New life for Farley!

Farley has been visiting our services, participating in the weekly Bible studies and asking plenty of questions for a while. He and our sister in Christ, Shadira, are planning to wed next month. He has a lot on his mind and likes to make his life decisions certain. And he had a lot of questions about a life in Christ. But there are some things you just need to do.

We had talked about how giving your life to Christ is so much like a marriage. If you love the other, you want to belong completely to them. Jesus has already shown us that He has given everything so that we can be with him. Farley was already to the point that he knew he wanted to belong completely to Shadira, to give his life to become one with her. So when we talked about life in Christ in these terms, he understood that it was about the love he had for Jesus and making the decision - yes or no.

He had talked about being baptized in the sea. Both he and Shadira are from Curaçao. The ocean is part of their life - even if much of their lives have been in the rainy, hills of the Netherlands. But we also wanted to be able to share his birth with the brothers and sisters of Maastricht. So when someone said, "Why not this afternoon at the barbecue? We'll all be there," his response was, "Yeah, why not? Let's do it!"

A spatter of rain couldn't ruin the fellowship at the barbecue and definitely couldn't dampen Farley's spirits in giving his life to "my Lord and redeemer!" A swimming pool, some water and, most importantly, a family of believers and the blood of Jesus made for a wonderful afternoon of praising God for new life! Welcome Farley!

Welcome!

Welcome our new brother, Rob Kok, to the family of God. Rob is the identical twin brother of our Peter Kok. For years he has been considering his life with God and wondering what he wants to do. He grew up in a strict Dutch Reformed home, but both he and his brother rebelled against this faith, although both have said they never felt they completely left God.

Peter has been part of our family here in Maastricht and in those years Rob’s life continued in the north of the country, closer to the place he grew up. But the brothers have never really been far apart, and it is certainly due to Peter’s life and stuggles, questions and discussion with his brother that Rob thought more and more about giving his life to Jesus. So when he came by recently, while visiting Peter (who lives in our street), it was to talk about if it was possible to be baptized.

It was during the Christmas break. Stephan had gone down to Peter’s house to say hello and Rob was visiting. Rob talked with Stephan about it who suggested that Rob should “just go talk to my dad.” So he did. And this last weekend Rob drove all the way down to us here (about a 3 hour drive) so that he could share his new birth with us and with his brother.

It has always thrilled me to see how the Holy Spirit works in people’s lives. Rob has had many people influence him in this choice to live now totally for Jesus. His brother, the memory of things his father said and did, talks with us during visits, and even Stephan on a simple visit. The Good Shepherd is always out doing all he can to find the lost sheep and get them home. I am so glad that I can be part of that.

Rob’s new life has begun, and it is just a beginning. He lives with a loving wife and has two wonderful sons, but they do not share his faith – are even against it. But I know, and he has experienced, that the Holy Spirit continues to work through people all around us. Thank you Father, for your grace and might, for your love for Rob!

Dig a little deeper

This whole year we as a congregation in Maastricht have been looking at how we are being made into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). As we have talked about trusting in God, discovering His will and putting that into practice in our lives with the help and strength of the Holy Spirit, we have also come up against plenty of questions. We all come from some kind of background. And here in Maastricht we are quite a mixture (cultures, countries and religious backgrounds). So it has been exciting to see the desire to get together more often and start digging together. 

Of course we want to read the Bible. We know that God is speaking to us through His word. But we want more. We want to understand. We want to understand as much as He wants to make clear to us. So we are taking time every other week to come with our questions, learning to use a concordance and look at passages with contextual questions, digging and letting God's word make its way into our hearts and minds. It's great to see us all getting dirt under our fingernails together, helping one another to know God better in this way, too. 

January-July 2009

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium nd the Netherlands

January - July 2009

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:1-3

Dear all,

Amazing days and wonderful things have been happening! Most important is the birth of our brother Wim in April. He and Anita will wed in August.

Youth weekends and touching hearts

We try to plan a youth weekend at least  every 6 weeks. A weekend in January in Haarlem, another in The Hague in April, and two soccer tournaments in May meant wonderful times to encourage and challenge our young people. 

The soccer tournament in May was the first organized in the Benelux, fashioned after the tournament we have come to know in Switzerland. It was great to see teams from all over the Netherlands and Belgium get together to compete and encourage one another - and Maastricht won the trophy for amateurs!

In addition to these opportunities, we were also challenging and touching hearts among the Catholic youth in the village. We spent time examining if Jesus’ death and resurrection were real or not. It was especially exciting to see how we were able to integrate this group with our campaign group that came in May.

Campaign fellowship

In May we welcomed a part of the “Good News Singers” from Harding UNiversity for a campaign in Maastricht. They offered a Black Gospel workshop, teaching people new songs, if the people were willing to sing those songs at a local nursing home. We had three different opportnities, including one with the young people from our village. The reactions from those parents speaks volumes. “What have you done to my daughter? She doesn’t stop singing!” One of these parents also has started reading her Bible seriously. 

From the adult groups we had several people who were not only interested in the workshop, but also in who we were and our faith. K. has visited us twice and hopes to come more often. A. was a bit wary, but has come to our first Wednesday singing and is more open to talking now. J. wanted to know more for herself and her daughter. They both attended the Song Seminar from Listen Up! and plan to visit us more in the future. Keep these hearts in your prayers. 

Our campaign group ended their time with the yearly Spring gathering, this year organized by Maastricht. We chose as our topic to talk about how to talk with one another when there are differences of opinion or teaching in the church. It was a challenging day full of good discussions and good fellowship. 

Far away and close to home

The end of June took a group of our young people to Marseille, France for an intense week of sharing faith (in French!). I was so proud of our young people and their desire and ability to move out of their comfort zone to help others. It was also exciting that LJ, with whom we study and discuss all things biblical, decided to go along! Keep her growth and questioning in your prayers. 

Back in the Netherlands Listen Up! welcomed an group of more than 100 people from across Europe to learn more about and practice a cappella singing. This 15 year birthday celebration-turned-workshop was a great chance to encourage people to sing, write songs and spread the gospel through song. 

Camp and what’s coming

Before the summer ever arrived we took the opportunity to help fix camp up. There was a work camp and a “dig camp” where we laid a drainage pipe. Wonderful work together! 

The summer camp season included Teen Camp for us, where Scott taight about Paul’s missionary journeys and how we can go “to the ends of the world.” The following week, he and several other brothers taught about the Christian Family during Family Camp. Now we are slowing down and planning for the coming year - looking forward to what God will bring!

PRAYER WARRIORS

Please keep the following in your prayers.

Praise God and continue to pray for our new brother Wim and for Valéri! 

Pray for our contact with K., LJ., A., R., J & J., C&T., RW., N.,  and M.

Pray for our studies in the coming months with several of these contacts.

Praise God for our young people who have encouraged one another and have been an example in faith for so many in many places.

Praise God for His work in the  campaign, youth weekend and camp weeks this year so far and for the coming months.

Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

And life goes on ... this past half year has often been in the theme of change. With Stephan off at Harding, things were quite different here. We noticed that especially at “normal day” moments. Shirley would get dinner ready and set the table - for four. And there would always be too much food. Sean would get home from school - to find a much quieter house and no one to talk to (except parents, of course). Scott would walk in to Stephan’s room in the morning to wake him up - and find Sean, in Sean’s room. Things change. 

So it has been a thrill to have Stephan back with us since May when he arrived at the same time as the campaign group. We only just brought him back to the airport back to Harding last week, after a wonderful three months. It was great to hear him and Sean with their infectious laughter again. To hear them playing guitar together or telling stories to one another. To count on his strength when Scott needs to lift something (which was quite often) or his spiritual strength during youth activities. 

It was especially nice to have both boys here while all of the renovation works were going on in the house. As some of you have been able to follow, since the end of February we have been in the middle of fixing up our house. The back section of the house (with 3 rooms, the bathroom and the toilet) have made way for a smaller, but better and healthier section for the kitchen/dining room. But we are not yet done. The kitchen still has to be placed, the electricity finished and connected, and the outside taken care of. Plenty to do in the coming months. And to think that we thought this would be done in a few months back in October!

It has been very nice, however to have the new section when it is wonderful weather - as we have had several times this summer. It has helped make new memories with the family. Sitting in the peace of the backyard eating lunch or dinner together outside, chilling in the chair playing guitar while a cool breeze plays around the house, enjoying the morning sun before getting going for the day ... the addition has been worth most of the trouble. 

And now the year continues. Stephan and Sean both finished their school year last year and are ready to begin another year. Stephan as a sophomore at Harding University, Sean as a junior in high school. Stephan is looking forward to playing rugby (oh no!) and singing in the chorus. Sean is gearing up for a gig with his band and realizing that he will need to work hard at school this year. And we are taking advantage of every moment we have together as a family. We are so thankful for this family God has given us. 

EXTRAS

Did You Know?

Trash

What do you do with your trash? Well, it actually depends on what kind of trash it is. If it is glass, you put it aside in separate containers, which you later bring to a large central container in the neighborhood - the “glasbak”. Once a week this glass is collected by the city and recycled. 

If it is food scraps, you put it in a green bucket which is also picked up once a week. This bucket might be big (if you have a house) or small (if you live in an apartment). Both stink quite a bit when it is warm weather. 

If it is certain kinds of packaging, you separate it and put it in plastic sacks which get picked up once a week and recycled. Otherwise, you simply throw it away. What do YOU do with your trash?

THANKS!

For your contact - email, fb, calls, cards and letters!

For your prayers for our work! New life is exciting!

For your faithfulness in living for God in your life

What’s coming up?

SEPTEMBER

Youth weekend

Camp meeting

OCTOBER

Fall Camp

Studies

Fall Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

October, November and December 2008

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
The Fall season is usually a fairly busy time of different activities - with youth, weekly studies, holiday visits and family times.

New life!
Our most important news is the birth of our new sister, Valéri. It has been exciting to see her growing towards this moment in her faith. Let me give you a quick summary of this journey.
Valéri is Isha’s best friend at school (Isha is our colleague, Ruud and Karla’s second daughter). These two have been encouraging each other throughout the year - beginning especially from the time this past summer in Marseille.
Isha was baptized on a Sunday evening at home because she knew that she didn’t want to wait. Valéri, in the meantime, had been told by her parents that she would have to wait until she was 18 (next year summer). We have always been very encouraged that her parents are concerned with what is happening with their daughter. We would be no different with our children! 
Partly because Valéri was obedient, wanting to help her parent’s understand, her mother asked her in December when she would like to be baptised. “Now!” was the answer. Her mother agreed that after exams would be possible. This was a big step for the family.
But it has been the courage and faith that these two young people have continued to show to the church and those around them that has been such an encouragement to us all.
Church life
As we moved through the normal months of activities it has been good to see the desire for life in the members here. Danny - a young postman - comes to all the mid-week Bible studies, even though he has to get up quite early the next morning. He not only wants to learn, he wants to encourgae. Willemien, who has so very little in her life, is more than willing to press an amount into my hand to pass on to the people in Myanmar who are suffering. There has been a desire in all the members to see how God is changing them, making them able to do mighty deeds that He wants done. And these are being accomplished in their everyday lives.
How “great” is it that someone is able to bite their tongue and say something nice instead? For that person, who has struggled for so long to change - it is amazing! How “wonderful” is it that someone is present regularly at church activities? For someone who has struggled to order their life - this is a victory! I am in a privileged situation to see some of these victories and I praise God for His might and faithfulness.
Everyday life
We are thankful for the tasks that we are able to continue - because of the spiritual and financial support of so many around the world. We continue to have at least 6 weekly studies with a variety of people. We are trying to encourage and train up our young people - throughout the week, during special events (Fall Camp in October), and at special moments.
With Listen Up! we were able to challenge people to think about the Saviour, encourage a new sister as she begins her life, and let people know who Christmas is really about. When Willemien recently lost her dog or needed new furniture, we were able to help. It is great to see how these lessons are things that all of the members are learning - God can use us all, wherever we are!
Looking ahead
Some of the things we are doing are in preparation for the future. We are updating a songbook - with our own songs. We are planning for a campaign group in May, a yearly church get-together in June, and a song seminar in July. In the past months we have seen how important family is. God has put us in a family that He wants to use as His body. And He is able to do amazing things - even with us. Here’s to the coming days!

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
Praise God for our new sister Valéri! Continue to pray for her and her parents. Pray for her growth and for peace and understanding for her parents.
Pray that we can grow as a church as we focus on His strength in 2009.
Pray for me with RW as we continue to study in the word.
Praise God for our young people who have encouraged one another and have been an example in faith for so many this year.
Pray for our plans in the coming year for a campaign, youth weekend and outreach.
Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about the Netherlands and Belgium
Holidays
The Fall season brings all sorts of holidays - and holidays are where you see how much you are part of a culture. Since we are Americans, living in Belgium, working with the Dutch - this can be a pretty interesting time.
In the Netherlands: people in the South (where we live) celebrate St. Martin, sometimes with paper lights, sometimes with tricks. And of course there is Sinter Klaas (on the 5th of December) when kids get presents.
In Belgium: All Saints day is quite important here, when the dead are honored (and flowers are sold). Of course Sinter Klaas is here as well (on December 6).
Interestingly, Halloween is making its way into both cultures because it is similar to Carnaval. Thanksgiving is nowhere to be seen.

What's coming up?
JANUARY
Youth weekend
Camp meeting
FEBRUARY
Youth weekend
ABSS

THANKS!
For your continued financial support, especially now
For your prayers for our work! New life is exciting!
For your cards (Irene and the Thurstons) and emails

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

The Fall has been a beautiful, ever changing whirlwind of activities and people. As the colors change and the weather has gotten colder (though not really that cold), we have enjoyed the changes in our days.
We have always been very thankful to be able to get around as we need. We have a good car that gets us wjhere we need to go (and back). Gas prices may make you think twice, but at least you can consider going. But the car is still not always the best way to get around. When we get the chance, or when we need to, we have taken the train. We have used them to go to Brussels (with the ladies or just together). Sean even used one recently to get back from his friends’ house - and it all went fine (thankfully). The last time he and Stephan were on the train was a bit of a stress. In the Netherlands the train is more expensive, but it is well worth it to Scott to not have to sit in the traffic jam which is the normal traffic going north. If he has to go to Haarlem to rehearse with Listen Up!, it is better and easier to take the train.
Our visits this Fall have taken us to Antwerp - for a wonderful “Thanksmas” dinner, a day out shopping at the mall or rehearsals, to Brussels - with the ladies from church for a day together, or a day together for our anniversary, to Leiden - to visit with Genya and Ken, and even to Cologne (to find out that the store was closed). We enjoyed seeing Genya and Ken. They were both working in Maastricht some 6 years ago - Genya from Siberia, Ken from Japan. Genya brought Ken to Christ and then both moved away. Ken married a Dutch girl and lives in Leiden where they also have a little daughter. Genya is now planning on moving to Haarlem to be close to his job in Amsterdam. He is also married and has a son and a daughter on the way.
Sean has been enjoying his electric guitar and he is getting quite good, so he decided that he needed a bass guitar as well. (He also wanted a drum set - but that’s a NO). He sold his games consoles (and learned a lesson about how people will cheat you) and planned which guitar he would buy. The Music Store is a huge store in Cologne, Germany (about 2 hours away). We drove over, only to find that they were closed - on Christmas Eve! Go figure! So we just had a great time together (in the only store open for a while - McD’s) and then headed home - to order the guitar online.

Christmas was a wonderful day with Willemien and skyping with Stephan. The second day of Christmas we spent with friends in Belgium. New Year’s Eve will be in Antwerp. It is so good to be able to see, hear, talk to and be with people we love. We are so thankful for all the possibilities we have to be family!

Looking back and forward

Eugene visit
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

A few weeks back we had the pleasure of seeing Evgeny Voronkin in Maastricht again. Eugene (or Genya) - as he said we could call him - was first in Maastricht about six years ago while working at a computer programming company in the city.

It was there that he worked with Ken Yamashita. Genya is a christian from Tomsk, Siberia (Russia). He was the first real person I had met from Siberia - a bit of proof that people really do live there. And Genya very definitely wants Jesus as his Lord every day. This is something that was evident in his work, and Ken noticed it. After some talking, some studying and some praying, Ken was baptized into Christ late in the evening at our neighbors' house (they had a bigger bathtub).

Now Genya is married and soon to have two children (a three-year-old son will soon be joined by a daughter) and he was in the Netherlands for a job interview. The company in Amsterdam not only hired him, they also hired three other guys from Russia. So in the Spring Genya, Tania and his family will be moving to the Nettherlands.

While he was here for his interview it was great to visit with him and to go visit Ken, who now lives in Leiden and has also begun his family in the Netherlands (you can see his wife and daughter in some of the pictures of the visit by clicking on the picture). We are looking forward to how God will use this family in the coming year.

A new beginning

Although I can't show you the pictures (just yet) I can try to paint a picture of a wonderful day. Tonia and Mario have had to struggle in order to wade through the sea of red tape needed to make their wedding possible. They even went through a stormy night on high seas, waves spilling over the ship, people lurching in every corner, in order to get to Denmark for the formal part of their wedding. 

But on the day that they would share together - sharing their vows before the witnesses they will trust to help them in their coming life, bending their knees in grace before God's blessing - the sun broke through the clouds and bathed the castle where we all gathered in glorious sunshine. Atop a hill along the Rhine, in the libraray of what some royal person probably considered a simple hunting lodge, Tonia and Mario pledged their love to each other and to God. Their faces shone even more than the sun, if it is possible. 

Later, at the reception, friends and family from all over Europe celebrated with the happy couple, presenting gifts of song and laughter. It was great to see everyone singing together - what a vision of the final wedding banquet we will be sharing! It was so exciting to have most of the church from Maastricht there to let this couple know how much we love them. A long day, to be sure, but well worth every minute.