About Easter

John 13:34-35 (New International Version)
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Last Sunday witnessed a joyful celebration in Gent. Several Evangelical Churches came together for a joint-service. It was simply awesome. It was a signpost to resurrection. Unity is possible despite the diversity of ideas, doctrines and emphasis.

I thought in the concept of "extended family" meeting. Everyone knows which nuclear family belongs to, but all together make the complete picture! It was a success, and I hope this land will be blessed by God's children!

Alleluia, Jesus is risen!

Vineyard 25th Anniversary Video

Vineyard USA 25th Anniversary from Vineyard USA on Vimeo.

"If we are only concerned about saving people's souls, we are irrelevant" Bert Waggoneer

Maria Fernanda in Gent by Night

Well, the weekend was fun with my niece Maria Fernanda visiting. Saturday, after walking the whole day in Brugge and Gent, we went out with some of my friends. I was very proud to hear my niece speaking German so fluently with them. We went to have a drink at Mosquito Coast, a pub specialized on attracting tourists or people who loves travelling.

Hereunder the pictorial evidence!

MariFer and Bianka

Armando and Wim

Lynn and Marifer

Last but not least, an amazing view by night of the Towers of Gent.

Pictures from Portugese friends visiting Gent

Some weeks ago, at the beginning of April, a good friend of mine, Sara Rodrigues, from Porto, visited Gent together with her husband Manuel and son Joao. What a wonderful opportunity to meet each other and catch-up on the news and developments in our respective lives and carreers. We spent the afternoon walking in the centrum of the city, making some pictures, which i'm sharing now. Sara is now part of the HECTOR project, a kind of continuation of the DAFNE initiative, but this time focusing on the out-of home eating. We did actually eat out of home that day ;-)

As you can see, the day was rather cold, though it was spring already. We also faced some rain intentions, but nothing serious.



Sara also defended her phd thesis recently, so she is the third of the DAFNE-III people in doing so (if i'm not mistaken). Congratulations dear friend! though it was such a stress, the expected outcome is there, and you got your PhD. Now it is over, and you don't have to write another tesis ever!

It was also a good opportunity to meet the Joao, since my last visit to Porto dates from 2002, earlier than his actual birth.

We visited a couple of places, had a good "warm chocolate" in the area of the Patershol, and basically followed Joao's rythm. It's a different approach to city-touring when you are with a 4y/o kid. Finally, as the picture shows, he accepted to make a picture with me, in front of the oldest houses in Gent centrum.

Last thursday, I was surprised by the email of my dearest friend Ada Naska telling me that she was coming to Belgium together with our dear & respected Prof. Antonia Trichopoulou, who was copromoter of my PhD thesis, and Philippos Orfanos the statistics brain of their unit, and with whom I built also a good friendship during my stages in Athens. We arranged to meet all together in Brussels, where Antonia kindly invited us for dinner at "Chez Léon" nearby the Grand Place. I was so happy, comforted and refreshed by spending that couple of hours with them! The picture is a testimony of the good moment together.


On Saturday, I received the visit of the Right Reverend John Kerl, who is moving to Europe as European Head of the Covenant Church. We visited Ghent, had lunch in Drongen and later on we had a 'family tea time' together with David, An & Sarita Bolton, my Bolivian friend Yblin and her son Tobías. What a nice and hectic day! We made waffles in the old fashion way, and had a very good quality time.


More visits came: Sunday Benno and Janneke Geertsma for lunch and yesterday Vivi Hernaiz with some other friends that are visiting Europe in the backpacking style. The pictures will follow soon. Vivicita fuiste la provisión de Dios para este tu amigo! Dios te bendiga!