As many of you were reading the post last week, we were headed about an hour and a half south to our second wedding since arriving in France.
Wedding Bells
Sylvain and I met during the 2001-2002 school year when I was teaching French at the University of New Brunswick and he spent a year there as an exchange student from France and was my Teaching Assistant. Our friendship remained and shortly after our arrival in January, we received their wedding invitation in the mail.
We arrived the day before and Sylvain and I went zip-lining with several of his friends (what a blast!) while Liz & the kids stayed back at his parents’ house where the kids made good use of the pool!
Following the civil ceremony, we spent 2.5 hours on a river boat, cruising the Charente River; catching up with a few folks we knew and getting to know others as well. The meal went until about midnight but we didn’t get home until after 3:00am due to torrential rains. There was time for a “night-nap” before getting up for church.
1st Century
The photo above Sylvain & Camille shows the kids (along with their Travel Buddies) at the ruins of a Gallo-Roman Arena in Sylvain’s hometown of Saintes. In Roman times the city was known as Mediolanum Santonum and it was then, during the 1st century, that they built the arena, the ruins of which are visible behind the kids. Pretty neat to think that it was being built as the New Testament was being written!
Fond Farewell
Almost immediately following Sunday morning service, Andy (our Bible School student) and I drove Miranda to the airport where she caught a plane home the following morning.
We’re thankful for a young person willing and able to spend a couple of weeks familiarizing themselves with and contributing to the work of God here in France!
Bible School
After dropping Miranda at the airport hotel, we headed to Melun (an hour away) for an intensive week of Bible School where classes began at 7:30am and we typically left the building around 9:00 pm.
I taught for 2 hours each day on the Epistles but was also involved in grading students’ oral theses (they pick from over 100 questions out of a hat and must teach a short Bible Study on it. Very impressive).
On Tuesday, classes had to be cut short due to a funeral for a young person from the Melun church who died unexpectedly, making it a tough day overall. That evening was the normal midweek service in which 3 of the IBF students brought short messages to the congregation.
You can also see the IBF instructors for the week including fellow AIMers and fellow New Brunswickers, Rev. Kevin & Crystal Wallace who are furlough replacements for Bro. & Sis. Nowacki. I’m very much enjoying the chance to work with and get to know this couple. Their ministry to the church in Melun, following the unexpected death of that young person, has been “hand in glove”… The Lord always knows!
Coffee & “Crash”
Last night was a “drive home & crash in bed by 9:30pm” kind of night. Very glad for a low-key Saturday morning with coffee brewing.
As you drink your coffee and read about our goings on, thank you for letting what you read, inform your prayers. Through Christ we can do all things but without him we can do nothing (Philippians. 4.13 & John 15.5).
God bless you today as you go about your day!
First stop… “Forever 21” a clothing shop she knew of on Rue de Rivoli… where she eventually scored a few deals. One of the biggest treats that we walked out with though, was the company of two friends – Angela 
One of the things that was pretty cool 
Monday morning we had breakfast at the hotel with the Wallaces before heading into Paris for a quick visit to the Arch of Triumph. It’s one thing we’d not yet done and Liz’s friend Milena was still in town so we got to do it together which made it extra special.
Yep…. eighteen! They arrived with about 40lbs of other things. Let me explain:
We weren’t only glad to get the goodies that she brought, it was also nice to spend time with a familiar face from home. Milena was one of the first folks that Liz got to know when she began at Air Canada 18 years ago.
We recently got a couple of other things from North America as well:
A few years ago, Liz & I translated Bro. Timothy C. Mitchell’s 
Ahh… at last. The kids have been getting to know two kids who’ve been spending lots of summer-vacation time with their grandparents, who live across the street from us. Last night they went for an evening swim at the same lake where 
If you find yourself in open water and the wind kicks up you can easily get in trouble given the canoe’s shape and the way they ride low in the water. The canoe will rock & roll with the crests & troughs if you remain parallel with the waves and, if they are rough enough, you can easily capsize. Still, it’s not impossible to safely navigate such water… the secret is to drive the canoe into the waves… crossing them perpendicularly. In this way they slice the waves, rather than being victim to them. We would do well to face trial & difficulty head-on as well: Tackling and mastering it rather than hesitating and falling victim to the agitation that it can bring.
French National Holiday: This past Tuesday was the French National Holiday… July 14th. Oddly enough, it’s often referred to as “Bastille Day” in North America but not so here. It’s either “le 14 juillet” or “la fête nationale”. Pictured are some of the fireworks with the Henri IV bridge as backdrop. 
Jayc: many of you saw our Facebook post last Monday about Jayc 
As I sit down to share with you our week, the sun is already high and there is a cool breeze coming through the open door behind me, causing the drapes to brush up against the back of the chair… this chair… the one in the photo. Usually I avoid laptopping in the living room but this morning I’m making an exception. I’ve spent a lot of time this week in the office upstairs and need a change.
Do you help promote missions in your local church?
AIM Long 