Newsletter - summary 2009

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

Fall 2009

Sing to the LORD a new song,  

for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  

The LORD has made his salvation known 

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

Psalm 98:1,2

Dear all,

Let me take the time to bring you up to date on what happened in 2009 and look forward quickly to 2010.

NEW life!  

Recently during a Wednesday evening Bible study we were talking about the past year. Our newest brother in Christ, Adrian, mentioned how glad he was to be a part of the family, but that he 

was just a baby. As we looked around the circle, we realized that we have 5 babies in the family here! And it is exciting to see how active they are in allowing the Spirit to guide their lives. 

FAMILY time  

In Maastricht we are a family. We try to care for one another and encourage one another. This is evident when the Dela family is looking for a new house. Anita helped to find one in her village, Ruud worked with them in communicating with the bank and notary, others helped them to move house and all are helping the children adapt to a new situation. 

On Wednesday evenings we travel either to Shadira’s or Geesie’s house for the study. This way they too can share in the fellowship and growth. On the first Wednesday of the month the church in Liege comes to Maastricht and we sing in English, Dutch and French, learning new songs and encouraging one another.

We are here for each other. It is not always perfect. In november we tried to help Willemien out with her house; together with the help of some students from Canada we cleaned out some of the extra in her house. On returning, this turned out to be quite a shock to her, although we had discussed it. We are now working through loving each other as a family - and God is such a wonderful help and healer!

ACTIVE

Every season is full of activities for us. In 2009 we helped with or conducted five weddings, taught at or helped with seven youth weekends and activities, including a youth weekend in Maastricht, directed or helped with four camps, conducted an international song seminar, and met weekly for various studies. But we don’t want to just be busy. It is important that we are reaching hearts, helping people to grow and learn so that they can also know who Jesus is and let others know this as well. 

Our youth weekend in Maastricht focused on perseverance. At Fall Camp in the Ardennes we took the weekend to look at the dools we need to dig in to the word. It has been exciting to see how our young people have taken both of these topics to heart, diggin into their Bibles with perseverance!

The end of the year was filled, as was yours, with many visits with family, although ours was of course our church family. At Thanksgiving we saw the birth of Adrian. Near Christmas we sang with Listen Up! of the true and living Savior, the reality of Christ in our every day. At New Year a group of young people was down at camp examining the old year, looking toward the new and considering how best to survive.

LOOKING ahead

As we head in to this new year of 2010, we are looking forward to the life and activities that God has prepared for us. We are encouraged by how our work with the Catholic kids is touching hearts and pray for more open doors and hearts in this group. We are greatly encouraged by the growth of our “babies” in Christ, how they hunger for His word, and look forward to how God is going to use them this year. We know that we have some challenging studies coming our way as well.

In all of this, God is doing marvelous things, and we want to tell the nations of Him (you should see our services on Sunday: Dutch, Belgian, German, Philippine, American). We look forward to what He has planned for us in each new day.

PRAYER WARRIORS

Please keep the following in your prayers.

Pray for the continued growth of our newest brother and sisters from this past year: Wim, Susan, Valéri, Isha and Adrian! There have also been births in several other cities. God is moving and bringing life!

Pray for our contact with K., LJ., A., R., J & J., C&T., RW., N.,  and M.

Pray for our studies in the coming months with several of these contacts.

Praise God for the church family here and how they are helping one another.

Pray for guidance for the coming year and the work that God has prepared for us to do.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tidbits of information about the Netherlands and Belgium

Presidents

Europe has all sorts of heads of state. The Netherlands has a queen, although that may soon become a king. Belgium has a king. Germany has a president. But all of these people are mostly window dressing. The Prime Minister, or Premier (the “first”), is the one who runs the government. 

Recently both the Belgian and Dutch prime ministers were being considered for the job of head of the council of Europe - a new position. Herman van Rompuy, the Belgian Prime Minister, was chosen over the Dutch Jan-Pieter Balkenende. If Europe were something like the United States, then a president would be the leader of Europe. But this is still Europe. This “president” may be more show than action. Something to watch in the future.

On the family side . . .

How can you summarize a whole section of the year in such a short space. I know we receive some of your year-end letters and they are wonderful! Although I will probably miss some things, I will try to hit the high spots of the last bit of 2009. 

As mentioned, we were so glad to have had Stephan home for the summer!  Stephan is doing well at Harding, enjoying his studies and various opportunities. He was chosen as beau and has been enjoying that added attention as well. 

We are always glad that we have the possibility of skype - it is nice to be able to see him, talk with him, laugh. During the Christmas break he was able to stay with Scott’s brother and family in Colorado Springs, see a good bit of Scott’s family and enjoy what little snow he coul find there (he had expected so much more coming from Arkansas).

Sean has continued with his music. He played his first gig with his band “Karma Police” and has since played another gig as well. It is exciting to see him growing, trying new things, writing songs. He is growing into such a fine young man. This Fall he took the PSAT, reminding us that things are moving pretty quickly. He was serious with his studies, which showed at the Christmas exams: he did very well with his grades. 

Scott took a course in reanimation with a hand-held machine so that he can help in the neighborhood. An awesome responsibility which also reminds us of our responsibility with the knowledge we have of Jesus. We need ot know and know how to help.

In the meantime Scott has been trying to get some things done on the renovations of the house that still need finishing. The downstairs toilet is finally available, parts of the kitchen have been added, and the old kitchen, which has become a gathering room of assorted objects, is periodically sorted out and emptied.

Shirley had some fun in the Fall putting some of her clothes online - Style by Shirley. The closet gets cleaned out, others get a good deal, and Shirley ahs learned how to use the computer and internet. Still plenty to work with, a fun hobby.

In December Scott and Shirley celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They forced a few days free during a busy schedule for this month and went off to Brussels together. Bill and DeeDee Bundy lent them their house for the days, making a wonderful anniversary. Here’s to the next 25!

In 2010 we look forward to the challenges coming up. We are also looking forward to seeing some of you again - it is time for our furlough already! More on that in the next letter. Enjoy the new year with all that God has prepared for you.

WHAT"S COMING UP?

JANUARY

Youth weekend

Camp fellowship

Song workshop

FEBRUARY

Youth outreach

THANKS!

For your contact - email, fb, calls, cards and letters!

For your prayers for our work! New life is exciting!

For your faithfulness in living for God in your life

A few years ago

A hug after a concert. Hours sitting together on the steps at York talking about the world, about good friends, about God and our relationship with Him. A few years with a few thousand miles separating us before we could finally be together. That one day, 25 years ago was the most beautfiul beginning of life together! Shirley – my very best friend, my lover, my wife – I love you! And I am so looking forward to the next 25 years!

Give thanks to the Lord!

Last Saturday, very close to the actual day, we celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and guests in Antwerp. This day is always special because we get to see one another again, remember all the things we have to be thankful for, and spend some great fellowship time together (and - oh yeah - there's some really great food!)

What made this year special was Adrian. Before we began the afternoon Carol Brazle mentioned that each year a turkey is pardoned by the White House, while all the other turkeys are eaten. Her point was that for us, One is offered and all are spared. So when I mentioned why Adrian had come with us, that was what I made clear. He came for the turkey. 

You see, Adrian came to us about a month ago. He had seen my name and number online and had called. He and his fiance live in Maastricht where she is a students (she just graduated). Adrian wanted to know what kind of christians we were. So he visited and had lots of questions. Recenlty he called up again - after a time that we had heard nothing. He wanted to talk - and seriously. He had been looking at things and wanted to give his life to Christ. He wanted to be free from all the things that had kept him captive in his most recent years (all sorts of darker practices). 

So Shirley and I sat down with him and opened up the Bible. By the end of the day he wanted to know what he could do to get this new life started. We knew we would be in Antwerp the next day with all sorts of brothers and sisters - a perfect opportunity (and practical place) to help him in his death and resurrection. 

So Adrian came for the turkey. He came for the One who gave his life that all could be spared. And it was a wonderful time for thanksgiving! He was a bit worried (he is turning his back on quite a hefty past), but thrilled once he had been washed clean in the water and the blood. 

Please keep Adrian in your prayers as he starts hs new life and immediately will face all sorts of struggles. Pray for us as we meet with him to help him grow and learn. And thank God with us for God's mighty power to save! 

(Thanks to Jim and Ruth Krumrei for the pictures!)

A little thing

The other day when we showed Willemien this picture she was very surprised. "Look, the baby is doing just fine, and I am talking." You see, she was convinced (even after this had happened) that she could not hold or take care of a baby. When she was a child, just before a family picture (nephews and nieces included), her mother told her that she could not hold a baby (with the idea that the baby would be in trouble and that Willemien was not made of the right stuff). 

Willemien and Cor never had children. Somewhere in her head were still the words and thought of her mother - she couldn't handle babies. Even after holding Joelle on this day (this is the youngest of one of our members in Maastricht), she didn't think she could do this. When she saw the picture, saw that the baby looks quite comfortable, and that she is actually doing it, she believed it possible. 

I want to be careful that I am encouraging my children, being aware that even the smallest thing I say may have quite an impact on them as they continue to grow. 

Running the Race

This past weekend we had 17 young people "over the floor" for a youth weekend in Maastricht. We are always so thankful when we can have the young people down to our city - and that God has put us in a position to help. From the beginning of our time here in Belgium we have been able to use our house to host these events. 

This weekend we talked about "Running the Race" - a great picture of our life in Christ - and touched on four points: 

1. We must participate (no standing on the sidelines)

2. We need to hold on to the end (and we have good examples)

3. We run according to the rules (which help us get where we are going)

4. We must give our best to win - give our best to Jesus who makes us winners!

It was a challenge working with a group with quite an age split: there were 7 who were just 11 years-old and another 7 who were all older than 15. But everyone helped one another - what a joy to see!

On Saturday we went to the "kazematten" in Maastricht - tunnels dug under the city (these ones during the reign of Louis 14th) to defend the city. This was also where D'Artagnan (the 4th musketier) died in battle (defending the - at that time - French city). The beautiful weather held throughout the day, so that the kids could help with making dinner back at the house. They prepared a fruit salad and some vegetables for the hot dogs and "frieten". 

- Our group for the weekend (picture from Tim Bos) - 

It is exciting to see how longing these young people are for what God has to offer. We had three "visitors" the whole weekend as well, friends of our young people who came along to the weekend. God offers us so much, ever day. There are so many reasons for not participating or stopping, but it is good to know that we can run the race and reach the finish line, with His strength. We ar enot too small (Zacheus), we are not too sinful (Paul). We can be His - if we wish. The invitation is there, but will we accept and participate? 

(you can go here for more pictures of the weekend.)

Dig a little deeper

This whole year we as a congregation in Maastricht have been looking at how we are being made into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). As we have talked about trusting in God, discovering His will and putting that into practice in our lives with the help and strength of the Holy Spirit, we have also come up against plenty of questions. We all come from some kind of background. And here in Maastricht we are quite a mixture (cultures, countries and religious backgrounds). So it has been exciting to see the desire to get together more often and start digging together. 

Of course we want to read the Bible. We know that God is speaking to us through His word. But we want more. We want to understand. We want to understand as much as He wants to make clear to us. So we are taking time every other week to come with our questions, learning to use a concordance and look at passages with contextual questions, digging and letting God's word make its way into our hearts and minds. It's great to see us all getting dirt under our fingernails together, helping one another to know God better in this way, too. 

January-July 2009

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium nd the Netherlands

January - July 2009

I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:1-3

Dear all,

Amazing days and wonderful things have been happening! Most important is the birth of our brother Wim in April. He and Anita will wed in August.

Youth weekends and touching hearts

We try to plan a youth weekend at least  every 6 weeks. A weekend in January in Haarlem, another in The Hague in April, and two soccer tournaments in May meant wonderful times to encourage and challenge our young people. 

The soccer tournament in May was the first organized in the Benelux, fashioned after the tournament we have come to know in Switzerland. It was great to see teams from all over the Netherlands and Belgium get together to compete and encourage one another - and Maastricht won the trophy for amateurs!

In addition to these opportunities, we were also challenging and touching hearts among the Catholic youth in the village. We spent time examining if Jesus’ death and resurrection were real or not. It was especially exciting to see how we were able to integrate this group with our campaign group that came in May.

Campaign fellowship

In May we welcomed a part of the “Good News Singers” from Harding UNiversity for a campaign in Maastricht. They offered a Black Gospel workshop, teaching people new songs, if the people were willing to sing those songs at a local nursing home. We had three different opportnities, including one with the young people from our village. The reactions from those parents speaks volumes. “What have you done to my daughter? She doesn’t stop singing!” One of these parents also has started reading her Bible seriously. 

From the adult groups we had several people who were not only interested in the workshop, but also in who we were and our faith. K. has visited us twice and hopes to come more often. A. was a bit wary, but has come to our first Wednesday singing and is more open to talking now. J. wanted to know more for herself and her daughter. They both attended the Song Seminar from Listen Up! and plan to visit us more in the future. Keep these hearts in your prayers. 

Our campaign group ended their time with the yearly Spring gathering, this year organized by Maastricht. We chose as our topic to talk about how to talk with one another when there are differences of opinion or teaching in the church. It was a challenging day full of good discussions and good fellowship. 

Far away and close to home

The end of June took a group of our young people to Marseille, France for an intense week of sharing faith (in French!). I was so proud of our young people and their desire and ability to move out of their comfort zone to help others. It was also exciting that LJ, with whom we study and discuss all things biblical, decided to go along! Keep her growth and questioning in your prayers. 

Back in the Netherlands Listen Up! welcomed an group of more than 100 people from across Europe to learn more about and practice a cappella singing. This 15 year birthday celebration-turned-workshop was a great chance to encourage people to sing, write songs and spread the gospel through song. 

Camp and what’s coming

Before the summer ever arrived we took the opportunity to help fix camp up. There was a work camp and a “dig camp” where we laid a drainage pipe. Wonderful work together! 

The summer camp season included Teen Camp for us, where Scott taight about Paul’s missionary journeys and how we can go “to the ends of the world.” The following week, he and several other brothers taught about the Christian Family during Family Camp. Now we are slowing down and planning for the coming year - looking forward to what God will bring!

PRAYER WARRIORS

Please keep the following in your prayers.

Praise God and continue to pray for our new brother Wim and for Valéri! 

Pray for our contact with K., LJ., A., R., J & J., C&T., RW., N.,  and M.

Pray for our studies in the coming months with several of these contacts.

Praise God for our young people who have encouraged one another and have been an example in faith for so many in many places.

Praise God for His work in the  campaign, youth weekend and camp weeks this year so far and for the coming months.

Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

And life goes on ... this past half year has often been in the theme of change. With Stephan off at Harding, things were quite different here. We noticed that especially at “normal day” moments. Shirley would get dinner ready and set the table - for four. And there would always be too much food. Sean would get home from school - to find a much quieter house and no one to talk to (except parents, of course). Scott would walk in to Stephan’s room in the morning to wake him up - and find Sean, in Sean’s room. Things change. 

So it has been a thrill to have Stephan back with us since May when he arrived at the same time as the campaign group. We only just brought him back to the airport back to Harding last week, after a wonderful three months. It was great to hear him and Sean with their infectious laughter again. To hear them playing guitar together or telling stories to one another. To count on his strength when Scott needs to lift something (which was quite often) or his spiritual strength during youth activities. 

It was especially nice to have both boys here while all of the renovation works were going on in the house. As some of you have been able to follow, since the end of February we have been in the middle of fixing up our house. The back section of the house (with 3 rooms, the bathroom and the toilet) have made way for a smaller, but better and healthier section for the kitchen/dining room. But we are not yet done. The kitchen still has to be placed, the electricity finished and connected, and the outside taken care of. Plenty to do in the coming months. And to think that we thought this would be done in a few months back in October!

It has been very nice, however to have the new section when it is wonderful weather - as we have had several times this summer. It has helped make new memories with the family. Sitting in the peace of the backyard eating lunch or dinner together outside, chilling in the chair playing guitar while a cool breeze plays around the house, enjoying the morning sun before getting going for the day ... the addition has been worth most of the trouble. 

And now the year continues. Stephan and Sean both finished their school year last year and are ready to begin another year. Stephan as a sophomore at Harding University, Sean as a junior in high school. Stephan is looking forward to playing rugby (oh no!) and singing in the chorus. Sean is gearing up for a gig with his band and realizing that he will need to work hard at school this year. And we are taking advantage of every moment we have together as a family. We are so thankful for this family God has given us. 

EXTRAS

Did You Know?

Trash

What do you do with your trash? Well, it actually depends on what kind of trash it is. If it is glass, you put it aside in separate containers, which you later bring to a large central container in the neighborhood - the “glasbak”. Once a week this glass is collected by the city and recycled. 

If it is food scraps, you put it in a green bucket which is also picked up once a week. This bucket might be big (if you have a house) or small (if you live in an apartment). Both stink quite a bit when it is warm weather. 

If it is certain kinds of packaging, you separate it and put it in plastic sacks which get picked up once a week and recycled. Otherwise, you simply throw it away. What do YOU do with your trash?

THANKS!

For your contact - email, fb, calls, cards and letters!

For your prayers for our work! New life is exciting!

For your faithfulness in living for God in your life

What’s coming up?

SEPTEMBER

Youth weekend

Camp meeting

OCTOBER

Fall Camp

Studies

Long time, no see!

It has been a very long time since I updated the blog. As you will hear in the newsletter (which has also been a long time coming), we have been preparing for a horde of exciting activities - many of which have started taking place. So here are a few pictures to show you what we have been doing. You can always check out more photos by clicking on any of the pictures or clicking on the link in the sidebar. 

Thanks for continuing to drop by to see how we are doing! 

A group of more than 50 from Belgium and the Netherlands went down to Switzerland to play football (soccer) with teams from churches from all over Europe (including Austria, France, Switzerland and Germany). Great fun, but also great fellowship, getting to know family and encouraging one another. I was blessed to be able to preach on the Sunday there. 

In the meantime our house renovations have continued. When the wall came down, everything had to be put into one room - a bit cramped! And this was just before our campaign group was to arrive (half of which would be staying with us).

But the windows have arrived, the floors are almost here (maybe next week) and we are able to breath a little again. Soon we may even have a kitchen!

Check out those low-tech earphones! A few threads, a spoon and you're ready to go. Just clang them against something hard, with your hands over your ears, and you've got an amazing sound!

Mid-May we went over to Antwerp for a youth weekend on Science and Faith. I taught some lessons, we looked at some science and we had a good time encouraging one another. Our campaign students from Harding (and Stephan!) also went with us. 

In between Stephan, Sean and Scott went up to Eindhoven to celebrate Jan Blaakmeer's 50th birthday - he "saw Abraham". Jan and Nit are good friends and loved brother and sister for many years. 

By Ascencion Day weekend it was time to head down to camp for our yearly clean-up, fix-up of camp, getting it ready for the summer. In the last few years it has been a miserable, wet, muddy bit of work (with plenty of good fellowship to outweigh all the negatives). This year was still muddy, but full of sun. 

Quite a bit still needs to be done, so it was great to have so many there to help! On to the summer camp weeks!

From May 11 our campaign group has been working hard. A part of the Good News Singers (from Harding University), with director Chuck Hicks and his wife, Melinda, has come to offer Black Gospel Workshops. We have had two groups in Maastricht and another with the kids in Veldwezelt (this picture). All of the groups learn to sing, learn about the message of the songs, and then sing for a nursing home in the area. 

It has been a great time to meet people from the neighborhood, sing some great songs, and really be an encouragement. As a matter of fact, many of the participants want to know if we can continue. Keep this in your prayers. 

This weekend we as a congregation are organizing the annual spring gathering of the churches in The Hague. Our theme this year is unity. This will also be the last activity for our campaign group, after which we will have a preparation month of June, getting ready for the busy month of July. Hopefully I will get some news up here again before then!

Thanks again for stopping by! Praise God for all that He is doing in our lives (yours and ours). 

Wim's birth

Wim's birth
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

Sunday morning, just before our services began, Wim came up to me and asked if he could ask a question. "I want to be baptized." I asked him when he might want to do that and he anwered - "As soon as possible."

So after some calling around (my French is not very good, but somehow Jozef in Liege understood what I needed), we were able to get things set up at the church in Liege. What a wonderful relationship we have with this church family!

Dutch, Italian, French, German, English - they were all present. God knows all the languages and hearts. Wim was only interested in giving his life into Jesus' hands. So good to see his trust and desire. Praise God for this new "baby"!

Champions of fun

Last Saturday was the inaugural "Copa BeNeLux" - a football (soccer) tournament for the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands. We got this idea from the Swiss churches last year. Thanks to Pieter Good, Luk Brazle and Dennis van Erp a local variant was organized. 

There were 10 teams from 6 different congregations and plenty of friends of members taking part. It was a great day! The teams were either "fun" or "pro" depending on how serious they wanted to be. In Maastricht we put together a fun team, decided which color to wear and headed out to just have some fun. 

It was great to see how our young people worked together. A lot was learned that day: keep going, even if you are afraid; perseverance will get you where you want to be; be fair and honest - it is the most fun. I was so proud of everyone!

And in the end, we were the "fun" champions!

(Thanks to Elisa van der Oest for the picture of team Maastricht ready to play)

Demolition man

Renovation / Verbouwing
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

You may have heard that we are working on our house. Actually we are demolishing part of our house. This picture is a good example of why.

For years we have struggled with dealing with smells, heating the whole house, keeping it dry, wondering what is going on behind the wooden panelling on the walls. We considered trying to fix the problems with the walls, but after examing all it became clear that it was more cost efficient to demolish this section and rebuild.

I can't build very well, but I am good at demolition. So before the builders come, we have torn out all the wood, all the extras, taken out the windows etc in preparation of the new section. That is when we found out why we really do need to demolish this section. Mold in most of the walls, walls that were not correctly built. And a heating system that was pouring money out the walls trying to keep everything warm and dry.

Now we have an efficient heating system for the whole house and soon the old, sick section will be surgically removed - to be replaced by a clean new section.

Check out the pictures by clicking on this picture here.

Stuff!

It has been a while since we've talked. Sometimes I want to wait until there is something BIG to announce. Something exciting happening. But the last two months have all mostly been preparation for things that are coming. 

How much "stuff" do you have? Do you have stuff in which to put your stuff? We have lots of stuff, with lots of stuff in it. God has always blessed us with enough, and people bring us things, knowing that we will be able to get it to those who need it (or sometimes simply because they didn't want to bring it to the trash). And we have been blessed with a house large enough to hide things away. But now we are removing a whole section of that house, and that meant getting rid of stuff. 

Stuff in the form of papers and pictures, books and folders. What do you do with all those things you were going to read? You can't throw "that" out, it could come in handy some day! And that memory means so much (which is why you found it under a pile of books under a pile of papers, at the back of the cupboard you hardly ever open). It needs to get sorted!

Stuff in the form of clothes ("remember those jeans!"), shoes and boots ("oh he was soooo cute in those"), coats and socks (do you have one of those sacks of unmatched socks too!!!) Stuff in so many forms - things. It all needed to get out of the way, because they are coming to demolish soon. But in order to put it somewhere, we needed to make room where all the other stuff was. 

Short story long, (or is it the other way around), we have gotten rid of lots! And boy does that feel good! Clean it up, sort it out, move it, throw it, junk it. You can gather so much over the years. And this was a very good time to think about what was gathering dust in our spiritual lives as well. It's good to check things out, sort things through, throw away the junk and keep what is really good and necessary. 

Thank you!

Looking back on the past year while preparing our information for tax situations, we were struck with how stable our financial situation has been in the years we have been here. We have had some ups and downs, but have always made it through - and have never really suffered as we know so many do in the world. And we know that this is only possible because so many of you are so faithful in giving. 

We know that we do not have to worry about our daily needs - God will always continue to take care of us (and you). But this is made even easier because you are so faithful - even when it is difficult for you! Thank you for helping us to be able to be here, for making these efforts possible, and for the peace of mind that you encourage. You are such an example for us and for so many. Thank you for your faith and trust in God. 

Fall Newsletter

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

October, November and December 2008

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
The Fall season is usually a fairly busy time of different activities - with youth, weekly studies, holiday visits and family times.

New life!
Our most important news is the birth of our new sister, Valéri. It has been exciting to see her growing towards this moment in her faith. Let me give you a quick summary of this journey.
Valéri is Isha’s best friend at school (Isha is our colleague, Ruud and Karla’s second daughter). These two have been encouraging each other throughout the year - beginning especially from the time this past summer in Marseille.
Isha was baptized on a Sunday evening at home because she knew that she didn’t want to wait. Valéri, in the meantime, had been told by her parents that she would have to wait until she was 18 (next year summer). We have always been very encouraged that her parents are concerned with what is happening with their daughter. We would be no different with our children! 
Partly because Valéri was obedient, wanting to help her parent’s understand, her mother asked her in December when she would like to be baptised. “Now!” was the answer. Her mother agreed that after exams would be possible. This was a big step for the family.
But it has been the courage and faith that these two young people have continued to show to the church and those around them that has been such an encouragement to us all.
Church life
As we moved through the normal months of activities it has been good to see the desire for life in the members here. Danny - a young postman - comes to all the mid-week Bible studies, even though he has to get up quite early the next morning. He not only wants to learn, he wants to encourgae. Willemien, who has so very little in her life, is more than willing to press an amount into my hand to pass on to the people in Myanmar who are suffering. There has been a desire in all the members to see how God is changing them, making them able to do mighty deeds that He wants done. And these are being accomplished in their everyday lives.
How “great” is it that someone is able to bite their tongue and say something nice instead? For that person, who has struggled for so long to change - it is amazing! How “wonderful” is it that someone is present regularly at church activities? For someone who has struggled to order their life - this is a victory! I am in a privileged situation to see some of these victories and I praise God for His might and faithfulness.
Everyday life
We are thankful for the tasks that we are able to continue - because of the spiritual and financial support of so many around the world. We continue to have at least 6 weekly studies with a variety of people. We are trying to encourage and train up our young people - throughout the week, during special events (Fall Camp in October), and at special moments.
With Listen Up! we were able to challenge people to think about the Saviour, encourage a new sister as she begins her life, and let people know who Christmas is really about. When Willemien recently lost her dog or needed new furniture, we were able to help. It is great to see how these lessons are things that all of the members are learning - God can use us all, wherever we are!
Looking ahead
Some of the things we are doing are in preparation for the future. We are updating a songbook - with our own songs. We are planning for a campaign group in May, a yearly church get-together in June, and a song seminar in July. In the past months we have seen how important family is. God has put us in a family that He wants to use as His body. And He is able to do amazing things - even with us. Here’s to the coming days!

PRAYER WARRIORS
Please keep the following in your prayers.
Praise God for our new sister Valéri! Continue to pray for her and her parents. Pray for her growth and for peace and understanding for her parents.
Pray that we can grow as a church as we focus on His strength in 2009.
Pray for me with RW as we continue to study in the word.
Praise God for our young people who have encouraged one another and have been an example in faith for so many this year.
Pray for our plans in the coming year for a campaign, youth weekend and outreach.
Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

DID YOU KNOW?
Tidbits of information about the Netherlands and Belgium
Holidays
The Fall season brings all sorts of holidays - and holidays are where you see how much you are part of a culture. Since we are Americans, living in Belgium, working with the Dutch - this can be a pretty interesting time.
In the Netherlands: people in the South (where we live) celebrate St. Martin, sometimes with paper lights, sometimes with tricks. And of course there is Sinter Klaas (on the 5th of December) when kids get presents.
In Belgium: All Saints day is quite important here, when the dead are honored (and flowers are sold). Of course Sinter Klaas is here as well (on December 6).
Interestingly, Halloween is making its way into both cultures because it is similar to Carnaval. Thanksgiving is nowhere to be seen.

What's coming up?
JANUARY
Youth weekend
Camp meeting
FEBRUARY
Youth weekend
ABSS

THANKS!
For your continued financial support, especially now
For your prayers for our work! New life is exciting!
For your cards (Irene and the Thurstons) and emails

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

The Fall has been a beautiful, ever changing whirlwind of activities and people. As the colors change and the weather has gotten colder (though not really that cold), we have enjoyed the changes in our days.
We have always been very thankful to be able to get around as we need. We have a good car that gets us wjhere we need to go (and back). Gas prices may make you think twice, but at least you can consider going. But the car is still not always the best way to get around. When we get the chance, or when we need to, we have taken the train. We have used them to go to Brussels (with the ladies or just together). Sean even used one recently to get back from his friends’ house - and it all went fine (thankfully). The last time he and Stephan were on the train was a bit of a stress. In the Netherlands the train is more expensive, but it is well worth it to Scott to not have to sit in the traffic jam which is the normal traffic going north. If he has to go to Haarlem to rehearse with Listen Up!, it is better and easier to take the train.
Our visits this Fall have taken us to Antwerp - for a wonderful “Thanksmas” dinner, a day out shopping at the mall or rehearsals, to Brussels - with the ladies from church for a day together, or a day together for our anniversary, to Leiden - to visit with Genya and Ken, and even to Cologne (to find out that the store was closed). We enjoyed seeing Genya and Ken. They were both working in Maastricht some 6 years ago - Genya from Siberia, Ken from Japan. Genya brought Ken to Christ and then both moved away. Ken married a Dutch girl and lives in Leiden where they also have a little daughter. Genya is now planning on moving to Haarlem to be close to his job in Amsterdam. He is also married and has a son and a daughter on the way.
Sean has been enjoying his electric guitar and he is getting quite good, so he decided that he needed a bass guitar as well. (He also wanted a drum set - but that’s a NO). He sold his games consoles (and learned a lesson about how people will cheat you) and planned which guitar he would buy. The Music Store is a huge store in Cologne, Germany (about 2 hours away). We drove over, only to find that they were closed - on Christmas Eve! Go figure! So we just had a great time together (in the only store open for a while - McD’s) and then headed home - to order the guitar online.

Christmas was a wonderful day with Willemien and skyping with Stephan. The second day of Christmas we spent with friends in Belgium. New Year’s Eve will be in Antwerp. It is so good to be able to see, hear, talk to and be with people we love. We are so thankful for all the possibilities we have to be family!

Sharing Christ at Christmas

This season has always been a time for us to let people know about who Jesus really is. In past years Listen Up! has taken the time to present the whole story of Jesus in music. This year we went to Haarlem to sing with some kids from the BOB (the after-school daycare with the Bible) for a home for the elderly, sharing the message and the joy of Jesus. It was thrilling to see how the members even came out on their balconies to listen and to sing together with us, celebrating the goodness of God.

A few days later we welcomed Willemien to our house for Christmas day. She is such a part of our family. It was great to be able to have Stephan in the living room with us (via Skype). He was able to laugh and joke with Sean, greet Willemien and share in a cup of coffee (kind of) for a little bit of the day.

We are so thankful for how blessed we truly are with so many things, so many opportunities, and especially all the people in our lives.

New life!

Last Friday we were so pleased to welcome our new sister to the family! Valéri is the best friend of Isha, one of our teens. They have both been encouraging one another immensely this past year, striving to grow in Christ. Valéri had already decided she wanted to give her life to Christ, but her parents were not so sure. We were so glad that her parents care about her and want what is best. When Valéri's mother recently asked her when she would want to be baptised, Valéri's answer was "Now!"

Thank you for your prayers in the past months and please continue to pray for Valéri, her growth and new life in Jesus, and for her family as all start this new beginning. New life is always so good to see!

Looking back and forward

Eugene visit
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

A few weeks back we had the pleasure of seeing Evgeny Voronkin in Maastricht again. Eugene (or Genya) - as he said we could call him - was first in Maastricht about six years ago while working at a computer programming company in the city.

It was there that he worked with Ken Yamashita. Genya is a christian from Tomsk, Siberia (Russia). He was the first real person I had met from Siberia - a bit of proof that people really do live there. And Genya very definitely wants Jesus as his Lord every day. This is something that was evident in his work, and Ken noticed it. After some talking, some studying and some praying, Ken was baptized into Christ late in the evening at our neighbors' house (they had a bigger bathtub).

Now Genya is married and soon to have two children (a three-year-old son will soon be joined by a daughter) and he was in the Netherlands for a job interview. The company in Amsterdam not only hired him, they also hired three other guys from Russia. So in the Spring Genya, Tania and his family will be moving to the Nettherlands.

While he was here for his interview it was great to visit with him and to go visit Ken, who now lives in Leiden and has also begun his family in the Netherlands (you can see his wife and daughter in some of the pictures of the visit by clicking on the picture). We are looking forward to how God will use this family in the coming year.

Welcome, "Sweetheart"

Willemien and Lyuba
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

We weren't planning on taking anyone home, but when we got to the dog pound in Maasmechelen and saw the little English Cocker Spaniel, Willemien was certain. There were some concerns: this little guy is only 8 months old, he still needs to learn a lot. But the two have taken to each other amazingly.

His name is slavic and (Willemien tells me) means "sweet heart", or "nice", or "kind" (I am sure that some of you might be able to give me a more precise definition - either in Russian, Ukrainian or Slovakian). And he is just that. From the first day he has been a loving help to Willemien. And unlike her other dogs, he listen to her first, and then to others (like me).

We are so thankful for this comfort in her life. God is so good!
You can see some more pictures of Willemien and Lyuba by clicking on the picture here.

Shopping for others

The group
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

The youth weekend in Eindhoven was titled "How to survive with/without "thingy". The last bit was a play on words (which almost works in English) showing how much we need Jesus and don't need "things". This weekend is spent helping us put into practice what we learn about sharing. We head into the city to buy gifts to put in shoeboxes to send to kids who usually don't get any presents.

The interesting thing for us is that this is held on the weekend that Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) arrives in the Netherlands. For some he arrives on a boat from Spain (didn't you know that?) - and so will arrive in the harbor (in Rotterdam for example), but he also arrives on his horse. He is surrounded by his helpers. In this case there was a whole band of "black Petes".

After getting everything in the boxes and making them look special, we spent some time thinking about what was really important to us. Jesus says: Your heart will be where your treasure is. What are we really holding as our treasure. I was extremely encouraged by these young people and their desire to share and learn.

Unexpected farewell

MacRooney was the runt of the litter. But that was perhaps why Willemien loved him and wanted him. He was full of fun and life, jumping and catching (he could throw a ball in the air and catch it - all by himself), beating your legs with his wagging tail. Willemien wasn't even sure she wanted another dog. Her experiences with Bartelo had not been good. And Willemien is no stranger to dogs. 

The day Willemien was born she was given a dog - a big bouvier. Since then she has always had dogs, even though she actually liked cats better. When she was married to Cor, they had dogs - first a collie, then various sorts of hunting dogs. Bartelo was the last of that line, taking over the house when Cor passed away, making life difficult for Willemien because he missed his master and decided that he needed to be master in the house. 

When Bartelo got sick and needed to be put down, Willemien was not planning on getting another dog. She had had enough. But MacRooney (Rooney for short) stole her heart. And they were so good for each other. Rooney probably would not have lived if Willemien had not chosen him. No one wanted the others in the litter and they were put down. And to be honest, Willemien definitely wouldn't have done as well without Rooney. 

The last three days Rooney has been at the vet. Willemien barely got outside (she usually walks Rooney 3-4 times a day). When she called today, I could hear that it was not good news. Rooney had developed a kind of meningitis - an inflammation in his brain, perhaps caused by a hernia which had gotten worse in the last days. He was already blind. Willemien didn't want to see him in any more pain and allowed him to go to sleep. MacRooney was only five years old. 

For anyone without a dog, this may all seem quite trivial. But these two helped each other live. Please consider Willemien in your prayers. She is doing well, although the sorrow hits in waves. We sat and looked at possible new dogs - she knows that she really needs to find a help (and one she can help) fairly soon. So we look forward to seeing who will choose her soon. 

What a beautiful couple

What a beautiful couple
Originally uploaded by smileyneel.

For those of you who know Tonia and Mario, you can see some pictures of their wedding (from Karen Neel's site - thanks Karen!).

Focus on Marriage

Couples
Originally uploaded by sraabs.

Right in the middle of the month we had the opportunity to attend a weekend for those who wanted to "Focus on Marriage". You would think that that would mean married couples - and most of the people in Eindhoven were married - but it was exciting to see the range in the participants.
The church in Eiondhoven organized this weekend to be a help for the families in the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands. They invited Steve Minor to present the lessons. And there were participants from all over Belgium and the Netherlands. Newlyweds, couples who had been married for more than 40 years, and also singles who wanted to plan well for marriage were all present.
It was thrilling to see how many wanted to make this their focus. As the teacher mentioned: it is astonishing how much planning, money and effort goes into a wedding these days, while the preparation for marriage is basically non-existent. But if we want to be able to make a difference in this world, we cannot ignore the importance of good marriages building strong families.

September News

LIGHT in the Lowlands

Reaching out to the people of Belgium and the Netherlands

September 2008

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again ... through the living and enduring word of God.             1 Peter 1:22-24

Dear brothers and sisters, family and friends,
September seems to be the beginning of our work year as the young people start back to school, everyone returns from vacations and we are able to focus on regular activities. This month was especially full.

And the two became one
It has been exciting to witness the new beginnings in the last month. Robin Huyghebaert and Joyce Agyare pledged their love for each other in September. It was a real honor to be asked to help with this service - singing with Listen Up! and being the master of ceremony. In October we were able to witness the beginning of two more friends, Mario Nyeki and Tonia Davison, where I performed the ceremony.

Weddings are so beautiful because they show the beginning of something truly beautiful - love. When this is true love - love that comes from God and includes God - it is fantastic! At both of these weddings we were able to enjoy these additions in the family of God. It was especially thrilling for the church in Maastricht to show their love for Mario and Tonia who are members in Maastricht. Almost the whole congregation was present. When we got up to sing as a wedding present, every one of us sang from the heart.

How’s your serve?
At the end of September the church in Maastricht hosted the youth for a youth weekend. We took the time to talk about what it means to serve - and then we took the time to put our words into action. We cooked for each other, cleaned up after each other and served one another. But we also spent several hours at a local playground cleaning up the grounds. If we do not let our young people see how good it is to give to others, they will never know this joy. And it is a joy!

It was exciting to see how the young people reacted to the day and the lessons they learned from it. Many of the things they learned did not necessarily come from the lesson moments - they came from working together. It has also been exciting to see how this continues to impact their lives. Not this one weekend, because this is not the first time that we have talked about this, but a continued encouragement to find the joy in serving others.

Single’s Retreat
The end of September brought the Single’s Retreat. This is organized twice a year for single’s from all over Europe and is an amazing time to fill up on good spiritual food. The lessons are often the dessert, with the discussions and long walks together being the real meal. This year I was privileged to be present again with this wonderful group of Christians - I taught from Ephesians 6 on the armor of God.
It is so good to see how God is using people all over Europe in so many ways. This weekend had visitors from seven different countries, but even more impressive than their willingness to travel (the weekend is held in Germany) was their willingness to learn and encourage one another. These people love God with all their heart and are encouraging churches all over Europe. Exciting! God is truly good. (see more pictures here)

New life and new beginnings
Everday continues to go its way - meetings with the school, for camp, with community groups; cleaning, maintaining, letting people know where we are - it all starts again each week. But each day is holding a myriad of opportunities to help each other, touch others’ lives and learn from what God is giving us in our lives. It has been good to see this in our two new babies (Isha and Susanne). We look forward to the coming months as God shows us all the mighty things He will do. It is so good to know that we are family, helping one another, growing together.

PRAYER WARRIORS

Please keep the following in your prayers.
- Continue to pray for Valéri and her parents. She wants to give her life to Christ, but her parents aren’t too sure.
- Pray that we can all continue to keep our focus on the One who really matters and ensures our future.
- Pray for RW as we continue to look at why we can give our life to Jesus.
- Continue to pray for our young people as they encourage each other in their growth in faith.
- Pray for our continuing outreach through the Wiser on the Way courses in November.
- Pray for guidance for world leaders, also here in Europe.

ON THE FAMILY SIDE . . .

You might notice that most of this news is actually from parts of September and parts of October. Or maybe you won’t notice that - that’s okay too. As we get older, the days fly by even quicker - but some of you know that already. And some of you are beginning to figure that out!

The biggest change for us this month has of course been the absence of Stephan. Mind you, thanks to the wonder of the internet - facebook, skype, email - Stephan has not been completely absent. But when we sit down to eat in the evening, when we read our Bible in the morning before everyone gets started, when we figure out how many are going somewhere - so many times we miss him. But he is doing great at Harding (as far as we know). And we are so thankful for so many of you who know him and are encouraging him in so many ways. It really is exciting to see him growing, knowing that he has so many fantastic things ahead of him.

Back here we have had some really good visits due to all of the family activities this month. The two weddings we attended were wondeful culinary events as well. We also held a barbecue for all the birthdays we had had during the summer. The church in Maastricht got together at our house for good food and fellowship.

And with the beginning of the school year and work year we also went to the first ‘hootenanny’ for the year over in Antwerp. This is an evening of guitar playing and hotdog eating. It was fun this time to see the looks on some of the visitor’s faces. “Ah, this is normal food for you then?” they wondered.

Speaking of guitar playing, it has been a thrill to see Sean learning more every day on his guitar. He donwloads a tablature from the internet (there you go again with that strange language) and then starts practicing the song upstairs. He plays electric guitar and likes a good rock beat, so stop for a minute and imagine the sound. .... Got it? But it’s great to hear. He is so dedicated and enjoys playing. Then he and Scott get together and jam for a bit (turn up the volume of the sound you just imagined).

It has been good for Sean to have the guitar. When he comes home from school is when he realizes that Stephan is not there. It is then that he is very happy to still have Snuffles (our dog) and he pulls out the guitar downstairs (a classical guitar - much quieter) and plays. And his creativity has been challenged and sharpened by this outlet.  

As we head into the Fall we are enjoying the colors, enduring some of the rainy days and looking forward to what the house will look like in the Spring (with our plans for changes). Each new day brings reminders of how wonderful God has been and promises of how mighty He will be as we move together to the next day.

What’s coming up?
OCTOBER
Marriage weekend
Fall Camp
NOVEMBER
Youth weekend
WoW Course

DID YOU KNOW?

Tidbits of information about Belgium and the Netherlands

Tourism
Tourism is a major industry in the Netherlands and Belgium. So where should you go when you get over here to visit? (other than our house of course) Here are a few ideas that you may not find on the internet.
In the Netherlands: the house of Corrie ten Boom, a walk through the Jordaan (a neighborhood in Amsterdam), a trip to the Veluwe or Schiermonnikoog (tulips may soon be gone, but this beauty remains), a train ride to Maastricht (just sit, watch and listen to those around you and the scenery).
In Belgium: An auction hall in Antwerp, a walk in the dunes in De Panne, a village full of books in Redu, a train ride from Brussels to the Ardennes (Spa, for instance) where we can pick you up for the beautiful trip to our house.

THANKS!
For your continued financial support, even now
For your prayers for our work! New life is coming!
For your emails, comments, cards and encouragement

A new beginning

Although I can't show you the pictures (just yet) I can try to paint a picture of a wonderful day. Tonia and Mario have had to struggle in order to wade through the sea of red tape needed to make their wedding possible. They even went through a stormy night on high seas, waves spilling over the ship, people lurching in every corner, in order to get to Denmark for the formal part of their wedding. 

But on the day that they would share together - sharing their vows before the witnesses they will trust to help them in their coming life, bending their knees in grace before God's blessing - the sun broke through the clouds and bathed the castle where we all gathered in glorious sunshine. Atop a hill along the Rhine, in the libraray of what some royal person probably considered a simple hunting lodge, Tonia and Mario pledged their love to each other and to God. Their faces shone even more than the sun, if it is possible. 

Later, at the reception, friends and family from all over Europe celebrated with the happy couple, presenting gifts of song and laughter. It was great to see everyone singing together - what a vision of the final wedding banquet we will be sharing! It was so exciting to have most of the church from Maastricht there to let this couple know how much we love them. A long day, to be sure, but well worth every minute.