Home Assignment 2026 Stage 1

Tuesday morning early Alexander showed up at the door ready to drive us to the airport. It is amazing to have such wonderful brothers and sisters in the church who are more than willing to take time in their day to help. This day meant not only that we had to get up early, but that Alexander had to get up even earlier to come get us and drive through early morning traffic towards Brussels to get us to the airport. Thankfully the traffic wasn’t extreme and we arrived without any problems. 

Our concerns had of course been that things at the airport might not go very smoothly. In the past weeks there had been stories of strikes by airport employees, flights being canceled because of high airfoil costs or extra long lines because of new European customs requirements. We are quite familiar with the various normal possible delays and we couldn’t do anything about anything new happening, so we just put it out of our minds and moved ahead. Having only carry-on luggage and a personal item made things easier. And indeed, it seemed all lights were on green and we got to our gate without any trouble, ready to fly. 

Our flight with United took off soon time and we started the first leg of our trip (although the leg had actually already started back with Alexander picking us up). We sat next to a nice, but quiet man who was French-speaking and very polite. The usual airplane dance of letting your row-mates know that someone has to use the rest room was only engaged in a few time. 

First, there is a tap on the shoulder and a polite request. Everyone then removes the things on their laps (including the blankets which were quite necessary), moving into the aisle until all have exited. Then those who do not use the restroom (our seats, by the way were directly in front of the restroom) stand and wait, perhaps stretching, mostly simply trying not to bump into the shoulders of those sitting. Finally, it is time to do the sitting dance where all return to their place, picking up the dropped bits in the seat and establishing oneself again in the seat, ready to continue the flight comfortably seated. 

Our flight from Brussels arrived in Chicago without any incident and we moved to our next gate where we were to take the second part of this leg - a flight to Dallas, Texas.  Normally, this would be the easy last bit of the trip, but there was a delay. In the end we left more than an hour late, having boarded the plane and waited on the tarmac for something to happen. 

The young gentlemen next to us in the aisle was taking his first trip to Texas - a business trip. The plane had been delayed because there wasn’t enough space in the overhead bins and all of the luggage was needing to be reshuffled to be safe for flying. This announcement was one we had never heard before. In the end we arrived without much incident, having tried to sleep a bit on this flight. It had, after all, been almost 20 hours since we started this whole leg. 

Of course we were worried that the delay for this last flight might have influenced the other reservations we had made. We still had to pick up a rental car and head to a hotel for the night. Standing in the line at the rental place I could hear them telling the people before me that there simply weren’t any cars to offer them. I calmed my thoughts and was patient. When we could step up to the counter, the young lady took our papers, typed into the computer in front of her and handed me the contract for our rental. It was waiting patiently for us in the lot. 

We drove to our hotel through the spaghetti that is the highway system around Dallas-Fort Worth. Our hotel knew we were coming and had a room ready for us as well. Many of you travellers will be thinking, “Of course, it was. That’s how reservations work.” But I was simply thankful that we had a place where I could finally stretch out long and just crash. We took a shower and fell into sleep - waking up twenty-three million times to go to the restroom throughout the night. But we had arrived. 

The next day (the first real day of our trip in the US) we were able to drive off to our first stop on this Home Assignment, Abilene, Texas. The clouds were gathered and threatening to rain - which everyone in Texas has been praying for. At the same time we would drive by a section not more than 50 miles away where a tornado was touching ground. Thankfully no one was injured in that town and we didn’t see any of that. 

Toward the evening we went to a congregation (Westgate) for a bring-your-dinner fellowship. We were able to meet several members from our previous supporting congregation, 11th and Willis. It was good to share time together. Afterwards I was able to present the Bible study, talking about our work in the Netherlands and Belgium and linking that to the grace and might of our wonderful God. You are not too small. God is using you wherever you are for His glory if you are allowing Him in your life. 

The rest of this first leg will include a tax talk (US taxes) a fish-fry out at a ranch, a Sunday full of meeting and talking as well as wonderful worship time with another family of Christ and a last drive back over toward Dallas-Ft. Worth. But that is for another time. Hopefully we will be able to share some pictures of our Texas time by the next post. 

The Tale of Stepping in St. Paul

'Twin Cities' is a very apt description for Minneapolis-St. Paul. These two major cities mirror each other across the river. While we were visiting our supporting congregation of Woodbury church of Christ, we stayed for the first time in St. Paul which is the capitol of the state of Minnesota. In the past we spent most of the time in the suburbs of Woodbury, or across the border in Hudson, Wisconsin. This was the first time for us to stay in St. Paul and get to know this area. 

After the graudation parties from The Tale of Home and meeting with the church on Sunday, we had a bit of free time on Memorial Day. Many people think about cooking out, visiting with family and celebrating those who have died for the country. We were staying with a young couple in St. Paul who work from home – a newly purchased house which they were willing to share with us for a few days. But it literally rained on all the parades that day. 

By the evening, however, we just needed to get out of the house for a bit and walk around. So we borrowed two pink and purple umbrellas from our hosts and walked downtown. We were that close that it was only about a 30 minute walk. We didn’t know what we would find, but have never been adverse to an adventure. And this was not the only adventure. The rest of our time in Minnesota was spent enjoying stepping out in St. Paul (and a few other areas). 

That first evening downtown brought us to "The St. Paul". That is what this luxurious hotel is called. We just knew that we wanted to see what we expected to be a beautiful lobby. But the exuberently friendly desk clerk directed us to all the exciting areas in the hotel, invited us to eat in the hotel restaurant and told us all sorts of interesting tidbits about the city and the hotel. Presidents stayed here (and paid a whopping $2 a night at the time). 

Later that evening we walked with our hosts, Corbin and Mandy, to a local brewery turned indoor market. Many things are indoor in Minnesota as a result of what the winters can be like. That is why one of the biggest malls is found here, the Mall of America. We of course could not skip spending an afternoon looking around this mall and being amazed at how much is offered in one location. Stores upon stores, and even a theme park inside the mall! 

Later in the week, we were welcomed by our second host, Jimmy, to his midcentury-modern home not far from the old St. Paul airport (Holden Field) where we got a cup of coffee one afternoon. We also walked along the Indian Burial Mounds park looking down on the airfield. A perfect view of the city, with the cathedral and capitol building, welcomed us from atop this bluff. Those two monuments were our next destination. 

Summit Avenue is a broad street lined with monumental mansions of days gone by which tell of the vast wealth that came to this city at and around the beginning of the 20th century. Views over the river, sprawling, beautiful homes of various styles and sunshine to enjoy it all. We walked along the mansions and back to the cathedral perched atop the point of the hill. This cathedral, built according to the St. Peter’s cathedral in Rome, rose in the place of one of the mansions and took about 20 years to complete. 

After strolling through the stone interior, we jumped in the car and rode the short distance to the capitol building we could see not far away (but too far to walk to). The clouds added to the early evening ambience and we finished another day of wonder-walking in St. Paul, enjoying the homes and neighborhoods as we returned to our host’s home. (check out the pictures from this tale here)

In our last few days we enjoyed walking around the neighborhood to a rental house our host was working on, visiting a brass quintet concert at one of the many, many universities these cities are graced with, walking around a small lake where we listened to birdsong and shared conversations about the song of life in Jesus Christ, and visiting Minnehaha Falls. All of these walks were spent with old friends and new contacts. Walking together is always a good way to spend the time and get to know one another. 

Could it be that is why Jesus invites us to walk with Him in the light? It is exciting that no matter where we go – whether in St Paul, Minnesota or Colorado (our next stop), we can walk with Jesus, the King and get to know him. The world is a different place when we take that walk. 

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.1 John 1:7