It has been quite a while since I wrote my last blog. It’s not exceptionally busy, but life goes on. I know I’m repeating myself by saying this; but the people here are awesome. They’re so nice to hang out with. Because of this, our weekends are pretty fully booked with drinking coffee, going for walks or just spending some time together down town. Normally, Sunday was blog writing day, but nowadays it’s filled up with all sorts of other activities. I’ll have to check my agenda and make room for writing somewhere else – everything to keep you guys updated! Meanwhile, God is working hard in me. At the end of last year, I got everything sorted out. I thought. But if I look at myself right know, I’m not completely sure about that one anymore; nothing bad, just confusing. At the moment Jonathan Conrathe is our guest speaker. A guy who decided to life his life with one goal: showing and telling about the love of Jesus to everyone on earth. He wants the people to know the power of forgiveness and freedom of the souls. His words go accompanied with signs and wonders – sick are being healed and where darkness tried to take over God...
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God’s love is real for everyone. Sunday morning I was having breakfast all by myself, waiting until Rein would come back from his shower. It took him quite a while this time. I looked outside and asked God what He wanted to show me that day. Immediately an image came up, an image of an elder lady with white grayish hair and an intense purple blouse. I asked what He wanted me to tell her if I would meet her. God said: “nothing, but I want you to know that I love her.” Ah well, we would see. During the service I saw a lady sitting in front of me, she had white grayish hair and was wearing a purple blouse. You have to know, this lady isn’t really one of my favorite people. I don’t really like the way she handles things. But I remembered what God told me this morning: I love her. I realized again: God truly loves everyone, even if we naturally wouldn’t. If I want to become more like Christ, I have to put time and effort in looking at people through God’s eyes. Not always easy, but easy is not the life that I signed up for. We had our famous Boot Camp...
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In the mean while the first of September has passed, the Belgian kids and teenagers are back at school. It’s a long time ago that the beginning of September was my beginning of school. If I ever start working as a high school teacher, which my diploma tells me I should do, I will have this feeling again. For now, it’ something far away, if it ever happens at all. Here at IABC we have been running a full-time program for the last three weeks. I’m not going to class anymore, and I’m also not teaching yet. It still remains a search for possibilities, tasks and a job description. Sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough, everyone else seems so busy, or at least what they look like. People know what is expected from them, most of them are here for a longer period, but not me. I’m trying out a little. And that is part of the problem. I think I’m only trying, but doing pretty well. Or just well. Let’s get rid of this Belgian modesty. We are working on it. Last week we had the pleasure of having Stephen Graham in our midst. A principal of an Apostolic Bible college in New Zealand. A man who got called by...
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And here we are, back in Denmark for almost 2 weeks. I did have the intention to write an update every week, but as with many other things it takes some time to get back into a new routine. The students are having a Basic Course like we had in our first weeks a year ago. It is good to see our initials RV and CV on the schedule. A new time has arrived. I have to admit, it feels a bit strange to be a small fish in a big pond. I was good at being a student, a steady and strong fish in my own pond. Anyhow, it was time God put me in the next pond so that I could grow again. Many questions, uncertainties and doubts, but at the same time many possibilities, certainty and support. It is great to be a volunteer at this amazing place. We started this year with a group of 12 students, in total 7 different nationalities. A great group of people, I’m looking forward to grow together with them. To see them being active in the Kingdom of God, to see how they find their dreams and see them develop. God has a great plan with each of them....
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In the mean while we arrived back home after a couple of impressive days. The trip home took less long than the trip to the Philipines, long live the different time zones! I have to say that the second week also left some images on my retina. We spent the last days in the Philipines in Olongapo, Zambales. A totally different area than everything we had seen in Manila. So much green! And the air a lot less polluted. It was still as warm though, sweat was dripping of our body in small streams. In Olongapo we stayed in a Youth With A Mission base. Many women in the Philippines get pregnant on early age. As 14-year-old it is obviously difficult to get a job and maintain your family. School was something of the past and the dad has left them a long time ago. Many of these girls end up in a bar. They work as a servant and to get some extra income they sell themselves. One night (18:00 to 5:00) will get them 1,5 euro in an average bar. If they sell themselves to men they would get 5,00 euro. This is unthinkable low. Way to less money and because of the work in the night...
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The Philippines, who would have guessed. It is so different from the things we are used to. Together with the team we connected to Mark Pedder (his wife Christine is back in Australia for the moment). Mark and Christine live for 13 years in the slums of Baseco. Slums are the poor parts of the city. Baseco is a city which is built on garbage. All small houses next to each other with mini ‘streets’ which form a path in between. You can notice on the atmosphere they are working here for a long time. The stories from the time when they first arrived are very different to the ones now. On the other side of the city is Don Bosco. An old abandoned industrial area where people started living. In stead of one story houses you have 2 story houses standing where people have started living. It is incredible that people can live in these circumstances. If you go a little further you come in the worst part. The ground floor is 100% filled with garbage. So when you look, you are looking at the second floor. Some people live in complete darkness, humidity and no fresh air. It is impossible to capture. Outside are people searching in the...
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