A Rare Treat!

How cool that we got to spend time with part of the Missionary Family in France, a week or so ago – both in our home for supper, at church for service and at Tim Horton’s (where else?).

Marcus and Renee Brainos are currently on deputation for their second term in France.  Having spent the first term in Melun, at the headquarters church (where we met in 2009), they will branch out during their second term and head down to the southern city of Nice (pronounced: Neece), establishing a new French-language work there.

Deputation Travels

The Brainos’ were with us in the context of their deputation travels. It was the first time that they’d been to Mission Point and there was a great connection between them and the church congregation.

Bro. Brainos, brought out some incredible information on France:

• There are currently 20 United Pentecostal Churches or preaching points in France… meaning that there is one for every 3,000,000 people in the country. Compare that to roughly- one church per 90,000 in North America or
  – one church per 12,000 in New Brunswick.
• Statistics in France tell us that there are some 700 people who attempt to take their own lives each year. I don’t know about you… but that’s a lotta hope that’s missin’.

As of the publishing date for this post, they will have been travelling for just under 1 year (having begun in May 2013.) and they may have to be on the road for another year before they are able to get back to France.  If you would like to contribute to the Brainos family’s missionary support, send them an email by clicking here where you’ll see the Email Us button.

 More numbers

One of the things that I’ve begun working on recently are stats for the city of Châtellerault itself. I want to be able to understand the city when we get there.  I realize that numbers do not tell the whole story… but they are part of the story.

Already I can tell you that Liz and I fit right into the average age of adults in Châtellerault, which – I think – is a good thing. It means that there will undoubtedly be a good number of families similar to ours in terms of age and age of children… allowing us to connect – at least in theory – with them.

Keep an eye out for that in coming weeks.

Bowtie Madness!

(I mention this only because it’s in the picture that I’d thrown on Instagram and which I’m using for this post.)

I’m not typically a bowtie type of guy, however Bro. Brainos is and it just so happened that the afternoon of their arrival, I was in the mall and found this purple-ish bowtie at RW & Co. I was in a rare “buying mood” and thought I’d pick it up and wear it as a tribute to my good brother!

Quote of the Evening!

I’ll end this post on a not so serious, but oh-so funny note which, in order to understand, you must know that Bro. Brainos’ father was French (from France) and his mother American (from Illinois) and the family made no fewer than six trans-Atlantic moves during his school-years.

“I’m half-French and half-American…
so basically I hate myself!”

 I know it’s not truly as bad as all that… but I do get the idea of cultural duality.

Thank you for sharing your burden Bro. & Sis. Brainos… we look forward to working together, for the sake of God’s Kingdom, in France!