Time flies

Suddenly you realize:

too many weeks have passed already without writing and now there is so much to tell!!

So, what do you do? Let me try giving an overview:

• Last blog we closed with the globalisation issue at bible school. When you read this the students already did their exams. Before that the discussions continued and globalisation appeared to be more present than they had realised before. Interestingly enough the younger students had more 'feeling' with this subject than the older ones. Well, in the end, they all passed their exams.
• In the beginning of May my Mission Commission colleagues visited Rotterdam for a 4 and a half day staff meeting. It always is so good meeting each other face to face. You should know that usually we only meet 'virtual', through Internet - video conferences. A few days together helps to encourage each other and to have some more time discussing matters more in-depth. Of course the Mission Commission Consultation planned for October / November this year was one of the major issues to be discussed.
• Another time consuming, but grateful activity was the preparatory work on Connections, the journal of the Mission Commission. This time a double issue and it deals with "Mission in Contexts of Suffering, Violence, Persecution and Martyrdom" A 'heavy' theme, but very needed to pay attention to. It also will be one of the topics during the coming consultation. By the way: do you know that we now have a special website for Connections? If you like to look at it, just click here.
• Further most of the work was focussed on work related to the consultation. Thinks related to logistics, registrations, contacts with possible participants and so on. Sometimes this correspondence led to 130 mails on one day, so "it keeps me off the street"

Hopefully next message will follow soon, otherwise: just send me a reminder :-)

Globalisatie / Globalisation

Vorige week mocht ik weer lesgeven op de Wittenberg, een bijbelschool in Zeist.
5 studenten volgen daar de richting 'Evangelisatie-buitenland' en drie middagen lang (of kort?) staat het vak 'global issues / globalisatie' op de planning. Afgelopen week was de eerste. Je krijgt dan te maken met vragen wat globalisatie eigenlijk is, misschien is het wel gewoon een hype die overwaait of -zoals sommigen zeggen- een nieuwe vorm van kolonialisme. Anderen zeggen weer dat het alleen maar met markteconomie te maken heeft. En, is globalisatie iets van nu, eind 20e, begin 21e eeuw, of is het iets van alle tijden. Hoe dan ook, hebben globalisatie en zending iets met elkaar te maken?

Volgens de studenten wel, ze hadden het met eigen ogen gezien tijdens hun 6 weken buitenland stage, die ze net achter de rug hadden. In elk geval dat ze door middel van radio en televisie -tot in de meest afgelegen hutjes- op de hoogte konden blijven van het wereldnieuws. Aan de ene kant wilde je daar nou eigenlijk eens even niets mee te maken hebben, anderzijds was het feit dat je samen, met zulke verschillende culturele achtergronden, dit nieuws kon horen soms aanleiding tot een goed gesprek.

Volgende week dus lekker verder met dit onderwerp.

Las week I -again- had the privilige teaching at 'De Wittenberg', a bibleschool in the Netherlands. One of the tracks in the curriculum is 'foreign missions' which is attended by 5 students. For three afternoons I am asked to teach about globalisation and last week was the first time. Questions arose about how to define globalisation, may-be it's just a hype or -according to others- a new form of colonialism. Others were sure that it only concerned the free market economy. What about the origin of globalisation, is it just from the late 20th, early 21st century, or is globalisation 'of all times'? And what has missions to do with it?

According to the students -who just had returned from a six week field orientation- the relation between globalisation and mission was obvious. For example that through the use of radio and television -available in even the most remote homesteads- you continued to be informed about 'world news', which not always was experienced as an advantage, but it -at least- created the opportunity to discuss this news with people from a completely different cultural background. Sharing this together gave at times good opportunities for mutual learning.

I am looking forward to continuing this topic next week!

De eerste blog, hoeveel zullen er nog volgen?

Ja, ja, de techniek staat niet stil. Na verschillende pogingen om een nieuwsbrief naar geïnteresseerden te sturen wat maar niet lukt omdat je er 'dan echt voor moet gaan zitten' werd me onlangs het lumineuze idee voorgeschoteld een weblog te beginnen. "Je kan gewoon een vrij moment gebruiken, als je weer eens op een vliegveld zit of zo, om even wat nieuws op je blog te zetten en dan blijven de mensen wat regelmatiger :-) op de hoogte" werd me gezegd. Het leek me een goed idee, dus vandaar, na enig gepuzzel, deze start .


Vanaf nu zal ik proberen regelmatig, in elk geval 1x per week, iets op de blog te zetten. Dus, hopelijk, is dit de eerste van velen! Laat maar eens weten wat je er van vindt. Je reacties kunnen (nog) vrij geplaatst worden. Of geef eens een idee voor de ontwikkeling van deze blog.

Tot gauw.

Indeed, it's hard to believe, I know. After several attempts writing a real newsletter, which proved to be impossible due to lack of time and sufficient creative resources, a friend of mine suggested to start a weblog. "you could just use your free moments while sitting on an airport or so to update the blog which helps people to stay posted on the developments in your work". So, it's hard to believe, but here it is: my first steps in 'weblog world'

As from now I will try to become a regular writer, at least once a week updating something, to keep you informed. Your reactions are welcome. Suggestions to improve this blog also.

'See you' soon.