Whodunit Wednesday: Joost Klein’s “Europapa”

Today is a holiday in Belgium, but not in the Netherlands. In Belgium `9and Germany) they celebrate May 1 as “Labor Day”. This is for these countries a day to celebrate workers and to enjoy the Spring weather, if it has come. The Netherlands doesn’t have this tradition, so in our area, the roads going into Maastricht are full of Belgian and German cars looking to shop (since the stores in Belgium and Germany are closed). Europe may have no internal borders, but various differences remain.

Around this same time (middel of May) the Eurovisie Songfestival shows up on tv and in the news. Most people can remember how ABBA became a household name and a mega group after winning this competition with the song “Waterloo” back in the 1970’s. It became so popular and the Europe ended up having so many more countries that the competition had to be split up and not every country gets to partake every year. 

This year the Dutch contribution is considered a real contender to win. Joost Klein sings in many languages about “Europapa”. That he sings in various languages is already unique. In some of the beginning years countries were required to present their song in their native language (otherwise there were too many languages in English). This rule was finally completely abolished in 1999. So now any country causing in whatever language they wish. Klein’s song is unique in that it uses many of the various languages of Europe, while poking fun at them as well. 

While many will hear the conglomeration of languages and images as a reference to Europe, the song is also about Klein’s father. So “Europapa” refers to his European “papa” or father. Klein lost his parents when he was young. If Klein wins with his song, the Netherlands will be the hosting country for the contest next year. This year the contest is being held in Sweden who has won the contest 7 times, as has Ireland. The winner from last year is the only female singer to have won twice (she also won in 2012). 

The contest has always been s how of extremes, including the costumes that are worn. Joost Klein will perform in a blue suit (the flag of Europe is blue with yellow stars) and will be flanked by two men - one dressed as a blue bird, the other as a yellow bird. 

Where oh Where Wednesday: Visits

We are extremely blessed to be able to visit all sorts of places because of where we live and work. Many Europeans would love to visit all the places we see in the US on our Home Assignment. Many Americans would love to be able to see the places we see as a matter of course in our work here in Europe. And we are very thankful for the opportunities we have had to travel, but also to meet Christian family in so many places. 

We are only 4 hours from Paris, France, so have visited there a few times - just to visit. We also were able to take day trips (or a day and overnight) to Rheims. But we have also been as far as Marseille a few times to take a group down to “Christians on Mission” - a week of missions with the church in Marseille. And we visited the church in Lille, singing there with Listen Up! in those days.

In Germany we regularly spent time at a castle youth hostel in Bacharach for German youth retreats where we sang with Listen Up!. Cologne is only an hour away, so we have visited the church on singing days, but have also shopped at the Music Store with the boys when they were younger and growing their interest in music. We have also visited the church in Hannover and Hildesheim, gone on the Euro-American retreat in Rothenburg and visiting Scott’s memories from his youth in Berlin. 

We regularly visited Switzerland as well, taking groups of kids from Dutch and Belgian congregations to the soccer tournaments organized by the church in Schaffhausen. At other times we traveled to Zurich, Thun, Bern, Lucerne and Schaffhausen with Listen Up! on a singing tour. At least twice, Scott went with a group led by Doyle Kee on a hike in the Swiss alps. 

Another trip with Listen Up! took us to Graz and Vienna in Austria where we sang with and for the churches there. This same trip took us to Zagreb and Varazdin in Croatia. 

We have visited the church in Prague as well as taken a midweek trip there when we could get free. Other midweek trips took us to Budapest, Hungary; Rome, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. We have visited brothers in England and toured the British museum. When you can fly around Europe for 20 euro a person, it makes a short trip (the flight is often less than 2 hours) quite easy. 

Back near home, we have visited various places in Belgium and the Netherlands regularly - with the church and simply on a day trip together. Antwerp, Brussels, Brughe and Ghent are all cities we have visited with youth weekends and evangelistic campaigns as well as tourist trips. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Haarlem have also been places where we go as a matter of working with the youth and the church in the Netherlands. 

We are always thankful for the opportunities to travel places with the church and to be able to see and meet with the church in all of these places. God’s family is everywhere, it feels like. We are not alone. And we are not working alone. I regularly remember the verse in 1 Peter which reminds us of this and how good it is to be working together in the family of God. 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.  1 Peter 5:6-9

You can find some pictures from our travels here. 

Where oh where Wednesday - Aachen

Just down the road and across the border is Germany. That is what we have always loved about where we live and work - we are right where three different countries and languages converge. From the beginning of our time here we have also had good connections and communion with the church in these countries, areas and languages. 

If you ask today where the Euro currency started most will know that it was in Maastricht. That is where the treaty was signed. But hundreds of years before the European Union was begun, a sort of European Union was already taking shape not far from Maastricht. Aachen was the seat of Charlemagne. You may know it as Aix-la-Chapelle. In Dutch we know Charlemagne as “Charles the Great”. 

Charlemagne, Emperor of the Frankish Empire and the first Holy Roman Emperor wanted to make sure that his entire empire and the areas around it could work well together. The Holy Roman Empire crowned their kings in Aix-la-Chapelle (or Aachen). But it is originally a Roman settlement, just like Maastricht. It is a spa town, with a bath complex just like the town of Spa not far away in the Belgian Ardennes. 

When Charlemagne reigned (between 768-814) he made Aachen the political center of his empire. He succeeded in uniting Western and Central Europe. His was called the Carolingian Empire (after his name - Charles, or Karl). He changed the currency, making it standardized throughout the empire. 

He also had a great admiration for learning and education. He loved books and became a protector and patron of the making of manuscripts. He created a royal library and encouraged the teaching and translating of Christian texts into local languages. Because of his focus on books, learning and manuscripts, private libraries flourished at this time. 

Today we can travel to Aachen in 30 minutes and enjoy the special cookies there or asparagus while walking the medieval town, shopping the modern streets or taking in the royal bones of Charlemagne himself in the cathedral. 

When we first arrived to work in Maastricht, the church was meeting in Aachen. Until 2019 the congregation in Maastricht, the congregation in Cologne and members of the church in Aachen had gathered for a singing day in September. We may be able to finally get together again this year - either in Maastricht, Cologne, Aachen or Eindhoven. 

Where, Oh Where Wednesday - A city unto itself

Brussels is like any other larger city. Brussels is like no other city. Crazy traffic circles remind you of Paris. Multicultural streets and shops make you feel as if you are in any of many European cities. The architecture is at once thrilling to discover in certain areas as it is boring and typical in other neighborhoods. And yet, Brussels is something few cities are. 

Most would say that the city houses about 1 million people, but this is probably being generous. IN that sense, Brussels is quite small. Some inhabitants of major cities would call it a village, using a derisive tone. And yet it is here that much of Europe calls home. The headquarters of NATO are here. The European Union has its offices and buildings here. Brussels is, truly, the capitol of Europe. 

But of course, Brussels is also the capitol of Belgium. In essence the city is to be a coming together of two peoples, forcing the country to be a whole. The Flemish-speaking Flemings in the north of the country and the French-speaking Walloon in the south meet up in Brussels. In theory, one should be able to speak both languages in the capitol freely, find influences from both cultures abundantly. 

In practice, Brussels is as it has been of old - a French-speaking Paris wanna-be with most of the disadvantages of big-city life and a few of the benefits. This doesn’t mean that it is not visiting in any sense. There is plenty for tourists to see. The king and queen even live here. Brussels is, after all, the hub of Belgium and Europe together. The 7(!) layers of government that are Belgium are joined here in this cacophony of color, culture and sound. Brussels is a separate entity in the country (next to the areas of Flanders and Wallonia). It demands its place of honor - or attention - at all levels.

And this city has left its mark in our lives as well. This is where we regularly would travel for the American consulate. Here is where our youngest son, Sean, studied and graduated from university. We have in the past spent one Sunday a month singing with the congregation. The city has welcomed youth from the churches all over Belgium and the Netherlands for church activities. And it is a nice place to go out for a meal or enjoy a day as a tourist with friends who visit.