Wild Wonderful Wednesday

On this 5th Wednesday we are indeed going wild. Everyone has a bounty of wilderness just outside their door, and it is no different for us. Even if you live in the city, you can find some pretty wild stuff if you open your eyes. Come with us today into our backyard and marvel at what God has made. 

This year we have had full Fall color - even now at the end of November. Our cherry tree is blazing into the winter, giving us a wonderful view to the canal in the background. This is the backdrop of our little bit of the wild. Look down. Look up. Look further away and close by. God has blessed us with all sorts of wonders to enjoy. 

Although it is now colder and we haven’t seen them for some time, we can generally run across some slugs crawling along our terrace and even up the window. In Dutch they are called ‘naked snails’ for obvious reasons. We also have plenty of clothed snails in the yard. 

As we walk further into the yard - stepping very high at the moment because my lawnmower broke down and the grass is quite high - we come across several mole hills. Although we are not too happy with the hills all over the yard (it makes mowing the lawn quite a challenge), it is intriguing to wonder about all the life going on just under the surface. We have only once seen one of these little guys. 

Along the sides of our yard are long stretches of hedge. The one side is a very thorny hedge, in Dutch called ‘May thorn’ (hawthorn in English). Even now there is a constant flurry of little birds flitting in and out, crumbling about with one another, chirping and screeching. We can enjoy these birds from the living room as well, since they also live in the holly tree growing in the neighbors driveway, next to our drive. 

At the back of our yard, outside our hedge and next to the canal, I pile all of the cuttings from the year. The hedge cutting, and cuttings from the trees in the yard (we have a cherry tree and a walnut tree, as well as several other bushes and trees I am not familiar with). In these piles of cuttings live various other critters. In the past we have found hedgehogs roaming the yard and even living in our garage. 

We regularly hear fox in the evening, with their identifiable screeching cry, as if someone were out along the canal I pain. In the summer we hear the frogs calling all night long. If we are up early enough in the morning, we might even see the fox (I have seen him twice) as well as a marten (weasel). The marten’s are endangered, so you cannot dop anything to keep them away, even though they chew through the hoses of your car - one of their favorite places to hide. 

Sitting in the dining room looking out over the yard we can watch the pigeons and blackbirds sitting in the cherry tree. Both of them like to ‘cook’ the cherries in the summer. They pick a hole I various cherries and let it begin to rot. Then they can return later and eat the juice they have created. We compete with the for the cherries. But usually, if we leave them the higher branches, they leave us the lower ones. 

We have also see quail and even a pheasant sitting in the yard under the cherry tree. The quail have wondered across the yard with their young. But they have to be quite careful, since we have various good hunting cats in the street and neighborhood. The dogs have never been able to do any damage, but the cats know their way around a hunting field. 

If we continue through the gate at the end of the yard and walk out to the canal, we can enjoy all of the other water fowl available for perusal: geese of all sizes, ducks, swans and heron. All make their home for a time along this water, disregarding in general the bikes riding by and even ignoring most of the dog owners tied to their animals pulling them along the walkway. 

I haven’t even talked of the various insects and spiders, worms and crawly things the can be found all around the house (sometimes in the house). It is truly amazing what we can see when we open our eyes. I am always thankful for how wonderfully God has made everything. Look around you. Tell me - what do you find? 

Where oh Where Wednesday: Luxembourg

The Benelux is a combination of three countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. All three countries together would be hard to find on a globe if you didn’t know where they were to be found (Northern Europe, between Great Britain, France and Germany). And yet these three countries economically were the foundation of the European Economic Union. The capitol city of Luxembourg is also one of the four institutional seats of the European Union (together with Brussels, Frankfurt and Strasbourg). 

Luxembourg is officially a Grand Duchy with connections to the Netherlands and produced several emperors of the Holy Roman Empire in the 14th century. This tiny country (less than 1000 square miles) with a population of fewer than 700,000 still carries its weight. They were a founding member of NATO and one of six founding members of the European Economic Community (which became the European Union). Luxembourgish politicians were founders of the EU, father of the Euro and presidents of the European Commission. 

Luxembourg was a stalwart of the steel industry until the decline of this industry in the 1970’s. It then became a global financial and banking hub. Since the 21st century the country has focused on developing into a knowledge economy, including a national space program. They were also considered a tax haven and were placed on a grey list of countries with questionable banking arrangements. 

Its central location, stable economy and low taxes make it a favorite for the telecommunications industry as well as students traveling in Europe. Back when I lived in the Netherlands, young people (under 26) could buy an Interrail pass to travel the rail lines throughout Europe. But you were not allowed to use the rail in the country you purchased the card. So everyone purchased the card in Luxembourg and could travel everywhere else. 

In Luxembourg the citizens speak Luxembourgish which is partially intelligible by those who speak High German, but it also includes at least 5000 words of French origin. As a Dutch speaker, I often wonder when I hear a Luxembourg tv station whether I am hearing Dutch, German or French. Yes. That is what I am hearing. 

Luxembourg is a beautiful place to visit, easy to reach (only about 1.5 hours from our house) and varied in every way. You can go hiking in the mountains, see cultural activities in places like Echternach or discover history in Luxembourg city. When we first moved to Belgium we even enjoyed visiting the Chi Chi’s which could only be found there (and it was the only place to find Tex-Mex and Mexican food). 

Whensday: When Belgium went without a government

Do we need government? For plenty of people this is a real question. When people have to deal with red tape or bureaucracy, the real frustration can cause us all to wonder if government is good for anything. 

Politics in Belgium is quite complicated. There are 3 different levels (federal, provincial, city) but there are then also three different areas: Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. All of these levels make for more than enough bureaucrats and an amazing amount of red tape to swim in. There are elections at various times for the various levels of government, and each level vies for the most attention and money and power. 

In 2010 federal elections had to come up with a new federal government. Belgium is a multi-party system and there is never a clear majority. This means that parties have to work together. And that is in each level of government. The immediate results didn’t give a clear combination of parties. Neither the left side of the spectrum nor the right had enough seats, even when working with others within their side of the spectrum. 

This stalemate of sorts was not strange. It had happened before in Belgium and The Netherlands as well. In The Netherlands, they had had a “purple” government. The left is typically red, the economically liberal right is considered blue -  together they were purple. So waiting for the parties to figure out how they would work together was not a strange thing. 

But it did become a sort of a competition, with the world as spectators. It took more than 500 days (589) before a government was finally formed and installed. So what had the country been doing in the almost two years of no government? Just about everything as usual. The previous government’s decisions were continued, no new decisions could be made and all of the bureaucrats would be staying anyway. 

It was an interesting lesson. I remember some Dutch friends worried that Belgium would descend into civil war. But I knew that most Belgians simply want a good coffee or beer, enough French fries (they are not French, but Belgian) and some peace and quiet. This was exactly what people were able to enjoy during that time. 

In 2018 Belgium started on the path to breaking its own record, this time lasting 653 days without a government and ending up with a “Vivaldi” coalition in October 2020. Vivaldi is the composer of the Four Seasons because there were now 4 groups in the coalition (Greens, Socialists, Liberals and Christian Democrats). Maybe the next elections will last even longer. 

A quick trip

Today we are jumping on a plane - actually three planes - and heading to Omaha, Nebraska. By the time you read this we will have arrived, after a 24 hour trip. We are leaving our house at 6am and arriving in Omaha around 10pm (which is 5am in Belgium). Thankfully our Ukrainian brother, Alex, is driving us to the airport and watching our car while we are gone. Then he will pick us up on the 24th and get us home safely. 

In between we have eight and a half days with Shirley’s family (we fly out the day before Thanksgiving and arrive in Belgium the next day). Usually when we visit the US, once every three years, we have to fit everyone in to a pretty packed schedule. That means that Shirley’s family gets about 3 full days. So this time will be a real blessing. 

We want to take some time to be with Shirley’s sister, whose health is not doing well. It will also be a time to see the rest of the family and be an encouragement where we can be. We are wondering what the weather will be like - especially since we are only taking hand luggage. Sweaters and coats take up a lot more space, but we figure for the 10 days we are traveling, a smaller suitcase will do just fine. 

We are so thankful for the blessing of being able to travel. Although Shirley is not as flexible as she would like to be, she doesn’t want to put anything off at this time. And although we will not be able to see anyone else on this trip, we look forward to seeing her family and being able to see everyone else soon. 

Usually we would have made it to the US in the Spring of this year. That did not work out as travel rules were restrictive. Then, as we thought of coming in the Fall, a long trip and rising costs just didn’t fit. But we do hope and pray that we will be able to make our trip this coming Spring. It will have been 4 fours since we have seen most of our family or supporters. 

Please keep our travel and visit in your prayers as well as our hopeful plans for the coming year. And if you are in the area of Omaha in the coming week, let us know - perhaps we can get together for a cup of coffee somewhere. 

(Picture of Shirley with her brothers and sister in 2016)

Whatsit Wednesday: Manneken Pis en Mestreechter Geis

He has hundreds of costumes, a whole team of people to make sure that he is always presentable and a horde of tourists that visit him every year. “He” is “Manneken Pis” and yes, that is exactly what it sounds like, but no, it is not being rude. This is “little man peeing”. He is one of the main attractions in Brussels and has become the mascot of the city. 

When Sean was studying in Brussels, he stayed with friends who lived just around the corner from this interesting little man (thank you Bill and DeeDee!). Most people from Brussels know where he is and walk past him daily. He has become a normal sight. It is the groups of tourists that are more interesting. Hundreds, even thousands of people trying to get a selfie with this little man peeing in the background. 

The stories about the statue are myriad and are more than likely simply stories - as the story in the Netherlands about the boy with his finger in the dyke (but that is for another time). The interesting thing is how the city embraces the statue with stores in the adjoining streets selling statues of all sizes of this statue. You can purchase a mini “little man peeing” or a larger one. You might even be able to purchase a “life-size” version. Perhaps to place in your garden at home? But then you would have to make sure that everything was always working well, as do the maintenance crews. Although this little man is a little man, he is more of an age to have prostate problems. No one wants his stream to stop, so he is constantly cared for. 

And he is dressed in all sorts of costumes for the various holidays and occasions throughout the year. It is even considered good protocol for visiting dignitaries of all sorts to bring a costume for him to wear. He can wear a military uniform, look dapper in a tux or stand in the colors of the national football team - all while urinating on the corner of the street. 

In Maastricht, they also have a statue that clearly represents the spirit of the city. As a matter of fact, he is called “Mestreecter Geis” or “the spirit of Maastricht”. Maastricht is in the southern tip of the Netherlands. As such it is a Catholic city, the capitol of the province. These southern, Catholic areas celebrate Carnival and “Geis” (which is also a normal name in the south, although spelled differently), represents this well. 

The statue is downtown near the river where the parade walks by during Carnival in the Spring. But this holiday actually begins on 11-11-11, the 1tth day of the 11th month at 11 minutes past the 11th hour. All those 11’s show a bit of craziness. Geis, the statue, embodies this craziness and desire to enjoy, no matter what. That also well represents the feeling of the normal person from Maastricht. 

It has been important for us to be aware of what feelings are important for the populations where we live and work. It has especially been important for us in our work in Maastricht to understand the idea of enjoying fun and placing an emphasis on not being too serious. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Saint Servatius

We work with the church in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Maastricht is an old Roman city, but it is also the home of the patron Saint Servatius. This Saint of the Catholic Church is buried here. Every seven years or at moments of distress (like during Desert Storm) his bones are brought out and walked around the city to call for a blessing. 

Interestingly, I have recently come to know that Servatius is an Armenian. In 2020 we were planning on having the Harding Chorus come to sing for the second time in Maastricht. The first time had been quite a good opportunity to meet new people and serve the city. That first time, the concert was held in a very special church which was not a church any more (for more see this article. 

This second time I had gone looking for another venue, since the previous venue was no longer available. I found a church building which had changed hands from the Catholic Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was when I went to talk to the caretaker that I found out about Saint Servatius as the patron saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church. 

You see, in Maastricht Saint Servatius (Sint Servaas) is everywhere. The Servaas bridge is the oldest bridge in the city (12th century). The main church on the town square is the Servaas church. “Servaas” was used for quite some centuries as a given name. So I was more than familiar with the saint and his name. 

I was not familiar with the fact that he was an Armenian. The Eastern Orthodox Church that was now housed in this old Catholic building from the 1950’s is part of a larger whole comprising the full Eastern Orthodox Church. But this group is historically Armenian - and they were quite proud of having Servatius as their saint and being in “his” city. Servatius died and was buried in Maastricht in the 4th century. 

Unfortunately, we had to conceal the concert in 2020. But this church building in Maastricht would make its mark in our lives in a different way. One of our newest members in the congregation in Maastricht is a woman from Armenian heritage who came to the Netherlands as a refugee with her family (Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a deep struggle still today). She grew up in Dutch schools and was nominally aware of her parents cultural Christianity. It was during the corona years that she actually started looking at the Bible and came to faith. She has been an encouragement and example since then for others in the congregation and does he best to share her faith and the grace of God in her job as police officer. Her parents still attend the Eastern Orthodox Church in town celebrating Saint Servatius. 

Haunted Halloween?

I remember several of my costumes as a kid for Halloween. My mom was amazing at coming up with some really creative solutions. We always had great costumes made of pretty much everyday things. I was a scarecrow, a cowboy, an astronaut. The knowledge that creativity can get you quite far has always stayed with me and served well for youth activities and more. 

I also remember the year that we all had to dump our candy out together on the table at home after trick-or-treating because some wacko was putting razor blades in candied apples. That was pretty much the end of homemade candy. It was the beginning, for me, of realizing how nasty the world could be. 

When I gave my life to Christ, my view on a lot of things changed. One of them was Halloween. I like dressing up in costumes, but it seems all of the holidays that do that are a bit deranged. Halloween in the US and Carnaval here in Belgium are examples. But 1989 changed my whole outlook on Halloween. That was the year we received a very special gift. 

Shirley had struggled all day and was tired. In the end, forceps had to be used, but our son, Stephan, was safely welcomed into the world. I remember standing in a room in the maternity section with windows on two sides so that family could see the newborns. My attention, however, was fully on this wonderful new life that God had given us. Even the surprise of seeing all sorts of masked individuals tapping on the glass (another father was with me in the room and his family was greeting him) could not throw me off. But it did remind me that this was still Halloween. 

Not long after that we moved to Belgium, where there was no Halloween. For years we did not even have to think of any of it (although we of course did have to deal with Carnaval - in February or March). It was only later when the boys were older that they realized they might be able to get something from neighbors by going trick-or-treating. They didn’t dress up, just went door to door. People didn’t know what to do, so they gave them money (a practice done here on January 6 at the celebration of Three Kings). Their friends were impressed. 

Not too many years later, stores started figuring out that money could be made off of this new American holiday. Costumes could now be sold in October as well as in February (for Carnaval). Candy could be sold. Presents could be given. Okay - presents aren’t part of Halloween, but who knows? 

So Halloween made its entrance into Belgian and Dutch culture with an economic vengeance. Kids still don’t go door to door to get candy (people would not know what to do), but haunted houses and the scary bits have definitely entered the calendar if not the culture as yet. 

This day for us still means that little boy cradled in the palm of my hand and the man he has become. We are so thankful for Stephan, for his wife, Natalie and for the life they have together. 

(The picture is of Stephan with neighborhood friends on his birthday in our backyard)

Where oh Where Wednesday - Colonies of Belgium and Netherlands

Last week we talked about colonization. The Dutch were busy early on - during the Golden Age. Although we might not always recognize it, we run into remnants of that time and expansion in many places. Hoboken, Harlem, Bushwick and Flushing in New York (which was first New Amsterdam) are good examples. But Australia was also first known as Newe Holland and New Zealand is very clearly from the Dutch “Nieuw Zeeland”. 

But names are not colonies. As mentioned the Dutch colonized in many places around the world due to their commerce and trade. Indonesia was a major colony in Asia. In the new world, the Dutch colonized Surinam (the north of South America) and several Caribbean Islands. 

Indonesia fought for their independence. Surinam became independent but is still dependent in many ways. The Caribbean islands - Aruba, Saint Martin and Curaçao were all part of the kingdom of the Netherlands until most recently when Curacao became its own country. 

In the Netherlands you can still feel the influence of these times in some of the food and peoples in the country. When Indonesia fought for freedom, some Indonesians fought with the Dutch and had to flee to the Netherlands. They brought their culture with them. The Dutch enjoy Indonesian meals and have made them their own - a bit like Americans have assimilated Mexican meals into “American” culture. Loempia, spicy sambal and rice (including a "rice table") are all considered very Dutch any more. As well as a good “cup of Java” (Java is in Indonesia) - coffee. 

Food from the Antilles has also been popular, although perhaps less of a recognized cuisine. Most recently the Dutch have had to deal with various parts of their history colliding when “zwarte Piet”, the black helper of Saint Nicholas, was taken more and more as a symbol of racism by Dutch people of Surinam or Caribbean heritage. “Black Pete” has been around for hundreds of years. But is it appropriate? That is the question some are still dealing with. 

On the Belgian side, it was all about Congo in deep dark Africa. Although the Belgians did not truly bring any of the African cuisine with them to the “home country”, they did bring chocolate. And, like in the Netherlands, there are some, though far fewer, who have raised questions about “Zwartte Piet” who is also part of the Belgian Christmas tradition. 

In the area we work - the south of the Netherlands and East of Belgium - we do not have as much contact with people of color as one might have in the large cities of Rotterdam or Brussels, for example. But these days our world is a global place. The congregation in Maastricht has members of all colors and backgrounds. Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Brazil, Curaçao, Ecuador, Germany, Netherlands, Nigeria, Ukraine and the United States (with its diversity) are all represented. God’s family is amazing!

Fall camp activities

This coming weekend we will be holding our Fall Camp once again. This is a weekend organized mostly for teens (12 years and older) but also through the years for families. One of the first times that Shirley and I can remember going together down to camp was at a Fall Camp. We slept in a small caravan next to the dining hall - if one can call it that at the time. We woke to freezing icicles on the inside of the caravan and joined the rest in the dining hall to endure the dripping ceiling caused by condensation and cold. 

Things have changed quite a bit through the years for Fall Camp. What we have been able to do with the facilities because of the efforts and giving of so many in the church here in Belgium and the Netherlands as well as partners in the US has greatly increased the use of camp. Now we have a warm, dry hall, topped by a second floor used for teaching and playing games. 

This weekend a group of young people will gather at camp to once again encourage one another and enjoy the beauty of God in the nature surrounding the camp buildings. We have a good group of young people, including several Ukrainians this year. Although they are not especially happy to be away from their home, they are thankful to have made new friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord. 

Following the weekend a new Vacation Bible Camp will start. This is the second year for this camp week, meant for kids from 8-14 years old. It is a full week in the Fall vacation week for Belgian kids. This week is not the vacation week for kids in the Netherlands, so the camp is almost exclusively Belgian. It is a great time for the young people who have first met during the summer camp weeks to see one another again and encourage one another after the beginning of the school year. 

Good relationships are so very important for all young people. The world is never an easy place, and now it seems often to be even more difficult. To have friends who are not only interested in faith but living it daily is extremely valuable. These camp moments make sure that our young people have these opportunities. Thank you for helping to make this possible and for praying for these young people and the camps they attend.

Whensday - Belgian and Dutch colonization

Before New York was called this, it was called New Amsterdam and the Dutch were the ones there. There is an amazing, thrilling history there, during what is called in the Netherlands the “Golden Age”. 

The 17th century saw an enormous period of growth for the Netherlands. It was during this time that the Dutch East Indies company and the West Indies Company spread their business and influence throughout the world. These colonies and areas of influence continued until after World War II in the 20th century. Much of this, then was before the Netherlands actually was what we now know as the Netherlands. 

In Belgium things were quite different. In 1800, the very beginning of the 19th century, Belgium was one of the few West European countries without colonies. Most of this was down to Belgium not having been a separate country during the major period of colonization by European countries. Belgium officially declared itself a country in 1830 (and was recognized in 1839). Before that time it was part of Spain, Austria, France and the Netherlands. 

King Leopold I did all he could mid 19th century to remedy this lack of colonization for the small European country. Hawaii was almost a Belgian colony, and Belgium tried to start things in Guatemala, Chihuahua (in Mexico), Brazil and Argentina. But none of these colonies every really got off the ground. 

It was under King Leopold II near the end of the 19th century and begin of the 20th century that the Belgians finally got their colony. This was mostly due to working together with Henry Morton Stanley. It was Stanley who ‘found” the missing Dr. Livingstone in deep dark Africa. “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Stanley wanted to continue his explorations and was able to do so under the Belgian flag. This is how Belgium finally got their colonization going.

By the end of the 19th century the Netherlands was still present in much of what the VOC (Dutch East Indies Company) had laid claim to. Many of these colonies would end up becoming part of the Dutch empire. After WWII many of these European colonies, including those from the Netherlands and Belgium, became independent. 

This I have learned

On the first Friday of the month we welcomed three brothers from the French-speaking church in Liege once again for an evening of singing in Maastricht. I always enjoy these evenings and getting to see our brothers. I especially enjoy seeing George and Leonie. They are a couple that has been working with the church for quite some time. 

The interesting thing about my conversations with George is that he speaks neither English nor Dutch. I speak very little French. But we communicate. Sometimes one of the other brothers comes over and translates. But often we simply try to make it work, doing our best with hands and feet. 

This time we also welcomed Richard Wolfe who was visiting in Belgium. Richard used to work with the church in Liege and still works with them from a distance (he and his wife live in Kansas). They left Belgium about a year after we arrived. I still remember some of his lessons and was always thankful for how he and his family served the Lord here and still do wherever they are in the world. 

This past weekend Richard was speaking at the church in Verviers (also in the French-speaking area of Belgium). Verviers is only about 20 minutes from Bible camp and we know the preacher there, although I have never visited the congregation or the building. For years Freed-Hardeman University has had an exchange program working out of the building there. I wanted to meet the church and I wanted to hear Richard’s lesson. But everything was going to be in French. If I can read French, I can do alright. But trying to speak French and understand when someone speaks to me is well outside of my comfort zone. 

Then I though of George and Leonie. They come every month to Maastricht - even though they know we will mostly be singing in English and Dutch. George just does his best. He knows that we are brothers. He loves the Lord and has always done his best to encourage those around with him the grace of God. I had experienced this often. 

So I drove to Verviers. Being a preacher helps when a sermon is in a foreign language. If you understand the names of the books of the Bible and numbers (one of the first things people learn in a foreign language), then you can follow quite a bit of what is being said. And I was touched by a great sermon. 

Afterwards several members introduced themselves and tried to make conversation. Some could speak some English. Others were able to speak German (which I can speak). Otherwise, we simply used hands and feet and the few words we could share. It didn’t matter. We were brothers and sisters together. 

God’s family is amazing. I am so thankful for George’s example of courage and faithfulness. I am thankful for the many times he and I have done our best to converse, no matter the difficulties. I am so thankful for the few French words I have in my vocabulary. Mostly I am so very thankful that God makes us a family. 

Whatsit Wednesday - Chocolate

“Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don’t need an appointment.” One of many memes or sayings you can find about chocolate. When chocolate is brought up in the US, it most often has to do with hot chocolate or chocolate chip cookies or some kind of syrup put on ice cream. Nobody is happy when the bite into a chocolate chip cookie and find out that it is actually an oatmeal raisin cookie. 

But if you want chocolate, Belgium is the place to be. The Netherlands has its own storied past as well - putting chocolate spread and chocolate sprinkles on bread - but it is Belgium that continues its love and obsession to this day. Chocolate comes from cacao beans, after all, which come from Congo, which was a Belgian colony. So it seems the Belgians colonized Africa for chocolate. I think most chocolate lovers can understand that perfectly. 

In Belgium, chocolate means pralines. Pralines come in a box. They are all shapes and sizes. They can be milk, white or pure and can come with gooey insides or smooth insides. Brand names like Leonidas, Guylian (the seashells and sea horses), Neuhaus (in Grand Central Station NY) and Godiva offer premium chocolate. You can even go to a special store to buy chocolates - a ‘chocolatey”. Mind you, for a Belgian, not just anything can be called chocolate. 

Years ago, a newspaper revealed that Cadbury’s was not made with cocoa butter. It was basically a bunch of sugar. Belgians were incensed. In 2007 Hershey and Nestle tried to convince the FDA in the US to allow them to use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter and still call their product “chocolate”. 

So Belgians can be chocolate snobs, which is fine with me. I am one of those people who only likes dark chocolate - called “pure” here. I do not consider white chocolate to be chocolate and milk chocolate makes my tummy do loops. But dark chocolate (pure! Yummmm) just makes the day better. What do you like best and what do you consider a chocolate treat? 

Whodunit Wednesday - Soccer greats

In a little more than a month the World Cup will be held in Qatar. This is the World Cup of football (or soccer). Yes, it is being held in Qatar. That might help you understand why it is being held in the winter instead of the summer as usual. But, putting these discussions aside, most Europeans all have their eyes on these match-ups. Belgium and The Netherlands both have high hopes of going far. 

At the last World Cup (2018 in Russia) Belgium made it to 3rd place after having had a chance to go to the final. In 2014 it was The Netherlands in 3rd place, The Netherlands went to the final in 1974, 1978 and 2010 and were third place in 2014. Belgium have never made it to the final. But let’s be honest, these are small countries making it this far. 

When we talk football players, Dutch and Belgian names are often readily available and well-known. On the Belgian side, names like Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaud Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard are known around the world - in English, Spanish, French or Italian. On the Dutch side, the names of Memphis Depay, Virgil van Dyke and Frenkie De Jong are well known in football circles. Historically the Dutch are also well represented with Johan Cruyff being perhaps the best known. 

Even several current coaches are former well-known players. Philippe Clement is a well-known former Belgian player who now coaches AS Monaco. Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst won the Champions league with Barcelona and now coaches Rangers. 

On the women’s side, the United States has always been a force to be reckoned with. But along with them, the Dutch women have held their own in recent years. The Dutch women lost in 2019 to the US. In 2023 the Dutch will once again be one of the teams to watch. Names like Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal) and Lieke Martens (Barcelona) are well known. The Belgian ladies have been knocking on the door for the last few years, but still have a way to go.

For those who like and follow football, Belgium and The Netherlands have more than enough to offer. We will certainly be watching this winter (for the men) and next summer (for the women in Australia and New Zealand).

Let us reason together

This evening Shirley and I will be at a study in the home of one of our members. On this evening we will be looking further into the book of Ezekiel and how that impacts our daily life with Christ. We also take plenty of time to share our lives together and pray for one another and the needs in the church. 

On Tuesdays, Scott has reading the gospel of Mark with a mother and daughter in order to get to know Jesus. Tuesday afternoons Scott is usually off to a 91 year-old woman who says that she “inherited” him from his previous care for her boyfriend before the boyfriend passed away last year. They talk about the differences between what she experiences in the Catholic Church and what they read together in the Bible.

On Wednesday evenings Scott and Shirley go over to colleagues Ruud and Karla’s house where the Bible study for the week progresses online with the rest of the congregation. The most recent lessons have come from the letters to the Corinthians, showing us practical lessons that we can learn from the struggles of the church in Corinth. We are thankful for the hybrid nature of this study (in-person and online) so that more members can take part, since our membership is spread out in the area. 

On Thursday morning Scott and Ruud meet with another man to read in Acts and examine what the first christians looked like. It is important to see how the Bible shows us so many things that are practical for our daily lives today. The first Christians struggled with many of the same situations as we do today. Do we look like they do in our faith? 

Every Friday Shirley is online with the ladies of the congregation. They have more recently also decided to get together in person at least once every six weeks so that they can encourage one another that way as well. In December they plan a ladies time away. For some of our ladies this is the only time to truly get away and be encouraged ij Christian faith. 

These times of study are exciting and encouraging. On Sunday mornings one of the best moments is our coffee time together when we all stand around - cup of coffee or tea in hand - and tak about spiritual things and our lives in Christ. The topics that came up in the week, the things mentioned that day in the sermon, the challenges we have faced in the week can all be shared. Then we see how the word of God is not an intellectual pursuit, but a daily, practical necessity and beauty. 

Where oh Where Wednesday - Cologne

We live in what is called a Euregion. The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany all commingle in a relatively small geographic area. This was one of the reasons that we decided to come here to work with the church. Maastricht, in The Netherlands, was a crossroads, a place where various cultures converged. 

The three major cities of this Euregion are Maastricht, Aachen (in Germany) and Liege (in French-speaking Belgium). Maastricht is the smallest of the cities, with just 120,000 inhabitants. Liege tops out at about 200,000 and Aachen is the most populous with 250,000. 

But these are only the cities most directly within the Euregion. Within an hour of Maastricht are Brussels and Antwerp in Belgium, Eindhoven in The Netherlands, and Cologne in Germany. This last city is well-known for its cathedral and its scent. Yes, the term “cologne” or “eau de cologne” comes from this city (water of Cologne is a literal translation). The name of the city seems to have come from its Roman origins as “Colonia” - a colony. 

From the beginning of our time working with the church here, we have had a connection with the brothers and sisters in Cologne. They have a connection to the German Bible camp in Gemünden (about 2.5 hours from us) where we have often attended Bible study weeks. When our singing group Listen Up! was active, we often sang at German church activities, including a few times along the Rhine river in Cologne.

More recently the church in Maastricht and Cologne planned a yearly get-together to sing and encourage one another. We started by meeting in Aachen - about halfway between us. Later we organized the singing in Maastricht and then in Cologne. We have not been able to meet since the interruption of the corona years, but we look forward to singing together again next year. 

It is always good to not only know about brothers and sisters in the neighborhood, but to be involved with one another as often as possible. We are thankful for our relationship with the church in Cologne. 

(Photo: Singing in Maastricht with members from Cologne in 2018)

Whensday - Beginnings (NL)

This evening Shirley and I will be visiting the congregation in Eindhoven, returning to our monthly Wednesday evening of singing. The congregation here is a relatively young one as far as the history of the church goes in The Netherlands. Of course the congregation in Maastricht is even younger. We helped establish that congregation with our colleagues, Ruud and Karla back in 1991. 

The church of Christ in The Netherlands has an interesting history. Basically the first congregations began after World War II when American soldiers came back to the country to share their faith with the people they had liberated. Congregations were established in Haarlem, Utrecht and The Hague. Later congregations in Amsterdam and a military group in Soesterberg were added. 

In the 1960’s and 70’s buildings were purchased in Haarlem, Amsterdam and The Hague. The congregation in The Hague was at one time as large as 200 members and served a broad group of ex-pats and native Dutch. By the 1990’s the building in Amsterdam had been sold, the congregation in Schiedam (near Rotterdam) which had begun in the 80’s was rolled into the group in The Hague, and congregations had arisen in Groningen in the North and in Eindhoven and Maastricht in the South. 

Throughout the years there were efforts to reach any who were willing to put into practice what is found in the Bible about the first followers of Jesus. This has meant that various congregations are not always clones or copies of American churches. Some members have come to Christ on their own by reading the Bible and understanding what it is that God desires and then seeking a group of people who are living that very truth. 

At present there are congregations in six different Dutch cities from Maastricht in the South to Groningen in the North. The largest group is perhaps the Ghanian church meeting in Amsterdam, followed by the group meeting in Eindhoven. The congregation is also still meeting and strong in Haarlem and in Den Dolder (the continuation of the former US military group in past years). The church building in The Hague is still the largest building. Most recently it has hosted a group of very active Ukrainian refugees. 

In the past two months there have been 5 young people who have given their lives to Christ. Some of this has been as a result of work in and conversations during Bible camp. Others have been through the efforts of refugees currently living in the building in The Hague. 

Europe is an interesting and challenging field. It often resembles the first century in which the church grew up. God continues to use His own people in all areas to bring people to life in the eternal Kingdom of His love. We are thankful that we can be part of this history and that God can use us in any way possible. Thank you for your prayers for the efforts here. 

(This picture is of the Spring gathering this year at the building in The Hague)

A completed life??

Last week a friend of mine - an atheist who I talked to every week - decided that he had a "voltooid leven", that his life was complete. This is something that can be done in the society here in the Netherlands. “A completed life” means that you have decided to kill yourself. Society in general agrees that this is okay.

The man that I knew disagreed with me on lots of things that we talked about. Politics. Economics. Morals. But we also agreed on many other things. The value of people. That things are not the most important in life. Still, our world views differed greatly. 

I believe that God created us, is not the same as we are, and has the right to let us know how best to follow Him. I believe we have good evidence for this and a wonderful way to not only find truth, but to follow truth in Jesus Christ. This also means that our life here on earth is not all that exists. We are spiritual beings and look forward to eternity. 

My friend believed that we all were creations of chance, thrown together throughout the millions of years he believed had existed before our current age. He believed that we were basically noble animals, slightly better than most animals and often worse than all other animals. He believed that dying was the end of existence - despite the evidence he himself brought up concerning love, hope and the need to believe in one another. 

He was dying. We are all dying. He had pain and believed that dying quicker presented him with the answer to his pain. We talked about the reality - in my view - that there is a much worse pain than the pain he was now feeling, an eternal pain of the body and soul. 

I struggle to understand how a society can ask people to be “good”, to care for others, to do what is “right” and build on hope when this same society accepts and lauds the idea that there is nothing more than physical life and that each person can make a choice that is purely selfish, egocentric. 

Such a mixed message can only create a society of lost souls. People searching for truth and love and value, but unable to find it because they have blinded themselves to the very truth in front of them in every piece of nature. 

This society has always been present. It was so in the time of Jesus Christ, in the time of the first disciples, in the ages following as the church grew. And it is still present today - in every country around the world. And the answer, the antidote, the solution is still the gentle Healer who has come to present life. I pray that I will not tire of presenting this life as best I can. 

Whatsit Wednesday - Kinderkoppen

Perhaps it sounds a bit funny, or maybe even gruesome. In Belgium and parts of The Netherlands we walk and drive over “children’s heads”. That is the literal translation of “kinderkoppen”. So instead of kindergarten (children’s garden), it’s all about their heads. English speakers talk simply of cobble stones. 

They are found in many yards as a beautiful way to lay a path through the garden. In the front of the house they might be the basis of the driveway and the walk to the front door. The name comes from the size of the stone. Each stone is more or less square and the size of a child’s head. 

Amazingly, streets are still laid - on purpose - with these stones. They can be laid in artistic forms, are easy to replace if a section of road is damaged, and last a good while. They do not freeze and break open in the winter. 

Laying such a street, however is quite labor intensive. I remember when the city of Maastricht renovated the shopping streets, they had to have special laborers brought in from Portugal. These streets are section of downtown where cars are not allowed to drive. They are full of walking tourists and shoppers. 

Kinderkopjes may be beautiful and make nice streets and paths, but not everyone is happy about them. Bicycle races are well-known for their grueling sections of cobbled roads. Paris-Roubaix is a good example of this. The aforementioned shopping streets in Maastricht are a torment for ladies in high heels. So much so that the city made sure to also have a section of walking street with smooth stones - polished children’s heads. 

Old and new memories

This past weekend was Family Day at camp. Each year a different congregation in Belgium organizes this day where the various congregations can gather and encourage one another. In 2021 it was a minimal gathering because of corona, so this year the church in Roeselare wanted to have a day where we once again felt the fellowship of being in Christ. 

We had about 50 people from congregations from Knokke-Heist, Roeselare, Ghent, Antwerp, and Rotselaar in Belgium and Eindhoven and Maastricht from The Netherlands. In addition we had several Ukrainian brothers and sisters who have settled with the congregations in Eindhoven and Maastricht, who came to meet more of their brothers and sisters. 

We had hoped to see brothers and sisters from the French-speaking congregations on this day as well, but the weather was not all that conducive to travel or gathering outside. Still, we had a wonderful time together singing and listening to what is going on in the various congregations, how God is blessing and using us all. 

It was especially exciting to see some visitors from long ago. Just as during Family Camp a few weeks ago, a few former campers came back for this special day to share memories. It had been 21 years since they had been to camp. Things have physically changed - we have a new building and are planning on even more, we have expanded the grounds and have recovered well from the floods last year. But we are still the family we have always been. 

After the family gathering, a group stayed behind to evaluate this past summer and plan for the coming year. Camp is being used more than ever. A new week is being proposed for the young professional groups and a new week has taken its place among the regular weeks. We now have a Vacation Bible Camp during the Fall break in Belgium. 

In addition to the various weeks planned (6 different weeks and 2 different weekends), camp continues to be used throughout the year for all different groups. Churches come down for a retreat. There is a “Survival” camp for father’s and their kids - now twice a year. The French-speaking churches use camp for their youth activities. There are now also Spanish-speaking congregations planning to use it as well. This has always been the desire - that camp can be used by all of the churches to help all members grow in faith and faithfulness. 

Many of you have helped in the past to make camp what it is today. Some of you have been to camp before. We are so thankful for how God is able to use us and this place for His glory. Most recently two young people have their lives to Christ partially because of what they talked about while at a week of camp. Praise God!

Whodunit Wednesday - Fashion

(The picture is of Sean and Jill's dog, Pierre)

I remember when I figured out that Haägen Dazs ice cream was not some European brand (it sounds somewhat Danish), but simply American. It was at that time that I realized that things aren’t always what they sound like. 

This is also true when you think of fashion. Perhaps there are some (real fashionistas) who have heard of the “Antwerp Six” and know that Antwerp is a Belgian city. Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulenmeester and Walter Van Beirendonck were all part of the Antwerp Six. Others, like Diane von Furstenberg (who was born in Belgium) and Liz Claiborne, simply sound German or Amnerican. They are Belgian, as is Raf Simons, the head of Dior. 

Even brands can sound like something else. Scapa, which has an English aesthetic, is a Belgian fashion brand. America Today, G-Star Raw and Scotch & Soda, despite what they might sound like, are Dutch brands. Viktor & Rolf are two Dutch fashion designers

It reminds me of how beautiful I have always found the idea of a melting pot in the United States. People come from everywhere. You cannot tell from a last name where someone might be from. When we first came to Belgium and The Netherlands, our last name helped. Raab is originally a German name and the double “a” makes perfect sense in the Dutch/Flemish language. Even better, in the family of God, we can come from everywhere and still belong, no matter what your name sounds like. We just want to wear the right fashion. 

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.    Galatians 3:26-29