Meet the Kempermans….from Hilversum to Paris to Barcelona to ???
By Jeff Slaughter
One of the things I love about FEIC is the opportunity for connections. Whether connections are made at our annual summit in Vienna, at a training program such as the ongoing ‘Church Life’ series, or simply by connecting congregational members with sister FEIC churches, the strength of a network like FEIC relies on the value of its connections. Below is a story about an FEIC connection that began in The Netherlands, continued in France and now is starting anew in Spain.
Jeroen and Maaike Kemperman were part of Hilversum International Christian Center in the Netherlands for several years and were transferred to Paris for work just as Robby Bradford began to plan the ‘The Bridge International Church’ plant in Paris.
The Kempermans arrived in Paris a year before the Bradfords and scouted out areas for housing and a church location, helped settle the team as they arrived and were involved in the life of the church from organizing life groups and serving on the board to running the slides on Sunday morning.
After three years in Paris, the Kempermans are now moving to Spain so Jeroen can attend graduate school. A quick e-mail to Pastors Dan and Kathy Stump was all it took to establish a new connection for the Kempermans in Barcelona. The Stumps rolled out the red carpet for Jeroen and Maaike when they came down for a two-day visit. They had them over for lunch, took them to an appointment, recommended someone to help find housing, and got them back to the airport.
Wow! The Kempermans were so blessed by the Stumps’ hospitality. And to be sure, the Stumps and Barcelona church will be blessed by the addition of this new couple to their church.
The Kempermans journeys from Hilversum to Paris to Barcelona might be an extreme example of FEIC connections but what a great one! Who knows where they’ll land after graduate school? Maybe in your city!
This summer, as some of your folks transition away from your church and city, make sure and connect them with a sister FEIC church if possible. And hopefully, an FEIC church will send you someone in return!
