The body of Christ

A congregation, the church, as Paul talks about the church in 1 Corinthians, is a body. We all need each other. While we are gone to the US things will continue here in Maastricht because we are a body and a family. It is Jesus’ church. 

We are head out to the US on Wednesday morning early and we are looking forward to being able to see so many people we haven’t seen in four years or more. We will also get to meet lots of new people. But the last month has also given us the chance to see and welcome visitors from the US here. 

Raymond Blasingame, an elder in the 11th and Willis congregation that supports us from Abilene, Texas, dropped in for about a week. We were able to share our city, our village and the congregation with him. We also shared a great day with an old Belgian friend and got to see what our golf course in Maastricht is like. 

On Sunday Raymond shared the good news of being family in Jesus Christ and told us about brothers and sitters in other countries. This coming Sunday the congregation in Maastricht will have the opportunity to share financially with Sam’s  Place in Kenya. 

Not long after Raymond moved on to Kenya and the Philippines, we visited with folks from our supporting congregation in Minnesota. First Jared Hawley spent two days with us and we were able to share our Christian family here once again. He was able to spend a Sunday and spent the afternoon at a games day organized by our young Ukrainian couple. 

Last week we were also able to meet up with Dale and Vicki Hawley (uncle and aunt of) in Cologne for a few hours. They were on their way back from visiting with other missionaries in Greece and we were thankful to be able to see them as they passed through. We talked of life, family and how God blesses us in so many ways. 

As we plan to leave, the brothers and sisters in Maastricht have showered us with love and care making sure that we get to the airport on time, sending greetings to our supporting congregations, and covering some of the costs that we will have for this trip. It is good to kno0w that there are good brothers and sisters who will continue supporting one another and growing in faith. 

The body of Christ - it is not just symbolic. Together all of us as brothers and sisters in Christ work together, wherever we are, to accomplish His will in His Kingdom. It is amazing to be a part of this and to experience this daily. 

(Coffee time in Maastricht after worshipping together on a Sunday)

This I have learned

On the first Friday of the month we welcomed three brothers from the French-speaking church in Liege once again for an evening of singing in Maastricht. I always enjoy these evenings and getting to see our brothers. I especially enjoy seeing George and Leonie. They are a couple that has been working with the church for quite some time. 

The interesting thing about my conversations with George is that he speaks neither English nor Dutch. I speak very little French. But we communicate. Sometimes one of the other brothers comes over and translates. But often we simply try to make it work, doing our best with hands and feet. 

This time we also welcomed Richard Wolfe who was visiting in Belgium. Richard used to work with the church in Liege and still works with them from a distance (he and his wife live in Kansas). They left Belgium about a year after we arrived. I still remember some of his lessons and was always thankful for how he and his family served the Lord here and still do wherever they are in the world. 

This past weekend Richard was speaking at the church in Verviers (also in the French-speaking area of Belgium). Verviers is only about 20 minutes from Bible camp and we know the preacher there, although I have never visited the congregation or the building. For years Freed-Hardeman University has had an exchange program working out of the building there. I wanted to meet the church and I wanted to hear Richard’s lesson. But everything was going to be in French. If I can read French, I can do alright. But trying to speak French and understand when someone speaks to me is well outside of my comfort zone. 

Then I though of George and Leonie. They come every month to Maastricht - even though they know we will mostly be singing in English and Dutch. George just does his best. He knows that we are brothers. He loves the Lord and has always done his best to encourage those around with him the grace of God. I had experienced this often. 

So I drove to Verviers. Being a preacher helps when a sermon is in a foreign language. If you understand the names of the books of the Bible and numbers (one of the first things people learn in a foreign language), then you can follow quite a bit of what is being said. And I was touched by a great sermon. 

Afterwards several members introduced themselves and tried to make conversation. Some could speak some English. Others were able to speak German (which I can speak). Otherwise, we simply used hands and feet and the few words we could share. It didn’t matter. We were brothers and sisters together. 

God’s family is amazing. I am so thankful for George’s example of courage and faithfulness. I am thankful for the many times he and I have done our best to converse, no matter the difficulties. I am so thankful for the few French words I have in my vocabulary. Mostly I am so very thankful that God makes us a family. 

Memories of Home

I remember singing Joh Denver songs and listening to Battlestar Galactica (on cassette tape) while falling asleep. That was many years ago when I first lived in the Netherlands as an apprentice. I felt alone. Was alone. But not alone. God’s family was always there taking care of me. And the family that made me feel at home was the family of Karsten Rog. 

Karsten was a teenager then. Henk and Celia, his mom and dad, took me in for Christmas and a few other times. Karsten is the eldest of three sons. Later I would work together with his younger brother, Reuben, at the beginning of the singing group Listen Up!. Karsten married Sandi and they became an active part of the congregation in Eindhoven. 

Years later again, when we were traveling in the US on our Home Assignments every three years or so, Karsten and Sandi and their kids were a certain stop for us in Colorado. Their oldest, Whitney, was born the same year as our youngest before the Rog's moved to the US. So we continued close, with Karsten and Sandi, with the kids, and with Henk and Celia. This was always a place where we have felt at home. 

This past week, after years of struggling, Sandi’s struggle with cancer ended and she went Home. We pray hugs to Karsten, to the kids and their spouses, and especially to Henk and Celia at this time of loss. But we also know that we will soon have some great Home time together. That is something that Sandi and Karsten always made clear to everyone around them. Home is where Jesus Christ is to be found. 

We also said goodbye to another sister here in the Netherlands. When I first went to the Netherlands, it was on a campaign from York College with Tom and Dottie Schulz. Sitting at a table in the church building of The Hague talking to Monica and Oscar was one of the major reasons that I returned to work with the church in the Netherlands. Oscar and Monica, two teenagers in the church, talked about how good it would be for someone to come help. I was already picking up the Dutch language quite quickly. My promise to come help them and the Dutch people was one of the reasons I would return. 

Elly was Oscar and Monica’s mother. She was a quiet woman as I remember her. Every time that I came to The Hague throughout the years (we first met in 1981), she was there and would say encouraging words. She loved to sing, loved to hear from the Word of God and did her best to live for her King. I always felt like I was coming Home when I visited The Hague and saw Elly. Elly was 92 and went Home to see her King last week. I look forward to seeing her again when I get Home. We will sing together and sit somewhere together quietly, wondering at the beauty of everything that we see. 

There have been so many memories made here on earth that are memories of Home. We are so thankful for all the saints that God has brought us in contact with - people who have hearts washed clean by grace and who try to live by that grace. What an encouragement to live the same way, have the same thought, in our own lives. Enjoy every minute with your brothers and sisters in Christ, even now. These are memories of Home. 

Changing faces

In the past two years of corona the face of the congregation in Maastricht has changed. We have always had four families or couples who have been the constant presence. These faces have remained the same, although they of course have gotten two years older. But there have been several new faces and this has changed the dynamic in the congregation as well. 

We mentioned back a while ago that a young American family had returned. The Haak’s had been with us four years ago, stationed in Germany just across the border. Now they have returned and have even been able to rent the same house they stayed in before. The kids have grown up (the youngest was only a baby when they left last). With covid restrictions we don’t get to see them as often as we would like, but it has been good to have them back with us again. 

Most recently we told you about new life here as well. Kitty’s husband, Freddy, put on Christ in baptism and died to his old life to become a new creation. We are all watching how God can make someone new and restore a broken relationship. This also means that we have a new couple in the family where we previously had a single. 

And speaking of singles, in the last two years we have gained 4 wonderful sisters to join the other 3. These ladies are serious about their faith, encouragers of each member and helpful in so many ways. Some are younger, some are older. Some are new Christians, some have joined us from other congregations because of a move to our area. All are a wonderful addition to this family. 

And then we have those who are most recently come to the family, including a brother from Ukraine and a young family from up north who have moved to the sunny south. In addition we have some regular visitors who may end up being a part of the family here. 

Corona has thrown plenty of curveballs for two straight years, but God knows how to handle those. Homeruns all around. We are so thankful for His might and wisdom in dealing with everything that comes our way. We pray that you, too, are experiencing all the good that God is bringing in these difficult times. 

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.   Ephesians 2:19-22

New year, new chances, new life

Yes, we really have started a new year. And we are determined to make sure that we pay attention to the new opportunities and chances that we can have. We want to focus on the reality of walking with Jesus each and every day. That is what matters more than anything else. So, although I have let my exercise slip - even before the year began - and have not been eating as I might wish, I will continue to keep God’s word in my heart every day and look to how to serve Him daily. 

Normally we would be planning a singing workshop for sometime in the Spring. And to be honest, although singing has been one of the major things to have been cancelled in these times, I feel like I have been singing more than ever. In December I was able to finish up work on four more lyric video’s of songs for the church. At the same time, we have been updating our songbook at the church and that has taken a good bit of work as well: fixing comma’s, checking layout, printing and putting the books together. 

In January I sat with a friend to try and translate some songs we want to learn in the church, but in Dutch. They are beautiful hymns, but figuring out how to fit Dutch sentences into the rhythms created for an English sentence is a real challenge. We were able to finish off all three songs which are now ready to be recorded at some time in the coming months. 

In the last few weeks, songs from Listen Up! have been added to the mix. For those of you who know Listen Up! - the a capella singing group with which we traveled much of Europe preaching through song - we stopped singing together in 2011, but have always wanted our songs to be an encouragement to any and all. Now all members have allowed me to make lyric videos of our songs. If you are interested in hearing them again, or singing along, visit the playlist: 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFXofVK3dvg8eiLBFkCqsHGpeTQWFhv0b

January is also the time that we meet to officially plan our Bible camp season. We are not sure what the summer will look like with corona rules, but we are planning for the summer in any case. We were so very thankful for the chance to hold our camp weeks in 2020 and look forward to being able to help our young people grow in faith this coming summer. Shirley and I will be working with the Benjamins and I will continue on for another week, helping to train some new leaders in both weeks. 

In our normal, everyday life, we have also been excited by new changes and chances. A new sister has joined us in Maastricht. She has moved from up north and will be trying to make her life down in the south. We are thankful that she has found her way to us and look forward to how God can help us in helping each other and serving Him. 

We also have met another very new sister in the faith. She gave her life to Christ in the summer and is learning quickly every day what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. We are meeting with her weekly to help her grow in faith and in knowledge of the word - starting with getting to know Jesus better. Keep her in your prayers as she grows and learns. We were excited to welcome her to the worship time this past Sunday. 

Another new situation is the brothers meeting that was moved from a Friday morning slot to a Monday evening slot. The hope is to help young brothers learn from older brothers, to give space for leaders to grow. We want to have a place where questions can be asked and answered in an encouraging atmosphere. We have had our first evening and I am looking forward to the second coming up in February. 

Some things stay the same. We are thankful that we still have mornings and evenings walking with Chester (our Cocker Spaniel). He is showing his age, but still loves chasing after cats when he gets the chance. And we still get to talk to our boys and daughters-in-love almost every week. Isn’t technology great at times! And we enjoy sitting together, sometimes playing a game of Trivial Pursuit, watching a film together or having a good conversation. 

Thank you, Father, for new days, new opportunities and the certainty of Your everlasting love and grace in our walk with You. 

The Tale of the Colorado Kid

Years ago, in a kitchen in Berlin, Germany, a family listened to John Denver sing about Rocky Mountain High and discussed where they should move to when dad retired. Colorado sounded like a paradise land, full of mountains and gold rush, science fiction space dangers (NORAD was where we would move), new possibilities and friends. We (Scott and his family) grew up in an Air Force family, moving every three years or sooner to a new place. Now, things would change. We would stay put. Scott was in sixth grade and excited about what was to come. 

They drove out to Colorado Springs and I remember the first sight of the mountains – after realizing that the other siting of the mountains were just clouds on the horizon. “No, really. Those are mountains!” We stopped the car, got out and had a small snowball fight (it was Fall). Our new house had a backyard where we could throw the football. We were quickly out of breath and somehow it just seemed cool that this came from the elevation (more than a mile high!). 

A lot of the most important influences in my life came here. I became a Bronco’s fan (we were, after all, now in Colorado), started singing in all different ways, learned about and experienced Bible camp and met my best friend who helped me to meet Jesus Christ. I was born in Colorado Springs (even though I first saw the world’s light in San Antonio, Texas). It is hard to believe that those beginnings were all so long ago – so sometimes I just don’t do the math. I just enjoy the memories. 

While we are here in Colorado, we are spending some time in Colorado Springs visiting with Scott’s two brothers and their families before going up to Denver to visit with his older brother and sister. We met up with the brothers in Fargo’s Pizza Parlor, which is a memory in itself for Scott. The next day we drove around visiting Scott’s old haunts: his elementary school junior high and high school. We also dropped by his old house and talked to the current owner and took a picture of Scott’s “climbing tree”. 

A night of bowling at the old bowling alley down the street, a dinner full of conversation about current travels, laughing about past hilarities and discussing jobs and kids and grandkids have filled the few days here. It has been good to see everyone again.There is a brother missing, but that will come in a different tale. 

For now, we have continued on the Colorado trail. On Saturday Scott offered a singing workshop at the congregation where his best friend preaches. It is amazing to see how God can help people who think they cannot write music write 4 new songs that will encourage fellow Christians. Sunday evening Scott met with others to talk about how Christian camps help develop the members of the church. It was good to share stories, meet old friends and make new friends. It has been good to see the Colorado kids. 

Do we ever know where we are going to arrive when we depart? We think we do. We were on our way to Colorado. But that was a journey that so far has led us to Belgium and the Netherlands. We still don’t know where all of this is taking us, but we know that the journey is a good one, because we are walking with Him wherever we go. Where are you going? Or… with whom are you going? 

Here are the pictures of this leg of the journey (I will still be adding to these in the coming days). Next we will be heading down to Texas – but that is another tale.