Hello from Belgium!

Learn about Heavenly Father’s children all over the world.

Belgium is a country in Europe. More than 11 million people live there!

Languages

French edition of the Friend magazine

The official languages are Dutch, French, and German.

Hoe gaat het?

That means “How are you?” in Dutch.

New Temple Coming

Hague Netherlands Temple

The city of Brussels

In 2021, President Russell M. Nelson announced that a temple will be built in Brussels, Belgium’s capital city. Until it is built, people in Belgium go to the Hague Netherlands Temple (shown above).

Giant Staircase

Long staircase

The city of Liège has a big staircase called “Montagne de Bueren.” It has 374 steps! It’s so tall that part of its name means mountain. Imagine having to walk up those stairs to get home!

Lots of Chocolate!

Chocolates in rows

Belgium is known for its chocolate. Around 200,000 tons of chocolate are made there each year. That’s the same as the weight of about 100,000 cars!

Activity

Rolle Bolle

Child rolling a ball

Play a version of this game outside. Find an object to use as a target and a small ball for each player. Place the target on the ground far away and split players into two teams. The teams take turns rolling balls at the target. The players can also try to knock the other team’s balls away from the target. The game ends after each player has a turn. The team with the closest ball to the target wins!

Recipe

Waterzooi

White stew with chicken and carrots

This is a traditional stew from Belgium. Here’s a version you can try!

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot. Cook 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped large carrots, and 2 chopped celery stalks for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil.

2. Add 2 pounds (1 kg) chopped chicken and cover for 20 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup cream, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 egg yolk. Stir into the pot. Add more broth if needed.

4. Cook for 2 more minutes on low, without letting the pot boil.

Be sure to get an adult’s help!

Story PDF

Illustrations by Chrisanne Serafin