Boonaerts-Henki-MaryEsther-1989-Belgium.pdf

ARKIMESS

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Jl-'ac Chris

DECEiMBER IS ALWAYS SUCH A DARK, ^>>w\dreary month weatherwise here in Belgium.Praise be to God for several happenings 1 ' 0ivLu,iK,K. Mumthat helped it become a memorable monthfilled with the joy and light of His * JANUARY 1989 * NEWS REPORTpeace and presence for us Boonaerts. Itgot off to a good start with a visit fromHenki's sister Kina and her husband Sam from Peachtree City, Georgia. Kinahad come with their four children the summer of '87 but it had been severalyears since we'd seen Sam. They stayed with Henki's mother but we were allable to visit several times and most of the family members (including

grandchildren with their girl or boy friends 1) got to-IE gether for an early "Christmas family dinner" in a

: ' !'r local restaurant. Their 8 day stay came to far to1' quick an end and it took 3 cars to see them off at the

Brussels airport since Ben and his family also wentji along. They were about the only ones of the Boonaerts

clan that hadn't made a trip to the States to visit1 j! Kina and the family, so Ben and

^ ..u. -- ••• I Josien, Jessica and Esther booked

passage back with them. It will be POSTKOETS Restaurantintresting to hear their assessment of Christmas and ^New Year holidays in the States and all their otherimpressions, {Sam and Kina had a package of goodiesfrom the Peachtree City church that is also one ofour supporting churches, which made their coming v/ vspecial to us in another wayl)

WE SURELY HAVE GOTTE>r SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL Christmas cardswith lovely verses, warm greetings, letters and encouragement from friendsand family the world over. The first arrived the beginning of Decemberand we've received them into the New Year. We have them displayed on onewall in the living room so share our enjoyment with visitors and add tothe collection as they arrive. Our first (mailed) Christmas'packagearrived the 4th of Jan. so we're having an afterglow of the Christmasspirit in a very material way as well, as we experience the practicalkindness of senders.

SOMETIME.IN THE EARLY FALL Mieke told us that her friend MarieTheres^ who had so many Mary-idols, had gotten rid of them and was tobe immersed soon, (See "Our Garden of Eden" October 1987 News Report aboutour visit.) It turned out the immersion service was to be held in theGenk church of Christ baptistry. Mary Theres had moved to Maasmechelensoon after Mieke and Mary Esther had visited her. She came in contactwith Christians in the area that have home-church gatherings so they hadno immersion facilities and requested the use of the 3enk building. MarieTheres came up to Mary Esther right away, clad in her baptistry robe and

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* JANUARY 1989 NEWS REPORT *

in a humble, contrite manner greeted her with, "Me and my bigmouthl" referring tp the strong words she'd lashed outat us when we visited her that "NOONE will EVER take

those (idols) away from me." Great is the power ofGod to change hardened and confused hearts. We just

stood there rejoicing and praising that power a few. minutes. It was a privilege to witness her short

testimony and iI[^1lersion along with her teeangedaughter and several others also putting off their

old lives to put on Christ. What better way to end the month than seeingthe power of light coming into darkness once again1

OF COURSE DECEMBER WOULDN'T BE 'COMPLETE without some sort of

special Christmas dinner and celebrations. We invited Chris and Prodyof Antwerp to have dinner at our home since we didn't have reliabletransportation to dirve to their homeias last year. They were to bringmost of the dinner at their insistence, so we had some anxious momentswhen they didn't arrive until long aftbr mealtime 1 In the end wethoroughly enjoyed the turkey and trimitiings, dessert and drinks together.They returned for the evening gatherinp with the Antwerp congregationwhere they have been attending more regularly since the birth of their son,Little Dennis is just over a year oldii so it was cosy family fellowshiphaving a little toddler along with our own teenage boys who stayed homethis year for Christmas, and Sonia was here as well.

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THE TRADITIONAL "SECOND CHRISTMAS DAY" feast was held in the Rekembuilding with folks from several congregations present. Tables had beenset up in the largest room, decked with simple centerpieces,sandwiches and cakes for the refreshment pause time. ,The children of the Rekem Sunday school^ did a finejob depicting the Nativity story with i;he guidanceof the teachers who helped them preparesinging group of the Rekem church alsopraised God with some special music, 'some songs composed by one of the grou^.The fellowship, congregational singing,|worship and praise together ended aroui^d 6pmwith the children receiving a small sac^ ofgoodies. So all in all, you can see why wefelt December was a memorable month and wehope yours was also spent in much light and joyl

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REMEMBER 6ENK 90^1

Ma^ Wi.ws dtporh

In 1937 there was in Genk, a Hinali indiintrlal town, a "fJchool wK.h the Bible" begun,similar to a Christian day school with kindergarten aiul eJeinenfHry classes. ,Itbegan with 1 teacher and but 20 students a tneger beginning for what has. grown to be4:hia school yejti:.^36^4 students and over 20 teachersi Right from the start childrenof "gastarbeiders^* (people from other countries that eume to work in Belgium duringand after the war) huve l»eun uducated Hiere. Presently 9 nntlon«1ities are represented beside Bclgluu, uu ihlldian couw from Swlt^erlnin!, (}reert», Italy, Morocco,Holland, Spain, Turkuy and evun the U.S.A. I So It was tii tlino lliat children of theHollander, HendrJck lluoiiiiuiLu also aLLended and Henkl'ft I)h«I pv«'H helped drive a busin those days. '• — ..

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THE MONTH OF SEPTI^MJUiK IS Aled to change their irhlhlu'iithe U.S. tills is u fiutujiim tsome pretty stresslul miMiieiiischool, are driven by thylrJames. The School-wlth-the-by the teacheVS'^io' average"ities) that transport ahoulradius of the school.

WAYS eapoiilally d of jiU'HHUii* ah parents are allow-trom one HohooJ t(i niluthni iiiM t I Ocl Ist. Unlike inhe iielglai) goveiiiFtmnf nllnwn Itw olt I Kcns & it can causeH for all hcIiooIh, HohI: rh!ftH»'n wnlk or go by bike toparents, or maku ime of I hi' pulj,llc Ijiih service as ourBible however has 6 hnsRCR(ilrtvimi on n volunteer basisiO-12 hours a week over &above thojr other responsibil-80% of the atudciits coming frtun n little over a 10 mile

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THE SALARIES OF THE TEACHEHS & PERSONNEL are pnid by thn guveniimMit & the school re-ceives some supplimenta for study materials etc. btit thore Is olways a defecit sinceit is a .'private scliool," T!»e purchase, upkeep & ruimltiR of thi' fv busses is one ofthe major expenses, donated towards by the fanilliea of I lie chi Uium riding. In 1982the school also had to bo renovated & several new facllltloH aiJded. It was expandedto become one of the most modern grade schools of Genk to Includc 15 classes, thedining room, gym & playground, part of which ia covercd since there is so much rainin Belgium. An Evagellcal churcli adjacent the school helps towards the expenses, &one classroom is evun J.ii that biiilding alncc* the scliool has already outgrown the newfacilities. EspeciuUy gifts from supportura In Holland mnko the financial runningof the school poanlhie, Peruonnul involved witii the ncftool do tholr work with joy-fulness remembering that "all that is done tiut o£ love Cor Jeans shall always keepits value" as the words of a Dutch song atatef it so well. It Is considered a pri- v*vilege to be involved in Hia service since mo?t of t.h*» li»ni-hprB (Including Henki'ssister Eva) are^punersed believers in Jesus "Christ though rominR from several "Evan-ygelical Protestant'* backgrouftila'."

WE CAN HARDLY IMACLNE SOMEONE I'URl'OSELY choosfng to go a wrong wny, but usuallyeveryone would be convinced that the udnrntion they chuoHo lor their children, forexample is the besl. There nro. parents who in this choice of schools & religion feelthey should leave lljuir children "neutral" so they can choose later if they want to

\become a Christian oi noti iaii't It a ahame that all too oftne those brought up' ^without the knowledge of the Lord Jesus will usually continue to live without Kim &^ finally die without Mlm? That's why It Is so ijnportant tiiat children right from

their earliest years can l«'inn of Christ. TIiIh is enpeclally the case with thechildren that come from «uu-Chclotlan fnmilles like the Moslem Turkish & Moroccanchildren. It Is indeed a blessing & unusual npportvinlty to !>o allowed to Influence

"these children in the S<^hool-with-the-Dible. Often Moslom parenta-send their chil- \dren to another school only to return them again ~to the School-wlth-the~Bl,J?le be- Jcause of the loving care & high calibor of education they receivc, ITbt only is a

'class of "Bible History" given ©very dnv in oach class, but most teachers impart/ Christian emphasis & mornlM In all the teachingt The discipline ft other aspects arei handled in a Chriyllun Special feasts &activities are Included to stress

Christ & life with lilm. '|h« c|iiarterly magazine prepared for parents of the studentssuRPortera. A frlpuda o£ •tti*t-»t.*hocrl alw-has-wr^vagenaETc" lia^fFT" —THAI THE TRAINING RECEIVED IN THE School-with-che-Blble is important can also beseen from a letter received by the school in February from a stutlont MichelSatarotski in Russia. He wrote in part that he ended his Sunday school in 1952 at

y the Evangelistic church receiving a Dutch Bible. In 1955 he returned to Russia but' every year he reads his copy of the Bihle through no aa noi to f<u-get his Dutch.

His Hlster Anna &brother Jo attended Ihw Schi.o 1-wl th-Jho-lUhle and they rememberthe l.liristmas feasts in the preacher's home. Many of the younn ciWldren attendingvarious churches in the area are also Immersod who have ouci* al tended this school.

IT IS WITH THIS SCHOOL THAT MARY ESTHElt has begun doing Hdiw' viihmteer adminlstra-, tive work in the office. The "headmistress" doesn't anywhi'ra near have enough hours

. in a day to accompliHh all needed doing in such a busIlhijT school. No secretary hasbeen able to be hired, so beside Mary Esther's help (usually on Mondays), Cathy

.jj^Verstappen (whose husband died in Jan '87 of a bullet wound) Is In the office onFridays to help count thu money &keep fimincial records. So many forms have to befilled out, filed &mailed, etc. in keeping with governmiMit regulations. Lists haveto be made of children riding the busses, the work Btahm nf tl>o fathers &so manyother things that Luke hours of work to prepare. While wi' wimp at 111 living in theMaas-river area Henkl often wished a Hchool-with-the-Bible could be started there.Now we are more Ivoly Involved with the school...and we've come right when thereare plans unfolding lo hi-gln another school to the ncj^th of.Gunkl We feel it is awonderful opportunity to hind God's thlldrutj together and reach out in evangelisticefforts so-anticlixjte more Involvement with the achoolboard and committee to help ^

/ next _SA;Juio|-wUh-the-Bihle if It is the Lord's will. Won't you stand(behind us with ymir prayers, encouragement and.. .everything elsel7{

Yours for Fd'jcatlor. '-.hat is Chrictian,

HAVE YOU EVER LIVED SO CLOSE TO THE STREET, that when a car drives by curtains in ^an open window flutter? We do here in Opglabbeek, but that's soon going to change -we think. Neighbors across the street from us have several kinds of birds that wecan hear chirping and calling; others down one door run a flower shop; anotheracross the street has a beauty store, and another next door has such a beautifulgarden while another has a samll grocery store. Yet another neighbor has a tavernthat can be a roudy place on weekends and holidays! But that's going to change alsoit would seem.

WHEN WE MOVED TO OPGLABBEEK, there were many comparisons to be made to our move toBoorsem to begin a new congregation but as we look to an anticipated move again, weleave with hardly any comparisons! Mieke &Natasha have not been found very faithful to their decision to follow Christ & have backslidden, as far as we can tell,into the world. Others we've worked with here in Opglabbeek have moved away or nolonger seem to be interested in spiritual matters either. There just isn't much tokeep us bound to this place we were led to a few years ago &He's opening doors.foranother nK>ve. We hadn't expected to settle here permanently, so had been looking for ^something almost the whole time we've been living here.

"^THIS PAST WINTER Henki's mother asked if we wouldn't buy her home &move into the/ rooms behind the part where she lives. We have applied for a loan, but things some-

. times move slowly. In the meantime we are trying to get the place ready for us to£ live in. Part of it has been eii5)ty for several years, the other just over a year.

* Since Willy moved last year to live in Oo'stende, & 2 years before that Herman and•• station*.Ha.^aoaaerts has been left to live- (Her

husband died in 1980 as most of you will remember.)

THE AREA WHERE HER HOME IS, is rather secluded & peaceful - which is good & bad!Nice for the restfulness & nature surrounding the house; but bad for prank phonecalls, break-ins & the like. Besides, at age,70 she isn't getting younger, thoughshe is presently quite capable of keeping the garden, grounds & home in beautiful

^shape. None of the other children are in a position to move & live with her & it .would be awfully hard for her to leave her home of over 25 years. We feel this move r"^')is the n^essary thing to do. Several have mentioned Ma seems to be more & more"scatter brained" showing more signs of old age so we'd just feel better if someone was living there to be with her more of the time.

THERE WILL BE SOKE ADVANTAGES for us in the move as well, as it is closer to James'school & Henki's office. If Mary Esther continues work at the School-rwithT-the-Bibleit is also closer for these responsibilities. She has also been helping Henki withhis accounting, & will probably be in the office more once things can be set up, sothe move would be conducive for this as well. Commuting as well as the rent of thehome will be^ lots cheaper living in Genk a^t this point.

GENK IS ALSO CENTRALLY LOCATED for the work of encouraging various congregations inthe province of Limburg as well as thwn we travel to other areas in Europe since one

/of the major international highways by-passes Genk. With the closing of the coal •I mines, other industry is growing up fast so evangelistic opportunities should in

crease as new families move into the area.,

#WirH THIS MOVE', WE"LL BE RIGHT'BAC6L..WHERE.%-5TART^ when we first came to work inBelgium years ago! Boy, have there been changes & growth since then, & we hopewith the help of God we'll be able to see more made for the advance of His Kingdomas we once again serve from Genk. We already shared some goals for the year, but we-don't know what God is leading us into or what the- future holds with this move. Not^that we really ever know the future, but at times activities seem more obvious &planned out than at others. It's not such a comfortable feeling to move not beingabsolutely sure it IS God's will & when you like where you are living & where youmove to is so much smaller. We are determined though to try always to do His willat His leading & do have many promises'to encourage us. Two especially pertinentnow are; "The Lord Himself goes before you & will be with you; He will never leave '>you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deut 31:8, NIV andJere 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans toprosper you & not to harm you; plans to give you hope & a future."

flTHE ACTUAL DATE OF OUR MOVE hasn't,been set yet. There is a Ipt^less space in the/home in Genk so we'll have to sort things carefully to pack some for storage, & ,just dump lots. There is a lot of renovating, re-arranging & redecorating to be done#so it will take plenty of time & funds to coii5>lete. With the children growing older& getting ready to "fly the coop" & anticipated care of Henki's mother we are facingtransitions. We hope you'll be praying for us in this time. Henki's mother canalways pass mail on to us if you already want to use the, new addrc^ss: Peperhofstraat75, 3600 Genk,• Belgium. We hope you'll write & maybe come visit us someday becausewe know most of you...are movin' lots too! /

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