Father's fun

Recently we have been having fun. This past Saturday we had a great day in the sun with our young people. We wanted to take the time to do several important things: show how important Jesus is for real life, connect with some other youth from around Belgium, show that having fun is something God has made possible. Christians know best how to have fun, since God is the creator of fun. 

On the second Sunday of the month we had a Games Day at the building after services. More than 20 members and kids stayed afterwards and had fun playing all sorts of board games and card games. Everyone is already looking forward to the e next second Sunday Games day. This was a time of bonding between young and old, Dutch-speaking or not. Fun can be had in every language and at every age. 

The youth day we organized this past Saturday was built around the theme of ‘Build your House”. We wanted to look at what Jesus says about the wise and foolish man as well as examine how we can be living stones to the cornerstone of Jesus. 

We moved the location to a community center close to Mario and Tonia, which meant that kids from other congregations could reach it more easily (Maastricht is a good way away from where most people live). Our age-group was fairly young: from 7 to 13 years-old, because that is the age of our kids in Maastricht. We were thrilled to welcome 8 kids from various other congregations for the day. 

The sun shone brightly, the rain stayed away and the kids enjoyed the time inside and out. Our two 13 year-olds prepared the first games outside. Scott brought the first lesson outside as well before we all headed inside for lunch. After some more play time outside the kids headed inside for some practical lessons focused on how we work together. Have you ever made a tower out of flat pieces of paper? These kids came up with some great ideas. 

By the end of the day we were thrilled with how God could touch so many hearts in such a short time. Several “shy” kids blossomed throughout the activities. All of the kids helped each other in the end. And the lesson points came through loud and clear. Fun was had by all in a way that God was glorified and amplified. We pray that a good bit of what was mentioned and done will stay with the kids in the coming days and weeks. 

In November we are looking forward to joining a football (soccer) tournament with a team from Maastricht. This is another time that we can experience having fun and getting to know others around us, sharing the joy that comes with being a child of God. Before that, several teens will be heading down to camp for Fall campo and the young kids will be able to experience a week at Vacation Bible Camp. Pray for our young people and for all of the team members making these sorts of activities possible. 

Where Oh Where Wednesday: Haarlem or Harlem?

In October 1982 I moved to Haarlem, the Netherlands. I had been there on a campaign the summer before with a program from York College called the Master’s Apprentice Program (MAP). Now I would be working with the evangelist in Haarlem (Jim Krumrei) for 2 years in the same program. 

I have never been to Harlem, in Manhattan. We had some travel time while visiting Sean and Jill this past Spring, but we didn’t make it to Harlem. Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. We were staying down in Chinatown, not far from where Sean and Jill live and work. Most people think of Harlem as a black neighborhood, considering its history in the 20th century. 

Originally, Harlem was a Dutch village, organized in 1658 in New Amsterdam - which would become New York. It was named after the city in the Netherlands. It has been home to large Jewish and Italian populations as well as the African-American migration in the beginning of the 20th century. Harlem in the 1920’s and 30’s was the place to be in many ways. 

Haarlem - in the Netherlands - is the capital of the province of North Holland. It received its city rights in 1245 and the first walls were built in 1270. It is sat on a thin strip of land which is above sea level and surrounded by bits that are below sea level (which is much of the country). The nearby airport of Schiphol is built on what is literally “ship hollow”. It is home to the painter Frans Hals and was famous for tulips, printing and beer brewing. 

I remember learning to speak Dutch among the local stores and listening to playing children. Learning how to talk about my faith with people who were sometimes interested and often not, taught me plenty about people and myself. I was thankful for the areas close by that also afforded respite and comfort. 

From Haarlem I could bicycle to Spaarndam where the statue of the boy with his finger in the dike stands. The statue is based on a book written by an American who clearly did not know what a dike looked like. On the other side of the city I could bike out to the dunes and the sea to watch the sun rise. Or I could head downtown and enjoy the busy market on market day, walk past the cathedral or consider the history that you can simply breath in wherever you walk in the city, like the smell of a sharp cheese. 

It was in this city, on the steps of the city hall, that my colleagues Ruud and Karla were married. Not far from the city hall is the home of Corrie ten Boom. Just a short walk further and you are among the canals where in the Spring a market is held throughout the night to sell flowers. Two years is not very long in a lifetime, but for a young man it was a time to fill up on amazing memories. 

We are still very thankful for the church in Haarlem, being able to share time with our brothers and sisters there whenever we can see them - even if it is elsewhere. Most recently we were able to send time with members of the congregation during Family camp. Jim and Ruth Krumrei, who are now in their 90’s, came to Family Day just 2 weeks ago. 

I haven’t visited Harlem yet. But I hope that we get the chance some day. Whether Harlem or Haarlem, both places are full of intricate, complicated, enticing history. 

We are the church

A few years ago we held a questionnaire in our neighborhood asking people about church. We asked if church had a place in society, and if so, what? Most people were very clear about the first part of the question. Yes, certainly, church had a place in society. And then they spoke of how having a place that was quiet, a place where people could contemplate life, was absolutely necessary. Most people, when they thought of ‘church’ thought of a building in the neighborhood. A place to go. 

People also talked about how the church should be a place that taught values and norms for society. When they were asked further if they attended a church anyway, most admitted that they did not. Several commented, “Yeah, I guess that isn’t very consistent of me.” They understood that if they thought church should teach values, that they would have to attend in order to receive that teaching. 

We of course think a bit differently about church. We are the church. It doesn’t really matter where the church meets. When people are with us, they should be able to experience and feel the presence of God and His grace and love. That is why we look forward to all sorts of different activities with the church all around Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Most recently we were down at camp with at least 10 different congregations for Family Day, organized this year by the church in Ghent, Belgium. We were able to sing, share meals together, play or walk, and share conversations about how God is working in our lives. It was a time of fellowship, but also of showing body strength (she last week’s thoughts). 

Last week we had a games day in Maastricht. Our young Ukrainian couple, Andre and Adriana have started these to encourage the church members. We stayed after services and played together - some card games, a board game and more. This is a time that we can also invite others. I learned as a young Christian that Christians know best how to have fun. Fun was, after all, designed by God. 

This coming weekend we will hold our Youth Day with the church from Maastricht. But we decided to hold it elsewhere so that more kids could come. And immediately we are looking forward to at least 6-8 kids from other areas. This is an opportunity to be church and be the body of Christ in a different way. We are so thankful that we are able to organize these types of activities and that God is using these to touch people’s lives. 

No matter where we are, if we are children of the King, then we are also the church. When we are gathered - whether it is a few our many, whether it is at a game or going to a movie or attending some other activity, whether we have a sign saying that a church is meeting or not - we are the church. We pray that we are sharing God’s presence and love in all of these moments. 

Whensday: Union

Belgium and the Netherlands have long been at the forefront of what has become the European Union. The treaty of Brussels signed in March 1948 set up the Western Union, a military union of France, United Kingdom and the three Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) set up in September of the same year. In 1957 the Benelux, France, Italy and West Germany signed the treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community (EEC). Within this community they formed a customs union, making trade easier. 

The United Kingdom, Denmark, and Ireland joined the EEC in 1973. The first elections to a European Parliament were held in 1979. In 1981 Greece joined and soon after the Schengen Agreement made open borders possible. This meant that travel within the outer borders of Europe could be done without passports. 

I remember the first time that Shirley and I came to the Netherlands on campaign in 1981. A visit to (West) Germany meant a stamp in your passport. When I came to the Netherlands from 1982-84, some of the most interesting stories and experiences in my life were because of border crossings (ask me sometime about sleeping on the way to Switzerland). So when Shirley and I visited in 1987 to research returning to work with the church, it was interesting to see the changes. 

The European flag was adopted in 1986 and Portugal and Spain were added to the group. In 1990, as the Eastern Bloc was falling apart, East Germany was reunited with West Germany and was added to the community. By 1992 the 12 member states were ready to sign the Treaty of Maastricht (which came into force in November 1993). This treaty set in place the basis for the European citizenship, a single currency and common security policies. 

The single currency finally showed up formally in 2002, the Euro supplanting all the other currencies, like the guilder, the franc and the mark. We had moved to Belgium in 1991 and we remember vividly the ease that came with a common currency - not having to carry three different currencies because of where we live on the border. But it also meant that prices - of almost everything - doubled. 

Currently the EU consists of 27 countries. There had been 28, until the United Kingdom exited. There is quite a list of countries waiting to join the EU as well. To think that three little countries joining themselves in the Benelux showing that cooperation was useful could have been the start of such a union. 

Body strength

Our bodies are amazing creations. God has created us to be able to do amazing things, even when we are damaged. Our bodies are made in such a way as to heal and recover. Most of that is down to the design and how everything works together. It is often important that we allow our bodies the time to recover. 

I have been acutely aware of this in the past year and most recently due to a strain of a muscle and, just last week, a hernia operation. Physical therapy and stretching did wonders for the muscle. Doctors using laparoscopic surgery took care of the other. This week I am taking it easy and recovering, but our bodies are amazingly well designed.

The past few months have also been difficult in other ways. We learned that our nephew, a new father of one and soon-to-be-father of a second, passed away at the age of 26. And we hurt for his wife, his brothers and especially for his father and mother (Scott’s brother and sister-in-law). We had not been able to visit with them when we were in Indianapolis. 

Less than a month later we received news that Shirley’s brother unexpectedly passed away. We had seen him on our visit to the States and enjoyed being able to spend time together. The news of his passing hit hard. It felt like a blow to the stomach for Shirley. Her family (she comes from a family of 8 kids) has been reduced to just three. 

Last week we received a call from Scott’s youngest brother that his brother, Marc had passed away. We were able to follow the memorial service held in Colorado Springs yesterday evening. We had also missed seeing Marc on our visit to Colorado while we were in the States earlier this year. His passing seems a bit surreal. 

It is at times like this that we are thankful that God has designed the body so well. We are not made to be alone, to work alone. We are made to depend on one another, to help in the recovery and healing of one another. One part cannot work without the others. That is how the body of Christ, the church, is designed and truly works. We are so very thankful for family and spiritual family. 

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians talks about this body and how we are dependent on each other (1 Cor. 12:12-26). Thank you for being there as part of this body. Praise God for His design and His amazing love, in times of distress and in times of joy.

Whatsit Wednesday: Firehose

The last week has been a warm one in our area. This coming week the temperatures have cooled down (both in Fahrenheit and Celsius) with plenty of rain. So, while some may have been thinking of fires last week, they do not want to see another drop of water this week. 

But those two things obviously go together. Fires have always been a problem for those who build. We must have fire to keep warm, but how do you keep warm and safe at the same time. And if you yourself are quite safe with a fire in your house, what about your neighbor? If fire breaks out in their house, it could spread to yours. As cities grew, this was a very real concern. 

Some of the worst disasters have been due to fires in cities. London burnt down and had to be rebuilt. San Francisco burnt down and had to be rebuilt. Chicago Burt down, supposedly because of a cow and a lamp. The city had to be rebuilt. Modern high rise flats have shown that they are disasters waiting to happen if a fire breaks out. And of course we can build with better, flame resistant materials, but fire remains a danger to all living in the city. 

Which is why we for a very long time have had people willing to work at putting fires out. Where in the past it may have been a bucket brigade from the village, all villagers helping one another, it soon became a group of dedicated people willing to work hard to put any fire out. But how to bring the water to the fire? 

This is where the firehose came into play. Amazingly, it was designed in Amsterdam at the end of the 17th century by Dutch painter and inventor, Jan Van der Heyden and his brother. The made a better design for a pump, but also designed the hose so that they could better reach the flames. The hoses were made of leather and sewn together like a boot leg. 

Later improvements were made in the centuries to come, making firefighting easier and more efficient, though still very dangerous. These days we are all thankful for the men and women of the local fire brigade (like our brother-in-law) and for the materials that have been designed to better keep us all safe. 

An eventful day

Some days just stay etched in your mind. I remember hearing from people who could remember everything that happened on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. I remember watching the first landing on the moon and know exactly where I was when the Challenger blew up. In the Netherlands people remember where they were when they heard about the Bijlmer catastrophe (plane flying into a block of flats) or when the fireworks blew away a whole neighborhood in Enschede. In Belgium people remember the time hearing of Dutroux (a man who kidnapped and killed young girls) or the gas pipeline explosion near Ath. 

Some things just stick in your mind, become part of the tapestry of history of a place. That is what this date is for many in the world. September 11 brought some major changes in the world which are still reverberating today. We stood watching the news on the television repeating, “What? What? Oh no!” The boys were not quite sure what was happening and why we were so upset. It seemed at that moment that the world was falling apart. 

And yet, that was a very eventful time for us in general. When we first came to Belgium it was to work with the church in Maastricht, the Netherlands. We lived for a year in Antwerp, Belgium to get into the language and still be able to be with a congregation before we would start things with a new team in Maastricht. 

We were able to get a permit to stay in the country which was renewed every year. When we looked into how we would work things with the team, it was easier to stay living in Belgium rather than move into the Netherlands.  So we found a place to live, close by the border, and continued renewing our permit. This worked well for us and at one point we were able to get a 5 year card, instead of renewing every year. 

But coming up on 2000 the government decided that they needed to change things concerning foreigners in the country. It was not a problem to be working for a company, but religious workers were not going to be allowed to stay any more. We were informed that we would need to leave the country. 

Around this same time, the opportunity to become a Belgian opened up. Both the US and Belgium technically allow dual citizenship and the more we looked into it, the better it looked. The process to become Belgian was fairly simple. We wanted to be sure that we would still be able to get back to the US if needed, so only Scott went through the process. We heard the good news right around September 11 in 2001. 

Now it would be possible to stay in the country and continue our work with the church in Maastricht and churches in Belgium. As with the apostle Paul, we would now be able to use both nationalities, both citizenships. We would now be able to move freely within the European Union and preach the gospel. This was a real blessing that we could not have foreseen. And it came at a time when we wondered what was happening with the world. 

Clearly, God has a different perspective on what is happening in the world. We have good friends all around the globe who experience things others may never even hear about. Have you heard of the struggles in Sudan? Of the elections in Kenya? Of the hurricane that basically wiped much of St. Maarten away? Of the tsunami in Indonesia? And so much more (including a war in Ukraine). Or most recently, the earthquake that has killed thousands in Morocco? It may seem like the world is ending. It may look like there is no way forward. It may feel like God has forgotten. But we know that this is not true. We have seen so many times before (look at all the times in the Old Testament) that God has been faithful. He knows what is going on. He can use even this time for His glory. 

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5

Whodunit Wednesday: Temperatures

It’s going to be a warm September day. Not that it is all that common for a September day to be so warm here. It is not unheard of, but 30 degrees - which is considered tropical - is pretty warm. And then our living room gets even much warmer. We have lots of windows that let in light, which is a good thing in the dark winter months. But on a warm day, light means warmth. 

But how can 30 degrees be warm? It is under freezing! Of course here in Europe we use a different scale for temperature. In Europe we use the Celsius scale (or centigrade), which goes from 0-100 degrees (the points where water freezes or boils). It can of course also go further. Temperatures below freezing become negative temperatures, for example -10 degrees. Although Belgium gets negative temperatures, its is nothing like what people in other places get (like in Minnesota or North Dakota in the US). Temperatures past the boiling point of water simply go higher than 100. 

In the Untied States a completely different scale is used to measure temperature. The Fahrenheit scale says that water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. So 0 degrees in Fahrenheit is quite cold, well below the freezing point. On the other hand, someone using the Fahrenheit scale might say that it is 104 degrees outside. A European would amazed that anyone could even be outside in such temperatures - well above the boiling point (on the Celsius scale). 

So where did these scales come from? Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in the 18th century. He originally used a 0-100 scale as well, but he measured the freezing point of a brine and the body temperature of a human (which is right around 96 degrees Fahrenheit). But by the 20th century it was the freezing and boiling point of water that was measured and became the beginning and ending points. 

Fahrenheit was born in Poland, but was of German heritage. At the age of 15 he moved to the Dutch republic where he lived the rest of his life. So he can be claimed by Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. In any case, it is still going to be a very warm day today. 

Family time

You have heard me talk many times about family. It is still amazing to me how God created family and uses it so wonderfully. Family is God’s design for how we work best. We need each other. We grow by struggling with relationships together. We learn from one another. We practice love and hope and courage when we care for one another. We see what is real by seeing it in the examples of those around us. Family is simply amazing. 

And that is true whether we are talking about blood family or God’s family. Not every family works as it should do. But it is family that shows us how things can and should be. So I keep my eyes open for family moments and I relish every moment that teaches me another truth through family. 

This month we have several church family moments coming up. This Saturday we will be down at camp with members of the church from around the Netherlands and Belgium. The church in Ghent is planning the Family Day. We are looking forward to seeing some of the teens we had at camp, some of their parents, and many others from various congregations. It is always a great day - and we should even be getting some sunshine to go with it (a real blessing in Belgium)!

We already had our singing evening this past Friday in Maastricht. The last Saturday we are planning a youth day. This week Shirley and I will be dropping in on our young Ukrainian couple for a study and some games. We were planned to see them last week, but the car broke down. We are thankful for good garages and the funds to take care of things so that we are now able to visit them. 

In the Fall we are looking at starting up some Saturday walks in the neighborhood to encourage the church and also share the gospel. In November we look forward to the COPA Benelux - an indoor soccer tournament with teams from the various congregations. The last one was held in 2019. (The picture is from 2015!) We may not be playing this time (although we might), but we will definitely be there to encourage all who attend. Family time is always good. 

On the other side, we are also thankful for family in difficult times. This past week Shirley heard that her youngest brother unexpectedly passed away. It hurts to know that we cannot be there, although we know this is simply reality. But it is good to know that there is family there to care for one another. Roger - Shirley’s brother - had a whole family of co-workers who cared about him and cared for him. His children, whether they were from his loins or not, feel the loss and are there for each other. Please keep them and Shirley in your prayers. 

Take time to look around and see how God is using family in your life. Be thankful for the connections that are there. And know that God’s design for family, the church, is just what we all need - at all times. 

How Great Thou Art

This past Sunday we were blessed with some wonderful songs. The one that really got me was when we sang “How Great Thou Art”. This is a great song whenever it is sung. But this past Sunday the song leader reminded us that it is in various languages. So we heard people singing it in Spanish, English, Dutch and Ukrainian. Perhaps it was also being sung in Arabic, but I could not really ask our visitor from Syria. 

The day before many of the members were out at our place for a birthday bbq. There are several members who have a birthday ij the summer months. And we like having an excuse to get together and a church family. So we prayed for good weather, planned for rain and met up with plenty of food and time for each other. 

This is one of the few times that our sister Nel gets out of the house (other than going to the store or the doctor). The kids had fun playing with Lego and cups and even a little disc golf (which I have in the yard). Some of the brothers took a walk out to the canal and talked while others sat around the table in the midday sun, enjoying encouraging conversation. 

We took a minute (or 5) to talk about how God had blessed us this year so far. Family, travels, daily blessings, visits with grandkids, safety in our country and more. Our Syrian sister told us (through the ingenuity of a translation program on a phone) that it is so good to be part of a family who helps her and cares for her. The kids were thankful for vacation and the little things of every day. 

It was a simple weekend. A bbq on the Saturday (and it stayed dry!), time to worship our amazing God on Sunday and encourage one another. We are so thankful for our family in Maastricht and in so many other places around the world. We can truly sing “How Great Thou Art”. 

Where Oh Where Wednesday: Redu

Years ago, when Stephan was a baby, we visited our friends who lived in Nottingham, England and together we traveled to Hay-on-Wye. This is a beautiful little village that has basically been turned into an antique book store. The whole village is full of houses which sell antique and second-hand books. We still have a copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress” which our friends purchased as a gift for us. 

Years later I read that there was the same kind of set-up in Belgium. We visited the town of Redu with my best friend when he came to visit. Most of the books are in French, of course, since Redu is in the French-speaking region of Belgium. Still, it is a beautiful, picturesque village - even if you don’t care about books. There are places to sit and drink a coffee or enjoy a pastry and the surrounding area is also beautiful. If you are not into books, the Euro Space center is just down the road. 

We have not been back to Redu in many years and I have always wondered if it is still the same. The landscape of books and reading has, after all, changed dramatically. These days we have e-readers and audio books. Do people still purchase second-hand books. I imagine that the market for antique books has remained the same, but what about books that are simply old? 

We still love the smell of books. We both still read real books (as opposed to e-books or audio books). We know plenty of people who fully enjoy their e-books and our son (who was present in Hay-on-Wye at that first acquaintance with this place) listens regularly to audio books. What do you do? If you are looking for a nice holiday destination and you are a book lover, consider either Hay-on-Wye (Wales) or Redu, Belgium. 

The Walnut

While I was finishing my studies at Abilene Christian University (ACU), I was able to do some work as a substitute teacher. I was able to step into all sorts of classes. I taught middle school math or science. I was able to teach English (which was my area of expertise). I even substituted in a school which was the last stop for kids who couldn’t seem to make it (because of their behavior) at any other school in the city. All of these opportunities confirmed that I wanted to be a teacher.

I graduated in December of 1988 and did a lot more substituting in the semester following. But in September 1989 I was able to start as a real English teacher at Abilene High School (AHS) downtown Abilene, Texas. I had 10th grade English groups and an 11th grade literature group. The 10th graders came into the class needing to learn the basics (past what they had already learned). This meant that I was also teaching some composition. 

For one section, I wanted to introduce poetry, explaining what it was and how it worked. We talked about the different sorts of meter, rhythm and rhyme. We looked at various examples, including some songs and rap (which was beginning to make its way in the music world - even in Abilene, Texas). To help my students practice writing their own poetry, I brought certain visual elements into class and explained how they could be used.

Whenever I gave my class a task, I took part in the task as well. That way they knew that I was not asking them something impossible or simply time-consuming and boring (although they may still have thought that). For this project I brought along a worn out sneaker, a stone, a walnut and a few other items. 

At the end of the class the students could share, if they desired, their poetry with the class. They were required to hand it in (so that I could see what they had done). They asked if I had done anything, which I had. I had written a poem based on the sneaker and a poem based on the walnut. 

The poem on the walnut turned into this song about a conversation between a grandpa and his grandson. A few weeks ago I played the song at Family Camp, billing the act for the talent night as “First time grandpa” singing “The Walnut”. We have become grandparents since the end of June this year, so I thought the song fit the event. 

Afterwards someone asked me when I had written the song, thinking that it was new. I looked up as I recalled the years and replied, “1990, I think.” The questioner was surprised. “What? But didn’t you just become a grandpa?” So this song has been waiting in the wings for some 30 years (Stephan was only just born when it was written) until the right moment. But the thoughts remain true, no matter when they are passed on. 

How do you think of your grandparents? What do you do with them? How are you as a grandparent? What do you enjoy doing with your grandkids?

Whensday: The beginning of plastic

Before the world went crazy for corona rules and we started finding blue face masks everywhere along the streets, discarded along with used tissues which no one dared pick up - even if they had wanted to - the talk in all the media was about reducing plastic use. Straws were outlawed and paper sacks were even returning to grocery stores. In the stores in Europe you had to pay if you wanted something in a bag, whether the bag was plastic or not. 

A few years earlier, a young Dutch man had come up with a way to clean up the plastic soup - the plastic found in the ocean gathered together and formed islands after having been tossed in the rivers which flowed to the seas. Plastic was one of the worst environmental disasters. This was stated unequivocally, even though we could probably not survive without plastics anymore. 

Plastic comes from oil. They can also be made from natural gas, corn or cotton - all products which can run out, can be used up, becoming extinct, or which must continually use resources to be grown. And if plastics are made from corn, the idea of taking the food out of someone’s mouth comes to mind )as with ethanol). 

The first synthetic plastic was made back in 1909 with the Belgian Henricus Baekeland. It was made from a reaction between phenol and formaldehyde by this Belgian chemist and inventor who lived in Yonkers, New York. You would know it as ‘Bakelitte” if you know it. You might have seen an old (and I mean old) rotary telephone, almost always black and quite heavy. Or a radio made of a mottled brown material. But you could also find colorful jewelry or silverware with fanciful handles. This was bakelite. This was the beginning of the plastics industry. 

These days plastics are in everything, including your clothes and tea sacks. Recently in Belgium the coffee pads and tea sacks, which one previously would have dumped in the green container for composting, were no longer welcome in the compost container. This was because the papers used for the pads and sacks was now most often made of or included plastic. 

How much would your life change if you were to drop this invention discovered back in 1909 by a Belgian chemist living in New York? 

On the Family Side

As a congregation we often pray for our “children and grandchildren”. Recently someone remarked that Shirley and I are no fully part of that group. We are indeed very thankful for the safe arrival of our first grandchild, Sophia Ruby. In Dutch a grandchild is a “small child”. A grandparent is a “great parent” (same idea as in English). A great grandparent is an “over great parent”. 

Both Shirley and I grew up without knowing much of our grandparents. Shirley met her maternal grandmother once. Her paternal grandparents are still a mystery that we are trying to solve. Scott met his maternal grandmother once as well, but had some contact via his mother. He met his paternal grandparents once as well, since his family traveled quite a bit for his father’s military duties. 

Our boys, with us living here in Europe, had of course much less contact with their grandparents than others might have. Shirley’s father passed away before the boys were even born. I fact I never met Shirley’s father either. The boys did get to meet Shirley’s mother at least twice on our return trips to the US. 

Scott’s father met Stephan as a baby and then the boys met him again in Denver when they were young. They met one more time when Sean was a teenager and we had dropped Stephan off at Harding University. The boys had more contact with Scott’s mom throughout the years. We stayed at her house when we dropped into Colorado on our visits. She even came to visit in Belgium after Sean’s birth. 

So both of us are more than aware that grandparents can be present from far away, as much as they might want to be closer more often. It is not always possible. The interesting thing for us was in how to name the grandparents. In Dutch grandpa is most often called “Opa” and grandma is “Oma”. That is what we had the boys call their paternal grandparents. Shirley’s mother was still “Grandma”, as often as they were able to use it. 

We have been wondering how we might want to be called as grandparents. Having the other language means that we can choose for something different. But it is also true that Stephan calls me “papa”. For many in the US, this is a term for grandpa. And Shirley was not so thrilled with the sound of “oma”. It sounded too “old” for her (imagine “grandmother” spoken full out every time by your grandchild). 

So we have let Stephan and Natalie know that we would like to be called Omi and Opa. Of course, we look forward to the time that Sophia can see us and say for herself what we will be called for her - even if it is “mmmphhnnn” or some such sound. What do you call your grandparents? And how are you known by your grandkids? 

(The picture above references a song about Grandpa's that you can listen to here).

Talking to God

This past week we were down at camp with the teen group looking at how to swim against the tide, or live upside-down. This was based on the various things that Jesus teaches in Matthew 5-7, including talking about telling the truth, how to treat others, dealing with anger or desires, and how we look at what is most important in our lives.

The group of teens we had were a real encouragement to us all, really getting into the lessons and putting them into practice each day with one another. The full week of (mostly) rain couldn’t stop the fun. In fact, they even had a water-fun day in the middle of the rain. They were already wet, after all. 

We also talked about prayer during the week and had plenty of opportunity to put the things we learned into practice. During the week one of the campers fell and broke her collar bone, but it was fairly late. We had to wait the night out and she was able to go home in the morning to be treated. We also practiced being kind to one another and worked on how we use our tongue. 

During this week, I went off for the afternoon to lead a funeral in Eindhoven of a dear sister in Christ. We were able to share time looking at her life and combining two families: her blood family and her church family. We were so thankful to be able to share what she had learned in her life with Christ and to see how God had used her characteristics in her new life. Her family (who are not believers) were pleased to see that her church family also knew who she was. 

When we got home from camp and were able to catch our on emails and messages and more (there is no internet at camp and poor reception), we were confronted with the news that our young nephew (25) had passed away, leaving behind his wife, son and son-on-the way as well as his parents and brothers. We are so thankful that we know that God not only hears us, but is very much aware of what is happening and what we need. 

This is also what we are talking about this week down at Family Camp. I will be teaching one of the lessons based on “Give us today our daily bread” but am also teaching the teens every day for the second lesson of the day. Today’s lesson was on God’s kingdom. It is thrilling to see how these young people are willing to examine what the Word says and to talk about how God can be part of their lives. 

Thank you for you prayers and blessings for my birthday, for the messages we have already received about our family, and for the prayers offered for our camp weeks. We are so thankful that we have these opportunities to share what God has brought us and taught us. Know that God knows who you are and is listening. Now we need to ask ourselves if we are willing to listen top Him. 

Where Oh Where Wednesday: Waffling

When you visit a country, you want to sample the local cuisine (‘cuisine’ simply means ‘kitchen’, by the way). In Belgium that might include waffles. Belgian waffles, next to chocolate, beer and fries are the things most people might at this time in history associate with Belgium. But then you are left with an important question: which Belgian waffle? 

In Belgium there are certainly two very distinct waffles from two very different cities. In Liége, just about 20 minutes from where we live, the citizens speak French, have a rich history of steel production and making weapons, and live in a city along the Meuse, just like Maastricht but very different. 

The waffles that one would purchase here are thick and sweet. They will be slightly carmelized and will be served plain. You do not top them with anything. You eat them as they are. Perhaps that also represents the citizens a bit. The Liegois are strong, opinionated and proud. You don’t have to dress them up. The bishopric was very powerful in the past (this bishop also had power of the city of Maastricht in those days). 

In Brussels you can by all sorts of waffles on the street from vendors in food trucks. You can even buy a ‘Luikse wafel’ - a waffle from Liege (or ‘Luik” in Flemish). But if you want a Brussels waffle, you go to several well-known (and expensive) stores and purchase the real thing. This waffle is large and thick - much more cake-like than the waffle from Liege. And you still have many choices to make. Do you want your waffle with chocolate sauce? Or strawberries? Or ice cream? Or whipped cream? Or all of the above? 

The Brussels waffle is a bit of a show-off, perhaps a bit like the capital city. People here will speak French, Flemish or English. The European Parliament has its home here. Tourists  wander the streets in all seasons. Brussels has always imagined itself ‘little Paris’. So the waffle must show this off as well. 

And then we haven’t even mentioned the waffles in the Netherlands (which are of course NOT Belgian waffles). You will have seen them in the airport or in the specialty section of your supermarket (next to the Biscoff spread - which is Belgian). “Stroopwafels” are thin bits of waffle sandwiched around a thick molasses-like syrup. You can put the waffle over your coffee cup (unless it is a huge American size mug) and let it warm up from the steam on your coffee. Then you tear it apart with your teeth, being careful not to get the stringy molasses on your chin. 

I have never really considered if these waffles in any way might be indicative of Dutch citizens. Back when I first came to the Netherlands to first spread the gospel and learn about missions I simply enjoyed them whenever I could. You can get them anywhere in the Netherlands. They are the same all over the country. 

What do you like on your waffles? Or do you waffle between preferences? (See what I did there?)

There’s a lion in the street!

This past week, in case you missed it, there was a flurry of news activity about a possible lion in the streets in Berlin. There had been a video sighting and some officers even said they had seen it. People were told to stay inside and certainly keep their pets inside. In the end it was determined (by those-in-the-know after examining the video evidence) that it could not have been a lion. It was more than likely a wild pig, just a big boar. 

This reminded me of two different truths that we find in the Bible and in the world. In Proverbs (22:13 and 26:13) the sluggard decries going out because there is a lion in the streets. He uses the possibility, however farfetched, to keep from doing anything. He is afraid of what might, possibly, in some amount of statistical probability happen to him. 

So too do we sometimes allow our fears to keep us from doing anything. Jesus tells us that we should not fear those who can harm the body. We should fear Him who after the body is dead can send the soul to hell. (See Luke 12:5). This is used to point out that we should not be ashamed to stand with the Lord and speak out for Him. 

That brings me to the second lion in the streets. We find him roaming in 1 Peter 5 where he goes about roaring, seeking who he might devour. This is not a fake lion. The devil is not a made up, fake phantom to scare us into doing what is right. Satan wants us dead - as dead as can be. So he temps, accuses and coaxes - every day and in so many ways. 

God tells us to resist him, knowing that we are not alone in this. That God is fully able to save us and restore us, even from all of our suffering. We should be aware of this lion and resist him in any way we can, turning from temptation, staying close to one another and encouraging one another to be faithful. This is why we gather at least once a week (on Sunday) to worship the One who saves and continues to save. 

These are some of the things that are being taught these weeks at Bible camp. The oldest youth have finished their week. The Benjamins (8-11 year-olds) are at camp this week, and next week we will spend learning together with the teens (12-14 year-olds). The last week will bring families together. Please be praying for all of these young people, the team leaders and everyone attending. 

And just so that you know - we will miss posting for a few weeks as we are working with these camp weeks. In the meantime, think about who you fear and who you want to follow. 

Whensday: The day the King stepped down

This week is a holiday in Belgium. Friday July 21 is the national holiday - a bit like July 4 in the US, though not completely. There is also a holiday for the Flemish community and one for the French-speaking (Walloon) community. July 21 is the federal holiday. 

Belgium is a complicated situation of political entities and levels of government. What is clear is that on July 21 the banks and such are all closed, as are most stores. Since this day always falls in the summer during one of our Bible camp weeks, the group that is at camp that week has to be sure to have done their shopping before this day comes. 

I remember the day that the king passed away. It was also during a week of camp, so we didn’t get the news until we were going home. He had passed away on July 31, 1993, during our Benjamin camp (for 8-11 year-olds). We had only been in Belgium for 2 years and this was only the third time I was helping with camp. But the death of this king really touched the country. He had been a remarkable king in many ways. 

Modern Belgian kings don’t really have that much power or authority. Not like Leopold II who made Congo his play ground and private zoo in the latter half of the 19th century. Baudouin became king in 1951, married the Spanish countess Fabiola in 1960 and tried his best to rule his country in modern times. It was his reign that made it clear to the government that there needed to be clarity about who was actually in charge - the king or the government. 

All came to a head in 1990 when in April of that year Baudouin made clear that he could not agree with a law that had been passed by the government allowing abortion. Baudouin had always been very clear about his faith and he and his wife were sticklers about morality - even among government ministers. 

The contraceptive pill had been designed in 1961 by a Belgian, Ferdinand Peeters. This was already further than the king would have liked to have gone. But the law now presented was allowing abortion itself. Still the constitution only allows the king to be informed, to warn and to encourage concerning laws. And yet, all laws must be signed into law by the king. 

Baudouin could not in good conscience sign the law allowing abortion when he himself considered abortion immoral and against the will of God. In order for the law to be signed, the king would need to be found “unable to govern”. So for 36 hours, he was technically not king - as the law was passed and signed by the government ministers. 

Many people in the country considered the king’s principled stance very encouraging - even those who might have disagreed with him. And yet, in the period that he was king, even as his faith became stronger, the normal Belgian became more and more unchurched. The government realized that they needed to restrict the power of the king even more, making it more symbolic and simply representative of the country. 

That summer in 1993, the whole country mourned. We found out at the end of our camp week as we went home with the radio on in the car. This year, Belgium will celebrate 10 years of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde on July 21. In the meantime, much has changed around abortion laws and what people think of them. King Baudouin was one of those in power willing to use that power to make his views known. 

God is good all the time

What do you do when things seem to go wrong? Most people want to stay calm and move ahead. But how does one do that? It means that you have to trust - doctors, politicians, parents, schools and more. But can we trust? Most of us have experienced that people are not to be trusted. Not that people always are evil, but people are people. We are all human - and that means that we are fallible. We make mistakes. We let people down. 

I remember well, before I was a Christian, hearing Ron Carter say from the pulpit: “Don’t put your trust in me. I will certainly let you down.” And he did. Even a man that I (still) consider to have had a deep influence on my life for the good. He was after all, just a man. But he knew something that I did not know then. He was a man who walked with God. 

Since then I have met many people who knew the same thing. I have given my life to God as well. That doesn’t mean that I, or any of these people, have become somehow perfect. What it means is that we have figured out who we can really trust. When everything else is going to let you down, the Father in heaven, with whom we walk daily, will always be there and be reliable. 

When we were traveling in the States we came across some amazing examples of people who know this very truth. A young couple pregnant with their first child were able to only greet their too-soon born child for minutes before having to say goodbye as the child died. And yet this couple spoke of the goodness of their Heavenly Father and how good He is. 

In the coming weeks we will be visiting with a sister in the church in Eindhoven to talk about her funeral. She has known for some time that she is dying. And she praises the God of all creation, singing to his glory when her voice allows it. She understands what it is about and shares this with those around her. God has given her life and eternal life. And her trust in His grace speaks of His beauty. 

At the same time, we have witnessed joy and happiness in so many around us due to this same trust in God. A laughing family of young girls blessing a couple who may have thought at one time that such a thing was not possible. Happy faces thankful for the extra years that have been granted after a cancer diagnosis. 

At the end of June we were thankful for becoming grandparents for the first time - even if it was earlier than expected. Sophia Ruby Raab was welcomed into the world. All are safe and the new family is getting used to being a family together. And God is good - all of the time. He is the One who can be trusted. He gives what we need most - strength to deal with all situations. He teaches us to put our trust where it truly belongs - in Him. 

As war rages in parts of the world, as sickness devastates bodies, as political situations seem to darken the future, we can know that there is One in whom we can put our trust. But then we must be ready to accept what He presents to us. Like the young couple who for a minute welcomed their child, like the sister who knows where she is going, like the brothers and sisters living for God in a strange land because war is ravaging theirs, we can know and live as people who trust that it will work out.

God IS good. He is good all of the time. We can only see that if we can trust Him. We can try to trust other things, but we will be disappointed. We are thankful that we have found and learned to trust God who is good all the time.  

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Whatsit Wednesday: Sound carriers

I remember working together with my brothers and friends to create a sound recording of harmony. If we sang onto one cassette, we could then play that cassette and sing along with it while recording on another cassette. In that way we could get both voices onto one recording. You could even do it one more time, although the quality got worse each time. 

But wait a minute. What is a cassette, some may be asking? A tape cassette was a way to record sound onto magnetic tape and then be able to play it back. When I was growing up, my father had reel-to-reel tapes. These were large reels of magnetic tape that were played off on a large audio system. A cassette tape was the miniature version of reel-to-reel. 

You might have seen it in movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy” or some tv series that look back at the 70’ and 80’s. We would sit with our cassette recorders at the ready next to the radio, ready to hit record when “our” song came on and then hope that the dj would not ruin it by talking at the end of the song. In this way we could make a mix-tape of our favorite songs - the Spotify of our age. 

Cassette tapes were later replaced by compact discs - cd’s. These were plastic discs which had been “written” on by a laser and could be “read” by another laser. There had even been large discs, about the size of a long-play album (an lp) which could show a whole movie. CD’s could hold much more information that cassette’s and did not have to be played sequentially. You could choose whatever song on the album you wanted to listen to, followed by whatever other song on the album. 

The same technology was bettered and made able to hold even more information so that video’s in the end also ended up on these discs, which we called dvd’s (digital video discs). People had already been able to watch video on a video cassette recorder (a VCR), but now there was no more rewinding and torn and tangled magnetic tape. 

As we traveled this summer we were able to watch any number of video’s on the plane, simply choosing which video was to be played at our seat. Other passengers nearby were watching their own video’s on their laptop computers or their phones. In fact, people listen to any music or watch any kind of video content using their phones these days. 

This was all set into motion together with a Dutch company back in the day. It was Phillips who made cassette recorders, cd recorders and dvd recorders. More recently, Phillips dropped this side of their business and began focussing more on medical technology. Phillips is the major industry in the Dutch city of Eindhoven where we go every 3rd Wednesday to sing with the church there - without recording in any way. But if you are interested in hearing some of the recordings made of songs we sing, you can check them out at this video site (combining sound and video).

Camp preparation

Are you willing to swim against the stream? To go against the grain? To live upside down? Our society pushes us in all sorts of directions, but God is calling us to stand firm and walk with Him. 

In just a few weeks we will be headed down to camp for a week with a group of teens. This year we have Teen Camp for the 12-14 year-olds and we will be welcoming 24 campers. We are almost full (we can house 28 campers with 4 counselors). 

We will be looking at Matthew 5-7 and the amazing things that Jesus says. “You have heard… but I say to you…” We are excited about the opportunity to work with these teens and share the things that we will lear together from God’s word. And we are looking forward to a great week of fun and making new friends as well. 

This year we have quite an international group of campers, as we did last year. We have a few who speak French and English, others who speak Dutch and Ukrainian or Russian, and still others who simply speak Flemish (or Dutch). We have a team that should be able to handle the language challenges as well as the normal challenges that comes with working with teens. 

In the two weeks before our week, the older teens (15-20 years-old) and the Benjamins (8-11 years-old) will hold their week at camp. The past week has been very warm, but we never know what it will be like down at camp until we get there. We may not be able to have a campfire at the end of the week (the area has been very dry), but that will not put a damper on the fun. Somehow, we always find a way to have fun and learn about how to grow in faith. 

We are thankful for this opportunity. Please keep our teams and all of the young people in your prayers as we work through the summer. At the end of the youth weeks we will also hold a family camp week. Everyone is welcome at this camp where we will look at prayer. I will teach one lesson and work with the teens during the second lesson every day. 

We know that there are various camps going on around the world. Our young Ukrainian couple is off to Camp Amerikraine in Poland. Friends are organizing various weeks at Midwest Bible Camp in Iowa. And other friends have just finished up with camp from Colorado (but held in Wyoming). We pray that all of these efforts are touching hearts everywhere to walk with God in our daily lives. 

Whodunit Wednesday: What’s in a name?

My last name is usually either pronounced incorrectly or written incorrectly. If I say “r-ah-b”, people spell it ROBB. If I say “r-aaa-b”, people write it as RABB. If I spell it out “R-A-A-B” people hear “R-A-B-B”. And I have understood that my experience is not that unique. Many people have difficulty in sharing their name and how it should be spelled. 

My last name is German. It originally comes from the word for ‘raven’ which is why this blog site is called the Raven’s roost (the place where all the ravens sit). The double “a” in the middle is very common in the Dutch language, so the name is often spelled and pronounced correctly here. But then my first name gets the treatment, being uncommon here (and usually only getting one “t” at the end). 

Names can be very important. But the spelling and writing down of names has not always been a thing. Until there is some sort of registration or formal record of names, spelling is really not that important. Even after we have records, misspellings are common and cause all sorts of interesting stories. But keeping good records can help in some things, especially in collecting taxes. 

In the Bible we read about Joseph and Mary having to return to their home town to register for the census. This was held so that taxes could be levied. So, as we have always suspected, taxes have been around as long as death (the other certainty in life). But in the area of Maastricht, it was Napoleon who brought some of this “certainty”. 

Maastricht has always been a strategic city. It is at the crossing of the river Meuse and has always been a fortified city. The Romans first settled here with a barracks and soldiers. The Spanish and the French fought each other constantly in this area (d’Artagnan died here fighting for the French against the Spanish). So it is no surprise that Napoleon also took an interest in the area. 

Of course Napoleon took an interest in the whole of his realm. And he brought a formal administration to the areas he conquered which did not have such. This would make it easier, in the end, to collect taxes. So in Maastricht, where you might have simply had “Peter on the Straight Street” before, you suddenly needed a last name for Peter. All people had to be registered - according to the way Napoleon wanted it done. 

This brought about some very interesting names in Maastricht specifically. You see, the people of Maastricht are rather proud. Maastricht is not much more than a large farming town, but they consider themselves much more. After all, the Romans settled the area. And it is the provincial capital. So they are much more than simply a large farming town. 

This meant that when the French under Napoleon starting forcing people to give last names, some of the people thought it might be funny to “kick against the goads”. They gave silly, strange names. The French had no way of knowing if these were typical local names and registered them. 

The French had the last laugh though. Now, centuries later, there are whole families stuck with a name that some ancestor thought would be a good joke against the French. And the spelling has stuck as well. And the taxes are still owed. 

The French under Napoleon brought some order to administration throughout the area. But with order comes the inevitable red tape and bureaucracy. This has never left (as we all know about red tape and bureaucracy). And in the end it doesn’t really matter if you are called “angry fly” (what became a fairly common name here) or “raven” as long as the government can find you when they want to. 

What is God doing?

As we returned from the US to Europe, we were greeted with some of the troubles taking place around us. The war in Ukraine continues, as our brothers and sisters continue to move back and forth from ‘home’ to new ‘home’. So many have now made their home here in Belgium, but still long to be home in Ukraine. 

In the meantime, France seems to have exploded in anger, with cities igniting under the frustration of the youth (and many others) who are striking out blindly. Riots around France come just as many are getting ready to go on vacation. And it seems, if one watches the nightly news, as if the world is on fire. Has God completely forgotten about it all?

Last week we were blessed to be together with the congregation from Maastricht down at camp for a day. We met several members of the church from Liége, our French-speaking brothers and sisters from the sister-city just 30 minutes from us. They were together with a group of students from Harding University who had come with Robert McCready, their French teacher. 

The day was an amazing time of fellowship as the Maastricht congregation spent the morning learning from the Old Testament before sharing lunch. Song and conversation with the French-speaking brothers and sisters afterwards. This was the reality. There was peace and joy and comfort here together as children of God - even if it was just for that afternoon. 

This past weekend, we knew that that group of students was going to be in Lille, France for a concert with the local singing group Atout Choeur. We have enjoyed Atout Choeur for many years, but getting across to Lille (a 2.5 hour drive) is not always that easy. But we were planning on being there. 

The news said that there were riots in Lille. The news said that the buses and trams were not running. We sent a message asking if the concert was going to be held and received a clear message: Yes, of course. Please come! So we did, arriving in time to meet and greet as well as we can in our very broken French. 

Somewhere in the city there may have been some unrest. I do not want to make light of any of that. But in this neighborhood (a very ‘common’ area of the city, tucked up against a bit of highway and railway) everything was quiet and calm. Even better, there was singing! Members of the family in Lille were present as were several visitors and the gospel tones spilled out into the street. 

Afterwards we spent a very little time sharing encouragement with those we could speak with (those who spoke more English) before heading back to our car for the drive home. We would not get back until 1 am, but it had been a good visit. God is busy wherever His children are. He is busy in all sorts of places and situations. Even when we may think the world is burning and God is absent, He is there, in the middle of it all. 

We are so thankful for our brothers and sisters in so many different places who are faithful in singing of Him, speaking of Him and living for Him every day and in all circumstances. In Lille they are singing. In Marseilles a special week of missions is continuing. In Ukraine people are coming to Christ in the middle of a war. In Russia brothers and sisters are speaking of the true peace that comes only with Jesus Christ. God is working in His world. Is He working in your life?