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!

September News

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

September 2008

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again ... through the living and enduring word of God.             1 Peter 1:22-24

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
September seems to be the beginning of our work year as the young people start back to school, everyone returns from vacations and we are able to focus on regular activities. This month was especially full.

And the two became one
It has been exciting to witness the new beginnings in the last month. Robin Huyghebaert and Joyce Agyare pledged their love for each other in September. It was a real honor to be asked to help with this service - singing with Listen Up! and being the master of ceremony. In October we were able to witness the beginning of two more friends, Mario Nyeki and Tonia Davison, where I performed the ceremony.

Weddings are so beautiful because they show the beginning of something truly beautiful - love. When this is true love - love that comes from God and includes God - it is fantastic! At both of these weddings we were able to enjoy these additions in the family of God. It was especially thrilling for the church in Maastricht to show their love for Mario and Tonia who are members in Maastricht. Almost the whole congregation was present. When we got up to sing as a wedding present, every one of us sang from the heart.

How’s your serve?
At the end of September the church in Maastricht hosted the youth for a youth weekend. We took the time to talk about what it means to serve - and then we took the time to put our words into action. We cooked for each other, cleaned up after each other and served one another. But we also spent several hours at a local playground cleaning up the grounds. If we do not let our young people see how good it is to give to others, they will never know this joy. And it is a joy!

It was exciting to see how the young people reacted to the day and the lessons they learned from it. Many of the things they learned did not necessarily come from the lesson moments - they came from working together. It has also been exciting to see how this continues to impact their lives. Not this one weekend, because this is not the first time that we have talked about this, but a continued encouragement to find the joy in serving others.

Single’s Retreat
The end of September brought the Single’s Retreat. This is organized twice a year for single’s from all over Europe and is an amazing time to fill up on good spiritual food. The lessons are often the dessert, with the discussions and long walks together being the real meal. This year I was privileged to be present again with this wonderful group of Christians - I taught from Ephesians 6 on the armor of God.
It is so good to see how God is using people all over Europe in so many ways. This weekend had visitors from seven different countries, but even more impressive than their willingness to travel (the weekend is held in Germany) was their willingness to learn and encourage one another. These people love God with all their heart and are encouraging churches all over Europe. Exciting! God is truly good. (see more pictures here)

New life and new beginnings
Everday continues to go its way - meetings with the school, for camp, with community groups; cleaning, maintaining, letting people know where we are - it all starts again each week. But each day is holding a myriad of opportunities to help each other, touch others’ lives and learn from what God is giving us in our lives. It has been good to see this in our two new babies (Isha and Susanne). We look forward to the coming months as God shows us all the mighty things He will do. It is so good to know that we are family, helping one another, growing together.

PRAYER WARRIORS

Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Continue to pray for Valéri and her parents. She wants to give her life to Christ, but her parents aren’t too sure.
- Pray that we can all continue to keep our focus on the One who really matters and ensures our future.
- Pray for RW as we continue to look at why we can give our life to Jesus.
- Continue to pray for our young people as they encourage each other in their growth in faith.
- Pray for our continuing outreach through the Wiser on the Way courses in November.
- Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

You might notice that most of this news is actually from parts of September and parts of October. Or maybe you won’t notice that - that’s okay too. As we get older, the days fly by even quicker - but some of you know that already. And some of you are beginning to figure that out!

The biggest change for us this month has of course been the absence of Stephan. Mind you, thanks to the wonder of the internet - facebook, skype, email - Stephan has not been completely absent. But when we sit down to eat in the evening, when we read our Bible in the morning before everyone gets started, when we figure out how many are going somewhere - so many times we miss him. But he is doing great at Harding (as far as we know). And we are so thankful for so many of you who know him and are encouraging him in so many ways. It really is exciting to see him growing, knowing that he has so many fantastic things ahead of him.

Back here we have had some really good visits due to all of the family activities this month. The two weddings we attended were wondeful culinary events as well. We also held a barbecue for all the birthdays we had had during the summer. The church in Maastricht got together at our house for good food and fellowship.

And with the beginning of the school year and work year we also went to the first ‘hootenanny’ for the year over in Antwerp. This is an evening of guitar playing and hotdog eating. It was fun this time to see the looks on some of the visitor’s faces. “Ah, this is normal food for you then?” they wondered.

Speaking of guitar playing, it has been a thrill to see Sean learning more every day on his guitar. He donwloads a tablature from the internet (there you go again with that strange language) and then starts practicing the song upstairs. He plays electric guitar and likes a good rock beat, so stop for a minute and imagine the sound. .... Got it? But it’s great to hear. He is so dedicated and enjoys playing. Then he and Scott get together and jam for a bit (turn up the volume of the sound you just imagined).

It has been good for Sean to have the guitar. When he comes home from school is when he realizes that Stephan is not there. It is then that he is very happy to still have Snuffles (our dog) and he pulls out the guitar downstairs (a classical guitar - much quieter) and plays. And his creativity has been challenged and sharpened by this outlet.  

As we head into the Fall we are enjoying the colors, enduring some of the rainy days and looking forward to what the house will look like in the Spring (with our plans for changes). Each new day brings reminders of how wonderful God has been and promises of how mighty He will be as we move together to the next day.

What’s coming up?
OCTOBER
Marriage weekend
Fall Camp
NOVEMBER
Youth weekend
WoW Course

DID YOU KNOW?

Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands

Tourism
Tourism is a major industry in the Netherlands and Belgium. So where should you go when you get over here to visit? (other than our house of course) Here are a few ideas that you may not find on the internet.
In the Netherlands: the house of Corrie ten Boom, a walk through the Jordaan (a neighborhood in Amsterdam), a trip to the Veluwe or Schiermonnikoog (tulips may soon be gone, but this beauty remains), a train ride to Maastricht (just sit, watch and listen to those around you and the scenery).
In Belgium: An auction hall in Antwerp, a walk in the dunes in De Panne, a village full of books in Redu, a train ride from Brussels to the Ardennes (Spa, for instance) where we can pick you up for the beautiful trip to our house.

THANKS!
For your continued financial support, even now
For your prayers for our work! New life is coming!
For your emails, comments, cards and encouragement