In the loop: Home Assignment 2026 Stage 5 - Iowa

The loop is coming full circle as we leave Colorado and head back East. In the past we would have stopped for a few days in Omaha, Nebraska to visit Shirley’s family. Recent years have meant that what is left of her family has settled in Council Bluffs, Iowa, just across the river from Omaha. So we headed there, looking forward to seeing nephew and niece and their kids. 

We had had to organize an AirBnB in town because the College World Series was in Omaha and most of the normal hotels were full. But what a blessing this place was! We stayed in an historic house basically right down the road from where the niece lives. We were able to enjoy an evening walk, a morning walk as well as the time together with family - all in the ambiance of this historic house. 

Although our stay was short, we were thankful for the time to see and visit with family. We were able to sit with Shirley’s brother and also meet with everyone for a meal on our last evening there. After this very quick stop, we moved on across the state of Iowa to Muscatine in the southeastern corner of the state. Here we met with the last of our supporting congregations and stayed with good friends, Rudy and Pam Schellekens. They were both our mentors in the past as well as helpers most recently teaching and cooking at Ardennen Bible Camp. 

One of our days we spent out at Midwest Bible Camp getting ideas of how others do camp. We were able to talk to the kids, the camp directors and the cooks. This got us into the mood for our own week of camp which is coming up at the end of July. Then we will be leading the Benjamin week of Ardennen Bible Camp. Being at a Bible Camp reminded us of how far away we are and how soon we will return to these tasks we love so much. 

On Sunday Scott was able to teach the Bible class and lead singing at the Muscatine church. It is always amazing to worship God together with those who love Him so much - wherever we are in the world. We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones - although finding names was quite a challenge. In the evening we met again with some members at an evening get-together where we could answer questions about our work. Then Scott met with the elders to talk about the future and their part in our work. 

We had one more day in Iowa to wind down and get everything ready for the last stage of our trip which will be in New York. The rain of the previous day (which couldn’t disturb the “family” lunch we were invited to with our hosts and others of their family) made way for sun as we got the last little things necessary for our trip and packed our bags. 

We have enjoyed walks along the Mississippi, drives around the town, watching World Cup games together and lots of food and conversations with people who love us and the Lord. Last stop on our trip is coming up - New York City! But that is another story. 

Here are the pictures from the stops in Iowa. 

Home Assignment 2026 - Stage 3

The last 10 days or so we have enjoyed our time with the family in California. This stop is always a bit of a warm hug in so many ways. The colors, smells and beauty of California wraps you in a warm, colorful blanket even as you arrive. If you look past the traffic on the way from the airport to where we are staying, you can enjoy all of the colors of flowering plants and trees everywhere. It is amazing to me when people say of the blooming oleander, “Oh that. That is just a weed that grows along the highway.” But its pink and white flowers - literally everywhere - make every moment of the day a little lighter. 

We saw plenty of the oleander and much more when we drove up to Mokelumne Hills (pronounced - if you can believe it - “Ma-cúllum-nee hills”) to meet Shirley’s cousin. They found each other on Ancestry and were so thrilled to share stories and histories for the day and a half that we were there. It is amazing what technology can do in these days. Shirley didn’t even know that she had this cousin - and neither did the cousin know that she had Shirley as a cousin. We unfortunately were not able to hook up with Scott’s sister-in-law and nephew in San Diego, so we missed the beautiful cactus and more down that way. Our communication efforts stranded on the internet.

We had two Sundays while we were here. Long Beach is our sponsoring church and we wanted to make sure that we were able to re-connect with everyone, especially as the church is changing. So the first Sunday Scott gave the Bible study. Afterwards a Pacific Islanders potluck was already planned and gave us both the opportunity to visit with and meet new members. On the second Sunday, the congregation moved up their quarterly Missions Sunday so that Scott could report on the work and present the thought during the Lord’s Supper. 

Around each of these meeting moments there were other chances to meet with members we knew and new members we were getting to know. You can read more about those in the post from last Monday as well. Eating together is always a good time to share life events and questions. We were thankful to spend our last evening with our hosts, Kerry and Marisol. 

Throughout this time in California, we were extremely blessed by the hospitality of so many. We had a place to stay and were welcomed into several homes or meeting places. We had the use of a car - which was essential since were in Southern California where you can’t really get around if you do not have a car. We had walks, talks, time to play guitar, time to laugh at stories and memories, time to encourage and be encouraged by new life in Christ and the grace of Christ in our lives. 

As with other years that we have come through California, we will leave with some wonderful memories. This time it will be an evening walk across the golf course, a discgolf session with a random guy in the park who had just returned from Hawaii and watching Shirley do a hula dance with several others while celebrating Hawaiian and Polynesian culture. We will take memories away of flowering trees in the golden hills, flowering bushes along every stretch of highway and hugs from loved ones that filled our hearts with the fragrance of Christ. 

We now move on to our next stop in Minnesota before beginning our road loop. But that is for next time. 

If you are interested, take a look at the pictures here.

Food and Fellowship

A lot of the time that we are in the US traveling we are moving from group to group, getting to know new people and getting to see old friends. When we are in an area, connected with a church, or when we are with family, eating together is a good way to spend time getting to know one another. That means lots of opportunities to try new things. And it means a lot of eating. 

In Texas we went to a fish fry and got to meet a whole family out at a ranch. We also were treated to meals prepared for us in a home setting. In Indiana we got together for a birthday celebration and met up with family for taco salad. We also shared in coffee and donuts on Sundays while we met new members of congregations in both places. 

In California, where we are currently, we took part in an Asian and Pacific Islander potluck with the congregation. Places were reserved at each table so that Shirley and I could make our way around the room to the various tables and get to know people from the congregation while enjoying delicious foods. Shirley even got to learn some hula-dancing with some of the others present. The day before we had helped prepare a potluck lunch with some of the leaders in the church.

We have also gone out to eat with our hosts and met their friends, getting wonderful opportunities for good conversations. This coming week will include more lunches and meals with old friends and even new family. We hope to drive up to meet a first cousin that Shirley found through her searches for family as well as see family down in San Diego. 

We are thankful for all the people welcoming us to their homes, preparing meals, joining us at restaurants or churches for a communal meal and simply sharing time with us. We look forward to the coming times of fellowship in the areas we have before us. 

Fish, Fellowship and Family

As we round up our stay in Texas we look back on a wonderful time of church family and fellowship. We drove out to the Bundy Ranch out in the middle of nowhere near Throckmorton, Texas to spend an evening with the Bundy family. Bill and DeeDee Bundy have been a part of our family for quite some time. They were in Antwerp, we saw them in Bern, Switzerland and Sean lived with them when they were in Brussels. 

This evening was an interesting mix of family feelings and reminiscing. Bill is a member of a family of 12 kids (he is the youngest) and most of them were present for this fish-fry. The brothers all did the fish-frying while some of the ladies had brought the "fixings". Good food and meeting new people is always exciting. And afterwards, before we drove back to Abilene, we spent some good time catching up with Bill and DeeDee. 

We were well cared for at E.B. and Jean’s house the whole tie we were in Abilene (see photo). They have been our best friends from Abilene since the beginning of our life together. We still love watching old movies together and sharing the beauties of God’s love and grace as we see it in so many lives. At their house, we also enjoyed the parakeets (I am probably mentioning the wrong type of bird). Max is Jean’s and Fiki (for Rafiki) is E.B.’s. 

On Sunday we spent almost the whole day with the Oldham Lane congregation who picked us up as supporters in 2023. This is a congregation of 600 people that feels very homey. We enjoyed Bible class and worship in the morning. After services people stood around talking, introducing themselves to us. A girl whose family is from Belgium, a woman who lived in the rue de Trone in Brussels and some South Africans who speak Afrikaans. 

Later in the day we met with the missions committee to talk about how God is working in Belgium and the Netherlands. After evening services there was a “small” group fellowship at one of the members house. I say “small” because this was a group of about 40 people. Good food, amazing conversations and once again connections all over. The pulpit preacher went to Bear Valley. His wife grew up in Colorado Springs and we once again were able to speak some Dutch with the people from South Africa (who speak Afrikaans). 

We ended up our Texas leg with the McNeill’s in Haslet (just outside DFW airport). This house with the yellow door is our home away from home whenever we travel. Tim and Debbie and Nathan simply open the door and make us at home in every way. We know where things are and are welcome to grab whatever we need. It is so good to feel at home in a place away from home. They lived for a while in Belgium and know our quirks. 

Tomorrow we drive out at about 5 am to catch a flight around 9:30 am which will take us over Atlanta to Indianapolis. We are looking forward to the next stage of this trip since we get to spend it with Stephan, Natalie and Sophia as well as see Mike and Amy (Scott’s brother). Texas has been a wonderful start to this trip. More to come. 

You can find pictures of this stage here. 

International thanks

This past weekend we were able to celebrate ‘Thanksmas’. This is what we here call the day that the Americans, Canadians and those linked to such get together to celebrate Thanksgiving. Since it cannot be done on a Thursday, we find a day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year it was actually very close to Thanksgiving - the Saturday following. We had just been able to talk to our son, Stephan, his wife, Natalie and our granddaughter the day before on a video call. They had been gone on Thanksgiving, so the Friday was better for all. And the following day we were with friends in Antwerp celebrating and eating turkey and pumpkin pie. 

This event brings several different cultures together, but all of whom have a link to the Thanksgiving in some way. Some Dutch or Belgian husbands or wives are linked through their spouse. This means that the kids also get a taste of the day. Some church family has been involved for many years. And sometimes people are invited to simply share the food and fellowship. 

Years ago we brought our Chinese professor friend, Jia (who passed away unexpectedly this year), to share as part of our family. Others have also brought guests. This year we had 5 Chinese visitors who came with their colleague - an American who was living in Belgium but has moved with his family to China for his job. Now he was back in Belgium for a few weeks with his colleagues for a work visit. And they were excited to be able to experience this American holiday.

I spent some time speaking with Justin (his English name). He was thrilled with the singing we did as well as the food differences. It turns out that his parents have also become Christians - in China. But he assured me that the songs they sing sound nothing like what we sang. And he asked if every family at Thanksgiving sings like this. I assured him that at least this group did. 

There are all sorts of holiday traditions. Our son runs a 5K Turkey Trot (with some of the in-laws). Our other son, who lives with his Belgian wife in New York City, has spent time in the past with friends who invite them to a sort of family gathering. This year they spent time on a walk in Central Park. We have previously invited our neighbors and members of the congregation in Maastricht to celebrate with us at our home. It is always a time of meeting, blending families and cultures, and sharing the many things we are thankful for. 

What did your Thanksgiving look like? 

(Photo: games after dinner and before dessert)

Whatsit Wednesday: “Hagelslag” - it’s hailing!

From the name, one might think that “hagelslag” had something to do with the weather. In a country where the weather is often the topic of conversation, this would be a good guess. Talking about the weather is something that everyone in the Netherlands (and Belgium) does. Complaining about talking about the weather is the other thing that most will do. 

But “hagelslag” has nothing to do with the weather. The literal meaning is “hail strike” or some such. But hagelslag is mostly reserved for a delicious meal (if you are Dutch). It involves bread, some butter and a typical open-faced sandwich. And hagelslag of course. Hagelslag comes in various colors. It can even be licorice flavored. In a slightly different form (little mice) it is used specifically for celebrating the birth of a child, when it shows if you have had a boy or girl (and in Belgium this is reversed!). 

But I am getting ahead of myself. What is hagelslag? It is (usually) chocolate sprinkles. It can be dark chocolate or milt chocolate or white chocolate. As mentioned there is a licorice version (which is white. And there is a multi-colored version, although older people will consider this quite modern. “In my day hagelslag was simply chocolate” you might hear them say. 

The “muisjes” or little mice are not chocolate at all, but are more like a candy. They are only blue or pink and are put on a sort of cracker  and passed out to guests to celebrate the birth of your son or daughter. But hagelslag can be eaten on any day, although most often only for lunch, or maybe breakfast. A slice of bread is lightly spread with butter and then generously covered with hagelslag. This is eaten open-faced and all of the sprinkles that fall off onto the plate are gathered and eaten as well. 

What do you put on your bread for lunch? What kind of sandwiches have you experienced before? Have you ever had hagelslag?

Taking care of family

The end of the year is often a time for family and caring for family. The holidays take many off traveling until the new year. We always find it to be a time to share family with those around us. Of course as we have lived overseas most of our family is far away. This simply means that we find other ways of getting together or seeing one another. We look forward to being able to speak to the boys around Christmas via video-calling. 

But there are plenty of people around us who also ar not able to travel to family oir be with family at this time. So we want to make sure that we can all share that together as family. This year we will welcome several from the congregation in Maastricht to our house on Christmas for a Christmas dinner. A couple from Ghana will bring some special dishes to share and our airman will bring a friend who also is without family while stationed overseas. 

We are looking forward to some game time, amazing food and wonderful conversation. This will be the second Christmas for our granddaughter and we are excited to see how much of the time she experiences. She is becoming quite a character. After our afternoon with our guests we will look forward to video’s with family. 

We are thankful for the family we are part of all over the world. Yesterday we were all together as a church family and enjoyed good food, conversation and “white elephants”. We pray that you, too, have the opportunity to share what you have with those around you. 

Thanksmas

It is always good to be with family. As we have explained here before, it is difficult for many Americans here to celebrate Thanksgiving on the day itself. It falls om a Thursday, in the middle of the week. No one gets free from work here on a Thursday. So those of us here in the Netherlands and Belgium plan a day after Thanksgiving and before Christmas to get together and share our favorite holiday foods, see each other again and maybe even play some games or watch an American football game. We call it Thanksmas. 

Two years ago we organized it in Maastricht because of some covid restrictions. Last year Shirley and I organized it, but we both got sick on the day itself and had top bow out. But most years Carol and Paul Brazle in Antwerp organize the day. This year we were more or less back to normal and it was good to see everyone again. 

This is a day when young and old can gather (we had 5 year-olds and 90 year-olds). We have couples who are half American, but they bring their spouses as well. We have some who are connected tangentially with the US. We come from around Belgium and throughout the Netherlands. I think we had a good 40 or more sitting at table. 

Shirley and I enjoyed some conversations with Henk and Celia Rog who we have known for quite some time. We also got to see Jim and Ruth Krumrei with whom Scott worked 40 years ago. We hope to get back up to Haarlem soon to spend some more time with them (they are our 90 year-olds). But I also got to play a game of “war” with the 5 year-old before we left. 

That is the beauty of this day. It is a time for family, no matter how the family is formed. This was a meeting of God’s family. Most of us are children of God (although some are still considering that step). We love being able to share that love and life with one another. And of course most of us are missing seeing our natural family and broader Christian family. But this day reminds us of how blessed we are to have family. 

We pray that you too were able to enjoy your family time together (we enjoyed seeing lots of pictures, wondering at how everyone is growing up so quickly). And we, together with you, want to remember that we do not have to wait for special days to spend time together, although meeting in a larger group may have to indeed wait for such a day. We look forward to the day we can all be Home for a thanksgiving time and home-coming. 

(Many thanks to Carol Brazle for the picture. This is one of two tables)

Thanks

You now it’s not about the Friday and how black it is, what deals you can get. And you’re not waiting for today and all the cyber deals you can find. It has been great to see all the people we know getting together with other people we know, sharing time together. That is what it is about. 

Thanksgiving, as we have mentioned before, is not a holiday here. It is a uniquely American thing. And I am thankful that it is part of our DNA. As I jumped onto social media shortly, I was able to see so many of you all up to date and with family. It is fun to try to figure out who is who now, as kids grow up. It is good to see families together who very often cannot be together. 

We were thankful to be able to get online with Sean and Jill (and Pierre) to share some time and get caught up on what is happening in our lives. They were off to celebrate the day later with friends. We are glad that they have people to share this day with. Earlier in the week we had been able to see Stephan and grandbaby Sophia. We were thankful that Stephan, Natalie and Sophia were able to spend the day with Natalie’s family and the baby cousins were together. 

Although we do not celebrate Thanksgiving on the day (some years we have invited our neighbors), we do get together with others in Belgium and the Netherlands somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We call it Thanksmas. This year it will be on December 16 and we are looking forward to the good food and the wonderful fellowship that we are able to enjoy at the time. 

This is what it is about. That is why I am also so thankful that we can truly share this kind of fellowship throughout the year. Yes, that one time in the year is special. But yesterday we met with our spiritual family again - as we do every week. Our 4th Sunday’s are potluck, so we also got to eat. Spending time together, remembering that the people in our lives are the most important things - that is what it is about. Thank you for sharing your time and lives with us. 

California Dreaming (Home Assignment 2023 California)

It’s the land of making dreams come true - or at least that is what many think when they think of California. Hollywood, Disney, surf and beaches, sunshine and palm trees. And truly, our first sight this time was something we had not yet seen in all of our trips to California - the jacaranda in bloom. It could have been a dream. (The picture at the beginning and in our pictures, here). 

And yet, California is like any other place, full of people trying to live, of stories and conversations and memories. We originally came out to Long Beach in the summer of 1990 just after Stephan was born. He celebrated his first birthday here with this church family (dressed like a little bunny). It has been good to see old friends and make new relationships here, even if the sun has not shone that much (they talk of “June gloom” here, which comes every year). 

Our time here has been filled with visits and conversations with the church members, as well as some time to look around and even do some tourist things. We made it down to Seal beach and stood in the wind amazed at the few people who braved the water and sand. We spent an evening at Harbor Village shivering in the evening sun that finally peaked through the clouds, but enjoying the boats in the marina and the people along the pier. 

Later in our time, we were treated to a visit to downtown Los Angeles. You would think that we had been there before, but this was our first time. We even took the “metro” there (a mix between a tram and a metro). It is always fun to visit places with people who know what they like and share it with you. In this case it was a very short but very busy (in years) funicular tram, an office building straight out of a 1930’s detective novel, Union Station and the old roots of this very large city, grounded in Spanish and Mexican culture. 

We of course spent time with members of the congregation, telling about how God is working in The Netherlands and Belgium. Scott preached on Sunday and we enjoyed a potluck afterwards. The song leader even made Scott feel at home (unknowingly) by raising the last verse of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” - just like often happens in Maastricht on a Sunday. 

Sunday evening was an interesting time. We shared a meal of leftovers with the Jablonski’s. These were leftovers from the various meals since arriving and brought with them the various memories of good conversations. So we also enjoyed the conversations and memories a second time. 

And food has definitely been a part of this stop. A fish restaurant with a sort of fish tex-mex, O’Malley’s Irish pub for a breakfast, authentic Mexican fare including Mole enchilada’s (spicy chicken with chocolate), Angus beef steaks as well as good ol’ home-cooked meat and veggies. We may have to be rolled home when it is finally time, but we have enjoyed the varieties and especially the conversations along the way. 

Our trip these past 7 weeks has seemed like a dream. Even more so as we look back on all the people we have seen and places we have visited. And we missed seeing so many! But we have been able to share memories and make new memories along the way. 

Here in California we are blessed to stay with our friends, the Jablonski’s, who live on a golf course. They have plum and avocado trees in their yard. We have enjoyed the avocado’s almost every evening while being spoiled by their hospitality. Their Egyptian cat mewls and rubs your leg as the wind lightly plays with eh flowers growing around the swimming pool. 

And yet, life is still life whether it is elsewhere or here in what to some seems an idyllic surrounding. Gas prices are the highest here than anywhere we have yet seen and families still do their best to deal with all the struggles we are given in this life. We are so thankful not only to have family in God, but to have strength and security and a future in God. This is not a dream, but the real reality - wherever we are. 

Very soon we will be on the last leg of our trip, visiting with Sean and Jill in New York, after which we will be heading home. But that is another story. 

Family Time - again and again

The last few weeks have been full of family time. One of the things that I learned early on in my Christian life was how wonderful God makes family. Not only has he designed the family - father, mother and children - but he has designed the church as family. 

Jesus tells Peter and the disciples, after speaking with and about the rich young ruler, that “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age.” (Mark 10:29-30)

I have always experienced this, from the moment I became a Christian and left my own family but gained a Christian family. So too with Shirley in her life. And yet, we never left our families, our brothers and sisters - they simply had a different place in our lives. 

From November 14-24 we traveled to the US to visit Shirley’s family. Her sister is not doing well and we wanted to see if we could help, to be there for her. Usually, when we are back in the US for Home Assignment, we have about two and a half days in Omaha for Shirley’s family. This time we had 8 and a half days. It felt as if we were able to lavish this time on her family and we were very thankful that it was possible. The travel itself went very well. We would appreciate prayers for the health of Shirley’s sister. 

The Sunday we returned, we were able to share and see family again - in the spiritual sense. We have a young Ukrainian couple in the congregation who are far away from home. They will marry in January, far away from home and most family. But they are with their Christian family. We held a wedding shower for them and blessed them financially as a congregation to help them on their new journey.

The congregation in Maastricht is indeed a big, amazing family. We have several young men studying or working, far from family and culture. We have three young ladies from varied cultures who have made their homes in Belgium or the Netherlands. We have mixed culture families, Belgians and Dutchmen all together in one loving family - because of Jesus Christ. 

This past weekend Shirley and I helped get the Americans in the church in Belgium and the Netherlands together for “Thanksmas”. We cannot meet on a Thursday for Thanksgiving and often have other obligations for Christmas, so we meet in the middle and make it Thanksmas - sharing our American culture and our Christian culture together. Although Shirley and I got sick and couldn’t attend, we were thankful that the others were able. 

This coming Friday evening the congregation has moved our regular 1st Friday singing to the 2nd Sunday and invited people of all cultures to come and sing of Jesus Christ in this time that welcomes Him into everyone’s lives. Our CHRISTmas singalong will be with songs in all different languages. We have specifically invited Ukrainians in the city to come join us. It should be a great time of fellowship and let people know how beautiful family is to God our Father. 

We pray that you have enjoyed family during Thanksgiving and will be able to see family during Christmas. But if you are not able to travel, open your home to others and experience family as God has always intended. We are meant to be together and He does that best. 

Go here (Instagram) if you want to see our fun with Andrey and Adriana. 

Whatsit Wednesday - “puntzak frieten”

I remember years ago people in the US were refusing to eat French fries because of a decision that France had made towards the US. “Freedom fries” was all that anyone would eat. But the French fry has never been French. 

Potatoes are a staple of many a diet, also in Europe. The Irish struggled through a potato famine. The Dutch and Germans have mashed potatoes as a main part of a meal. But it was the Belgians who developed the French fry. It was a French-speaking Belgian, but it was a Belgian. 

In our area we call them “frieten” (free-tn). And although we definitely consider the Belgian “friet” to be superior to any other, we have to admit that the Dutch way of presenting them is amazing. 

At the many small little wagons that sell snacks, or the snackbars in city and town, one can get frieten in a “puntzak” - a pointed sack. It isn’t actually a sack. It is a bit of heavy paper rolled up. A small child might do the same to make a trumpet or a hat. But turn it upside down and it is perfect for holding frieten!

A puntzak full of warm frieten topped with salt and perhaps your favorite sauce - which here would be mayonnaise - and eaten with a tiny plastic fork is the perfect little meal. If you want a full meal, you get a square paper basket of frieten topped with chopped meat and onions. But you have to sit down to eat that. The puntzak is mobile. 

The Tale of Home

Whoever has traveled and lived in various locations understands that “home” is hard to define. This is even harder as your family – brothers and sisters – begin starting their own lives and moving on. Sometimes just being together means “home”. Sometimes it is a place. Sometimes it is a sound, smell or taste that brings you immediately to a different time and “homey” feeling. 

The first day we arrived in Minnesota, we experienced what some told us is a unique Minnesota (and perhaps Twin Cities) experience: a graduation party for high school graduates. But these parties could rival any wedding reception we have seen. We have understood that parents get together and help one another in these efforts. We were honored to be invited to several of these and pleased to be able to attend two. 

What really hit home at these parties was the feeling of “home”. These graduates get together with fellow classmates and families and look back at the year and ahead to their future. We were able to meet with several members of the congregation in an informal atmosphere. It always helps to get names in your head again before seeing people that we know, but haven’t seen in quite a while. 

Even funner was how we were unexpectedly made to feel at home at both of these parties. At the first, a man was making “Authentic Dutch mini-pancakes”. We of course recognized them immediately as “poffertjes”, so we asked him if he knew Dutch and what his story was. He had the recipe from his grandmother (who they indeed called “Oma”) and had all the necessary pans and accoutrements. We thoroughy enjoyed a few, even though we don’t usually eat pancakes, and felt at “home” – as if we were in Holland. 

The very next evening, we were at another graduation party (see all of Minnesota pictures here) and enjoyed conversations with other members of the church and seeing the graduates revel and imagine. And what did we run into here but a candy bar (literally – a bar with all sorts of candy) with York Peppermint Patties. For Scott, this hearkens to “home” again. This is a candy he loved when growing up but which is unavailable where we live. So he was “home” again. 

The beautiful thing on all of our travels is that we often feel at home and away at the same time. This is often bittersweet, but beautiful. And it consistently reminds us that “this world is not my home, I’m just a-passin through.” We know we will never feel completely at home here, but when we are together as Christians, we can be at home anywhere.

This was made clear again as we met with the congregation on Sunday. Scott presented the class on the first Sunday to the teens and the next Sunday to the adult class. On the first Sunday afternoon, we also met with the urban ministry group, which is mostly Hmong families who have come to Christ. Whereve we are, wherever we go, we belong to Christ and want to share the love and grace we have received in Him. With Him we are always Home.