Blessing in adversity

"Consider it pure joy when trials come your way and troubles seem to stay (around you). Consider it pure joy, my brothers, for your faith." 

(Paraphrased from James 1:2 for the song Consider it joy from Listen Up!). 

The last two months have brought all sorts of learning moments and challenges to help us grow. God is always good and has stood by us in every way. That is what is so wonderful to see happening. And it is what we need to remember when we are in the midst of adversity. You are not alone. With God’s help, you will overcome. 
Looking toward the summer, we were not sure that our summer Bible camps would be able to take place, due to corona restrictions and rules. We had three weeks of youth camps planned, teams formed and ready, lessons prepared and campers registered before we truly knew if camp would be allowed or if campers from other countries (remember that we have campers from The Netherlands and Belgium) would be allowed to attend. And then, just as we heard that we had a green light, the rains hit hard. 
I was so thankful for the questions and comments and prayers from so many who contacted us to know how we were doing. It was clear that the news from Belgium had reached other parts of the world as well. Almost twice the amount of rain that we usually receive for the whole summer was dumped on Belgium (a naturally wet country) in less than two days! 
Some of our families from Maastricht were down at camp for a family vacation when it was happening and had to quickly evacuate, even leaving things behind as our little camp creek became a raging river running through the middle of our campground. We saw pictures in the news of places we go every summer with our kids from camp, now inundated with water, buildings collapsing into the river. 
Within a few days the rain had stopped and we could asses the damage at our camp. Water had run into parts of our building about 1 meter high, bringing all sorts of sludge. Our driveway stones were strewn all over our playing field, along with the broken glass from some windows we had been saving. All sorts of tools and trash from houses and properties further up river were strewn about the field and creek. But our buildings had stood - except for the wooden shed that housed all of our tools. That was washed completely away. 
We had to act quickly and make some decisions. The very next week would be our first week of camp - for the older teens. Could we have them come and help clean up? What about the week following when we would have 30 kids (8-11 year-olds) coming? Would it be safe? Clean? Even allowed by the government? 
The last question was answered for us: no youth camps were allowed in the city limits of Jalhay (where our camp is situated) until the end of the month of July. So we knew that we would have to find other accommodation for the first two weeks of camp and hope to be able to clean camp up in those weeks if we were to host the third week back at camp. 

A desperate scramble began to find places, realizing that we would not be the only group looking for a place to hold a youth activity. The scouts typically hold their camps just down the road from our camp. They, too, were looking for other accommodation. Thankfully, the scramble led to some good options. The older youth found a location in Malmedy (still in the Ardennes) and the Benjamins (8-11 year-olds) found a place in the middle of Belgium. 
Shirley and I were with the Benjamins. This was a summer to help train as well as host the youngest group. Shirley was assisting Tonia in the kitchen instead of leading the kitchen. This would give Tonia the chance to see what it was like to cook for this type of group. Scott was training two assistent camp leaders so that they would have the opportunity to learn what it was to be a camp leader. At the same time, this was one of the biggest group of kids we had had at Benjamin Camp for many years - but now it would be in a different location. 
Head on over to our pictures to get an idea of what our location looked like and how the week went. As God always does, He surprised us with some wonderful moments and some new challenges. Where we would have been able to let our kids roam a bit free at our own camp, this new location meant that we were all packed into a compact little area - along with lots of animals. But it was a great week with some wonderful lessons. 
The Saturday that Benjamin Camp ended, Scott took Shirley and Chester home to recover, took a quick shower, and headed down to our own camp for Teen Camp - the first group to meet together at camp since the flooding. 
This was only possible because groups of volunteers had been very busy in the intervening two weeks to get everything ready. People from the French-speaking churches in the area (who also had to deal with the flooding in their own area), members from the church in Cologne, and folks from all over Belgium came to clean, pick up rubbish (and we are not talking paper, but pieces of machinery and more) and clean some more. When we got to camp, we had a camp that was clean and usable in every way. What a blessing!
The Teen week was also a time to give others a chance to grow in leading. Scott was able to simply be teacher, presenting lessons on the parables of Jesus, because there was a great team of leaders caring for the campers and the specifics of the week. You can see the group and what the week looked like right here. 
Although we had planned to also visit Family Camp the following week, Scott had to admit that he had gotten a year older and couldn’t handle another week of camp. We did make it down for two days of lessons and short visits with the families that were able to spend the week together being blessed by God's word and presence at camp. 

In these months we also welcomed visitors at services in Maastricht. Scott taught at 3am (his time) for a series in Colorado and led a funeral service for the man he has been a carer for for the last 7 years. It was just days later that the city where this service was held was also inundated in the floods. 

Difficult times always come with moments of care and comfort. The rain reminds us how good it is to see the sun. In the coming weeks and months, we will try to remember this as we continue to try to navigate the uncertainties of corona rules (will they close the border again?), opportunities to get together, struggles that have become acute because of the long year and a half of corona. We look forward to meeting again with brothers to help look into becoming leaders. We hope to be able to meet again internationally to sing together. And we are so thankful that God has His family in so many places. We all need to hang on, hang on tight to the vine, and know that God is almighty. 

Thank you for your prayers for us. We pray that you, too have been blessed by the adversity you have faced and are facing in the coming days. We cannot face it without our King. Don’t do it alone. Know that we are a body together in Christ. 

Whither in winter weather?

In the Netherlands it was supposed to be a historic snowfall and terrible winter conditions. We live in the south, so it turned out to be a bit different. But we got some snow and we certainly got plenty cold temperatures. But it has been interesting to see how people ar dealing with it all. 

Usually, we would be heading down to Germany this week for ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series). Of course this is not possible in corona days. It doesn’t matter that it is also very cold and perhaps completely snowed in. ABSS cannot continue as it usually would. But that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. As with so many things, the week has gone online. 

That actually means that more people will be able to attend than might have been the case. At the moment the British contingent cannot get into Europe. Some past members have in the meantime moved to the US. And for many, the long journeys has always been a challenge. But now they can all be present fro their own living room (even wearing their pajama’s). 

So instead of worrying about travels, many are contemplating their internet evenings. And back in the Netherlands the whole nation began a conversation about the 11-city-trip. This is an ice skating competition that only happens when enough of the water in the Netherlands has frozen that the route between 11 cities can be skated. The last time it was held was 1997. 

So, as soon as the possibility arrived that water was going to freeze, people started thinking about skating. And suddenly the whole country had something else to talk about, something else to concentrate on, than some strange virus or vaccins or masks or government orders. Social media has been flooded with video’s and pictures of skating fun and the country has enjoyed a well-earned breather - in the middle of freezing cold weather. 

It continues to amaze me how God can turn what seem to be unbelievably impossible conditions into something that is truly a blessing for many. Some churches meeting online has meant that peoples in places where church must be clandestine have had more opportunities to enjoy some kind of contact. We have also had to go back online in Maastricht. This means that we have been able to be complete again, although we still look forward to the time when we can see one another in person again. 

People who might never have considered God have also been confronted with difficult times and have found their way to God’s family because of the internet. I had an email and video call with a student who was struggling through the dark days. She found her children’s Bible and wondered who this God was and why she felt she really needed to find out. She will be reading the gospel of Mark this week and wanted to know if she could contact me with her questions. 

Sometimes we do not need to go anywhere to get all the way around the world. I am thankful then - not necessarily for all the hardship and frustration. I have to admit that I am still not happy with all of that. BUT, I can say with the apostle Paul - if God can use my weakness to be immensely strong, then I will glory in being weak that He may be strong. Actually, he said it like this: 

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

So I am looking forward to the coming days when I will see the crocuses popping their beautiful heads out of the ground letting me know that Spring is on the way, but I will continue to revel in the mighty majesty of my God who can turn withering winter into wonderful. (Forgive me, I like alliteration).