Go With Me
February/March 2024
Ever wondered what it would be like to go to Europe with me and visit historic sites, learn about the culture, our ministry and serve on a missions project?
With our Go With Me experience, now you can!
Due to Covid-19, we had to put ‘Go With Me’ on hold. But we’re brushing the experience off and planning to offer at least two ‘Go With Me’ trips in 2024 for a small group of believers to meet us in Brussels for a week of activities together (dates to be determined soon).
This experience offers you an opportunity to:
• Visit some of our favorite historical sites in Brussels, Waterloo and surrounding areas.
• Meet some of our long-time friends and ministry colleagues.
• Attend services at Brussels Christian Center.
• Learn about the Belgian culture.
• Learn about the European church.
• Hear a powerful testimony of escape and redemption from a former refugee family and experience a home-cooked Persian meal with them.
• Spend a couple of days ‘on. mission’ working with Breaking Chains, a ministry that reaches sex-trafficked women OR two days of ministry at Rhema Cafe in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
• And more!
Here are some details about the trip:
Schedule
I’m still working on the schedule, but the heart of the trip is to mix touring and getting to know Brussels with learning about our mission and what God is doing in Belgium.
Touring: On most days, we will see something interesting such as: the Waterloo Battlefield where Napoleon ‘met his Waterloo’; Villers-la-Ville Abbey, a 1000-year old Abbey which provides an unbelievable backdrop for photos; and the Grand Place which has been called by many ‘the most beautiful town square in Europe’.
Mission: We’ll mix in visits with some of my ministry friends and colleagues such as a local pastor who will share about the Belgian church; a friend who leads the national Students for Christ Belgian chapter; and friends who are former refugees from Iran and now operate a ministry that reaches refugees in Belgium. And during our trips in the car and over meals, we’ll share some of the stories from our 25 years in European missions.
And more: I’m sure that we’ll add more things to our itinerary as we move forward. And because we’re a small group, we can make some decisions together on where to go, what to eat and what to do. In other words, when we can, we’ll be flexible with our schedule to allow time for exploration and serendipitous moments.
Lodging: Lodging will be modest, staying in guest rooms at a local ministry hospitality house. More information on lodging as the date approaches.
Transportation:
We will travel together in a large car or small van. I’m asking everyone to bring one suitcase and one carry-on and to travel as lightly as possible. Remember that you’ll want to take some souvenirs home and will need to leave room and weight in your luggage for these.
Meals:
Breakfast is provided at the hospitality house. For lunch, we’ll either pack sandwiches or eat out on the cheap. For dinner, we will either eat with friends or eat at a restaurant.
While in Belgium, I’ll take you to some of my favorite food spots such as:
* A small Chinese restaurant we’ve been going to for 25 years.
* An Italian ‘Trattoria’ that has wonderful oven-baked pizzas.
* A Greek restaurant that makes great pitas and frites (french fries).
* A place where you can get an authentic Belgian waffle – hot off the press.
* An authentic Belgian restaurant in the heart of Waterloo.
* (And we’ll visit an amazing bakery where you can pick out your own breads and pastries for the day (we affectionately call this place, ‘The Farm’, because it’s located out in the country south of Waterloo and has all the charm of Grandma’s farm.)
Snacks:
I will provide water, juice, coffee, tea, milk, snacks and fruit. We will make trips to the grocery store every day or two, so there will be ample opportunities for you to purchase anything else you want or need.
Shopping: I’ll make sure you have some time to do some shopping for souvenirs
and gifts. The Grand Place is a great place for that as well as a local grocery store called, ‘Carrefour’.
Clothes:
Belgian weather is full of unknowns. Brussels is known for rain and while it might slow us down, we won’t let it deter us from our daily excursions! So also bring a light raincoat or parka, as well as a portable umbrella.
Costs:
The Elevate Europe ‘Go With Me’ fee is $1500 and covers lodging, transportation, snacks and meals, entrance fees to the historic sites we will visit and honorariums for a couple of the folks we’ll spend time with.
A deposit of $500 is payable on registration with the second installment of $500 due January 5 and the final installment due February 1.
You are responsible for your flight to Belgium and spending money for things such as souvenirs, snacks and coffee when we’re on the road. The good news re: flights this time of year is that it’s the cheapest time of year to fly. Talk to me before you book your flight as I have opinions and experience about best flight paths, etc.
Important Note:
This tour requires at least three participants to make it feasible. If you are the first to register, please don’t buy your ticket to Brussels until I have a confirmed second and third participant!
If you want to ‘Go With Me’, please let me know and I’ll tell you how you can submit a $500 deposit. This deposit is refundable if we do not achieve the minimum viable number of three participants.
Interested? Please complete the form below and I’ll send more information as the trip develops. In the meantime, if you’re a member of our ‘Elevate Europe’ private Facebook group, watch for updates there as well. And if you’re not a member of that private group, complete the form below and I’ll add you!
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I hope you can go with me!