Take a Missions Moment in Brussels Belgium:

Jeanne and I were recently in Brussels, Belgium teaching a course on Contemporary Missions History. The photo is with three of our students from Malaysia, Sweden, and France. The course we taught was part of the MTh program. We so enjoyed teaching this course because of eager and caring students which made our teaching an enjoyable experience. Continental Theological Seminary students come from more than 30 different countries.

After the course was finished, we were blessed by Roland and Judy Dudley, the President of CTS, who allowed us the use of their Speed-the-Light car. (These cars are provided by the youth of the Assemblies of God. In this way, they participate in the ministry of missionaries in their districts.) Jeanne and I drove to Amsterdam to meet friends we had met while teaching in Suriname in November - Joop and Rianne Klein Haneveld, both medical doctors. They desired to go to India on a mission's trip. What a privilege for us to be able to share with them places, friends, and opportunities in India. As a result of their trip to India in January we were able to rejoice with them in their good report of New Life Assembly in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, where the church continues to experience great growth. Life comes from "Life"! Missionaries Earl and Arlene Stubbs pastor this great church of 6,000. It was interesting that Joop and Rianne's church in Amsterdam is also called "New Life". These are wonderful people who have become great friends.

In mission's life, saying good-bye is pretty much a constant. We had to say good-bye to family and friends to go to India. Each time we have left our special friends, they have said with tears, "Jim, it is really hard to be your close friend, you become such an important part of our lives and then you leave; we have to now learn how to live without you being a part of us."

However, we have made many friends all over the world. Many of these have become like family. We dearly miss our Pastor friends in India. We remember them in prayer each day. Our correspondence is limited in that we don't want to unduly involve ourselves in the work or lcoal issues. So we pray for them and the great churches they pastor!

By the way, I hope you are praying for missionaries. In a soon coming blog I will talk about "How to pray for Missionaries."

Our trip to Amsterdam was followed by continuing onto Germany and visiting Barbara and Jochim Gutermuth in Gettorff which is near Kiel. Their daughter Merlin, now nearly 25 years old lived with us in India until they adopted her at three months old. She is a beautiful young lady and is preparing to enter medical school to be a doctor. It was great to see them after fourteen years and renew our love and friendship.

Hienz and Zita Guennewig

Our son Jonathan was an exchange student in Emmerich in 1991-92. Hienz and Zita Guennewig were exchange parents for Jonathan. They are great people with fun, loving spirits. They demonstrated love and care our son and now to us and have become great friends.

So many of you have prayed for us and loved us through these many years of missions work. We thank you! We are so glad for your demonstration of loving God by aiding us in our love for the nations and efforts to participate in reaching the lost. God bless you!