Singing with the family

On Saturday we had a full house in our building. It has been 5 years since we were able to host a singing with the various regional congregations: Cologne and folks in Aachen, Germany; the French-speakers in Liege, Belgium; and our brothers and sisters in Eindhoven. We also had our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

In 2022 we were able to hold a singing workshop where we learned some of the songs which were written or put on video during the corona years. But this international gathering hasn’t been possible for some time. So we were looking forward to being able to see everyone again and share in raising our voices to the Lord. 

It was fun to have members in Maastricht who are also able to help on a day like this. Mario is a German (originally from East Germany) married to a Belgian, attending a Dutch congregation. And he loves to sing. So it was great that he was also able to teach one of the songs in German for the group there. And since we had a group from Cologne, it was great to hear this song sung heartily. Mario will also be helping to lead the singing next week at the Family Day. 

We also advertised this day in the neighborhood and were thrilled with a few visitors who came to share the day of song and international fellowship. It is not all that common for people to sing a capella, so this was already a challenge. But to come to an event where one doesn’t know anyone was quite courageous. We were thankful for these visitors and everyone who was able to attend. 

After singing we had plenty of time to fellowship as well, sharing stories and getting to know one another. Plans have already been made for next year when we (Shirley and I and some members from Maastricht) will go to sing in Cologne. How good it is to sing to the Lord and share the joy that He brings to our lives!

(Picture: Learning a new song in German)

Whodunit Wednesday: Biblical names in society

The first two days of this week I was off with a group of Catholic kids and leaders and had the opportunity to talk about faith in work and about what we find in the Bible. Religion and faith are words on many peoples tongues, but concepts which are often far from the heart. As a matter of fact, the news stated this past week that trust in religion is in Belgium the lowest of all Europe. People in Belgium feel that religion is dangerous.
Faith, on the other hand, is something that most people still talk about. During these two days with these teens, they took a quiz (using QR codes and their phones). Questions popped up about how many apostles there were, what the name of Jesus’ father was (nice trick question) and more. Another activity looked at what they say to believe and if they truly believe it. A third activity looked at what the names of the children meant and where they came from.
In all of this it was amazing to me how important names are. Pontius Pilatus was a real historical figure. Some of the kids’ names came from names in the Bible: Mathis from Matthew, Thomas (with an ‘h’), Maria and Marit (both from Maria) and more. In Belgium and the Netherlands we have lots of names that come from this biblical history and culture, even if they do not always immediately sound like it.
Maria is, of course, a well-known and well-used name in Catholic Belgium. It may show up a bit less in the Netherlands (mostly in the south where we are), but versions of it will still show up. Remnants of the Roman past also show up in normal everyday names. Some are Roman and Biblical at the same time.
My younger brother’s name is Marc - with a ‘c’. This was very different when we were growing up. But here in Belgium it is very common. In fact, Mark - with a ‘k’ - jumps out immediately as different. This is because in Belgium they are working with the name ‘Marcus’ - the Biblical name of the 2nd gospel and a typical Roman name (i.e. Marcus Aurelius).
There are some differences between the countries. Take, for example, Luk or Luc. The Dutch will more likely use the ‘k’ where the Belgians will use the ‘c’. The Dutch language version of the name is ‘Lucas’ but this can also be spelled ‘Lukas’. And then there are all the varied versions of Peter: ‘Peter’ (pronounced ‘pay-ter’), ‘Pieter’ (pronounced ‘pee-ter’) and of course also ‘Pierre’. These kan all be shortened: ‘Peet’, ‘Piet’ or otherwise.
When we named our son, Sean, we thought to be right on track. Sean was born in Belgium (Stephan was born in Abilene, Texas, just before we moved here). There are various versions of ‘John’ here: Johan, Johannes (which can shorten to ‘Hannes’ or ‘Hans’) or Jean (the French spelling and pronunciation). You could also use Ian, John or Johnny (or Jonny) here.
We chose for more Anglicised version, but one we thought most people would recognise, since the actor Sean Connery was well-known. It turned out that many people pronounced ‘Sean’ as ’see-un’. The way we were pronouncing Sean was closer to the pronunciation of ‘Jean’. But it was even closer to ’Sjaan’ (pronounced ‘shaan’ with a long, open ‘aa’ as one would do at the doctor). This name, however, is a girl’s name, so it obviously did not fit Sean.
In the end, people get used to using your name if they get to know you. That is also what we try to get across to the young people we work with. It is possible to get to know the people in the Bible, even if we can’t quite hear how they might have pronounced their names. Then the question is whether we will share in their faith or not, live as they lived in trustin God.

Haunted Halloween?

I remember several of my costumes as a kid for Halloween. My mom was amazing at coming up with some really creative solutions. We always had great costumes made of pretty much everyday things. I was a scarecrow, a cowboy, an astronaut. The knowledge that creativity can get you quite far has always stayed with me and served well for youth activities and more. 

I also remember the year that we all had to dump our candy out together on the table at home after trick-or-treating because some wacko was putting razor blades in candied apples. That was pretty much the end of homemade candy. It was the beginning, for me, of realizing how nasty the world could be. 

When I gave my life to Christ, my view on a lot of things changed. One of them was Halloween. I like dressing up in costumes, but it seems all of the holidays that do that are a bit deranged. Halloween in the US and Carnaval here in Belgium are examples. But 1989 changed my whole outlook on Halloween. That was the year we received a very special gift. 

Shirley had struggled all day and was tired. In the end, forceps had to be used, but our son, Stephan, was safely welcomed into the world. I remember standing in a room in the maternity section with windows on two sides so that family could see the newborns. My attention, however, was fully on this wonderful new life that God had given us. Even the surprise of seeing all sorts of masked individuals tapping on the glass (another father was with me in the room and his family was greeting him) could not throw me off. But it did remind me that this was still Halloween. 

Not long after that we moved to Belgium, where there was no Halloween. For years we did not even have to think of any of it (although we of course did have to deal with Carnaval - in February or March). It was only later when the boys were older that they realized they might be able to get something from neighbors by going trick-or-treating. They didn’t dress up, just went door to door. People didn’t know what to do, so they gave them money (a practice done here on January 6 at the celebration of Three Kings). Their friends were impressed. 

Not too many years later, stores started figuring out that money could be made off of this new American holiday. Costumes could now be sold in October as well as in February (for Carnaval). Candy could be sold. Presents could be given. Okay - presents aren’t part of Halloween, but who knows? 

So Halloween made its entrance into Belgian and Dutch culture with an economic vengeance. Kids still don’t go door to door to get candy (people would not know what to do), but haunted houses and the scary bits have definitely entered the calendar if not the culture as yet. 

This day for us still means that little boy cradled in the palm of my hand and the man he has become. We are so thankful for Stephan, for his wife, Natalie and for the life they have together. 

(The picture is of Stephan with neighborhood friends on his birthday in our backyard)

Once upon a time Wednesday - Carnaval

Belgium is considered a Catholic country as is the southern area of the Netherlands.  Many of its practices and traditions come from Catholic culture. Some of these traditions are interwoven with other cultural traditions. 

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, many will celebrate some form of Lent, although it is not nearly as stringent as in past generations. This is a time of fasting. Many more, especially in the area where we live, will celebrate the days before Ash Wednesday. The Tuesday before is called Shrove Tuesday in English. In French it is known as Fat Tuesday - or better known as "Mardi Gras". 

In the Belgian province of Limburg, and the corresponding province of Limburg in the Netherlands where Maastricht is located, Carnaval is celebrated extensively. In Maastricht it officially begins on the 11th of the 11th - November 11 - at 11:11. It ends on Shrove Tuesday late with some sort of closing ceremony. In Maastricht a copy of a statue on the central market is hoisted in the air. 

The biggest part of Carnaval is the three days leading up to Ash Wednesday. People wear amazing costumes - in the past handmade, but more and more likely store-bought these days. There is lots of music and a specific type of song making fun of all sorts of things. And there is a good bit of drinking - although the real celebrators of Carnaval would say that they do not overly consume, that would be the people from the north who only come to get drunk. 

Carnaval moves with the lunar calendar and is connected to Easter, so it can be early in the year and face extremely frigid temperatures, or later and enjoy some sun. Not everyone from the two Limburgs like the celebration, but everyone knows that they have to take in into account. Stores close and businesses have to deal with employees being gone. And then 40 days of fasting come and people look forward to Easter. 

In 2020 Carnaval coincided with the arrival of a novel virus and everything shut down. in 2022, after 2 years of lockdowns and a year of no celebration, Carnaval announced the return to "normal".