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By Brent Hoffman
Our path to Belgium has been a winding
road. We started as missionaries in Central
America where we spent five years before
a variety of reasons necessitated a move.
While we were heartbroken to leave the
church we had planted in Costa Rica, we
also knew that God had very firmly closed
the door to us there. We were so blessed to
leave the church in good hands and to know
that our people were well taken care of.
Many of the ones we led to the Lord stay in
contact with us to this day.
At the time, we were not sure what to do
or where to go. An offhanded comment
by a good friend who is a missionary in
Belgium got us thinking, working, and most
importantly praying. To move from Costa
Rica to Belgium was almost an impossibility
given the logistics of moving a large family
10 internationally. That is how we know God
was in it. I cannot tell you how many times
Jen and I have looked at each other and
said, “Only God could have done this.” God
truly went before us and opened doors that
really should have been nailed shut. It was
awesome to watch, although I am saying that
in retrospect. I was not nearly as trusting
when we were in the middle of it all!
We came to an established ministry, Calvary
Baptist Church. There is a large NATO
military base near the church and a smaller
American military base as well. While the
church has been predominantly military
through the years, it is my desire to reach
out to the locals and have a nice blend
of Belgians and soldiers. When we door
knock, we never know what nationality will
open the door. We have talked with every