You gotta love Malaga!

So, for someone who struggles with the long, dark, rainy grey days of Belgian winter, it should came as no surprise that I was quite happy to go to Malaga, Spain, to attend an important gathering of people who care for refugees and asylum seekers across Europe.  Mediterranean sunshine was what I went looking for….which I found in abundance, but don’t be fooled that we had really warm temperatures every day.  I took a photo to prove this to Steve, just in case he wondered if I had really gone to this meeting or if I had spent 5 days sunbathing. For the record, the only time I got close to the “beach” was when we boarded the ferry to visit Ceuta. 

Temperature as we crossed the Mediterranean Sea....just for the record!

Getting ready to cross the Mediterranean Sea with our AIPC intern, Jan

We had to find something to entertain ourselves...after all, we left the hotel at 5am!

Before I left on this journey, I asked God to break my heart, to make me squirm in the comfort of my ministry world among refugees in Belgium, to feel the pain of the refugees who are trying to find a safe place to call home.  All it took was one quick ferry ride from mainland Europe, across the Mediterranean Sea, where at one point there were 3 very important countries (and continents) in my visual field:  Europe (Algecira, the port city where we boarded the ferry), Africa (Morocco on the horizon), and England (the rock of Gibraltar, which was fascinating!).  

Welcome to Ceuta, as seen from above, almost on the Moroccan side of the border

Kitchen clean-up in the sun....are we in Africa yet?

On the border

So many lose their lives trying to swim here to safety and Europe

 When we left the European continent behind us, going on over to yet another piece of Europe (Spain), in visiting Ceuta, I was also excited to be putting my feet on the African continent yet again….though, technically in Ceuta, you’re in Spain.  Make sure you go consult a map just now to see where it was that we landed.! We heard about the ministries there via our fellow RHP colleague, ate a simple meal together, washed up the dishes together with refugees from different corners of Africa, then set out to visit with others who are struggling to find a place to call home, a chance to build a future, or the gift of a friend.  As we huddled around on the beach with young African guys, (even in the sun, it was cold by the water!), serving tea and samosas, chatting, laughing, hearing their stories, crying as they shared how they couldn’t talk about crossing the Sea because it was so painful, God was with us.  We talked about dreams, how God speaks to us in our dreams, the dream of a homeland in Europe (one young guy even told me that he had a brother up in Belgium, and was dreaming of getting to Belgium to live there).    At one point, several in our group were just standing on the beach, because they didn’t have a common language to share with the guys.  They were our prayer partners, covering us with prayer as we continued our conversations.  Those of us who could speak French or another common language with these young guys just continued on, and it came to a point where we offered to pray for them.  So, there we were:  5 foreigners working among refugees, praying in 5 different languages for the 5 refugees who were standing in our midst.  The smiles and hand shakes and slaps on the back (guys to guys, that is!) sent us all on our way.

God continues to break my heart for the world that is lost.  Sometimes it is amongst refugees and those who are seeking asylum and a safe place to call home.  Sometimes it is in the midst of our church back in Belgium, as He keeps bringing people to faith who are able to lay down their burdens at the cross.  And sometimes, God even chooses to break my heart about myself.  I’m just so thankful that He’s the God who takes all the broken pieces of our lives and can put them back together.

I love my RHP prayer partner!

Most of the RHP roundtable participants...can you find me?

RHP Europe....trying to make a difference....for Jesus!

I LOVE MY CHURCH!

I’ve decided to include a few pictures of where we meet for “church” on a Sunday morning.  We rent space in the fine arts building of a local school here in Antwerp, and sometimes we’re just challenged to have a space that feels like a church ~ especially as the school prepares for their spring play.

This is my church??

Invasion of the cabaret guitar

Holy ground at AIPC

 A couple of weeks ago, as we began worship, I asked if anyone felt like they were at church right now, with all the props from the school’s stage that keep invading our space for worship.  And there was a loud shout from the back of the theater, “yes, this feels like church because we are the church!”  Reminds me of another time when during a children’s sermon, one girl was quick to point out that this was her school, but on Sundays, the church comes to her school.  And we were that church.

So, each Sunday as we drive onto the school campus, Steven and I pray that this school building would become holy ground, a place where the Holy Spirit would show up and bless our gatherings.  And He did that yesterday as we started another round of discipleship training.  We are bringing together some of our church leaders to work alongside the leaders of the growing group of new followers of Jesus coming from other lands and other religions.  Language is always a challenge, and we realized that this will be the case for this teaching as well, which is done in English but with subtitles in the language that speaks to the new believers’ hearts.  But they have the Bible in their heart language, and study guides for the teaching are also available in their heart language.  Bottom line:  We’re off to a great start!

Recently we had the opportunity to visit a cathedral in England.  Beautiful building.  Stained glass windows.  Organ.  Modern baptismal font that was also a place that exuded peace.  I loved the “church” building.  Perhaps one day I’ll find my place in a beautiful cathedral.  But for now, I’m quite at home in our “church” that meets in a school’s theater building.  Growing pains included.  It’s all part of being part of the body of Christ.  (For the record, I think I’m a left foot pinky toe: one that supports...)

God knows my name, God knows my every thought

Baptismal fount that exuded beauty and peace (and cool water!)

I never grow weary of stained glass windows

Check out the 4 women of the military who are celebrated in this photo!

 And that’s why I love my church.  We all bring what we’ve been gifted with, and are using it to teach others, to grow followers of Jesus, and to serve our Servant King.  What do you love about your church???

 

I got this photo by accident in the Spanish Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter in Prague