Belgium!

Spent about a week in Belgium with...well my whole family apart from Phebe and her sister..including my Dad, & meeting his new wife & kids for the first time...
In random order:

Brunch at Stein & Gunther's...


Falling in the lake after volleyball at one of Belgium's largest parks "De Ster"...this was going waaaaaay back down memory lane...back in the day we used to meet here for area fellowships during the summer months from when I was like 15-18...I'm gonna try to get my hands on some of those archaic shots & post..


Saturday night out with the Maurits & Ms. Kempeneer...Photo by John..

Left Janet's eyes red for the effect..

w/ Nina Maurits...back at her place, she teasingly asked me to show her my "moves"...that resulted in some serious "shakin' " on the hip-hop floor...we all got our exercise for the week between 1 & 4 that morning..


Don't mind the quality of these next ones..these were taken from my sisters still & then I snapped them with my digital...

Dinner at Dad's...he was doing curry, but threw in some fried chicken for old times sake..
Emilio entertains Christina...probably w/ a story...

Tina's Abuja post!

I don't actually have the URL to this post, as it's Tina's blog, but if you click on the 3rd link in my 'Friends in Far-Out Places' section on the right side of this page titled "Tina-Jungle Rumblings", you'll get a good bit of insight into our home & work from "supervisor's persepective"...The post about us specifially is currently the 3rd from the top & is titled "Abuja, Nigeria".

Enjoy!

It was actually really good seeing Tina again, even tho I only got to speak to her for about 10 seconds, as I had to dash out & buy my ticket & I flew out to London the same day. Ironic. But it was nice of the Lord to work it out for us to see each other briefly after 2 years...cool..

Uplook!

In light of the recent economic crash & the seemingly imminent meltdown, this article I'm writing for activated may be a comfort. The following is likely to feature in an activated magazine sometime in 2009.

Enjoy the "rough" for now..

THE UPLOOK!

A good friend of mine once said “even when all is bleak around you, you can always look up”. What a true statement. Indeed there is always a way that we can be positive in the midst of adversity, however hard it may be to do so. The sky is no limit for someone who needs a new vision. Blindness should be the only hamper for not viewing the sky.

Time & again I’ve found in my life that when I was so absorbed in the moment of loss, anger, sickness, financial difficulty, or whatever my current “frustration” was, I had failed to take comfort in the fact that God had a future for me & that whatever today brings, we always have tomorrow. Sometimes that’s the only key: looking ahead to the future. Similar to how at times our only outlook may be an uplook, sometimes the best way to make it through the present is to look to tomorrow.

But don’t limit yourself to just looking at tomorrow--think beyond that. Rejoice in the fact that if you have Jesus in your heart, he’s given you eternal life. Then, after you’ve taken heart in that fact, educate yourself as to what that means for you. Refresh your mind & heart with the passages on Heaven in the Bible & rest in the promise of that which is to come. (see Revelations 21 & 22; 1st Corinthians 13:21) Instruct your heart with the vision of the future promised to you by Jesus that will result from your bond with him, your faithfulness to Him &, yes, even your suffering w/ Him—“If we suffer, we will also reign with him.” (2 Timothy 2: 12; Romans 8:17 & 18; 1 Timothy 4: 10)

Taking your heart to Him in prayer can also help you overcome the moment of distress, anguish, heartbreak, or loneliness, or the seeming failure you may be facing. There are so many ways to let our souls fly free from our undergoing troubles if we can learn to see things through the eyes of the Spirit. Remembering that we are spiritual beings housed in physical bodies can help us to search for spiritual solutions to our seemingly “physical” problems. Knowing full-well that we can rest in Jesus at any time & that we have His love unconditionally, can actually be a spiritual “life-saver”.

Many times when I seem to find no solution to my present problem, the one thing that pulls me through is just meditating on the magnitude, depth & personality of Jesus’ love for me. This always pulls me through--at least for that moment. And then if I can’t seem to find any other good in that moment…Well, I can always look up to the sky, focus on Jesus' love & remember that at least I have tomorrow. 'Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.'

Reunie!

We hebben een hele leuke tijd gehad in het midden van de boederijen van (hoe heet die plaats alweer?..oh, Nijverdal..) Wij waren lekker gewoon op onszelf...of dat denk je dan wanneer je van de "Velzeboer Reunie" hoort, tot dat je nog en keer kijkt, dan zie je dat we eigenlijk en heel nieuw en groter team zijn met al de "aanhang" die er de laatse 6 of 7 jaren of zo bij zijn gekomen. Dat was natuurlijk geen nieuws voor idereen, maar voor mij was dit de eerste Reunie sinds een jaar of 10. Tuurlijk heb ik m'n nichten & neven door de jaren heen gezien met een bezoekje hier of daar met ma, en ik ben nog een keertje zelf bij Oma geweest in het jaar 2005 of zo..maar verder niks. Dus deze reunie was niet alleen heel speciaal, maar haalde ook veel herinneringen op bij mij.

Dus...geniet van de fotos & de korte uitleg erbij. :

This bonfire doubled as both "Cousin bonding" & "Operation-Cold-Escape".

Enjoying "volleyball tournament"..

Thrashing my sister in ping-pong, after thrashing both Matthijs & Nando...ha! (actually she did beat me on this match)

during "quiz night"...this was quite fun actually...Aram & Roy (seated at the high seats) compiled a bunch of questions that we'd all asked seperately on different forms...then they divided us in teams & we all had to try to answer the combined questions correctly... this pic also showcases how nicely my sis, Christina, (far right) did the party decor..

Helping Oma get to her multiple cakes as we celebrate her 90th B'day...

the "briefing" before the "shooting"...it's just as well that I'd already gone paintballing before, as this guy's "Nederlandse uitleg was toch een beetje te snel voor mij" & I only understood about half of it..heh..Aram kept translating for me..

going back in for the final chase...in "sudden death" see comment box for the rest of that story..

we'll get the shap-shap official photos taken at the photoshoot sent to us soon...then I'll post again.

click on the following url for more pics taken by Matthijs of Ilona..

http://picasaweb.google.nl/M.Lindeijer/FamilieWeekend#

Flights..& making it to Holland in 1 peice!

I have this thing for posting what’s current & in the immediate now… so usually when I miss something that’s happened, even by a week or a couple days, I just skip. But I’m gonna back track for a change...as my friend Anj recently said “change is good”).

My flight was definitely eventful, so I’ll mention moments most noteworthy.
The most noteworthy part being that I flew the same day I booked & bought my ticket (talk about last minute) which was a miracle in itself—I’ve honestly never done that in my life.

For months I’d been preparing (22 months in prayer, knowledge, mental preparation—2 & a half months raising funds for my trip/ticketing etc.) for a family reunion on my Mom’s side that was to take place from the 26th to the 28th of September this year. Until the same day I flew out (2 days before the reunion—there’s that number again) I was banking on a donated ticket by a helpful chap who had helped bring about 3 donated tickets for our other volunteers earlier this year.
When I found out that from his side I wouldn’t be able to make the free flight the same week of the reunion, I immediately went & bought another ticket, which my solicited donations in the past 2 months just “happened” to cover.. Ha!--Another miracle. 3rd miracle was that originally there was no flight with the same airline from Abuja to Lagos for that day & I would’ve had to buy yet another flight with a different airline & paid yet another transfer fee for a taxi between domestic & international airports in Lagos. But there was a little 1 hour margin of time when I went back to the house to pick up the rest of the money to pay for my flight, and in that time, an economy class seat cleared on the 4:00 flight for the same airline that would connect me for free to the other airport & with which I’d fly to London (Virgin Atlantic).

My flight was uneventful for the most part. But then again-- …..There’s just something about the safety procedures before every international flight that are just so routine, but at the same time, I make a conscious effort to tune in each & every time. I will not even get into quoting all the safety regulations, as my fingers won’t allow..but basically a quick run-down on the seat belt, oxygen mask & in-seat button uses…then on to a little run-down of where the emergency exits are, as well as how to use them and the emergency slides, and how to adopt the brace position in case of a crash landing. Then a little more about how we can’t use any electronic…ok, you know the rest.

Back to my story.

I was glad that I was able to fully absorb for about the 120th time the repeated safety procedures before the flight, but when we hit a 10 minute turbulence so hard that I would’ve left my seat had my seatbelt been on (to put this in perspective, just imagine yourself on a night flight rocking & reeling about 8,000 feet in the air—pretty scary), I was sure glad that I had prayed a serious prayer for the whole flight, the pilot, every part of the plane claiming the keys & the help of any & all travel angels I knew. Wow! Came in handy!

Anyway, we made it in one piece…which was the good news..I landed at Gatwick by 6 in the morning, met up with my Mom & them by 10 & connected by bus to Breda (Holland) with Eurolines by 8 that evening after a quick jog in Kennington Park, a nap, and a haircut...

and that's the full run-down...

Reunion post next..stay tuned...

All in a day!

I don't usually do diary.... ok, maybe I'll do it this once...for a change..

5:45 a.m.--Was woken up by Richard w/ a knock on my door.

"I knew my alarm wouldn't go off", I said to myself as I leapt out of bed. Was dressed & ready within 10 minutes (due to preparing the night before)..When I got downstairs I looked at my phone & realized that I had set my alarm for 6 instead of 5:30.

Ha! No matter...By exactly 6 (perfectly on time, TTL) we hit the road en route to Zaria for another graduation ceremony for the next set of girls to finish the course (3rd set this year).

Our way was marked with discussion & planning of the afternoon's event, going over the destination for the day, planning/discussion of other plans & projects, listening to music & yup, we sure managed our 30 minutes of prayer vigil during our 3 hour trip up to Zaria.

Reached Zaria at the exact proposed time of 8:30 & after buying the sewing machines that were selected & packed by the Head nurse of the hospital/store owner (respectively), looking again over the recent developments/needed improvements of the center, finalizing details for the ceremony & unloading all the goods, we were ready to begin the program by 10:00 sharp.

Rich handing over sewing machine to ex-VVF patient/tailoring course graduee

w/ 9 of the 10 graduates & 2 of the hospital staff...around 11 this morning.

Succesful program, Tx b 2 God & we were off back to Abuja by 11:00 exactly (yes, we claimed the key of timing before we left this morning). Stopped off on the way for Suya (in short, grilled meat) & dates & were back on the road.

2 p.m.--Reaching home was in no way the end of my day. I did manage a quick nap frm 2:30 to 3:00, but then it was out to do photocopies for said project that was discussed earlier that morning, this turned out to be none other than the launch of our 12 Foundation Stones Bible course for 120 students at the University of Abuja.

teaching "Treasures New & Old" class..

In short, we reached the Uni safely & the Bible Class went very well...we had to rush it & pack introductions, announcements & the first class into an hour, but they enjoyed it anyway & it wet their appetites for things to come.

A safe trip home in the dark ensued with lots of stories of armed robbers shared...

late dinner by 8:30 & a quick post after e-mails by 10:00 leaves me where I am now..

speak of 'leaves'...i'd better take mine, as part 2 of said 12 FS course begins tomorrow by 3:00 p.m. Stay tuned for more updates...

Stay tuned for more updates...

Already?

Is it really the first of September?...we're entering 2009 like, tomorrow, ppl...

How does that make you feel?

More than just managing!

Apart from the masses of work we've had while being short-staffed over the past couple months(absolutely NO time to get into any trouble whatsoever), we've even been having a pretty good time lately...

promised additional pics of the medical camp..

Besides Crowd-Control, Pharmacy & Witnessing, I also headed up the activity nights..(of which there were only 2, as the docs were so tired due to extending helping hands till late hours, bless their souls)...this pic during Bible Charrades night..

Last night b4 departure day..



grilling some tenderloin something or other (I wish!--more like, itty-bitty litta poke-chops) at Yankari, National Game Reserve, Bauchi State (oh, right...y'all know all 'bout that as I was there in Jan too...heh, heh..).. while Takeshi looks on...the 3 of us (Simon, Takeshi & I) spent 2 & 1/2 days up there for a quick in-between-break...wonderfully relaxing...any of you out there visit us here and I'll take u to Yankari for sure..

Takeshi's goodbye (and Ang & Rich's welcome back...) Anisa made lasagna & we had wine (that's why Tak's face is beet-red...)..great fun..

Like I said...good times..

The Brass Tacks!

Went over the following with one of my Bible class students just yesterday. He's now getting into the decision-making stages as to what he wants to do with his life & how to serve the Lord fully.

These quotes r from the DB 8 compilation "REVOLUTION!--FOR JESUS!":


1. JESUS CHRIST WAS A REVOLUTIONARY! He was not a reformist! He attacked the System of His day!--Not the Roman government, that was ordained of God, but He attacked tooth & tong in no uncertain terms the false religious system & its advocates & participants & leaders.--If you don't believe it, just read the Bible! (See Mat.23!)

2. LIKEWISE, WE TODAY ARE NOT MERE REFORMISTS trying to improve or patch up the old decrepit, false Systems of man! We are a Revolution!--For Jesus! And a real, red-hot, genuine Revolution is not merely for something, but against something also!

5. THE LORD TOLD HIS PROPHET JEREMIAH, "I HAVE SET THEE OVER THE NATIONS & over the kingdoms to root out & to pull down & to destroy & to throw down" that which is false, in order "to build & to plant" that which is true! (Jer.1:10) What did God mean when He told Jeremiah to root out & destroy? Did He mean physically?--Of course not! You cannot destroy the Lie by destroying what the Lie has created, because the Lie is the spirit of Antichrist--a spiritual force of evil that is invisible, but which has created the visible evil System.

6. GOD'S WORD SAYS, "THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL (PHYSICAL), BUT MIGHTY THROUGH GOD TO THE TEARING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS! Casting down imaginations, & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God!" (2Cor.10:4,5) We have to destroy the God-damned lies behind it all! But you can't do that with physical force, with physical violence!--You can only do that by the Word of His Truth, the "Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!" (Eph.6:17)

etc., etc. an excellent compilation..i recommend it for those who haven't read it in a while..

4 my leo sisters!

u'l hav 2 bear w/ the nicknames..

Truce had her B'day last week, and Lola had hers just today (1st). Happy Birthday to both of you. My sisters are amazing people with wonderful skills, personable, friendly, popular (those of you who know them can testify to these things)..they're some of those real down-to-earth folks that anyone can relate to (any bright individual, that is..) and they've each accomplished so much in life over the years, thanks be to God.. and in more recent years Petra acquired certain mother skills that enable her to take wonderful care of her small kiddos, or Pikin, as they say here in Nigeria...(my nephew & neice, Emilio & Oliva).. Lisa's been exercising amazing missionary abilities up in Iceland for the past few years... I know that's it's not only parents that are proud of their kids, as I'm extremely proud of my sisters...(the other 2 as well..;) ) ..

at Battersea Park, London, late 2006..



w/ Lola in Iceland..

Wishin' y'all the best of the best & continued thrills in life, happiness, success, love, laughter, friends, fun, walk w/ Jesus, true joy & happiness of spirit, fulfilment in everything you do, etc., etc., etc....

Love you tons & tons & tons!

--Your Brat (they both spent time in Russia, ask them...)