February Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
As anticipated, this year started with a bang and has continued to be quite busy - which is exciting! We continue to look forward to all that God has prepared for us to do.

Home or away?
We had several times this month that our family was a bit split up. The Ladies Retreat which usually comes at the beginning of March was in February this year. This is always a good opportunity to get the ladies of the congregation together. We are thankful that several always want to and can attend.

Our young people went over to Antwerp for a youth weekend on music and how it influences our lives. This time we went to help out in the kitchen - a first for Scott, but he was in good hands with Shirley. God has made us a good team!

The end of the month brought the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) in Gemünden, Germany. This is usually organized by the Brazles, but since they are in the States for a year as visiting missionaries, Scott and Doyle Kee from Switzerland took over the organization for a year. This week and weekend retreat is a great opportunity for members in Europe.
Lessons are presented from teachers who have taken the time to dig deeper into a subject that will also help those who participate in the week. And it is participation! Although there are only four or five speakers, the listeners have plenty of time during meals, walks in the woods and fussbal games to chew on all the information and thoughts that the teachers passed on. It is always an invigorating week. We were glad to be able to help in this way this year and are looking forward to next year already.
One of the best things about this week is the contact that we have with Christians from around Europe. Traveling hours to get somewhere is not that common here. So when two brothers from Poland traveled more than 11 hours to be with us for two days (before turning around and heading back home), it was a privilege to get to know them. This year we fellowshipped with people from Switzerland, Slovakia, Poland, England, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States. It is great to be a part of God’s family!
Outreach
Being gone during these moments did split up the month quite a bit, but this did not change the various studies we have going on. Let me update you on a few things that you have been praying about.
You may have seen all the news about the snow storms in China and the distress this caused travelers. We were worried about LJ because she had gone home to visit her parents (the first time in a few years!). We finally got to see her this month when she returned and heard that she had been affected, but that she was able to visit with her parents.
It was good to be able to get together again after she has had some time to be away and think about what we are reading and studying. She visited a few churches while at home as well, wanting to see what opportunities there might be. Amazingly, it was her father who directed her to the churches. Back in Maastricht we helped her move from one apartment to another and she shared a good meal. We are proud that she considers us her friends and continue to pray that we can be of even more help than moving her worldly good from one place to another. We want to see her again when we all get Home.
The study with Mr. W. also continued well this month. What do you do when you start reading in the Bible and find out that many of the things you were taught are not there? Mr. W. has some very strong opinions about all sorts of things. He respects those who will listen and be willing to change. It has been interesting to see him struggle with his own struggle to change or accept.
Scott was also contacted by people he had studied with in the past, but who had stopped. It is exciting then to see some initiative coming from them, wanting to study again. Please continue to pray for these efforts, these relationships and for the amazing things God can do in people’s lives.
In Maastricht we also took Willemien in to have her second knee replacement. Soon she will be ready to run again, without pain. She is pleased that this is all possible, even more with how it has brought people into her life. She found a neighbor who was willing to watch the dog for 4 weeks and with whom she now has a good relationship. God is amazing and gracious. Keep an eye out for what He wants to do with you!

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Continue to pray for Mr. W. He is asking lots of questions and is willing to listen.
- Pray that LJ will think more about what Jesus wants to bring her life.
- Pray for our plans in the neighborhood: WoW course, our church study weekend, and our Bible studies as well as our daily contacts.
- Pray for our regular visitors A., S.,V. and M. who are all deciding whether they want to give their lives fully to Jesus. For some this is a difficult cultural decision as well.
- Pray for Ruud and Karla, our co-workers. Ruud is in terrible pain. He continues each day, making it through the pain. Thank God for the strength Ruud finds to still be such an example.
- Pray for our young people heading out near the end of this year to start university far away - that they will continue to grow.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
Belgians and Dutchmen in the world
You may not know much about Belgium or the Netherlands, but odds are that you know some of the things they produce.
You may have had contact with Dutch companies in the supermarket (Unilever), at the bank (ING), the gas station (Shell), in travel (KLM) or in electronics (Philips). The Dutch have also been involved in rebuilding the area damaged by Katrina, using their know-how of how to keep water at bay.
While Belgian companies are less well-known in the global sense, they are no less prevalent. Belgium has many middle-sized companies working in lower-profile areas: textiles, dredging, languages (translating software). Best-known are perhaps their beers.
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know. s.raabs@tele2allin.be

What’s coming up?
APRIL
WoW course
Youth weekend
Single’s Retreat
MAY
Work camp
Maastricht study week

THANKS!
- For extra funds - you take great care of us!
- For all the contact - Facebook, blog, email or otherwise
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
Every year Shirley has the opportunity to go to the Ladies Retreat in Germany. This year was going to be different. We heard back in October that everything was already full and that there was no room left. This meant that our ladies could not go. We put them on a waiting list and hoped for the best. Sean was especially distraught - it is when Shirley comes home from the Ladies Retreat that we have received such wonderful gifts from Americans in Germany as Oreo cookies, Pop Tarts and Kraft macaroni and cheese. Now, it seemed, this would not happen.
Thankfully, room opened up and four of our ladies got to go. And yes, Shirley came home with arms full. Thanks to the ladies at Kaiserslautern we had once again been spoiled (although I like to see it as a blessing!). The ‘guys’ survived just fine at home alone. By now they have learned to get along just fine and take good care of each other.
At the end of the month Scott and Shirley went off together to the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) in Germany, leaving the boys behind to fend for themselves. We had seen that they could do this quite well when we went to Switzerland last Fall with Listen Up!. Now Scott was organizing the week in Germany with Doyle Kee and needed some good support. And we form a good team together! The boys joined us in the weekend, so we had a good little break together as well.
ABSS is always a great time to see people we don’t see so often and to meet new people. This year we met some brothers from Poland and Scott got to play basketball as usual with Doyle. He even played some mud-soccer with the young guys from Marseilles. Probably practicing for May when several from Belgium and the Netherlands will travel to Switzerland for a tournament with teams from various churches of Christ around Europe.
Stephan got to meet one of his future classmates while in Germany. Justin Smith (son of Brady and Stephanie - Stephanie was cooking for us and Justin is studying at Marseilles) will also be attending Harding. It is neat to see how Stephan is getting to know his future classmates online already. This should help when he gets there. But for now he also needs to be focusing on his studies here to make sure that he passes the year well.
Sean has struggled this month with the weather and his health as far as his sport. His team’s field is underfunded, so when it rains or freezes they cannot practice or play. This has meant not much working out and that leads to slight injuries and frustrations. His growing like a weed probably doesn’t help much either (with the injuries). Sean is getting nearly as tall as Scott.
We hope that your month was a blessing, bringing plenty of challenges - and the strength to meet them. We are so glad for the days we have together, realizing that they are quickly changing. Enjoy your day today as you follow where God is taking you!

Prayer opportunities

Not that you need to hear from me to know that there are so many wonderful opportunities to speak with God, but I wanted to share these things in our work for which we would greatly appreciate your prayers.
- Last year I told you about the opportunity we had with our colleagues in their village. Karla was asked to help with the Catholic confirmation group by teaching them about the Bible. I was able to help out during a weekend retreat where we talked about faith. This year they have asked me to help again, specifically to talk about prayer and what it is. So I will be able to talk to these young people (and also to the adult supervisors) about how and why we can pray. Talk to the Father about this. So many people miss out on what prayer really can be and this is an opportunity to give this to these young people who aren't even yet sure if they want to know who God is.
- P. called Ruud (Karla's husband) last week and told him he wanted to be baptized. Ruud called me and we discussed how we should continue. We made an appointment to talk - so that he could see what we were saying and we could see what he was thinking. He lives up around Nijmegen - a good 2 hour drive from us. We went up last Sunday and talked for several hours, finally leaving, understanding that P. would let us know what he was going to do. He called this past Friday to let us know that he is very serious about his desire to give his life to God, but that there are a few more questions he is examining. He has a yearly vacation in France at this time, so this will give him a good opportunity to think, pray and study. Pray for P. and his wife, N., as they are making this consideration for their life.
- We have a new couple in the congregation in Maastricht. Philip is a Christian from Togo, via Germany, and his wife, Susanne, is from the Orthodox church. They are bringing a regular visitor who just moved to Belgium. Susanne's desire to know the Lord in her life, along with the visitor, along with two other regular visitors are all putting a strong emphasis on the decision we all make to belong to our King, Jesus. This has also been good for our young people. Pray for our discussions and the decisions of those considering giving their lives to God.

Thank you for your faithfulness and encouragement!! It is so good to know that we are striving together to have a wonderful family in our Father's kingdom.

ABSS

At the end of February we got our annual portion of abss - that is the Advanced Bible Study Series. This is a wonderful week of lessons and fellowship held in the beautiful Taunus area of Germany. From Tuesday to Friday there are at least 5 challenging lessons a day on various topics from qualified speakers. On Friday we switch over to a more family-friendly schedule for those who can come for the weekend. But every day brings new thoughts and challenges, and new opportunities to discuss this all with new friends from all over Europe.

ABSS is usually organized by Paul Brazle, but he is in the States for a year as missionary-in-residence, so this year was organized and run by Doyle Kee and me. Although, to be honest, we didn't leave Paul alone much, either (we are thankful for email). I am so thankful for people who are willing to help (like Stephanie Smith from Lausanne, Nicole Hoffman from Bern, and Brandy Svensson from Wiesbaden who took care of the kitchen) and for all the opportunities to meet brothers and sisters from so many places. This week brings some really challenging lessons (this year from Philip Slate, Jim Krumrei, Craig Young and Bob Eckman) and serves to train, equip and encourage church members in Europe.

This year Shirley was able to come along, since we have seen that the boys know how to take care of themselves (they did such a good job when we went to Switzerland). The boys joined us at the weekend (as you can see in the pictures). We met brothers from Poland and Slovakia as well as from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. We saw a whole herd of deer, took some really wonderful walks, and I played basketball AND football (soccer) this time (although there was no snow - maybe best for the basketball playing).

Some things never change. ABSS is a week of study, but there is always time for some fun and fellowship. How can we learn without those also being a part of the process? The "Gemundener Follies" are always the highlight of the week session - the moment when the real talent floats to the top.(?)

One of the biggest changes we DID see this year was in the available technology. The speakers were checked - while speaking - on their information thanks to being able to 'google' on a laptop while listening (stop and listen to that sentence again - where is our language going!). Instead of copying the lessons on cassette, or making them available on cd, we can now simply place them on the internet for everyone to download. If you are interested in hearing the lessons, you can download them here. We are already looking forward to next year. If you are in the neighborhood next year, be sure to plan to drop in for the week!

On its way

SinglesBeauty07
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

I just uploaded a few more artsy pictures from Stephan that he took during the Singles Retreat last Spring. The beauty he can see astounds me!

And it also reminds me at this time that the winter is over and spring is on its way. March came in like a very angry lion last night (lots of wind and rain)! But that means we will soon be enjoying more sunny days!

Marionette

Marionette
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

Jump on over to our picture site (click on the picture here) and go to "Artsy Favorites" (on the right) to see some of the pictures that Sean and Stephan took last week while in Germany. What a wonderful eye they have! I've got to give them the camera more often!

Antwerp Youth Weekend

Kyana, Isha, Elise
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

Back in the middle of the month we went over to Antwerp to help with the youth weekend there. A smaller group certainly didn't make for any less fun. Luk Brazle talked about the lies that advertisers, video's, films and music try to pass off on us. Then we talked about how music can influence us for good and what we should do about that.

As with all our youth weekends, this is a time to see friends you don't see regularly, and to have some fun and cement those relationships. Ice skating, good food and good music always help. This time Scott and Shirley were in charge of the kitchen (a new one for Scott).

We are so thankful that God can use us in this way and for young people who so want to know God and grow in Him.

Wonderfully made

This evening we went in to visit Willemien in the hospital. She is our 86-year-old sister who continuously encourages. She is not in the hospital because she is sick really - she is getting a new knee. This is her second one. You might remember me writing about her other one a year and a half ago. Now she is getting her right knee renewed.
It amazes me how wonderfully we are made. Now you might think "Wait a minute - she needs a new knee. How wonderful can that be?" But what amazes me is that this is possible! God has made us so wonderfully that we are able to figure out how to do this. And, amazingly, those wonderfully smart doctors and engineers figured out how to make these replacement knees by looking at how the original was made. They even try to find solutions for the materials. These new knees only last 10-15 years. Just about enough for Willemien (all the women in her family have lived to be at least 90!)
Just as amazing is how God has made our bodies to respond to something like this. Willemien was operated on yesterday morning. Her leg was put in a sled to start working out while she was in the recovery room. This evening, after getting some good sleep through the day, she was laughing and in good spirits. Tomorrow she will get out of bed and start walking. By the end of the week she will be able to leave the hospital, ready to use her new knee.
Our bodies are made to renew, to heal, to grow. And this while we are actually dying a little bit every day (now that's a slightly less positive thought). But that ability shows us how wonderfully we are MADE. And it points us to our true future. I love that Willemien puts those things together. She knows her future!

January Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

January 2008

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
As we glanced back near the end of last year at what we experienced, we had a chance to look ahead to what is coming. Here are some of those thoughts.

Looking ahead
We want to focus in 2008 on three major areas of our work (which have also been our focus in the past): youth, equipping members and outreach. In 2007 we had 5 youth weekends and 4 youth activities. This coming year will be no different. The first youth weekend for 2008 was this month. Haarlem hosted more than 20 kids for a weekend on sin (and what to do about it!). It was great to see some of the youth from earlier years leading this weekend.

Community and family are essential concepts if we are going to live and grow. Last year was a beginning for special days with the brothers and activities with the older youth. It has been good to see how this has also taken off. The older ‘youth’ have not let go of their faith. Instead, they want to put it even more into practice in their lives. A new group begun last year - ‘Het Anker’ (The Anchor) continues to be important in this.

One of the most exciting parts of community to me is how God has made us able to sing. 2007 a year of song for us in Maastricht. The members in Maastricht wrote 10 new songs. This has been so encouraging, to us and to others. At the end of this month the annual Camp meeting was held in Antwerp. This is a formality which we use to do even more by making it into a community event. We used the opportunity to teach some new songs and sing together with members from around Belgium and the Netherlands. What a privilege! If you are interested in the songs, take a look at our church website: www.gvcmaastricht.nl. Everything is in Dutch, but some of the songs are in English. Click on the top right tab “Liedjes”. You will see a list of songs and a player. There are at least two in English, but take a listen to the Dutch ones as well. Most of these were written by our young people! That’s how we combine youth with community.

Outreach
Trying to let people know how wonderful God is would seem to be a straightforward activity. In reality it has to be a mixture of large efforts and activities as well as everyday, small efforts by all members. In 2007 we had more than 150 studies (even though we were gone for three months in the summer) and we hope to continue these in 2008. We had a wonderful opportunity to work with a Catholic youth weekend and have been approached to help this year as well. And our everyday opportunities are ever-present - if we open our eyes to the people God brings across our path.

We plan to offer our Wiser on the Way course at least twice this year - this time in combination with some extra efforts in the neighborhood. We also plan to host a concert with Listen Up! at the end of a youth weekend in June. This is a big effort, requiring all sorts of help from all of the members. But it is also a time to see how God can work through us. This concert will bring in all sorts of visitors who are interested in what is being said, but still from a distance. It will be up to us to let them see how good it is to be up close and personal with God.

This month has been a challenging and exciting one for relationships. I have been able to continue with some of my studies from last month and they are exciting. Mr. W. continues to ask such good questions and be genuinely interested in what God says in His word. But other members of the congregation have also been able to talk about their love. Willemien was excited when her neighbor asked her about the Bible. This is a neighbor who helps Willemien regularly and is now interested in where she gets her strength. We look forward to how God is going to continue using us in so many ways (many that we don’t even know right now) to let others see how wonderful He is.

This past month has brought some regular visitors in our services as well. We have never really viewed our worship time as the premium moment of evangelism - it is instead the premium moment for us to encourage one another and be encouraged by the presence and might of our loving God. But we are encouraged that several young people have made a clear choice to meet with us in order to get to know God better.

God is amazing and gracious. We are ready to be amazed in this year as we look for how He will let the year unfold. A bit exciting. A bit anxious, not knowing what is coming. But all will be very good - in His hands.

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Continue to pray for Mr. W. We are having some great studies in the Word.
- Pray also for LJ who knows how challenging the life of a Christian is and is considering whether that is something she is interested in.
- Pray for our plans for this coming year as we try to reach out more to the neighborhood.
- Pray for our regular visitors A., A. and V. These are young people who want to grow and are an example even for their parents.
- Continue to pray for our youth activities planned for the year. These are so important for the future of the church as well.
- Pray for Ruud and Karla, our co-workers. Ruud is in terrible pain. He continues each day, making it through the pain.
- Pray for our young people heading out near the end of this year to start university far away - that they will continue to grow.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
That’s music to me
The Dutch and the Belgians have had an interesting musical history. In the 60’s and 70’s people will remember the Dutch groups Golden Earring (Radar love), George Baker Selection and Mouth and MacNeil. These days listeners will recognize Anouk, Raccoon, or DJ Tiesto. Country listeners might know Ilse de Lange.
Belgian singers like Jacques Brel and Ann Christy were internationally known. Toots Thielemans is the best-known jazz harmonica player in the world and the Queen Elizabeth contest is the premier contest for classical piano and violin.
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know. s.raabs@tele2allin.be

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
We kind of skipped out on the December news. We are so thankful for so many of you who send year-end newsletters updating us on what is going on in your lives, but somehow we always feel like December is a bit of news overkill, since we send you a newsletter (almost) monthly. So we also enjoyed lots of visits (we even crammed Thanksgiving into December!), way too much good food and sweets and lots of time together.
We brought the new year in with a bang over at Ruud and Karla’s house with most of the congregation. That was fun! Sean did magic tricks (with his beautiful assistant Shirley at his side), Stephan juggled and Scott sang a song or two. Others played piano, read poems and made jokes. It was a great evening, rounded off by some good fireworks outside.

Once in January things picked up pretty quick (amazing how quickly a year can get going!). The stores all put everything on sale - which means good fun and opportunities for Shirley! She headed out into the wilds with Geesie and Marjolijn to see what she could find. Even Stephan and Sean enjoyed a bit of this shopping, since they needed some clothes.

It has been interesting to see how Sean has changed in the past few months. He switched schools at the beginning of the school year and this brought an almost immediate change in the way he dressed. Now he is much more willing to listen to the fashion advice of his mother (who knows of what she speaks).
Sean has also decided to buckle down and get to work this semester. A new school brings new ways of doing things, but also brought some pretty good competition in his class. This is not always a bad thing. It has been fun to hear Sean speaking French whenever he is not playing soccer or playing the guitar.
The guitar is Sean’s newfound love. He has decided that he is going to be a bass gitarist and has set to learning quite a few songs from his favorite group (at the moment) Bloc-Party. It amazes me how quickly he can learn something when he decides to do it! Great fun to see - though not always fun to hear (but what budding musician is?)

Stephan was absorbed this month by “Chrysostomos” which is slightly comparable to senior prom, but only slightly. The last-years put on a show for the lower-years and there is a dance. For Stephan the show included the ‘hakka’ (know idea how to spell that) which is the Maori dance. He made sure that he worked out enough first, since they were doing it in traditional dress. The dance does not include fancy dresses and tuxedos and probably resembles more of the ‘after-prom’ dances than anything else. It is not held in or by the school, but simply in a local disco. We were actually pleased that Stephan decided to stay home.

We also started looking at how to fix a few things around the house as the time for spring cleaning gets closer. We’ll see how that works out.

DON'T FORGET!!
What’s coming up?
FEBRUARY
ABSS
Hootenanny/Youth evening
MARCH
Youth weekend
Camp meeting

THANKS!
- For your comments on the blog - great to hear from you!
- For letting us know what’s happening in your lives
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe

Enjoy each moment as you walk with God today!
Love in Him,
Scott, Shirley,
Stephan and Sean Raab

A good woman who can find?

Well, I don't know about you, but I've definitely got one!
You know she really loves you when you're shivering and just can't get warm, so she cuddles up close to you - even though you are now cold because you have just sweat up the whole bed from your flu fever and she has to cuddle up to all that sweat (hope you're not eating dinner while reading this!). The next three days Shirley nursed me and Sean back to health through all our aches and whining. I am so thankful for this real woman who is so very beautiful at moments when you would not really expect it (but when you most want it to be so).

Youth weekend in Haarlem

In de regen / In the rain
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

A little bit of rain just can't stop the fun. This past weekend was a youth weekend in Haarlem with the theme "Missing the mark". Biking in the rain could not keep the fun away, since we biked to the Ikea to have breakfast, to an archery club to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow and back home to listen to some good lessons and spend time together. These weekends are always good for seeing friends and making new friends. We had over 20 kids at this one in Haarlem.

What a blessing to have people who are willing to orgainze these events. This one was also organized partially by some of the youth who have grown up - it is great to see their growth in the Lord!

Click on the photo to see more pictures of the weekend.

On his way

We recently received our official notice that Stephan has been accepted to Harding University. This is exciting. There have been lots of times as Stephan was growing up that we thought about whether he would go off to school in the States or stay here. Our furlough last summer, being able to visit several schools, helped to put some things in perspective.

Now Stephan will be heading off to Searcy, Arkansas. Shirley is an alum, so we know what the school used to look like. Stephan endures stories of times past (but secretly listens closely, knowing that there are still elements that might be helpful). All he has to do now is pass this last year in high school. He is ready to go and excited about the possibilities.

So if all goes right and we can find the finances we need, Stephan will be gone in the Fall. All we have to do is get used to the idea that Stephan is leaving! We have known it was coming, but it is still kind of hard to get used to. I don’t think we will believe it until Scott gets back from Arkansas without Stephan.

Until then we will try to enjoy all the moments we have together, which is something we need to be doing anyway. And we are doing the same thing with Sean – he may have another four years, but he is already making plans!

Welcome to 2008

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! Happy New Year!
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

We had a wonderful evening welcoming in the new year! Most of the church family was able to get together at Ruud and Karla's house to play games, sing and enjoy the wonderful fellowship of family.

Sean and Shirley put on a magic show (Mr. Magnifico!), Stephan juggled and Scott played a song. We also enjoyed the exploits of the others (have you heard of 'jumping' yet?) and listened to some wonderful piano playing.

At the stroke of 12 (ours, of course) we ran outside to enjoy the fireworks. These remind me of how beautiful light can be - the nice thing being that Jesus is a light that lasts, never fading, not just a momentary pleasure. Enjoy His light each and every day in this new year!

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2008
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

What a wonderful day! From even before I became a Christian I saw that "Family" with God was something special. How else could people who were so diverse be so close and really love each other? That is what continues to thrill me about this life that God has given us!

This Christmas day we had Willemien over to celebrate with us. It was great to spend that time together, share the smiles and laughter of our giving moments, and just know that we were family. God is so good!

(Click on the photo to see some more of what we did at home on Christmas.)

December dones

Here are a few of the things we done done in December.


Thanksgiving
Since most of us cannot get together on a Thursday, we usually plan Thanksgiving some time later - this time at the beginning of December. We of course have to get it in before Sinter Klaas (Dec. 6).

This year we got together with about 50 other people in Eindhoven to enjoy the food and good company. The guys got to wash up afterwards, the ladies played dominoes and the kids lost themselves in with the fussbal table.

We were especially glad that Li Jia could come with us. We also brought Khrystyna, who is a Ukrainian au pair living in the next village. She heard of us from a friend of hers in Eindhoven and has made a point of getting to services every Sunday, even thought that is quite difficult.
(To see some more Thanksgiving photo's, just click on the photo above.)

Hootenanny
Every once in a while (hopefully at least six times a year) we try to get together for a 'hootenanny' in Antwerp. Since Paul and Carol Brazle have been gone (they are the missionaries in residence at Oklahoma Christian), it has been a little harder. They put these evenings together. A hootenanny is a time to eat hotdogs (chilidogs), have some good conversations, meet new people and play or listen to guitar songs.

Most of the time a few young people get out their guitars to learn a bit from those who already know how to play a little. This time it was fun to have Stephan there with his guitar, as well as Roxanne. We play some John Denver, Beatles or such - or if we are really ambitious, Plain White T's (Stephan had "Delilah" on his computer and it wasn't that hard).
(For some more pics on the hootenanny, click on the photo above.)

Shepherds Walk
Listen Up! had only one concert this end-of-year, but it was a doozy. We had been asked to take part in the "Shepherd's Walk" which is a three hour long walk along woods and farms stopping at certain places where a part of a play is presented. The purpose of the play is to tell the visitors the whole story of who Jesus is and why he came to earth.

The day was beautiful - nice and dry, sun shining during the day. Of course the play started in the evening and clear weather means cold weather. We dressed warm, knowing that we would be singing for at least nine different groups of walkers making their way past our section of the play. To be honest - we had it easy compared to the young actors (check out the pictures by clicking on the picture above). We only sang two songs each time, but it was nice being able to take part.

In between all of this we also celebrated Sinter Klaas, Shirley's birthday and have been trying to get our shopping done for Christmas. December can be pretty busy - but we are also getting plenty of time together. The boys have their exams, but that means they are home after lunch, studying (or complaining that they have to study). We are so thankful that we can enjoy the time we have together!

November Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

November 2007

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
It is so good to know that God is always present, always a strength, always working - whether it is how we expect or not.
Up and downs
Some months bring exciting changes, while others are simply everyday or even disappointing. But we want to simply remain faithful in living for God and letting people know how good it is to live with Him. Although we were a bit disappointed with some things this month, there were other areas that were encouraging.

Many of you have been praying for our WoW course. It was so good to be able to explain the course while we were in the States this past summer as well. This month we offered the course, but for various reasons had little interest. We were offering it still to our own members (especially our new members), but cut this short as well (see church news further on).

Even LJ commented on this in surprise - she doesn’t understand how people could not be interested in the Bible. Continue to keep her in your prayers as she wants to know more and more. She was finally able to attend services and wants to come more often.

We will offer the WoW course again in the Spring and hope to have better results then. Mr. W. continues to ask challenging questions, for us and for himself. He recently commented on his frustration that he had to learn about the Bible from us - although he was very thankful to God for having brought us into his life. We pray that Mr. W. will continue allowing space for his questions, willing to listen to answers.

Another exciting moment in the month was the youth weekend in Eindhoven. The weekend was focused on giving, sharing and serving. As with this same weekend last year, we had the young people put together boxes to send to kids who have never before received a present. Some of you may be familiar with Operation Christmas Child.

The exciting thing to me this year was how we challenged the kids to use their own money and creativity in finlling the shoebox. They brought their own allowance money and we headed off into the city to make some purchases. Sinter Klaas was arriving in Eindhoven that very day. He is the big gift giver in the Netherlands (his birthday is December 5 and is when most kids get presents - not Christmas, although Santa Claus is based on this idea, which is based on Saint Nicolas). Our young people took the time to find things that would show how much they cared about the kid they were sending their box to.

Church News
For the last several months we have been blessed by the addition in our church family of Leon and Mariette. They are a couple we know through their daughter, who came through our youth weekends and camps in the past. Their daughter is now married and moved away and Leon and Mariette have become an encouraging force in the church here.

Mariette is chronically ill and cannot take much medicine - even though she needs it. Leon is a truck driver, leaving home at 4 a.m. and getting back around 2 p.m. if everything went well on his route. When he gets home he cares for his wife, gets the cleaning and shopping done and gets things ready for the next day. They are both an example to us of faith at work. Mariette tries to be positive in her situation and is always vocal about how God blesses her that day. Leon loves being with us whenever he can be.

And that was a bit of the problem. How long can you keep going when you are tired? So Leon came, torn apart by the decision he thought he had to make. He had the keys to the building in his hands, which he felt he needed to return to us. He had decided that they could not come any more since they could not come to everything! Thankfully, we were able to talk and explain how wonderful their presence is for those in the family. And that finding a balance is very important. So they will be taking a rest and looking for that balance. Please keep them in your prayers.

We also had some good visits with new visitors this month. LJ was able to come to worship with us twice! She has wanted to come in the past but works on Sunday mornings. Now she is looking for some solution to this problem. We also welcomed an au pair from the Ukraine who is working for a family in our town! She found us in Maastricht and goes to considerable trouble to be present. God continues to amaze us with his grace.

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Pray especially for Mr. W. He is seriously considering what God means in his life. Our study each week always brings us to very challenging questions, which he is willing to consider.
- Pray also for LJ who knows how challenging the life of a Christian is and is considering whether that is something she is interested in.
- Pray for Leon and Mariette, our new brother and sister who are struggling with how to fit everything into their lives. Mariette is chronically ill and Leon cares for her as well as working full-time.
- Thank God that the weakness of the dollar has not yet influenced us terribly because there are so many who care about us and the work here. Praise God!
- Continue to pray for our young people, including V. who continues to visit and worship with us every Sunday morning.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
Dutch football is soccer
The Dutch love soccer. While there are several international players playing now for big-name teams, there are also several Dutch coaches making names all over the globe:
Poland, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia and Russia have recently had or currently have Dutch coaches for the national teams.
At one point recently FC Barcelona (a Spanish team) was coached by a Dutchman and had six Dutch players in the first team (out of 11).
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know.

THANKS!
- For your emails and comments on the blog - good to know you are following what is happening
- For letting us know what’s happening in your lives
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe

WHAT'S COMING UP?
DECEMBER
Hootenanny/Youth evening
Listen Up! singing in Utrecht
Bible study in Lanaken
JANUARY 2008
Youth weekend
Camp meeting

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
This month started out with Stephan - mostly because last month ended with him. On his birthday we had the church over for a nice evening - but that was not a party for an 18 year-old. So Stephan planned a party with his friends. It is neat to see the friendships that he has built up through the years - even though these guys are pretty far away.


Everyone came over for an evening and day of Wii! If you have not yet seen this games console, then you need to. Instead of sitting down staring at the television, the players stand and swing their arms. You can golf, play tennis, or hit a baseball. Since we could hook up the projector, the guys decided to play baseball in the living room. It was great to see the fun they could have together.

Stephan is moving closer and closer to what will be a big change for him in his life. If all goes well, he will be studying in the States next year. Of course he first has to pass this year. That’s quite a task when you are fed up with school and just want to be done (which most of us have experienced). Exams in December after having to study for the ACT in October - November was just a month crammed in between studying.

Thankfully Stephan still has his basketball each week. And this month he had his first score - a three-pointer! He acts like it wasn’t much, but we were pretty proud. We don’t get to see him play very often (his games are often away and we have a Bible study with LJ on his game days), but we sure are glad he enjoys it.

Sean is also continuing to have fun with his soccer. His team is struggling, and that means that playing is not always “fun”, but that is something Sean is also learning, and learning well. Sometimes you just keep working - even when it is not fun. It has been great to see his determination.

Sean is also enjoying his new school. This school year he switched over to a school where more of his friends are. It also has fewer students, which makes the teacher-student ratio good. He has said himself that some things are more difficult, but he seems to be doing quite well.

The rest of us have simply been enjoying each day as it comes. Some weeks are just pain old weeks. Both Scott and Shirley have paid a visit to the dentist and dealt with those minor problems. November also brought winter rains, which means wet-dog walks and lots of extra wash! But this has also meant together time. Walking the dog is a time for Shirley and Stephan or Scott and Shirley to be together. We have had a few family evenings together (Cars or the new Pride and Prejudice or the board game Masterpiece).

Every day brings different challenges and joys. Sometimes the two are the same - a challenge becomes something to enjoy. We have really enjoyed the time we have as a family and that we can be there for each other. Take the time to notice each other and encourage one another. Have a great day today!

WoW

This past week we held our "WoW" course - Getting to know the Bible (which in Dutch works out to WoW for "Wiser along the Way"). Shirley and I went flyering in the neighborhood the week before and I knocked doors after that to personally invite people to the classes. This time we had no visitors for the classes. We did have our two new members attend (Leon and Mariette). They were also the ones who suggested that we advertise the course in Belgium as well. We will try that next time (probably in March).

What was exciting was to hear from so many of the members (and the kids) how they were praying for the course and for those who were attending. I know that many of you were doing the same thing. Thank you! We continue to try to find all sorts of ways to let people know how good it is to live with God. Thank you for your faithfulness.




Which brings me to our Thanksgiving as a family. We like to fancy up the table and have a nice dinner together - so we did on Thursday. This Sunday we are celebrating with other Americans, but on the day itself we celebrated together.

All of the little leaves on the table (in the middle under the runner) were "thank you's" that we wrote each other. It was fun sharing those with each other. I enjoy good food, but being part of a wonderful family is great! Thank you for being part of that too.

Bedankt!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

THANKS!
- for a warm house on a rainy winter day as well as a cooling rain during a smeltering summer day
- for people who not only read about what happens in far away places, but who pray, write and do
- for sons who infect a whole house with their laughter
- for congregations who are so patient with us and faithful in their daily lives with God
- for a car that runs well
- for a blind dog who loves unequivocally and unconditionally (or at least when you feed her nice things)
- for family members in places all over, some who I still haven't met!
- for a Hawaiian wedding reception, a flour war, pool-ball, sheet-wars, discgolfing and just plain fun in the summer
- for challenges that continue to force me to my knees and into the mighty hands of God, who alone can do what needs done
- for a computer - could I live without email?
- for a wife who is a teammate, a miracle worker at times and a bombshell even in her sweats
- for a Christian family here which is ready to continue struggling and depend on God's grace
- for a home with a future - wouldn't it be great if the travel rush to get to that home was as busy as this traveling season!
THANKS!

A day of detours

Have you ever had a day like that before? I got up 10 minutes earlier than usual so that Sean would be on time and so that, when I walk the dog I don't run into (literally sometimes - do you know how dark it is at 7 am?) anyone on the way. Instead we ran into the usual suspects on the walk and had to adapt - and everything was just fine.
On the way to my study with Mr. W. I dropped Shirley off at the shopping center - a bit out of the way, but we knew that we wouldn't be home until dinner that evening. At Mr. W. I was planning on talking about choices, but he had some other questions - about Jewish food customs and why Jesus didn't say anything about it (and I showed him that Jesus did say something about it) and how God would react to those who reject Jesus. And so we ended up talking about choices and how people react to the message of Jesus.
Leaving Mr. W. I had to take a detour that took me way out of my way and made me late to pick up Shirley. But she was waiting patiently and we went on to our visit and study with Willemien. Our time together was wonderful, even though we had to cut our visit there short because we had made a special appointment with LJ at the library in Maastricht.
Arriving at the library I had to find a parking place and we couldn't get the room we wanted at first. But the young man in 'our' room was willing to move for a little bit (we were shooting a video), we got everything done in plenty of time and Shirley and I got home earlier than Sean had expected. "What are you guys doing home already?" (But he was happy!)
After a quick dinner, Sean and I were off to his practice, back in Maastricht. While he was practicing, I got some work done and took the dog for her evening walk. The fields were quite muddy, so we had to change our usual walk. But the evening was dry and warm (I could almost walk with my jacket open) and Snuffles enjoyed it immensely.
After taking Sean back home I drove back in to Maastricht (this is a 20 minute drive) to get together for about 40 minutes with the university students who were looking at Hebrews 6 that evening (don't get stuck in the elementary teachings - move on to a relationship that is worth working on!). I couldn't stay as long as I might have liked. Stephan gets out of his basketball practice at 9:30 in Maasmechelen (about 20 minutes the other side of our house). It is so good to see how he is growing.
Back home I figured I would finally take off my shoes, put up my feet and chill a bit. Sean got ready for bed and came over to give me a hug ("You look like you need a hug"). When I went up to put Sean to bed (I love that they still allow me to do this - they are my little boys and I love them so much), he asked wisely why I didn't just go to bed - so I did.
Not exactly what I had planned at the beginning of the day - but when I leave things in God's hands and focus on what is being done, it all works out just fine.

Servant hearts

Versieren / decorating
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

This past weekend we headed up to Eindhoven for a youth weekend on "Sharing, Serving and Giving". At this weekend we want the young people to learn about giving and serving, so we take part in 'Operation Shoebox'. This is an opportunity to put together shoeboxes filled with gifts for kids in orphanages and refugee camps around the world. When the boxes are presented, the kids also get a book telling about Jesus - the greatest gift.
At this weekend we challenged the young people to bring their own money to buy the gifts. We walked into town (cold, but beautifully sunny!) to buy the gifts for in the boxes. Interestingly, this was also the day that Sinter Klaas came to Eindhoven. Sinter Klaas is celebrated on December 6 and is when kids GET gifts. Our kids were out getting gifts to give away.
Back at the building we heard from Ivo about how important it is to make good choices and how others generosity helps so much. Ivo struggled with his own bad choices and could speak from experience about the prodigal son. It was great to have him there!
Then we all got down to business and made our shoeboxes as beautiful as they could be. We had seen in a video earlier in the day how excited the kids are who receive the boxes. We knew that we could add to that joy with what we were doing. It was neat to see that several of the young people had bought things in bulk that then could be shared in several of the boxes. Sharing in practice!
Scott brought a lesson after dinner about what sharing and serving is all about. Everyone got to practice a little bit - bringing someone some water, bringing some food to the table, or even washing feet! And then the challenge to keep serving one another in little ways every day.
A challenging movie (Pay it forward - sad ending, good challenge) finished the day before everyone went to sleep (or went home) after a busy day.
Sunday morning brought another good challenge from Remco. It is exciting to see how these young people are being challenged by young people (now grown up) who were challenged by young people. God teaches us to serve, to share and to keep giving - because HE has done and continues to do just that. What a wonderful God we have!

18!

Two weeks ago Stephan turned 18. I still remember the evening that he was born - it isn't difficult to remember, it was Halloween. But he was the most beautiful thing we had ever seen in our lives. Along the way we have seen him in braces for his feet and braces for his teeth. He has always been someone who climbs - either in trees, up walls and rocks, or in his life as he strives to know God. And all along the way his smile has lit the way, bringing joy in our lives.

Amazing to us to think that he is already at this point in his life. This is his last year in school here. Next year he will probably be in the States, making new friends. But it is also so exciting to see how he is growing. He still has so much fun and can be a real goof-off, but he is also a serious young man who takes his responsibilities seriously. He is a good friend to those around him and a good example as well. We are so thankful that God gave us this responsibility and blessing!

October Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

October 2007

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
October was a busy, exciting month full of challenges, hard work, exciting moments and times to grow. It continues to amaze me how God can do so much in such a little time!

Preach the news, in season and out, take every opportunity to tell the good news. That is what we want to do and are trying to do in our life here in the Netherlands and Belgium. For October that meant getting ready to sing. As many of you know, Scott sings with an a cappella singing group called Listen Up! Many of you have prayed for them in the past, followed their efforts and have supported them.
The churches in Switzerland had also heard of how they preach using their song and wanted to use them in reaching out to their own cities, so a tour was planned (with Swiss precision) for five German-speaking cities in Switserland. This meant that Listen Up! had to find a week they could all get free, which turned out to be the Dutch school break. The Swiss churches found venues for the concerts and planned activites around the concerts to better reach people with Good news. By the middle of October, everything was ready and Listen Up!, together with Remco (Vero’s husband) and Shirley headed out for Bern.

Our experience in the next 8 days was amazing. It was so encouraging to see how these brothers and sisters put themselves into making these concerts a chance to talk to people. Many of the members had to do things they were not used to, but they did them, trusting in God’s strength. We were witnesses of this beauty and might – God is truly amazing in what He can do!
It was thrilling for us also to hear how the members were so pleased with how the word was preached. One preacher from the church in Switzerland let us know that he had never heard a singing group preach the word as we had. He had heard groups sing about Jesus, but we preached. That is exactly what we wanted to be able to do and we are so glad that God was able to use us in that way.
Of course we also saw wonderful places and gawked at the beauty all around us in the beautiful Swiss mountains and lakes. But it came home even more because we were shown the same majestic beauty in God’s creation of His family, the church in the various places we stayed. We stayed in the homes of members who spoiled us with love. We saw congregations who were very small stretching to do what they could and simply being faithful in living for God. As we hope their faith grew and was stretched, ours definitely was.

Maastricht
Back at home we were also able to continue some good studies and encouraging contacts. Scott hadn’t seen Lj since before the summer. When they finally got together, LJ mentioned that an hour a week was not going to be enough if she were to really learn what she wants. She is interested in the Old Testament and the new. “Could we meet for a longer time?” So now we are meeting for two hours a week and reading in Genesis and in Acts! This is exciting!
Mr. W. Is growing with each meeting. When we first met, he mentioned that he had read the New Testament before. This month he exclaimed that it was surprising how little you retain after one reading. He was glad we were going over things again. And it is a challenge for him – we are reading in Matthew, where, according to his feeling, Jesus makes some pretty difficult statements. And some of the things we are looking at directly challenge what he thought was in the Bible. It can be frustrating to see that things are not what you thought. But Mr. W. Is willing to look at this and discuss it. He wants to be more than simply someone who says they are Christian but doesn’t really do anything about it.
In November we will offer the 'Wijzer op Weg' course (Getting to know the Bible – abbreviated for the Dutch as WOW) again. It was this course that brought Mr. W. to us for the study we are following now. We hope that we will be able to reach a few more people in November and in the Spring when we offer the course again.
In addition to these efforts we continue our devo evenings with the men, which has been a real blessing for us as brothers in the church. The ladies try to get together every Thursday, but it is harder to get the guys together. This has worked out well so far – the men look forward to each meeting.
Please keep these efforts in your prayers. Pray for the churches in Switzerland as they continue with the contacts they made during the concerts. And pray for our efforts to continue reaching people as we preach in all different ways.

PRAYER WARRIORS
- LJ and Mr. W continue to ask good questions and be interested in what God is saying in His word. Keep praying!
- Pray for our outreach in November and December – WOW classes, flyering, questions in our neighborhood.
- Continue to pray for our young people in their growth – several of our young people are questioning what they want to do with their lives.
- V. is a girlfriend of one of our girls. She attends service regularly, having her father bring her on a Sunday morning, and goes to youth weekends and camp. Pray as she is considering what Jesus means to her.
- Pray for the Swiss churches’ outreach after the Listen Up! concerts in Bern, Thun, Luzern, Zurich and Schaffhausen.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
Places that speak or spoke Dutch
The Netherlands, Flanders (northern part of Belgium), a section of north-western France, South Africa, Indonesia, Surinam, Aruba, Dutch Antilles, Curacao and New York (which used to be New Amsterdam).
Australia used to be called New Holland and New Zealand is named after a Dutch province (Nieuw Zeeland). So the Dutch have had an influence on all continents (except Antarctica).
Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know. s.raabs@tele2allin.be

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .
Our Swiss trip was a real experience for everyone this month. Usually Scott heads off with Listen Up! – without Shirley, but the boys have reached an age that they can handle themselves at home – alone. So Shirley was able to go along to Switzerland. What a blessing! There were such beautiful sites and wonderful relationships. Shirley makes girlfriends wherever she goes and Switzerland was no different. In Bern we were able to see and stay with old friends (Bill and DeeDee Bundy) and in Luzern and Schaffhausen she made new friends. It is wonderful how God has placed us in such a great family – everywhere we go!
Back in Belgium the boys were home alone. They didn’t have school break – that would come the week after we returned from Switzerland. So they had to make sure the dog was walked before they went off to school in the morning and after they got home. They had to take care of their own food (except for the two times they ate at Leon and Mariette’s house – a real treat!). And they had to take care of the house and themselves.
Sean had to bike to his soccer game on Saturday – 40 minutes there, play a full game, 40 minutes biking home. To have the dog eat your sandwiches off the table at that point did not make him happy. But he and Snuffles figured it out (and she didn’t steal any more food after that!).
While we were gone, the brothers devo was planned for our house. Stephan prepared the lesson and Sean picked and lead the songs. They also made sure the house was clean, got tea and coffee ready and offered snacks. Talk about good hosts – it was great to hear about the things they did.
Of course, when we arrived home a few hours early, Sean was quite clear that we were not yet allowed in the house – he hadn’t cleaned up yet! It was so good to know that they were not only able to handle themselves well while we were gone, but were able to grow from it as well.
The end of the month was a whirlwind of different activites. The boys had a vacation and went off to a games day with Joël. The first weekend of the vacation Stephan went early in the morning to Brussels to take the ACT in preparation for next year and the possibility of studying in the States. He also went down to camp for Fall camp and some lessons on what it was like in Jesus’ day.
In the middle of the week he turned 18 (can you believe it!!). We had the church over for some singing and good fellowship. Next weekend Stephan will have some friends down and go swimming all day. By mid-week Sean was convinced that the vacation was already over and he hadn’t done anything with it.

THANKS!
- Special notes from the church in Woodbury – it was a WONDERFUL packet of encouragement, just reading all of your notes and prayers.
- Hospitality of the churches in Switzerland
- Your prayers for all that is happening here and in Europe

What’s coming up?
NOVEMBER
WoW course
Youth weekend
Flyering in Maastricht
DECEMBER
Listen Up! singing in Utrecht
Bible study in Lanaken

Home alone

What do you do when your parents leave you alone for a week?

While we were off with Listen Up! in Switzerland, Stephan and Sean were home alone. Of course this has its benefits: eat what you want when you want, no worries about cleaning up your room, the possibility (if you disobey your parents) to have as many friends over as you might want, doing what you want when you want. We wondered how things might go (and trusted of course that they would be just fine).

We were only able to call twice while we were gone. The first telephone call was on Monday after we had left on Saturday. One of the biggest complaints was "I'm bored!" So maybe they don't mind us around after all! Everything else seemed to be going well. Shirley had left a list of which foods could be cooked. When asked what they were planning to eat Sean replied, "Macaroni and cheese of course. It's on the list!" Why come up with something when the work has already been done for you?

The next time we were able to call was Friday, at the end of the week. We found out that Stephan had taken the basketball team jerseys home to be washed but wasn't sure how he was going to get them back on game day since he could only take the bike. Sean had also had to go to his soccer game on the bike (a trip of a good 40 minutes). How would this all work out?

When we arrived early Sunday evening Sean met us outside and warned us that we could not yet enter. "You guys weren't going to be home until 8!" He wanted to make sure that things were cleaned up. Stephan had figured out a way to get to the ball game with the jerseys, and both boys (young men) looked quite healthy. There may have been some things happening that we don't know about (and some of you might know more - don't tell us), but all were healthy (even the dog), the house was still standing and we were glad to be back home.

We have been sharing big hugs the last week - we really did miss each other. It is good to be back together again

Amazing grace!

I am continually amazed at how God surprises me. I shouldn’t be – amazed or surprised. He has done it so often in the past, showing how good and mighty He is. I imagine He enjoys surprising us, giving us way more than we could even imagine. That is just what He is like. I get lost in my everydayness, forgetting that He has created each of those days so that He can surprise me with what He can do.

What amazed me was our recent trip to Switzerland. Listen Up! was asked to come sing for five congregations – Bern, Thun, Lucern, Zurich and Schaffhausen. (Shirley got to come with us and the boys stayed at home alone – but that is another story). We were looking forward to singing for them, being able to sing about Jesus – but I was surprised by how we were encouraged and challenged by those wonderful brothers and sisters.

At each city we were welcomed and showered with love. The natural beauty (every direction you look seems to bring another amazing shot of God’s creation to view) and joyful sharing (chocolate, cheese, fellowship) showed us what we were singing about in each city. These people know God and know what it means to be part of His family!

In Bern, Lucern and Schaffhausen Shirley and I stayed with families willing to give up their living room so that we could have someplace to sleep. In Thun the members took a day off work so that they could follow a song workshop and help with the concert and outreach.

In Lucern we sang in the streets as the members handed out flyers inviting people to the concert. The concert itself was in the small room where the 10 members meet to worship and which is usually used for teaching karate on the fourth floor. But all of the 12 visitors came because they had been given a flyer in the streets of Lucern.

In Schaffhausen the young people who had come for the singing workshop sang with us in the market to invite people and then helped change a dungeon into a fairy tale theater for more than 100 people who were willing to sit in the cold for two hours listening to our ‘preaching’.

All of these people opened their homes and their hearts to us, sharing their positive attitudes, their love for God. We went expecting to encourage and help and we were the ones encouraged and challenged to live what we saw in them. God is so wonderful and His family continues to amaze me!

Now we are looking forward to hearing how God will continue amazing us as they talk to the various visitors to these concerts. We are so thankful that we had this time with them – to get to know them and to be challenged to live with their faithfulness. God is truly amazing – and so is His family when they are following His lead.

(I am still uploading pictures, but if you want to see some from Schaffhausen, you can check out the ones from Anina - click here.)

September Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands
Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:23

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
I want to take the time to tell you about a few of the people we have been meeting with, studying with, learning from recently.

Telling the truth in love
We have known Leon and Mariette Christoffels for quite some time. Their daughter, Patricia, came to camp as a teenager. Leon and Mariette attended a congregation in Lanaken that taught some things that were not Biblical. We had looked at working together with this congregation when we first arrived, and have kept the door open at all times, working with youth and trying to encourage where possible.
After some frustrating years and a time without a congregation, due to teaching, Leon and Mariette called us about something else, looking for some information and consolation. I invited them to worship with us and they have been an encouragement from the very first day. They want to know Jesus and his death and resurrection. They want to continue to grow in faith. And their desire is infectious.
We are so glad that we have kept communication open throughout the years, that the door has always been open. This is something we want to continue because we grow and are encouraged by it.

Another aspect of this same situation are our concerts with Listen Up! This month we held a concert to release our second cd. The concert was held in Haarlem and we made a major effort to invite all of our contacts. It was thrilling, then, to see so many people come to hear about who Jesus is and how we should respond to him.

The audience was not completely a believing audience. There were co-workers who simply like the music. There were parents whose children have ties in some way with one of the singers or the church. There were young men who came to help with the catering because they knew one of the singers. It was an amazing group of people, brought together to tell people about Jesus. And that is what happened. We know that when people say, “Beautiful music. I don’t know about the message, but I loved hearing you.” that they did hear the words.


Of course, the next step is to keep contact, to keep doors open and to continue talking about live with Jesus. Music alone will move people to think and act. We need to be ready to listen and communicate in love. That is what we are praying for with the church in Haarlem - and in Switzerland where we will be singing in October.


But how far do you go?
Sometimes you can talk and talk and talk - and you wonder if anyone is listening. It is not always easy to decide when to move on from a study, to allow the relationship to change. My studies with C and T often include some very clear language about Jesus, but this is not always accepted. After several years, they know what we think and we know what they think. Mrs. M. has been reading the Bible with me for almost 13 years! We have become friends, Shirley and I with her and her husband. But perhaps it is time for the relationship to change - not that we would end our friendship, but that we would shift the focus of our time. This is a difficult question.
Some people want to know more - now! LJ and Mr. W. are like that. Although I have not heard from LJ in September, we are planning to start studying again in October. Mr. W. is intrigued about what the Bible says about so many things. Although he feels he knows God, he is willing to re-examine what he knows in the light of the Bible.
And there are more people in this area who are also looking, wanting to know God better, to give their lives to Him. We need to figure out how best to spend our time. Although, as we are spending more time with the various groups, we see that this problem tends to solve itself. In addition to Mr. W. and LJ, we are also increasingly busy with the growth of our own youth in the church.
The men in the congregation decided to get together twice a week on a Friday evening for a devo. Now “devo” is a strange word for anyone here, but the evenings have already become a favorite. Plenty of singing (and really thinking about the words) and then some time to hear what God’s word says and talk about it. It has been so good to have a place to encourage one another as brothers. This has been great for Leon, Stephan and some of the young men we meet with from Tongeren.
As we continue through this year we want to continue to remember how patient God is with us and let that guide us also. It is so great to have such a wonderful, righteous God who is making us holy because He is holy!

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Give thanks for our concert in Haarlem! Thanks to so many for praying and working hard.
- Please keep our families in your prayers as we are away from them and want to help in so many ways.
- Pray for our outreach among the young people here. There are several who are growing into faith and need continued guidance and strength.
- Pray for Listen Up! as they plan for a tour through Switzerland to assist the churches there with evangelism.
- Pray for Mr. W. and LJ as we try to get back to our studies. Also for upcoming plans for classes and outreach.

On the family side . . .
September is the beginning of school and for Sean that has meant a real new beginning. He decided to change schools this year. When he left elementary school, most of his friends went to the Catholic middle school, but he went to the school where Stephan was (a combined middle and high school). Although this was not a problem academically, he has struggled with missing his friends. Now he has moved on to this new school. It is much smaller (200 students instead of 850) and only students in his academic area, which makes things a bit better. He has been a lot happier about school in any case.
Sean is still enjoying his soccer - although it is a lot muddier here than while we were in the States. He has only twisted his ankle slightly once, so he is also staying healthy. Along with soccer he is also showing more interest in his personal fashion. He makes sure that he gets good advice from Shirley - who does a good job teaching the boys about fashion, but also about buying well and not putting too much emphasis on your outside.
Stephan has been listening to Shirley’s advice for years. This is now his senior year and he wants to make a good impression all around. He is trying to stay focused on his studies, is taking part more in school activities, and is showing who he really is as a person. His visit to the States this year showed him how much of an advantage good grades can be, giving you more opportunities. Of course others had told him this before, but this summer it sank in.
In addition to his school work he is trying to make sure he is ready for the ACT test which he will take at the end of October. The most difficult part of these tests is not really the material, but the fact that he is a third culture kid with no mother tongue. We speak English at home, but his school is in Dutch. Imagine trying to figure out what an ‘isosceles’ triangle is (named after the mathematician rather than the property of the triangle), or if something is ‘congruent’ or ‘diffuse’. These are all very specific math or scientific terms. Since his maths and sciences are in Dutch, he has never encountered these terms. So now he is practicing for the ACT, studying on top of his studying. We are proud to see how he is taking it all to heart.
On top of his school work Stephan is still enjoying his basketball – he plays on the men’s team now. He is also a real friend to his friends here. When the devo’s started (see News) he has taken part enthousiastically. At church he offered to be the one to help send the list of prayers around to the men who will be praying (the ‘prayer warriors’ – doesn’t that sound like a bunch of guys?).
Scott and Shirley are enjoying each day with each other and these wonderful boys. Not every day is wonderful of course, but you pick out the good points and try to move past the difficult times, learning as you go. They are looking forward to being able to be together when Listen Up! goes on tour to Switzerland. Usually Shirley would stay behind with the boys. Now the ‘boys’ are young men and well able to deal with Shirley being off with Scott for a week (keep them in your prayers ;-)

EXTRAS
What’s coming up?
OCTOBER
Listen Up! tour of Switzerland
Fall camp
Youth outreach
NOVEMBER
WoW course
Youth weekend

THANKS!
- For the prayers for the work here
- For the good books
- For your encouragement in emails, calls and comments on the blog

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands
(Official) Religion
Recently (5 years ago) Belgium decided to choose some ‘official’ religions which would then be sanctioned by the government as ‘official’. These are: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Orthodox, Anglican, Islam and humanism. The Dutch have quite a history of religious reformation, persecution and tolerance. There are no ‘official’ religions, although there are several which do receive government finances. Less than 40% of people in the Netherlands adhere to a church and less than 50% of Belgians consider themselves religious. Have you come across something typically Dutch or Belgian? What did you think of it? Let us know.

Have a wonderful day today, growing up in the Lord!

Off to Switzerland

BERN
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

This Saturday Listen Up! heads off to Switzerland for a tour of five cities there, singing as part of evangelism from the churches in those cities. We are so looking forward to meeting the brothers and sisters there, being used to reach people in those cities, singing!, and sharing this life that God gives. It is GREAT being a part of such a family!

We will be back by the 21st and I hope to share some news then of how everything went. Thank you for your prayers for us, for the churches there and for the people who will be listening. Sing of His great love today!

Let's sing!

City of God
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

Last weekend Listen Up! held a concert and party to present their new cd - "Yesterday is coming". A lot of work went in to the day itself - a ton of snacks and drinks, organizing and decorating the place we rented, making sure everyone was made welcome etc - it was such an encouragement to see how so many helped to make this day special!

This was a special day for a lot of reasons:
Listen Up! wanted to let more people know how much God loves them. We do our best to let people know how good it is to be with God and know Him. Not only our songs, but also our attitudes and what we say. With this concert we continued a project we started before the summer where we encourage people to compliment one another.

This was the first time that 'In Hymn' sang for a larger audience and with microphones. This is a group that Listen Up! has taken under its wing to encourage and help in doing the same thing - reaching people's hearts and minds with the word of God.

Listen Up!'s cd was presented to the general public - and well accepted. We are so encouraged by how many people have told us that they listen regularly to the songs we sing and are encouraged by the words, the message, and the music.

Visitors came from congregations from around Belgium and the Netherlands (from as far as 3 hours away)! And there were many visitors from outside the church - people who don't believe but who love music, or know one of the singers, or heard about us from the radio. It is exciting to see how God uses these opportunities!

So many people have been praying for this day and for the people who would be coming. Thank you!! Continue to pray for those who were present, who helped (some of our helpers were also non-believers, and we have already heard how they were impressed by the spirit during this busy evening), and who will hear the music. God is gracious and great and is so very present in this world!