Where oh where Wednesday: Friesland

It has always been interesting to me to see how many places are called “land” in Dutch. It makes it quite easy to understand where things are. Germany is “Duitsland”, England is “Engeland” and one that most English speakers would recognize, New Zealand is “Nieuw Zeeland”. This last one was of course named after the Dutch area of Zeeland. The new one was found and named across the oceans. Australia was also originally called New Holland. 

So when I look at a map of the Netherlands, one of the more interesting areas is up in the north and is called “Friesland”. This is all the more interesting because the area was basically its own country before and its language is not the same as Dutch. The Friezen (those from Friesland) speak a language that can be understood by many Dutchmen, but is different. 

The people of this province are also extremely proud of their heritage. The Frisia - the germanic people who inhabited and conquered the area from Bremen (in present-day Germany) to Brughes (in present-day Belgium) are mentioned in the Roman histories in the 4th century BC. But the area experienced a political and climatological downturn of two centuries where flooding and political pressure meant that no one lived in the area in the north. 

These Frisians fought for their freedom against the vikings, the Dutch of Holland and later the Hapsburg empire until they became a part of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century. Today their heritage is shown in local customs, in the flags of local football teams and in the language which is still spoken. As a matter of fact, Frisian must be available to all those going to court in Friesland. 

The province is home to some amazing natural beauties, including the Waddenzee and its islands. The city of Leeuwarden is the capitol of the province which boasts a population of more than 600,000. 

A time to…

As we get older I am struck (again) by how amazingly God works in our lives, without us knowing exactly how things are going to work out. I still feel like a young man - and think I am until I walk past a mirror or try to pick something up from the floor. But when I look at my life, I see how God continues to use us every day in all manner of ways. I am thankful that I have learned certain things from life that I can pass on to others, but I realize that I still have so much more to learn. 

I remember well so many people who influenced my life for Christ as I was growing in faith. I gave my life to Christ in my senior year of high school. My best friend was the one who brought me to faith, introducing me to Jesus through the Bible and through his own life. His father was the preacher at the congregation we attended and was also a mentor for me as a young man. And there were many along the way as I went to York College. 

As I grew, I realized that I wanted to help others grow in faith as well, but this is not something that one learns, like a job. It is simply sharing what you have already learned with those around you. And you may never really see the results of those moments of sharing. Just as with me, many people touched my life in moments and I never really got the opportunity to tell them how they had influenced me. 

This is something I learned along the way (from many people who influenced me): don’t worry about seeing how God uses you; just keep living for Him and He will be able to use you mightily as He sees fit. So we continue to do all that we can in reaching out to those around us. 

We have been working with Bible camp even longer than we have been here in Belgium. This is a place where we can be an influence on many young hearts and help train some older members of the church in being leaders. But we also realize that we are influenced by these young people as well. How many times have we learned a lesson of amazing faith from the young ones in our care? And so many of them and their desire to learn and put into practice what they are learning is also an example for all of us who are older. 

This past week we had the English-speaking Bible study at our place. Most of our English-speakers are young (under 25) and still learning so much - in faith and in life. It is fun to be able to share some of the basic truths and tips for life that we have learned. We sometimes have to remember that young people may have fewer people from whom they can learn these days. Everything can be found on the internet, but we learn from the people around us who show us how it really works. We want to be those people. 

And at the same time, we are encouraged and influenced by these same young people’s hunger and desire for the word of God and His life and leading. “Was I that eager when I was young?” I wonder. It encourages me in any case to be that eager for God now, today, no matter how old I am. Nothing, least of all age, can keep me from walking with Jesus in the light. 

How often have people said: I am too young (Gideon)? And yet is was the young people who have been an example (like Samuel, David, the boy sharing his lunch). How often have people said: I am too old (even when they were only middle-aged)? And yet it remains God who works even when we think it impossible (think of Sarah, the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth). And all of those who think they are not good enough or are too sinful (like Rahab, Simon Peter and others)? God can use all of us if we allow Him to work through us. 

We are so very thankful for all of the people God has used in our lives. And we pray that we will continue to be useful in helping others find and follow Him. Every day, in every way. 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.    1 Timothy 4:12

Whensday: Spring

Was it yesterday (March 19) or today March 20)? Or maybe tomorrow? When does Spring start? As far as we are concerned, it gets going as soon as we see the crocus flowers in our garden. That is often in February and we know that Sporing is on the way. 

We noticed that the US already moved into Summer Time, springing ahead by one hour. In Europe we will only spring ahead at the end of the month, which is the Saturday before Easter. So the month will end, Spring will begin, we will all lose an hour sleep and Easter will wake us up. To be honest, that is not a bad picture if you think about the resurrection of the Lord. His resurrection on Easter Sunday was indeed the end of the darkness of death and the beginning of real life for everyone who believes. 

Easter in Dutch-speaking Europe is called “Pasen” - a word linked to the Jewish celebration, the “Pascha” (or Passover” in English). As with many other countries and cultures, Easter is a strange mix of rabbits, chickens, eggs and chocolates. This is of course because it is a mixture of fertility rituals from pagan religions. 

In Maastricht we often get the question from people who know us if we as a congregation celebrate Easter. Of course Easter always falls on a Sunday (unlike Christmas). So we always have a worship time on this special holiday. But we also try to explain how we celebrate this amazing occurrence (of Jesus’ resurrection) every Sunday. The rest of the spectacle we leave to others. 

It will be nice to know that we can talk to our kids again at a normal 6 hour difference instead of five hours. That means that we can eat dinner as they are eating lunch while we talk to one another. It also means that we will enjoy helping teach during the Vacation Bible Kamp planned for the Belgian kids (the Dutch do not yet have school vacation). And when the week is done, we will have jumped into the next season with verve. 

(This picture is of our Thankfulness Walk this past Saturday in Maastricht)

Family plans

We are excited. Last year we became grandparents. It was right after we had visited with Stephan and Natalie in Indianapolis that sweet Sophia showed up three weeks early but a few weeks too late for us to welcome her to the world. So we have been patiently waiting, enjoying every last picture that is sent our way. And now we are able to make plans to finally meet her - and see her wonderful parents, of course.

Our dates are set and we are working on getting tickets arranged. This will be a bit of a quick trip compared to our usual visits back to the US. We want to maximize our time with the family, so we will not be anywhere other than Indianapolis. We do hope to be able to see my brother and his family who also live there. We missed seeing them last year due to sickness in the family. 

So we are excited. We will be able to be present for Sophia’s first birthday. Not that she will remember any of it, but we will. This trip will be sandwiched between activities with the church here and our summer camp activities. We are organizing a youth day with the church in Maastricht in April. In May we are organizing a day for the congregation down at camp. We are both teaching directing or helping at Benjamin Camp this year as well as Family camp in August. But seeing this precious child will be the highlight of the activities we are involved in. 

We are so very thankful for congregations who make these kinds of trips possible. We look forward to meeting with the church in Indianapolis as well while we are there. And it is always so good to know that the brothers and sisters in Maastricht take such good care of one another. Our theme this year in Maastricht is about the family of God. All of these places are truly God’s family. We are thankful that we feel at home in so many families. 

You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.  Ephesians 2:19

Whatsit Wednesday: Pralines

Delicious. That is what Belgian chocolate is. Every year that I go to ABSS (Advanced Bible Study Series) in Germany, a small argument of sorts kicks off again between the Belgians and the Swiss. We (the Belgians) of course know that we have the best chocolate. The Swiss think that they have the best chocolate. There Germans, Dutch and Americans simply watch and listen, knowing that they do not even come close. 

But it is the Belgians who have praline. You might know it from a store selling specialty chocolates in the shape of “sea fruit”, like sea horses and shells. They are often a marble mix of milk chocolate and white chocolate and they are filled with a smooth cream-like filling - praline. This was first developed by Jean Neuhaus II and brought to market in 1912. Some may know these chocolates as ‘bonbons”. But Belgian praline is much different than the cookie-like sweet with nuts in it found sometimes in the US. 

The praline filling is based on hazelnuts. Other fillings can be based in cream or even marzipan or a liqueur. They come in all shapes and are good for any occasion. If one is visiting a friend or meeting someone new, a box of pralines is always a good gift, especially for those who might not appreciate flowers. When you don’t know what to buy someone as a gift, a box of pralines will always do nicely. They come in white chocolate, milk chocolate and dark chocolate and include nuts for those who enjoy them. 

Neuhaus is still one of the major houses known in Belgium and around the world for their chocolates. Others include Godiva, Guylian and Leonidas. Belgians were able to really get into chocolate because of their link with Congo where they had a ready supply of cacao beans. Belgian chocolate is required to have at least 30% cacao butter to be called chocolate. Many other “chocolates” have far less chocolate (cacao butter) and therefore taste waxy or simply sweet. 

Every two weeks I visit a lady of 93 years in a nursing home who has finally figured out that I do not eat cookies (I am gluten intolerant). Now she always makes sure that there is some chocolate (dark chocolate is my favorite, and she knows this) or some pralines. For her birthday I was sent to a special chocolatier (a store that only deals in chocolates) to get a box of pralines for her guests and the nurses. This store deals only with the best, including American presidents, French potentates and local big-wigs. 

Youth Activities

One of the things that has always thrilled me about the work in Dutch-speaking Europe (Belgium and the Netherlands) is two well the various churches work together top organize events for the youth. A congregation may only have a few young people, or they may only have a few of a certain age group. But when the congregations work together, the young people can know that they are not alone. And workers from the congregations can work together and get to know one another as well as the young people. 

This year we have already had three youth activities: a youth weekend in Ghent in January, a Console weekend in Antwerp in February and this weekend a Girl’s weekend held in Belgium. Next weekend the boys will be welcomed in The Hague to play some sports on the beach and get to know one another. 

In April there will be a sports day for young people of all ages, near the center of Belgium. This will be at the end of a Vacation Bible Kamp held down at our campground in the Ardennes for kids from 8-14 years old. Scott will be helping teach this group from 1 Timothy. Later in the month the congregation in Maastricht is organizing a youth day in Belgium for younger ages (7-15 years-old). This is because “our” kids (the kids from Maastricht) fall into this age group. But this is also a chance for younger kids to experience a youth activity and meet other kids from congregations around Belgium or the Netherlands. 

At the end of May a CYC (Challenge Youth Conference) is being organized for the 2nd time in Belgium. Last year there were about 70 participants. This is a place where the youth can gather internationally. It is always exciting to meet young people from different areas and countries. We are thankful for members who are willing to work with all of these efforts and are blessed in ways to be able to help. 

We will be working with the youth day organized by Maastricht, the VBK and then later in the summer the Benjamin Camp week of Bible Camp. In addition we will be organizing a day out for the congregation in Maastricht in May. In September we are planning as a congregation to organize a singing day for congregations in the REA (French-speaking and German-speaking as well as Dutch-speaking) and will organize the Family Day at camp on September 14. These are also all opportunities for young people to take part with their families. 

Keep all of these young people in your prayers and pray for all of those organizing and working with them as well. We are so thankful for so many who have a heart for those around them and know that God is working mightily in all of us in so many ways. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

I remember very well the first time that I was introduced to the world of smaller things all around us. I do not remember how young I was, but I was encouraged to get some pond water in a jar and observe it. I was used to observing and enjoyed it. We had an aquarium and I could easily sit for quite some time observing the fish and their habits and reactions to one another. So observing a glas jar of pond water was not a problem. 

After sitting and watching for a little bit, it was clear that there were things living in the water. They were swimming all around. If you took a magnifying glass, you could even see some of the swimming things up close - if they swam in front of your glass. When I was older I would be introduced to the microscope and the amazing world of even smaller things. 

Anyone who starts looking into microbiology will come across the name of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (even if they cannot pronounce it). Antonie (or Anthony, as we might call him in English) was born in Delft, the Netherlands in 1632. He grew up with a step-father (his father died when he was 5) and an uncle (after his step-father died when Antonie was 10). He was a businessman who worked with cloth. 

It was his desire to be able to see things better for his business that led him to create better magnifying glasses. His kept his method secret and discovered that he could use his lenses for seeing more than threads. He was the first to see single cell organisms and thereby change the thinking of the Royal Society at the time. And he did all of this considering himself simply a businessman and speaking no other language than his native Dutch. 

Van Leeuwenhoek’s strength lay in his microscopes. He made lenses that no one else knew how to make. It was not until 1957 that a similar type microscope lens was made and only in 2021 that a Dutch study of a Leeuwenhoek lens finally showed how it was made. These small lenses could magnify up to 500 times. Using these lenses van Leeuwenhoek discovered things like spermatozoa, muscular fibers, bacteria and the vacuole of the cell. 

As in the time of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, it is still the amazing complexity of the design in nature that continues to point us to the Creator who has made everything so well. The deeper we look, the more complexity we see and the more convinced we should become of the design of God in all that He has made. 

Ladies on top of the mountain

This past week was another wonderful opportunity for international cooperation and growth. Every year the ladies in Europe plan a Ladies retreat at the beginning of March. Different groups do the organizing, but ladies come from around Europe: Benelux, Germany, France, Switzerland and Great Britain. Because of refugees in Europe, there are also ladies from Ukraine who attend. 

Shirley went with a group from the congregation in Maastricht which included our young Ukrainian sister for the first time. She mentioned when we picked her up on the way to join the car going to the retreat that as she had been worrying about it. But then she was talking with a therapist she has (as a refugee) and mentioned what the theme was: Questions from Jesus. Questions like: Why are you afraid? Why do you not trust? And she realized that she didn’t have to be afraid. 

It was exciting to hear afterwards how well it went for her. There were other Ukrainians present for the weekend and she was able to translate for them from English. This from a young lady who, when she arrived, could barely say anything in English. Now she speaks English quite well and can understand a good bit of Dutch as well. She saw how God was using her in the weekend, assisting and encouraging others. 

The weekend, held at a youth hostel in Germany, starts on a Thursday evening and goes through to Sunday afternoon, with the ladies getting home just before dinner on Sunday evening. This gives the husbands enough time to get the house cleaned up and dinner ready before the wife returns (or at least that is always my plan). I am always thankful that Shirley has always arranged for food while she is gone, showing me what is in the refrigerator and explaining again how to do things (I do not cook very often). 

We are thankful for these kinds of opportunities. Shirley was with her sisters from Maastricht, but was also able to see others from around Europe. There was also one of the ladies we have had contact with in the past who lives in Brussels and seeks guidance and assistance from Christian brothers and sisters. That is what we are all about as a family, a body. We are thankful this year for the sisters from Switzerland who organized the retreat. Next year will be organized by sisters from Germany and France. 

Where oh where Wednesday: Around the world

When we first started making plans to work with the church in Dutch-speaking Europe, we looked at where might be good to go. There were already congregations in the north of the Netherlands and in the western and central parts of Belgium. I remember making a study of areas that not only did not have congregations, but which were also on a crossroads - as was Philippi when the apostle Paul showed up there. 

When we, together with two Dutch couples, established the congregation in Maastricht, it was because the Dutch couples were moving there, because there was no congregation in the province of Limburg, and because Maastricht sits at the crossroads of this area of Europe. 

Maastricht in the Netherlands, Aachen in Germany and Liege in Belgium form what is known as a Euregion. These cities work closely together. Students from Germany come to Maastricht to study and vice-versa. When we would go to market in Maastricht on a Saturday, in the days before the Euro was introduced, we could hear all three languages and use all three currencies at any stand. This area was exactly what the European Union had in mind when they thought of cooperation. 

The wonderful thing for us has been how we have been able to connect with brothers and sisters from across Europe because of these links and the location of the city and church. We have connections with the church in Germany in Aachen, Cologne, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Chemnitz, Hildesheim and Hamburg. We have also worked with German-speaking churches in Bern, Zurich, Luzern and Schaffhausen in Switzerland and Graz and Vienna in Austria

In France, Belgium and Switzerland we work together with or have worked with congregations in Liege, Verviers, Brussels, Lille, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Geneva. We work with members from Russia and our members in Maastricht connect us with the church in Ukraine. Farther from home, our members connect us with the church in Ecuador and Ghana. The congregation has supported works in Kenya, Uganda, St. Maarten, Myanmar and Vietnam. 

And of course we are linked to friends and family - Christian and blood - throughout the United States. God’s family is not restricted to one place. When we hear our singing echoing in our small room in Maastricht as we meet with about 35 people, we know that song is also ringing out under trees, in huge meeting halls, in living rooms all around the world. It is good to know that we are part of an amazing, living body of Christ. 

Study and fellowship

Some of you may have noticed that we missed “Whensday” this past Wednesday. That is because I was off in Germany for a week of Bible studies at ABSS or Advanced Bible Study Series. This study week began about 50 years ago in the Belgian city of Verviers, not far from where we hold our Bible camps. A French-speaking church meets in Verviers. 

When the study week moved its locations to Germany after a few years, calling it by its original name of “Concentration” didn’t quite fit in a German context. So it was changed to the current Advanced Bible Study Series or ABSS. It remained a week of deeper Bible studies meant to help European Christians deepen their knowledge and faith and also serving as a great networking time. 

When I was an apprentice living and working with Jim Krumrei in Haarlem, the Netherlands in the early 80’s, I spent my first two times down at this study week in 1983 and 1984. It was a time to see other apprentices in Europe, get some good biblical training and even get some snow (that came much more easily to Germany than to Belgium). 

Since then, we have tried to make it in February. Shirley of course had to skip a few years as the boys were growing up (although they also came with us some of the time). After the boys left home we still had a dog. This year was the first real time that Shirley could have come along, but the week was also planned just a week away from the Ladies Retreat, which is also in Germany and organized by various congregations in Europe. This year the Ladies Retreat is being organized by the ladies from Switzerland. 

ABSS brings teachers together from around Europe and always includes at least one from the US. Although the lessons at first glance may not seem to be organized together, they all seem to work well together. This year was no different. We heard from a teacher from Marseilles about the gospel and the Romans, the kingship of Jesus. We heard from a Scottish brother working in Birmingham, England about the signs surrounding the death of Jesus on the cross. The main lessons on Galatians came from a brother from Alabama while a brother from Canada taught us online in the evenings about the Holy Spirit. 

In addition to all of this it was good to have some lessons from Gijs Bardoel who is now working with the church in Antwerp and whose mother meets with us in Maastricht. It has been good to see how Gijs has grown in faith and continues to desire to reach out in faith to all those around him. 

We had participants of several different nationalities, including Dutch, Belgian, German, Swiss, French, Ukrainian, English, Scottish and American, as well as various mixtures. The lessons are always in English, but we all try to help one another in understanding. The Thursday evening follies (“talent” show) is presented in the universal language of laughter. Paul Brazle, who has organized the event for the last 30 years or so, joins me in writing a song based on the teachers for the week to close out the talent show. 

Last week Shirley had to make do without me in the house. This week (from Thursday to Sunday) I will have to make do without her in the house as she goes to the Ladies Retreat with three other ladies from Maastricht. We are thankful for these times of learning, teaching and growth in faith. Pray for all who attend and for those organizing. 

(picture is from a few years back)

On the Family Side: Seeking, sleuthing and saying goodbye

In 2023 we were blessed to visit some of our family. Every three years we try to make it back to the US to visit with supporting congregations and family. We aren’t always able to visit all family because our supporting congregations are not really in any of the places that our family lives. The last time we visited Scott’s father was in 2010 on what we remember as our “Road Trip”. This was also the last time that our oldest son, Stephan, traveled with us. 

Last year we were able to visit Scott’s mom and even checked in with an aunt that he had not seen for more than 40 years. But we were also able to stop in to our oldest son, Stephan, again just before he became a father and we became grandparents for the first time. We hope sometime this year to be able to visit and meet Sophia in person, perhaps before or on her first birthday. 

On Shirley’s side we were working through some detective work trying to find more information on her older sister. Shirley had only met her sister once in her life. Through a DNA site, we were finally able to find more information and the news that her sister had passed away in 2020. We are still looking into more information about her father’s side of the family as well as her mother’s side. 

Unfortunately, we were not able to meet with all of our family. Some of the brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces had moved or were sick when we came through. For some this meant that our previous visit would be the last time we saw them. Scott’s brother and a nephew passed away in 2023 without us being able to visit them. 

We were thankful that we were able to see Shirley’s brother before he too passed away later that year. This year we are praying that we will be able to see Shirley’s last sister again. She is struggling with health problems. It is difficult to be so far away and wanting to be able to help. We are so very thankful for a family in Christ who continues to keep us and our loved ones in prayer. 

Thankfully, we are still able to be connected in many ways to family. We have a video call with our oldest son almost every week. Sean, our younger son, and his wife Jill, jump online with us at least once a month as well. So we can hear one another, see each other and share what is going on. Shirley emails her sister every day so that she knows what is going on and can be an encouragement. We get a picture every month of our granddaughter, Sophia, so that we know what she looks like and can see how she is growing. 

Both of us grew up in a time of airmail letters (thin pieces of folded paper filled with writing on both sides) being the only way to communicate over distances. So we know how special it is to be able to be in touch with our family that is far away. When I left for university, my mother knew that she could not expect to see me until the holidays - IF I could get a ride home at that time. 

Imagine what it must have been in the past when people moved across the globe. Even today peoples are moving far away from their families. Our young Ukrainian couple in church are far from family and friends in this somewhat strange country of Belgium. They are learning the language, but we know how they still miss family and friends. It is good to be connected in every way that we can. We are so very thankful for the contact we can have with our family, our kids and our loving church family. 

Please be praying for us for the following things we are looking at in the coming months: 

- We would love to be able to visit our granddaughter Sophia. Pray that we can find a good time in our schedule and the means to do this. Also pray that all stay healthy. 

- We would love your prayers for Shirley’s sister’s health and for Shirley’s peace of mind at this time. 

- Praise and thank God for family and for technology which makes it possible to be and stay connected.

(The picture is of Scott's mom when she was in high school)

Whatsit Wednesday: Carnaval

Yes, I know. It is Valentine’s Day. But to be honest, Valentine’s Day is an import in Europe. It is a much more recent thing that only entered the culture because of the commercial possibilities of selling all sorts of things to people. In our section of Europe there is a much more important and embedded holiday at this time of year: Carnaval. 

Mind you, not everywhere celebrates Carnaval. In the Netherlands it is only the provinces of Brabant and Limburg (“below the river” is what they say) where the general population is culturally and historically Catholic. In Belgium, which is almost completely culturally and historically Catholic, Carnaval is also not celebrated everywhere. It is certainly celebrated in Belgian Limburg where we live. 

Carnaval actually begins in November. On the 11th day of the 11th month, things kick off. The “11” is considered the crazy number or hour - since it is not 12. There is a good sermon in there somewhere about why 12 is considered perfect, but that is for another time. In November all of the Carnaval organizations make their plans and start things off. And there are lots of organizations: schools, the scouts, ladies groups, activities for seniors and more. Each neighborhood or village has their own Carnaval group. 

In the winter months leading up to February the time is filled with readying the float, making your costume, planning what you will do, visiting other groups, choosing a prince and saving some money for the big day. Everything really starts on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. Carnaval is tied to Easter. Ash Wednesday is 42 days before the Passion and Easter. For several days, there are parades, festivals, loud music, dancing and lots of drinking. Everyone can do all sorts of crazy (and unholy) things on these days before the days of fasting begin. 

You might be familiar with some of this if you ever watched the Disney version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. In the movie, Quasimodo is chosen as Prince Carnaval and they go to unmask him - but it is not a mask! This is a time to poke fun at the government or institutions. It was historically the one time of the year that criticism could be made of such institutions without fear of attack. 

Some people enjoy the music, the color and the frivolity. But I have been told that you have to be born into it. I was not. It clashes with principles in my life with God as King, my desire to serve Him in every aspect of my life. But it is a reality that one has to deal with in this area. The stores close down, the streets are blocked for the parade (and every village closes on a different day) and one can see people in various-colored costumes heading to a party somewhere. During the day it is often whole families. In the evening it is always young people and adults. 

Today, Wednesday, all of the frivolity ends and the time of fasting begins. Many will go to a Catholic Church to get their ash cross on their head. Some will truly consider fasting and thinking about other things in this time. It may last about as long as some of the New Year’s resolutions lasted. But Carnaval will be put away until it is awoken again on the 11th of the 11th this year. 

A living body

The church is called the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12). Often when I hear people who do not believe ask why God doesn’t do anything, I remind them that He is doing things - through His body, the church. We are very thankful that God can use us in many ways, wherever we are. That has always been our desire: to serve Him in His Kingdom, wherever we are in the world. 

We are thankful that we are able to serve where we are in Belgium and the Netherlands because we are connected with other parts of the body of Christ around the world. We have had four different congregations in the US supporting us for many years, besides the individuals who also support us. This is certainly financial support, but is also support through encouragement and example. 

In 2023 we heard from one of our supporting congregations in Texas that they would need to reduce their support for us. They have been our ‘home’ congregation from the moment we were married and moved to Texas. We have always been thankful for their financial support and for the examples of mission-minded Christians that we saw in them. 

Since we were losing some support, we started looking around last summer and were introduced to Oldham Lane church of Christ while we were in Abilene. We were thankful to be able to talk to the missions committee and meet some of the elders as well as experience a Sunday evening worship time together. This year we received word that this congregation will be assisting us with financial support. Last night we had a video-call with the elders and missions committee. We look forward to getting to know this part of the Lord’s body and that they can get to know the body in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Another piece of good news came when the congregation in Maastricht decided that they wanted to increase the amount that they support us financially. It was extremely encouraging to hear the brothers talk about the need to help us and how much they knew we were doing. One of the ways they will increase their help for us is by paying for our gas each month. We drive quite a bit in our work with the church here, so this is a real help. 

So let me take the time to thank all of those who help us financially throughout the year - many who have done this for many years. We have congregations helping us: Maastricht, Woodbury in MN, Muscatine in IA, S 11th and Willis in TX, Oldham Lane in TX and Long Beach in CA. We also have various individual families who help us regularly as well as some who help incidentally: the Crons, Bundys, McNeills, Ecks, Stovalls, Ramptons, Tornij's and Jablonskis. 

And then there are innumerable people who pray for us every day, every week, every month. We may not know your name, but we feel God’s grace, mercy and strength in our lives and know that this is also because you are speaking with our wonderful Heavenly Father about us and the work here. Thank you!

Whodunit Wednesday: Willem Johan Kolff

The last while I have been spending quite a bit of time in hospitals and health centers. I am a caregiver (in Dutch the word is literally “coat carer” and means one who takes care of the extras) for a few people and one of them has been struggling with cancer and other health issues. So I have often either been taking him to his appointments or visiting him in hospital. 

Hospitals have always amazed me. I was in hospital as an 8 year-old and we usually went at least once a year as a family because one of us would get strep throat (sending the rest of us into the cycle). Hospitals to me were a place of amazement as well as worry and wonder. I react quite strongly to smell and that is the worst part of hospitals as far as I am concerned, but one I have been able to overcome. 

Amazing things can happen in a hospital. These days it is normal to see all sorts of machines - not only in the patient room where various fluids are administered intravenously, but also simply being driven around the hospital from the one room or area to the next. Operations can be done today that people could only have dreamed about even in my younger days. 

Back during WWII young Dutch doctor Willem Johan Kolff in Groningen was frustrated that his 22 year-old patient was dying of renal failure. This caused him to look into possible solutions. By 1943, in the middle of the war and his activities working with the resistance, he developed a dialysis machine built from orange juice cans, used auto parts, and sausage casings. His 16th patient, a 67 year-old woman, was successfully treated in 1945. 

Kolff moved to the US in 1950 and became a US citizen, so you might know his developments in hemodialysis as coming from an American. Hs is known as the father of artificial organs, working on artificial hearts and kidneys especially. Today people in hospitals around the world are saved because of this Dutchman’s ingenuity and desire to help people who are sick. That is what still amazes me when I walk around hospitals today and see in how many ways we are able to help people. 

Do I deserve it?

There are various songs that talk about the grace of God. Some of my favorites talk about how grace means that I do not deserve it. About how amazing it is that `God would even think of me in giving His grace. That He doesn’t wait until I am “better” to offer me grace. He gives His most wonderful gift of life exactly when I need it - when I am dying. 

God through the apostle Paul puts it into words well in the letter to the Romans in chapter 5 and verse 6 through 8: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

I have thought about this quite a bit in the past months. Many of my discussions and contacts with people are things that look to be going nowhere if I were looking at my life and task here as a job. In a job you are focused on production. I have worked at a pizza place, a hamburger place, a hotel as room service and as a teacher. I have needed to sell as many pizza’s as possible on my shift, make and serve hamburgers at the drive-thru and at the counter and hope that visitors to the hotel order room service so that I could get tips. Even as a teacher my work was measured by my production. 

As an evangelist the same thing can be done. Supporting congregations might look at a certain area and compare it with another. How many people are coming to the Lord in that country? Not as many in this country over here. We need to encourage the worker there to be more productive. Or we need to move our funds elsewhere. These are all normal thoughts and considerations. And they are thoughts in my head as well. I worry about whether I am using my time wisely. Should I be putting more time into people who clearly seem to not want to hear any good news? Should I just drop them and move on to others? Am I wasting my time and productivity? 

Then I wonder about how long God had to wait for me. I look at so many in the church and realize that God must have worked a long time on them (and me). If I think about all the people He put into my life, I am truly amazed. Amazed that He could love such a sinner as me. He put a lot of resources into my life. I know that some of the people have probably never heard anything about what they did in my life to bring me to a life of faith in this loving God. 

In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus tells a story about sheep and goats. I have shared this often with the young people here. The people in this story who are non-productive are those who do nothing and are not even aware of what they have not done. Those who are praised as good servants are those who have helped in daily matters for people who are often overlooked. 

Some of the people I spend time with seem to me to be quite obstinate. I have spoken to them often of the love of Christ, have shared and read the Bible with them and have prayed with and for them. They remain obstinate and deny the need for any help from this God. And still I continue to help them as I can. 

A man in prison calls me almost every day. He claims that he is the pope and has a strange way of looking at God. But he also prays for me and the contacts I have with others. It is difficult to visit him in prison (90 minutes away and with the usual bureaucracy). Another man is struggling with cancer and health issues. He has no one in his life because he has turned all away through his vitriolic way of talking with most people. A woman thinks that she can and needs to buy every kind of contact - even now that she is in a nursing home at an advanced age. She has no children, but she has money. She has recently begun to learn how to pray, simply talking to God. 

These are people that take time. I wonder sometimes if it is “worth” it. Then I remember God’s grace and mercy in my life. God wants us to be gracious as He is gracious, to show mercy as He shows mercy. That means even when they don’t seem to be listening. As a matter of fact, that is exactly when it is needed - when they do not understand the value of what is being offered. 

We have a walnut tree in our yard. If you didn't know what walnuts were, you would never think to pick up these ugly, dirty things rotting underneath the tree. Sometimes people cannot see the beauty of what is being offered. Sometimes we cannot see the beauty of what is before us. I thank God for His grace and mercy with me, for the people He brought into my life. Many of you are those people. Thank you for being full of grace, even when you could not see where it was leading. Please pray for us as we try to do the same in our lives here.