iTeams NL makes it a habit to visit the workers who are members of iTeams NL at least once a year. That is why Barth and Mathilde Companjen headed off in their little Golf. First stop was Germany, to Mitweida, just above Chemnitz. This place used to be called Karl Marx City, indeed we are in the former GDR. The Veldhuizen family live here. It was nice to see that the renovation of their house is taking shape. As a result, they have made room in their home for a refugee family. They also participate in the church and give the necessary attention to "forgotten people".
The second stop was Croatia. The Huisman family lives here. Their calling is to get the Bible available in the languages of the Roma. That is why they work together with leaders in the Roma churches and with organizations that deal with literacy and literature. This work is team work. Jelle is the quiet worker behind the scenes who networks and creates conditions so that others can do their job. The family has 4 children. The three oldest daughters follow distance education through the World School. The lessons come from workbooks and the teacher comes by email or skype.
The third stop was in Serbia. Pier and Joke Meindertsma have exchanged their work in the Netherlands for work among the Roma in and around Novi Sad. Pier combines his task as a Bible teacher, pastor and farmer. With the pupils of a primary school for Roma children, he grows some vegetables behind the school. They regularly visit the camp that is called the remarkable name BanglaDesh. You also feel a bit like that. Pier and Joke have not been there for a year but they already feel at home. They are also making a real investment through learning the language, which isn't easy the older you get. 
The last stop is in Sacalaz, a suburb of Timisoara. Andre and Ligia van der Elst live and work here. Andre is a youth worker in the local church. Ligia is a teacher and she hopes to work again soon after being on maternity leave. Together they have a lot of impact on local youth, especially now that they have left the city and live in the village in the middle of the municipality.
Barth and Mathilde conducted an evaluation and reflection with each couple: how are you doing, do you keep your rest periods, how is your relationship with God and others? Can you manage with what you get?
It was nice to see how faithful God is and how faithful his workers are.