bread snobs

One of the pleasures of life in Belgium is the availability of a vast array of breads, rolls, and sweets at the many bakeries.  I would estimate that within a 10 minute radius of our house there are 4 bakeries.  Make the radius 15 minutes and it increases quite a bit.

I recently accompanied my daughter and her class on a field trip to a dairy farm.  In a lunch time conversation with the teacher and the other adults present I heard comments about how there are no good bakeries in our neighborhood.  Really?  I also heard comments like one bakery is good as a patisserie and another has good volkoren bread (a hearty multi-grain type bread).  I must be a bread novice.  

So three years into life in Belgium (and nearing the end of our time hear) I'm still learning things about the people and the culture.  I hope that the posture of a learner is something I will maintain the rest of my life.

back from Undivided with a "divided" mug

We have recently returned from Undivided 2012, IFES Europe's student evangelism conference. It's often difficult to translate the things you learn at a conference into your everyday context. And it's a challenge to both maintain in your life and to share with others the excitement you feel at a conference. I came home with an image that captures the danger of losing what you gained at a conference such as this.

Please pray with me that this conference will have a lasting impact on our family, the students and staff involved, and Ichtus and the many other IFES movements around Europe, Eurasia, and the Middle East.