HUGE shout-out to Bro. & Sis. Kabasele who look after our Sunday School! Further down, you’ll see the fruit of their labour… via video. First, a run down of the week.
Fall-Back…
Last weekend we officially “Fell-back”… meaning that rather than a 5h time difference with the folks from home, there is only a 4h difference (until North America “falls back”). We appreciated the extra hour sleep… it’s like a “mini-vacation of wonderfulness” that happens once-a-year.
Other people’s kids…
Back home it was a Sunday afternoon tradition. During Sunday School, at least one of our kids would get in cahoots with a friend and, before leaving church, we’d hear:
“Can so-and-so come over for the afternoon?” or
“So-and-so invited me for the afternoon… can I go?”
(pleas were followed by “puppy-dog-eyes”)
This past Sunday, for the first time since coming here, that happened & we had someone else’s kids in our house for the afternoon. I can’t tell you what it meant! It’s something pretty small really… but for the kids it was like a taste of home. It did our hearts good!
In Preparation:
This was a week of preparation for 3 things in particular:
1. Bro. Brochu’s return: Though not yet returning definitively, Bro. Brochu arrived Thursday for special meetings and will come to Châtellerault Tuesday. In preparation, we’ve continued working on the church grounds (we have 2.5 acres) and will all stay after church tomorrow… eating together and doing the last bit of clean-up.
Also, I made a quick trip to Paris on Wednesday to take his car up for use during his time back. I returned by train later that evening.
Note: I may or may not have visited Starbucks. (shhh… don’t tell Liz & the kids!)
2. National Youth Convention: November 6-8 will see 800-1,000 young people from across France and throughout Europe come to Melun for the annual youth convention. There were some logistical things to work out to get our group there.
3. New Year PIM Effort: In the New Year, I’ll be launching tools for existing and prospective financial partners. I began working on those this week.
Note: We live off of roughly $1,500 USD ($1,900 CAD) per month but several “annual costs” either have recently or will soon put pressure on our finances:
– 2015-16 Homeschool curriculum & shipping: $5,000
– Family health insurance: $3,000
– Car insurance: $1,500
– Car inspection & any repairs: unknown
Oh yes… it was also a “Pentecostal Messenger” week so that took up a good day and a half as well.
A Good Feeling
One of the things I’ve noticed over the past two weeks is a bit of a shift during our services. Last Wednesday night (Oct.21) was a prayer-focused night and then this past week, on Tuesday, was a regular Bible study. In both of these services however… the presence of the Lord was incredible.
And finally…
This is a 2min video of our kids’ contribution to service last Sunday.
Thank you for praying for them… some really great things are happening with our young people!
Prayer
If I could ask you to be in prayer about one thing this week it’d be this. During Bro. Brochu’s time in Châtellerault this week, we will also be mapping out what happens upon their return to the field (expected in March). Pray for the hand of God to direct those conversations.
Thank you for visiting.
Let what you read inform your prayers for us and for France!
It was their first time to visit us here in Western France and the first time that we’d had a bit more of a prolonged visit since our arrival in Europe last January. We visited Châtellerault, walked through Île Cognet and shared Thanksgiving dinner last Saturday.
While Liz’s parents were here, we also tried out a special little restaurant for the first time: Le Caribou Café.
Sunday afternoon we attended a local chocolate festival.
My involvement in IBF, gives me a chance to get out of Châtellerault each month; to see other places and spend time with different people. Pastors can relate to this and particularly home-missions pastors… sometimes you need to connect with people outside of your local congregation.
Since we now had an abundance of 4′ logs, branches & brush, we thought it’d be fun to have our midweek service by the fire and make it a time of extended fellowship as well.
Thursday night we spent the evening counseling a young couple who were in need of a nudge in the right direction. It was a positive time and opens the door a little bit wider for the Lord to work in their life. Following our time with them, we stopped by a local restaurant to put into practice some of what we’d advised them to do… take time together.
AIM Long 