Mona (rhymes with"Donna") was every bit of 4-1/2 feet tall.She was quiet, but vivacious!She was in love with a guy named Ralph.He and she were husband and wife for 52 years.She was a pianist and taught several of her grandchildren to play piano.She played in the worship service quite often, but she confessed once that she still became nervous when she played in front of other people.I remember the day she commemorated her mother's birthday with a red rose on the piano and the dedication of the piece she played to her mother.Mona explained that many years earlier her mother had made financial sacrifices so that she could take piano lessons.
Mona was also a seamstress.I remember Ralph's description of the bright orange fabric one granddaughter chose for a prom dress.Mona took it in stride and made a lovely bright orange gown.She volunteered along with Ralph at the local theater and often made costumes for their productions.
Mona was a breast cancer survivor; and through a program called "Reach for Recovery," she walked alongside many women through their breast cancer recovery.I remember how Mona compassionately encouraged a young mother in our Sunday School class when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
As you can tell, Mona always had many irons in the fire.When we received word last week that she had died suddenly, I thought of all the things that she probably left undone.Not undone because Mona hadn't been faithful to keep up with things, but undone because, undoubtedly, she had things in process when she died.She was a pilgrim always on the way to somewhere—never a wallflower sitting and holding her hands.
Mona is just one of the many saints whose example encourages us in our work in Belgium.We aren't out in the field alone.On the contrary, we work beside all of you who serve God faithfully where you are…in the den sewing an orange dress, in the church basement tutoring an elementary school student, or in the worship service making beautiful music to God.We take time to rest, but, like Mona, we are always on the way to somewhere.
Last week we hosted the young people from the Melle church for an overnight activity time.On Wednesday afternoon the young people assisted me in distributing Christian literature to houses in our neighborhood.Wednesday night we ate hot dogs and brownies with ice cream, had a devotional time in which we discussed music and the way God uses it to speak to us, and then watched the Belgium versus The Netherlands soccer game on TV.On Thursday, Jim took the young people to Six Flags-Belgium for a day of fun.
Over the weekend we had a delightful visit from an American Baptist couple from Kansas who took time out from their vacation to stop in and see what mission work in Belgium looks like.It was refreshing to share with them and to hear of their ministry with Jr. and Sr. High students in the States and their mission trips to Thailand, Mexico, and other places.
Luke and Ben begin 4th and 2nd grades, respectively, on September 1.Their 8-week-long summer vacation went by so quickly, but we have many happy memories of our first Belgian summer.


Jurgen, Liesbeth, Ben and Luke enjoy the overnight cuisine!

We were blessed to have scheduled our vacation during one of the weeks of the record-breaking European heat wave.As we relaxed in our air-conditioned hotel, we thought of our friends back here who were working to stay cool.I am not sure why, but Belgium was blessed not to have had a high death toll among the sick and elderly as was experienced in neighboring France.
Jim and I begin another month-long Flemish class on September 3.We are scheduled to take full pastoral responsibility for the church in Melle in October, and we will preach there twice in September as well as preaching once in Bethel Church on the coast.We plan to assist with an outreach week sponsored by Bethel the week of September 15.
We think of you all as you gear up for the new school year and new church year.How crowded calendars can become with events and responsibilities!We pray for you to find the joy only God can give in each of your undertakings.

Please pray for:

A smooth beginning of the school year for Luke and Ben.
Jim and I as we try to absorb all the new information in our class.
God's guidance for us and the Melle congregation as we take full responsibility in October.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and, and do not rely on your own insight.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths [ Proverbs 3:5-6]."

On the journey,

Debbie (along with Jim, Luke and Ben) Kelsey