Is there a Well around here?

Two weeks ago on a Sunday, Katina and I boarded a train for Brussels, excited at the prospect of finding The Well. (Fun fact! "The Well" is also the name of our college group in the Burque...) Katina found directions and wrote them down in her moleskine, and we were pumped to share a new experience together as we anticipated the joy of fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters. However, not unlike our other adventures together we went the opposite direction after we left the train station and ended up wandering around for 30 minutes, trying to find our way to The Well's meeting location. When we finally made it to Nativitas we found the building dark and empty, it's doors locked. We stood around, made a few more efforts to get in, even asked a guy who looked like he *might* be looking for the same meeting we were trying to attend.

"Excuse me, are you looking for The Well?"

Strange face made in my general direction. "The Well? Is there a well around here?" (reeking with friendly sarcasm)

Nervous/embarrassed laugh "Uuuuuh, heh heh, no, not to my knowledge."

"What is it then?"

"It's kind of like a church, but they meet around here."

"Oh, well I know nothing about things like that." Begins walking away with smug smile on face

Katina laughs at me. :)

...

We made a phone call and our friend made a couple phone calls to no avail. What to do now? Wellllll we're starving. Let's hunt for food. We made our way back toward the train station a different way than we'd come, wanting to at least see something different if we weren't going to get to go to church.

We were about to order food when our cell phone rang. Carlton to the rescue! He picked us up and took us back to Nativitas where the group had finally returned after a time of walking around the neighborhood together. It was totally providence, for we had a *great* conversation about the church, what it is in different cultures (what works in the States doesn't necessarily work abroad), what it is Biblically, and what kind of expectations we have because of our own lives and the things that we've made church out to be in our own minds that aren't necessarily Biblical.

It was a great night. The group consisted of 20 people from New Zealand who were in Brussels on a mission trip and 6 or so other people who are regular attenders of the small group. They were incredibly welcoming. It gave us such a beautiful taste of community and the broader Church.

During a time of prayer, every time one of the New Zealanders (?) prayed I couldn't help but think of Flight of the Conchords. If you haven't heard of them, check them out, but watch with some discretion. They're hilarious but not completely clean (so maybe watch the second video first):

Katina and I felt an instant love for these people whom we didn't even get to know, but loved all the same. At the end of our time together, they all gathered to perform the Haka chant:

                                        Not the best video quality, but I think you'll get the idea.

This website describes the haka chant as a "war chant and challenge". It is performed by the All Blacks rugby team of New Zealand prior to a match against teams not native to New Zealand.

We were able to go back to The Well this Sunday and enjoyed it just as much. Our group was small in number with only 8 in attendance, but the Word was preached well, there was fellowship and a visible bond with believers from all around the world. God is certainly changing and broadening our minds on what the Church is and what it looks like. Praise HIM that the gospel is central to the Church. That Jesus is the head and that no man can tear it down. It is built by and on Christ, the cornerstone, and held together by Him as well. I can't wait to see all His children (His inheritance) gathered together at last, rejoicing in God our Father.