Dear Friends and Family,

My third marriage anniversary without my husband (it would have been our 26th) was actually the hardest so far. I purchased a special necklace made to display our wedding rings. But then I couldn't find where I had put his ring! I looked everywhere I could think, prayed and asked for prayers to find it, and then had to let it go for a week. I looked again today and found it in a place I had totally forgotten about! God continues to provide for us in all ways. 

For those who are interested in Emily's adventures in Brussels this summer Mission to the World, here's her first update:

6 June 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

First of all, thank you so much for supporting me in my internship in Brussels, whether monetarily or in prayer! It means so much to me to know that I am being prayed for as I go into this crazy new experience.

I arrived in Brussels last Wednesday (May 29th). There were some delays and stress on the journey, and I almost missed my connecting flight, but God provided and I made it. I even got to sit next to one of my teammates on the plane to Belgium, which was completely unplanned! I’m on a team of five interns: me, Lorraine, Rainey, Stella, and Isaac. The four girls live together in an AirBnB apartment not far from the Brinks’ house (the MTW missionaries who are hosting us), and Isaac is living with a host family from the church we’re attending.

The first few days were spent in orientation and getting over jetlag. It was a rough weekend for me as I was completely exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I had to fight through some culture shock right off the bat. This week has been better so far, and I’ve felt much more adjusted and optimistic about the coming weeks. God has been so faithful to me through all the ups and downs.

In a typical week, we will have class as a team three mornings a week, learning about and discussing topics like identity, evangelism, church planting, etc. We are also taking language classes two afternoons a week (I’m learning Dutch!). We will be worshipping on Sundays at Hope IPC, a quickly growing church plant in Brussels, and participating in community groups on Wednesday nights. Several members of the church have already invited our team over for dinner, which is so kind.

Outside of these things, we are expected to participate in at least 6 hours of service in the community each week and do at least one activity that involves meeting and talking to people outside of the church (I’m looking at game nights at a café, a Saturday morning writing club, etc). We’ll also be taking some day trips throughout the summer and participating in an MTW retreat in Madrid, Spain, at the end. This was all overwhelming at first, but now I’m excited to see what God does in and through us as we connect organically with the people around us.

As I wrap up, I want to ask again for your prayers for me and the rest of the team this summer. We’re in a new place, immersed in new languages, and while this city is beautiful, it is also very spiritually lost. Please pray that we all find the balance between rest and activity and that we remain open to the Holy Spirit’s leading both in the decisions we make and the words we speak. As I and my fellow interns have been talking and praying together, I’ve also seen a theme of wanting to have a clearer idea of where God is leading our lives from here.

For the Belgian church (these were specifically requested by a member of the church here), please pray:

• That the evangelical church would be able to remain separate from both secularism and Roman Catholicism, both of which are majority worldviews here that are hard not to fall into.
• That these churches would be able to look outward to the world rather than just inward to their congregations, to maintain a missions mindset and a vision for the wider world.
• That their faith would be alive, not just nominal.
• That a culture of giving would develop in these churches so that their ministries can be financed.
• That they would learn a distinctly Christian style of leadership based on servant-heartedness.

If you don’t want to be receiving these updates, please reply (don’t ‘reply all’!) to this email and just let me know. I’m planning to send two more, one in the middle of the internship (early July?) and one after I’m back home.

Thank you again for all your support! Have a blessed weekend.

In Christs’s Love,

Emily Boer

Photos!

In the order I’m attaching them:

1. Me reading with Sophia Bacon (the daughter of the Bacons, the other MTW missionaries here)
2. A waffle truck! It’s like an ice cream truck, except that they also sell Belgian waffles (much sweeter than American waffles, and they’re a snack, not a breakfast food).
3. The view from our apartment’s living room window
4. Looking over gardens towards the Brussels Town Hall