Dear Gospel Centre,

I've been waiting and waiting for something exciting to tell all of you and all of a sudden, it seems like 2003 has just moved on and it's nearly Christmas! So let's catch up….

Darija and I have moved back from New Delhi, India after my project was completed. We had an amazing time in India. It was such an experience. We were not sure what to expect, but it was so much better than we could have hoped for. The people of India are so warm and hospitable. It was like you asking someone for directions, and five minutes later you were in their house, drinking tea (chai) with their family and having a great discussion about everything under the sun. They even talk about politics! My work was good, it was a learning curve for me too, and I enjoyed doing it. I have put a lot of time and energy in it, which sometimes meant that I hardly saw Darija. Luckily she found something worthwhile to do during the day, as she worked in a home for HIV/AIDS infected and affected children. It was something she really enjoyed doing. Plus we made so many good friends, that she never had to be lonely.

It's in India that we recognised so many values and morals that seem to have been forgotten in the western world. Like family above work. Believe us when we say that life is hectic there - the traffic is worse than central London peak hour, first of all because of the cows everywhere, and then the busses that only look out for cows and other busses, but don't worry about any other traffic, and then not to mention the scooters and motor bikes, motorised rickshaws and Hindustan taxi's that squeeze in to every possible opening in front of them so as to get to their destination that much faster than yesterday. Even at work, everything is hectic - India has a reputation of being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, and they need to keep up that reputation - people work hard in India. But, when someone in the family is in hospital or is sickly, work and everything just stops. The whole family will get together to support each other. Even on the other end of the scale, when there's a wedding, the WHOLE family attends, and some of these weddings can last for days. The family is the core of India, it's their cohesive - it's what keeps India strong. They have the utmost respect for each other and will go to great lengths to ensure that the extended family is ok. That is the greatest lesson that we have learnt from being there - the selflessness of the individual for the betterment of the family. We loved being part of a greater family, it's just that we couldn't find that in a church in New Delhi. We found a Christian Life Centre with lots of African people, but we never really felt part of a spiritual family like we did with you. We do admit that in London we had to search for a while before we found you, and we didn't really do that much searching in India. We missed you all so much then. We miss you all now.

Unfortunately my job contract wasn't extended in July and Darija and I were without a job. Darija went straight to Holland and got a job in the first month. What could I expect from such a woman. She now works part time in the Hague for one of the largest adoption agencies in Holland called "wereldkinderen". Translated, this means Children of the world. Darija has been taken on for a contract of six months and is now doing intake sessions with adoptive parents, mainly for South Africa. It's a bit of a drive from Groningen, where we're staying (if you're going to look it up, look right at the top right hand of the Netherlands - it's the biggest city up there), so she takes the train down on Tuesday morning and the train back up on Wednesday evening. A bit tiring, but it's good work.

So what am I doing you might ask? I am still looking for a job in the north of Holland - people keep telling me that the economy is really tight and people are being laid off left right and centre (which is true, actually), but there's a few things that Darija and I have learnt. Such as not to worry about the future. Such as not to worry about what God has in store for us. About what's going to happen with our lives. It's actually quite hard, and writing it down makes it sound so simple, but it took us a whole three months just to learn to "let go and let God". We still talk about what our future might look like - where are we going to be, what will we be doing - will it be in the Netherlands or in India or wherever? But we've learnt to involve God in these talks and He always has the last word, a comforting word - it's like a kind of peace that enters both our hearts and we can look at each other and smile, knowing that it's all in His hands.

We've gone back to our church where we grew up, and where we got married. A lot has changed here and it's good to be part of a family again, just like when we were with you in London. We really missed that in India. That sense that there are people just around the corner that want you to get closer to God, that want you to be a success, that care about you. That's what we had with you guys, and that's what we still have with a lot of you.

We want to say thank you for letting us into your church, into your lives, into your hearts. Thank you for the memories, the joys, the laughs, the discussions. Thank you for being our family. Keep that family spirit - that is such a strength, such a blessing.

At the moment it looks like we're focussing on staying in the Netherlands, with just one possibility of working in India again. We promise to come to the Gospel Centre again, hopefully before Christmas. If anyone wants to come and visit us, you're more than welcome (please note: we don't have any accommodation yet, but I can book hotels for you), but we have to warn you, it's getting pretty cold up here. Our email addresses are: darija_kupers@yahoo.co.uk and xanderkupers@hotmail.com.

God bless you and your families. Love,

Xander and Darija Kupers