COPA Benelux 2024

Each year an indoor soccer tournament is organized for the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a fun opportunity to get together in a different way and to show how much fun can be had by Christians together. It is also an opportunity to invite friends to a different kind of activity. 

In past years the congregation in Maastricht has put together a team. As a matter of fact, we were the first ones to win in the Fun league (we have never had a team in the “pro” league). But in the past years it has become a bit more difficult to field a team. Last year we were part of “Fun United”. This year I signed up individually and was assigned to the team from The Hague - Den Haag Xtra (they said I was the “extra”). 

There were 7 pro teams and 4 fun teams, which is quite an increase from the previous years. It was great to see so many taking part. Halfway through the day we stop to have time to sing together, hear a short devotional thought and pray together. Each game is officiated by the players themselves. It was exciting to see the players being honest and helping one another, even those on the other team. This is what it looks like when Christians get together to have fun. 

And in the end Den Haag Xtra were the Fun champions! I was the goalie for the
games and enjoyed being able to help the team to this victory. It was fun to encourage, to have some good conversations between games and just to have fun together. Next year we will try to put together a team from Maastricht and see if we can bring the trophy home again. 

The tie that binds

There are all sorts of reasons to get together. The last weekend of April saw me in Switzerland with people from all over Europe. We were kicking around a ball in a gym and trying to make conversation in whatever language (or parts of) that we could muster. But Remco Dijkstra hit the nail on the head on Sunday morning when he pointed out that the real reason we were there was because we understood the value that God had given us.

We are so valuable to God that He was willing to leave everything and die for us. He was willing to die for people who didn’t even know Him and certainly did not want Him in their lives (at that time). And because He considered us so valuable, we consider each other to be so valuable. We drive hundreds of kilometers, put up with sleeping on a gym floor (or trying to sleep as well as one can through some super snoring) and sore muscles, struggle to make ourselves understood in various languages because we know that we are Family.

Some haven’t been added to the Family yet. It was exciting to hear a story of new life from one of the young men from Marseille. And it was great to see people praying for one another, taking care of one another even in competition. Because it is about how much we are worth, not how well we play (although it was awfully nice to see Geneva and Paris fight it out in the final). You can find more photo's by clicking on the photo above or going here. 

A weekend later and I was down at Ardennen Bijbelkamp where, once again, a wonderful patchwork of folks had gathered to get dirty and sweaty. This time everyone was from all around Belgium and the Netherlands and we were fixing up camp, getting things ready for the summer. But it was all for the same reason – we understand how valuable we are to God and therefore to one another. We are Family.

We got a whole lot done because everyone was willing to chip in wherever they could. The funds that were needed showed up, the people who showed up were needed in all sorts of jobs, and we all had a great time together. Mowing, weeding, cleaning, building, digging, cooking, assembling. Camp is from all of us (and many of you who also helped out with the funds and encouragement). There are more pictures of this work camp by others here and on Facebook. 

A weekend later and we were walking around Maastricht with Stephan’s in-laws - Natalie’s parents and sister - who took the time in their quick visit to Europe to check out Belgium and environs - and spend time with us! We enjoyed good food – Belgian chocolate, waffles and much more – and good conversation. We celebrated our life in Christ together on Sunday morning and friendships on Sunday evening.

In another week we will be in Minnesota and soon in various other places in the US. We will be visiting family and Family all over. It is so good to know and experience how valuable YOU are. We are so thankful for the love of the Father who has taught us what it is to truly love and be loved!

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.  Colossians 1:3-6

A view of a few of the newest activities

The past two months have kept us pretty busy. Here are a few of the highlights with some pictures to go with it. We are so thankful for how we are able to be used, for the way God is forming us as well.

At the beginning of April Scott went to the European Singles Retreat in Germany to teach on ‘Final Destination: Aliens on our way home’. Singles from all over Europe meet twice a year to encourage one another in their walk with Christ. Scott taught about how our citizenship is in heaven and our culture should be from Christ.

Check out some pictures here or on facebook. For more info see the website.

Two days after the Single’s Retreat Scott and Shirley made a whirlwind tour to Colorado for the wedding of Scott’s best friend, Bret Carter, where Scott was best man. We were only there for 5 days, but were able to get in some quick family visit time as well as meet the bride and her family, meet brothers and sisters from two congregations, and refresh friendships. 

Two days after arriving back in Europe Scott left for a two-day retreat with the Catholic kids from the next village. He and Karla verheijen have been working for years with these groups to encourage the yougn people, their parents and the group working with them to focus on a real life with Jesus Christ. The year’s activities culminate for us with this two-day retreat, which inevitably challenges us with the same question we hope to present to those around us: Am I a cultural Christian, or is Jesus really my life?

the 'new' car

At the end of April Scott headed down to camp to help with some of the work being done there.But before heading down, we had to figure out a car solution. Our car unexpectedly died on the way back from the Single’s Retreat. With all of the activities in between, there had been no time to deal with this need, but now we had a week to look around and a borrowed car to add mobility. Just before the work days at camp we found a ‘new’ car – which looks remarkably like our ‘old’ car and is actually 10 years old (but within budget and with far fewer kilometers). The first test was driving down to camp. The car worked well (and continues to do so) and we got some good work done down at camp. 

The same day of work camp Sean presented his first real EP for his band, Karma Police. This was paid for by the winnings from the contest last year (‘Imagine’) which also saw them go to Romania to perform. More music is on the way. You can hear their music here and purchase their ep. You can also find them on facebook where you can see some of their video's. 

Singing in 4 languages

The first weekend of May saw Scott and Sean driving over to Thayngen, Switzerland for the yearly indoor, international soccer tournament. Scott would present the thoughts around the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, and both ‘boys’ would play soccer. This tournament is an amazing opportunity to bring Christians and friends together from all over Europe, showing what my ‘dad’, Ron Carter (and my best friend, Ron’s son, Bret) always said: Christians know best how to really have fun.

The next weekend the congregation in Maastricht had planned a day down at camp. Philip Dela taught us about how we can forgive – even when we do not feel like it. His original lesson had been on how ‘Christians’ in Africa had taken revenge on Moslims, killing them and dragging them through the streets. This was done, because Christians had also been killied. How should we respond? And where do we find the strength to do this?

Typical of our Maastricht family, we also used the day to write some new songs about forgiveness. One of these songs was written by 3-year-old Liam with his daddy. The Sunday morning after the day at camp all of the new songs were sung. We were pleased to welcome Jia, our Chinese-Maastricht PhD-living-in-Germany who was visiting us for a few days. She let us know a week later that the tune from Liam was still stuck in her head.

The last two weeks have been full of our normal activities as well as the smell of paint. Scott promised Shirley years ago (we won’t go into how many years) that he would paint the ceiling – changing the brown to a shiny white. The paint had been waiting, we simply needed to get it on the agenda - a hard enough task! Although it is not yet finished, we are well on our way.

We pray that you, too, have enjoyed some moments that have challenged your faith and your life in Christ, that you have found some times to share with family and friends, that you have been blessed by the physical blessings in your daily life and that you have been able to be used in many expected and unexpected ways. We have a wonderful and amazing God!

Football for a weekend

Netherlands 2
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

This past weekend we took a group of almost 30 people to Thayngen, Switzerland to play football. Luk and I heard of this opportunity, organized by the church in Switzerland, while we were in Switzerland last year singing. We thought we might be able to get a few people from Belgium and the Netherlands interested. Turned out we were able to bring four teams!

This was a weekend of great moments. We had to drive all night Friday to get there, played all day Saturday and drove back on Sunday, but in between we had some great fun, built relationships with the youth in our churches, made new friends from all over Europe, practiced our French and German, worshiped God together, sang, shared good food and fellowship and were wonderfully blessed!

If you want to see some of the pictures you can click on this picture or you can go here (from Luk Brazle) or here (from Christian Goebbels) for more.