was financed by gifts from the various churches. So we want to continue encouraging one another to take part in this mission and opportunity. 

In 2024 we expanded the number of camp events held at the camp and made some of the camp moments formally a part of camp. We have 4 weeks in the summer (3 youth weeks and a family week) and two weekends - one in the Fall and one Winter camp. But we have added two weeks of VBK (Vacation Bible Camp) and a week for young adults. It is exciting to see how camp can be used. 

Some quick stats on 2024: camp was used 30 times with 463 campers and 1372 overnights. There were 39 volunteers helping with the various activities. Although the number of campers and times camp was used ar not records, everything has been steadily increasing throughout the years (even the years of corona rules). 

One of the challenges continues to be how we can encourage use of camp while keeping it accessible for all those who want to come and still cover the costs for running camp. Last year, with high energy costs, we were quite a bit behind covering costs. This year we have gotten closer after raising our prices (which had not been raised in more than 10 years). In the coming year we will continue to see how we can best serve the churches and Christians in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

One of the biggest bits of news this year concerned our plans for further renovation. We plan to tear down and rebuild anew the kitchen and bathroom section, bringing everything up to modern standards. This section of camp was the first section to be an actual building. Since ABK started in 1965 - his building has been serving quite some time. 

But the city had at first blocked our plans. They do not want tourism growing any bigger than it already is and feared that we might be growing too large. After first finding a good translator from the church in Verviers who could help with the meeting being held in French, we were able to explain things and move forward with our plans. It may be this year that we finally get to get going on this renovation (which has been in the planning for 3 years). But we may wait until 2026. We would love your prayers for these plans. 

Camp remains an amazing way to help our young people, reach out to families, train members of the church, and offer opportunities to encourage one another and serve. Many of you have helped in various ways throughout the years with this wonderful place. Thank you for your prayers, your financial and physical help and your participation in so many ways. 

You can always find lots of pictures of previous years at our site. 

And you can see even more at the camp website (in Dutch, but you can figure it out): www.bijbelkamp.eu

Bible camp birthdays

Since Saturday last we have been down at camp. This was actually posted early, along with the Wednesday post, because I knew that we would not be able to post normally. This time of year is always busy with Bible camp - and it is often the time that I get to celebrate my birthday. 

I remember as a kid that I was alternately happy and sad that my birthday was not during the school year, but instead during the summer vacation. That meant that no one from school really knew that it was my birthday. It also meant that I didn’t get to celebrate it in any way with school mates. But on the other hand, I didn’t have to celebrate it with anyone I didn’t really want to. So that was a blessing. 

Here in Belgium (and in the Netherlands as well) birthdays are times for the birthday boy or girl to invite people over and serve them. One should usually stay at home because people will be calling to wish one a Happy Birthday. This who come over (and they are often expected to simply come over) are to be welcomed and served coffee and tea along with cake - by the birthday boy or girl. When you are young you bring small treats for the whole class if your birthday is during the school year. 

I have seldom had to do any of this. That is because I am usually down at Bible camp on my birthday. The Benjamin week is usually the 4th week of July, which would include my birthday. Although I do not always direct the Benjamin week (or teach), I have done for quite some years. In fact, the first summer we arrived I taught the Benjamins. 

This year Benjamin Camp starts on Saturday, July 27. So I will have welcomed the campers with a small treat and they will probably have sung for me. There will be others during the week who also celebrate their birthday. The beauty of such a day is that you are with good friends in a beautiful place celebrating a life with and in God’s love. 

In the congregation in Maastricht we pray and sing for those who have celebrated a birthday the week before the Sunday. Of course I will miss “my” Sunday since we will be at camp. But I expect I will still be “put in the circle” the Sunday after we get back from camp. It is good to know that we are part of family in so many places. And it is exciting to know that God is willing to have used us and still uses us in so many ways wherever we are. 

The photo is of my birthday in 2012. I am the crazy guy with the crown. You can see more photo’s of that week by clicking on the photo)

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.

Getting ready for the summer

As we return from a wonderful visit getting to know our granddaughter, we are turning our sights to the various activities planned for the summer. Mostly this means our summer Bible camp weeks. I will be directing the Benjamin week (8-11 year-olds) and will be teaching at the Family Camp week. 

We are excited to be working with a team for Benjamin camp that is mostly made up of members from Maastricht. We will welcome our young Ukrainian couple as counselors for the first tie. Our colleague, Karla will be teaching, together with a sister from the church in Eindhoven. They make a great team and have worked together before. We will have Karla’s daughters in the kitchen together with a sister from Maastricht who will help out. Shirley will be there as acting nurse and help as well. 

We have a full group of young kids coming for this week which will focus on the miracles of Jesus. We had to close registration for the boys because we were full. The girls side is also almost full. This means, for our camp, that we have 25 campers, but doesn’t not count a few more that we are getting who will be staying in tents for a few days. These kids will come from all around Belgium and the Netherlands. 

It is exciting to be able to take part in these camp weeks. One of the things that I do with camp director is give church members a chance to learn and grow as helpers and servers. Getting a good team together is always a challenge, but the week ends up being a wonderful time to grow together. It is also so exciting to see the campers discover God in new ways and have examples of people who know God and follow Him in our daily lives. 

For a lot of these children, camp is a time to see friends that they may not see at any other time in the year. It is also a time that they will be challenged to do things they might not do at home. So they will try new foods, clean up in the kitchen, make their own beds, keep the bathrooms clean, and learn how to work together with other kids. They will also be challenged by the lesson material about who God is and what He truly means in our lives. 

There will be 4 weeks of camp this summer. The older teens (15 years old and up) begin in the 3rd week of July, followed by the Benjamins. The Teens (12-14 year-olds) start in August followed by the family week. Keep each of these weeks in your prayers - the camp teams and the campers attending. 

We know that there are camp weeks all over taking place as well and have been praying for them. Our Ukrainian couple who will be counselors have returned from Cam Amerikraine (held in Poland this year). We know of groups meeting in Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. What a blessing these times can be. We pray that God uses each of these moments mightily to touch hearts for faith in Him.