Though your passport may not be physically stamped for having made a visit to Belgium on November 26, 2007, you were right here with me at the Opvangcentrum voor azielzoekers (that’s the official name for a refugee center) in Ekeren, Belgium.  A mere 2 kilometers (that’s 1.2 miles) from my house, and we could have biked there except that I had so much stuff that I needed to bring along for the afternoon.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, BARB???
It’s truly the answer to 1-1/2 years of praying for the right moment to restart a women’s group in a local refugee center.  I was literally trembling 2 weeks ago when I first visited the center….trembling with excitement for what we might be able to do here as we share the compassion of Jesus, and trembling with a bit of fear because I was determined that all of my conversation and work here needs to happen in Dutch (ah yes, that harsh new language that I’m learning).  God is always so good to me, and I really sensed that in my nervous tremblings.  The first person I should meet at the front desk, Peggy was a familiar face from when our church had a group going here 2 years ago.  I was greeted with great enthusiasm, and told that the women have often wondered why no volunteers were coming any longer.

We have really bathed this ministry in prayer:  praying in the parking lot with Letha Kerl, Covenant missionary colleague, when she was recently here on a visit, praying at AIPC for the right time and right team to go in to meet with the ladies, praying that, though we are limited in what we can say about God while at the center, the love and compassion of Jesus Christ would speak louder than our deeds and actions.

So, pray with me….
1.  For the new ministry happening with women on Monday afternoons (that’s your Monday morning if you want to wake up and start with a prayer for us!) in Ekeren.
2.  For the continuing ministry that happens with women on Thursday afternoons (that would be a Thursday morning prayer for you all in the US) in Kapellen.
3.  For conversations and follow up appointments with families that express interest in discussing spiritual matters.
4.  For 2 Belgian colleagues who work at the center who are really seeking for “something” in life.  I just know that “something” is Jesus and I find great joy in regularly discussing God and what He is doing in our world.  

It’s a busy time of year, and it’s no different here in Belgium.  The traditions are a bit different….perhaps I can explain.  Sinterklaas is celebrated on December 6th in Belgium.  He is the good saint that cares for children, and leaves coal and carrots in their shoes and gifts for children who have been good.  It’s a huge day of celebration here, and AIPC has a history of participating in the celebration by providing a party with gifts and joy to the refugee center children.  Our party this year happens on Sunday, December 2.  We’ve collected 154 gift bags for the kids, from the smallest baby to the 17 year old teenager who is here all by himself/herself.  The women in our women’s group made cookies together a week ago….what floured fun we had in the resident’s kitchen as we hung out together and talked about traditions from our homelands, which that day represented Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, India, Russia, Kazychstan, Belgium and the US.   Back at AIPC, before we handed out the names for the gift bags, our kids prayed over the tags, that the children who received the gifts might feel the love and joy we are hoping to express.  We also prayed that the families would all one day know Jesus and the reason why we have so much to celebrate at Christmas.   This year we’re taking the party one step further and are including small crafts made by the children of Naperville Covenant Church which say “heb elkaar lief” which is the Dutch way of saying “love one another”.   We’re so excited about the opportunities to share gifts and love and pray for opportunities to witness to parents and the teenagers as we enjoy cookies, coke and coffee together.

Just so you know, Steve and I continue to thrive in our marriage and in ministry here.  We recently celebrated 3 years in Belgium, 3 years of marriage and are excited about what the future holds even as we so trust the One who holds our future.
Steve continues in full time pastoral ministry at the Antwerp International Protestant Church (AIPC) and in mentoring some of the refugee men.  He is doing a Dutch course again this season, and is enjoying the opportunity to meet people from literally all around the world.  We are amazed at the ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity in this small land of 10.5 million people.  We are so thankful for your partnership in ministry, in prayer, in financial support, in sharing with your kids to the children that we minister to here in Antwerp.  Truly we feel like we are an extension of the Covenant in the heart of Europe.

In anticipation of what God is going to do here among immigrants in Belgium.
Barbara Swanson
Covenant missionary/Mosaics project
Veltwijcklaan 297, 2180 Ekeren, Belgium
barboca@juno.com