Archive - September, 2009

Wednesday in Namur

September 2, 2009 in Belgium, LifePoint Church, Mission, Sending Church with 0 Comments

Our day began with a 7 a.m. Metro (subway) ride to the train station for an 8 a.m. train to Namur in the French region of Belgium. After a one-hour train ride our partners and friends in Namur met us to transport us to their new home. We spent the morning talking and praying together about what is happening in their lives and how life has changed since moving to Namur. The major differences are being away from team members who speak English and living in an all French-speaking region. Major adjustments to say the least are happening in their home.

After a time of talking about what we could possibly expect to go through in our transition to Belgian life the ladies on our team walked with E to the local school their children attend. Wednesdays are half days for school age kids in Belgium. We had a great meal together and then prepared to go into town to walk, pray and meet new friends.

Namur is what I would call a quintessential European town. The buildings are close together with narrow alleyways that open into courtyards with cafes and sideway tables filled with people gathering to meet and discuss. People where moving everywhere. As we walked along the streets we did attract onlookers as we spoke an entirely different language that isn’t often heard on these streets.
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Jordan and Cassi had the assignment to try and engage people for directions to a local attraction, the Citadelle. Each one of them took off and walked up to people and began trying in their best English to communicate with locals who spoke French. People were very friendly and helpful even though there was an obvious communication gap. They both overcame the gap and found out how to get to where we needed to be as a team.

After along walk (which we have had each day) we reached the overlook of the city from the Citadelle and we took time to pray a blessing over the city and ask God to move powerfully.

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On another note, our team was able to reconnect with a friend we made on our last journey to Namur in March. Some of our team members have been communicating with her back and forth through Facebook. They were able to meet and spend a few hours together meeting face to face and then I had an opportunity to see her also. What a great time of being able to develop our friendships through technology and also seeing each other again in person. I am praying we get to see her again soon.

Great day. Continue to pray for us.

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Tuesday-Revisited (9:20 pm Brussels)

September 1, 2009 in Belgium, LifePoint Church, Sending Church with 0 Comments

Our day has been spent walking the streets of two different communes (neighborhoods) that we are surveying. During the times of survey we are looking for points of interest such as where people will gather and trying to find clues as to who might live (groups of people) in the communes.

One of our team members was able to begin a conversation with a mom from the Ivory Coast as she was waiting to pick her child up for the lunch break at a local school. We took time to prayer walk a local park where families gather and asked God to give the M’s that live in that neighborhood influence and the ability to connect with people for God’s glory.

It has been very important for the people on this trip to see what life will be like when they re-locate here in Jan. 2011. So, we went through a local grocery store and priced common items and noticed the differences in taste. Del Haize is one of the local grocery stores people shop in Brussels. Del Haize also happens to be the parent company for Food Lion.

We have been able to see into a few apartments and get a glimpse of what life will be like once we move here. The apartment we were in today was 120 sq. meters (approx. 1200 sq. feet) and the monthly rent is $1200.00 Euros or around $1680.00 US dollars. We were able to see another apartment in a separate area of town yesterday that was around 90 square meters (appox. 900 sq. feet) for a monthly rent of $1100.00 Euros or around $1540.00 US dollars. Our team members have been asking God to help us find the right places to live and at prices that are affordable. Please add this to your list of prayer request for this team.

While passing through the communes today we passed a very large Catholic church that averages less than 100 parishioners with lass than 10 people under the age of 65. The average age of a Catholic priest is 67 years old in Belgium and there are no replacements in sight. The younger generations have no desire to attend Catholic churches. We are asking God to give us an ability to connect with college students and young adults with children in culturally relevant ways so as to help them understand the need for a relationship with Jesus. The average person here does not understand a relationship with Jesus. We must help people understand the Bible as relevant and our relationship with Christ is real.

We are sensing the Holy Spirit at work in this city but we know greater things are yet to be done. So, tonight as you pray remember Jordan, Tim, Cassi, Dan, Elizabeth, Rob and me before the Lord and ask Him to pour His Spirit out on this country and would He use us in His plans.

Tuesday – Brussels

September 1, 2009 in Belgium, Mission, Sending Church with 0 Comments

Today as we are heading out I want to ask you to pray for our team. We are leaving to go prayer-walk, survey, and engage people in a specific area of Brussels that we could possibly live in the future.  We will look for places people are gathering, for opportunities to engage in spiritual conversations and learn about the area of the city we are surveying.

There are 7 people with me on this scout team.  There are people with varying levels of mission experience on our team of 3 women and 4 mean. We have an experienced M, 3 people who have been on several international mission teams, 2 people who are on their first mission experience, 1 student and 1 of the team members is traveling outside of the U.S. A. for the very first time.

So, as you pray today ask God to give us strength, vision to see with the eyes of Christ, and for courage to engage with the Spirit moves.
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