Another Beautiful Day in South Holland

Prinses Mariestraat, originally uploaded by cutjas.

Hello everyone,

As my boss, Kevin, always says, “Its another beautiful day in south Holland,” normally he says this when it is cold and rainy, but today it actually is a beautiful day, clear sky’s, crisp air, and a bright sun. Riding my bike in to the office today I noticed in the clear blue sky some airplane tracks in the sky, it was a glorious scene and made the trip in a little easier.

This past weekend was a big weekend for myself. I played in my first ever-Dutch league football (soccer) match. Our game was on Saturday around 2:30, when the game started it was sunny and warming up…well during the game it rained once, hailed three times, and was friggin’ cold. It was a good game; I opened the scoring with a delightful header in the middle of the first half. Needless to say this made me the best friend of everyone on our time right away. We ended up tying the game 2-2. I had a lot of fun and am looking forward to hanging out with the guys more often. Hopefully, all my games go this well.

I know in my last entry I mentioned feeling a little homesick and missing Minnesota. Well that was cured on Sunday when it snowed here for about 7 hours!!! It was cold, snowy and gray, I loved every minuet of it. There is something special about the first snow of the year and this was a good one. Granted all the snow is now melted, that doesn’t matter, all that matters is that I got to see some snow, and bike around in it as well. My soul is now at peace.

This past Friday night I hosted a movie night at the Perriman’s house. Again, we had about 10 people and watched “Rainman”…definitely “Rainman.” I had never seen this movie before and I liked it a lot. The bigger piece was that we had totally different people show up, for the most part. That was good because I was able to meet more folks and grow the social circle here. We watched the movie and then sat around a talked for a couple of hours, until the last people left. I am hoping these Friday night gatherings turn into something more regular, to just get people together and hanging out.

Now for the weekly Basketball update, I was able to learn all of the kids’ names this past week, it only took me a little less than a month to do that. We had a practice, no game. The kids were very enthusiastic about playing. They are getting better and learning more every week. We are still trying to break the nasty habit of throwing the ball up in the air when a defender comes new you, but I will take what I can get at this point.

Walking away this time was a little different, technically this was my last time coaching, but I have decided to try and stay on and keep coaching if I can. I am growing attached to these little rascals, how could you not? It is such a break from normal life, going and running around with these kids, whether their biggest worry is if you got the same amount of candy as the other guy just got. There is something refreshing about that. I was able to reflect on the simplicity of life for those kids while I was walking back to the train station. Not to over idealize this, I realize they have stress, responsibility, and problems, as do I. But I haven’t been that excited over getting a piece of candy in 20 years, (except when I get Candy Dorhman’s home made caramels). That two hours has turned in to a little vacation in my week, where can shed off everything I am suppose to be and do, and just be a little kid excited to run around and get some candy.

Prayer requests:
Soccer: normally I don’t believe in praying for sports, I don’t think it makes sense, but God was with me this past weekend, I haven’t scored a goal in years, and it instantly tore down walls and opened up friendships. Keep praying that things go well, we all have fun and that I can be a good friend to these guys.

Small Group: We are meeting Monday nights, right now just getting to know each other and figuring out what topics we want to study. Pray that things go well and that we gel and grow as a group.

Living Situation: The Perriman’s are going to be moving back to London after the first of the year. I will be moving in with Steve and Michael Malon. Pray for this transition for myself and the Perriman’s as it will be a hard transition for them and hopefully an easy one for myself.

ME: I am entering a very busy time, as is everyone, the next month and a half. I will be traveling for about 15 days in December, planning a Christmas Gala, helping lead a small group, playing soccer; doing homework…do you feel bad for me? Just kidding. I love everything I am doing, but it is a lot. I need energy, focus and protection.

Thank you all for your support and prayers, I appreciate all the notes and care packages I have received.

Have a great week!!!
Jason

Sport Week in Nederlands

ADO Logo WEB[1], originally uploaded by cutjas.

This past week was filled with firsts, for me. My first time coaching a basketball team, my basketball teams first time playing a game of Basketball…ever, and my first time at a professional European Football (soccer) Match.

Let’s start with the Basketball team. I showed up to the gym with my friend and fellow coach Justin Powell. Our team as a little rag tag group of international students ranging in age from 8 – 10 years old. They come from India, Israel, USA, England, and Scotland. None of them have played organized Basketball before this team, which started 3 weeks ago. Our mission for the day was to prepare this team to play against kids that were older, more experience and basically a lot better.

We had about an hour of practice time before our first game and most of that was spent on teaching them how to set a screen. The concept didn’t really take at first and when the kids that were suppose to be using the screen to free them up actually were running away from the person screening for them, I knew this was a hopeless venture.

By this time our first game was about to start. I picked the first 5 to play and sent them out on the court like little warriors…well, more like sheep to the slaughter as it turned out. We lost, 20 – 2, but our goal for the game was not to win, but rather to get a shot off and we did that, so all the kids got a piece of candy at the end of the game.

We had a very basic defense strategy, stand under the basket, our basket, the basket we were defending, the basket the other team is trying to score on. As you can tell from the previous sentence, I had a hard time getting the kids to understand the concept of defense and offense. Eventually, we did manage to get a critical mass of our team under the basket, which I believed lessened amount of baskets scored against us.

The second game we didn’t fair much better, we lost 11-0. In both games our team didn’t give up, they didn’t pout, and they all kept playing hard, even though they had no idea what they were doing. It was a lot of fun. My favorite comment of the day was from one girl on our team, Phoebe. She told me that there were two boys on the other team that kept taking the ball right out of her hand. I informed her that this was legal and even encouraged by most people. She had a look of amazement on her face, and this was followed up by a comment from one of the mothers, who said, “well that seems a little harsh.” I realized there that we had a long road ahead of us in learning the game.

Still it was a great afternoon, I had fun, the kids had fun and even the mother’s had fun. This coming week we don’t have a game, but we are going to have a good practice, maybe we will learn that when a defensive player gets near you, its not the best option to throw the ball up in the air…

ADO Den Haag
This past Saturday I went to my first professional Football match it was ADO Den Haag vs Willem II. The game was fun; we sat near the Fanatics or Hooligans, as they are also known. ADO ended up losing in the final minute to an incredible shot, which we saw perfectly. The defender screened the goalie and the forward chipped the ball into the far corner of the goal out of reach of the goalie. At this point the air went right out of the stadium, it was a bad ending to a pretty good game.

This hopefully is the first of many games I will be able to attend. I went with a friend from the Crossroads Church, David Baak. After we went out and had a drink and listened to some good music at a local Pub.

Update:
I have found a new family to move in with. The Malon’s, I was over at their house for lunch on Sunday and it should be a very good fit. The house is further out than I live now, so transportation will be little more of an issue for me, but Steve (the dad) and Michael (the son) are both nice guys and I look forward to living with them. Thank you all for praying about this and I will keep you up dated on how thing progress.

Prayer Requests:
1) The feelings of being homesick are setting in. Nothing that isn’t manageable, but they are their.
2) I have been thinking a lot about my future and what is next. I am really unsettled about what to do after school and I hope that I can receive some direction and clarity in the coming months.
3) We start our new small group tonight, this should be a fun adventure I am very excited about doing this
4) I am in charge of planning a Christmas party for 20 – 40 year olds at Crossroads Church, we have a solid team of 9 people and things are looking good, but we still have to put everything together and pull off the event. Right now we are looking for a venue.

As always, thanks for reading, praying, and/or supporting me. I hope you are all doing well and I would love to hear from you.

Thanks,
Jason Cutshall

Keep on climbing

Staircase in Amsterdam., originally uploaded by cutjas.

This past week was jammed packed for me, I started helping coach a Basketball team for 8-12 year olds, I had my first practice for the soccer team I will be playing with, I voted, I went to a Willow Creek Leadership Conference on behalf of The International Justice Mission, helped collect boxes for the Christmas Child Program, I spoke, and participated in a Theological discussion Small group. Not to mention, meeting with the couple (Chris and Eva) that I am starting a small group with on Saturday, which was more fun than work.

Where to start? We have a new president-elect in the USA and that is always a good thing to get past the election. It was funny being over here in the Netherlands I had forgotten how historic it is that an Africa-American is going to be our new president. I was reminded of this from my father and pastor, who both lived through the civil rights times of the 60’s and my own personal looking back over U.S. history, regardless of political views or who you voted or didn’t vote for, this is historic that we as a country elected a Black man.

I continued my volunteer work with International Justice Mission (IJM) by manning a table at the Willow Creek Leadership Conference in Lelystad, just north of Amsterdam. It was humbling to see the response of people who were moved by the mission of IJM and want to get involved. There were Pastors and leaders from all over the Netherlands and people wanted to do everything they could to help, from Praying for the Mission to a group of young men who wanted to go and do a raid for IJM. I was very pleased to see how these people were willing to help those in need on the other side of the world. I am very excited to see what will happen with IJM Netherlands.

I was able to help collect boxes for the Operation Christmas Child and it was awesome!! Being able to see adults, kids, families come up and give gifts, which will be distributed to kids around the world. It was very touching. I remember two little kids a boy and girl, bother and sister, who were both so proud of the boxes they had shopped for and packed. They wanted to make sure that their boxes would be delivered to another child. It was very touching to see kids so young be so selfless and concerned for others. Needless to say this was a high point of my week.

Monday night I met for the second time with a group of people who are wrestling through theological questions. We shared a meal, which my friend Dirk and I prepared…mainly Dirk, but I cut vegetables. We ate food, had some laughs then engaged in a good teaching by Andrew Perriman. We covered many subjects and had some good conversations surround questions of theology and scripture. It was a good night of wrestling with tough questions of God, faith and life; we didn’t come up with a lot of answers, but had some profound thoughts along the way.

Sunday night we had a worship evening. Kevin had asked me to prepare some remarks for this service, nothing big just 5-7 minutes. The theme for the evening was wholehearted ness. I was very nervous, but have learned that if I am going to speak I have to distract myself right up until I am going to speak, that helps my nerves go away. I gave my talk; it was about the Shama (The Jewish Prayer in Deut. 6, Hear oh Israel, The Lord your God, the Lord is one…), the story of the widow who gave her last two coins (Mark 12:42-44), and some of my life. The basic point was that God delights in the simple daily obedience that we give him. As the widow gave her extremely modest tithe and Jesus us said, “…this widow has given more than anyone else…” I challenged us as individuals and a church to ask God what are our two coins we can offer to God. How can we make ourselves wholeheartedly available to God?

I was very humbled by the response of this talk. Its weird, when I was up there, I was so nervous, wondering why are all these people starring at me? Not knowing what people are thinking, I was very nervous and uncomfortable. After the service, I had people coming up to me and saying how much they appreciated the talk. How they found it very meaningful to them. I was even told that one man said, “that he went to the communion table for the first time in 30 years because of my words.” That was more than I could bear, I don’t know how to handle that kind of statement. I do not have an emotional category to deal with those types of compliments. Its two days later and I am still overwhelmed by how God moved in that service and worked through me.

I am not one who is looking to be in the limelight. After the service I started stacking chair, not because it was the humble servant thing to do, but because its what I know. It’s easier for me to go and stack chairs than stand in front of a crowd and share my heart. Those of you, who know me, know that I am more comfortable stacking chairs, swinging a hammer or sitting with a couple friends talking.

I do know that this is an area that God is challenging me to step out in and that despite my fears and nerves I have to be obedient. Whether people like it or not, its more about putting myself in a place where I know I have to rely on God and not just myself. This was a stretching and challenging thing for me to do, but I am glad I did it and I am looking forward to the next time I can share to see what God will do.

Well this was another good week in Den Haag. Till next time, “That’s All Folks.”

Jason Cutshall

Prayer Requests:
1) My cousin Zach is having knee surgery today, Tuesday nov 11th, pray for him and his speedy recovery.
2) I am part of a new Small Group plant, pray it goes well
3) We are planning a Christmas Party for Crossroads church, pray it is a good time of fun
4) Pray that God will continue to challenge me and that I will continue to grow
5) Pray for discernment and guidance as I figure out what to do next in my life.

Just a greek week.

Greek, originally uploaded by cutjas.

This week was a relatively quiet week for myself, which was nice and refreshing. I was able to catch up on sleep and get back to some work I still have to do for my degree. This week I was working diligently on my Greek homework. Trudging through it is a good way to describe my work. I have been averaging about 2 verses an hour, hopefully that pace will pick up. It is hard and draining, but I do enjoy the work.

It seems as though I have passed the “tipping point” and keep meeting more and more people. My social life is beginning to take shape as I meet more people. This is definitely a good and welcome thing. Being that I am in the small groups ministry here it is a necessary thing. I have met a couple and we are going to start a small group in Den Haag in the next couple of week. I am excited about that, they are a great couple and are very motivated to start a group.

We also had another International Justice Mission (IJM) meeting this past week. At this meeting we had more new people to help with the effort. I have to be honest it is quiet humbling to be part of this group. There was PR people, International lawyers, International journalists, and international businesspeople. Then there was me. Don’t worry I held my own, but it is humbling to see God bring all these people together for a purpose of Justice. We watched a part of the movie “Amazing Grace.” It was helpful in reemphasizing that freeing people from slavery is an essential task and I am growing more and more passionate about it.

I did have a shocking moment this past week. When I came out of our small groups meeting a guy came up to me. He said, “Are you Jason?” I replied, “yes.” He said, “I am a friend of Jason Smith and Brian Post.” Jason Smith was my freshman year RA at Bethel and has been a long time, somewhat distant, friend. I literally was in shock; this was the last person I expected to see. It was funny, I was speechless, which is not a place I find myself very often. Barry is only here for another month or so, but it was nice to make a Minnesota connection.

It is funny how you get in a mindset that everyone you meeting is going to be from another country or some distant land, then a person from your home pops up and it really shocks you, or at least it shocked me.

I also began playing Basketball this past week at the American School of The Hague also known as the ASH. It was fun, but I am so out of shape, I was sore for two days. I am looking forward to playing on a regular basis it is a very international group, most people are from America, but there are a lot from around the world as well. I am also starting this week to practice with a soccer team.

I know there was a request for some funny stories; I assure you all as soon as I embarrass myself, I will write about it and that for sure will happen. I find it funny how careful these past couple of weeks not to offend anyone or say the wrong thing. The funniest times are when people say things to me in Dutch and since I don’t know how to respond I just smile and walk away. This happens all the time on the bus or in line at the super market. I don’t know what to say, and feel like an idiot every time I have to ask someone to speak English for a simple conversation. I guess that’s all part of transitioning to a new culture.

I will say the church office has been one of the places outside of the Perriman’s home where I have really let myself be who I am. Ok, this is funny. The first week I was here in The Hague, I received a video of a worship band. The band was, to put it mildly, awful. I sent out a message to the staff saying, how much I appreciated they way they welcomed me and I wanted to share with them a little of where I came from. So I sent this link at the end of the email stating how this was the band from my church and maybe we could have them come over and play sometime. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8

The staff loved it! And it was a good way for me to introduce my humor to the office.

Prayer requests:
1) I have been challenged by myself to structure my time better. Up till now I have had a lot of free time and now things are starting to get more busy. I need to create more of a set structure for my time to be more efficient.
2) Prayer time, I need to take advantage of the time I have to pray. It has been easy to get distracted, but I believe I have to buckle down and do some serious praying. Please ask God to assist me in doing so.
3) Small groups: Clearly God is moving people in our church to get more involved on an intimate basis with each other. Pray that we will be able to assist this as much as we can. Pray that as issues arise out of close relationships that God will be there to provide help and guidance.
4) Pray for protection for myself. As more gets put on my plate I will need protection. I know that things will get more stressful and I need covering to help deal with all that is to come.

I watched “Amazing Grace” last night and was moved by the fact that no matter what happened to William Wilberforce, sickness, people shouting him down, finances, loss of friendship. He kept pursuing this goal that God had called him too. I hope none of that happens to me, but I hope and pray more, that if anything does get in my way that God will give me the strength to press on through to the end.

Take care,

Jason Cutshall