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Wow...March sneeks up quickly...even in a leap-year!
We said February would be full and it was! You can check out my blog for a quick report and video of the French Christian Education Conference that our church and school hosted together last weekend. The theme was the Father Heart of God in Education. As Angela mentioned in her most recent newsletter, the issue of the Father Heart of God is problematic at a national level in France and so teachers need to get healed themselves before being able to pass that truth on to their students. So this was a weekend to sow the Father Heart of God into Christian teachers in the French-speaking world.
For all involved in the organization and execution of the conference there were challenges and difficulties, but the overwhelming feeling was of being in the Father's hands and sensing His pleasure in His children. That was very special! Additionally, the incredible effort and teamwork was a beautiful sight. That, in itself, was a big blessing to be a part of. It's one of the things we see regularly here and fills our hearts tremendously. We shared in the feeling of being blessed...as we shared in some of the frustrations! For example, one of the issues that we face frequently right now is the very challenging exchange rate between the euro and the dollar. (When I wrote this, it had just hit a new low.) It's one reason we seek a different immigration status; one that allows us to earn a bit of extra money from a "euro source" to supplement the generous giving of our regular financial supporters. As members of YWAM France, we are entitled to buy products from YWAM Publishing for 50% off, provided we either give them away or re-sell them at the full retail price. So, we planned to sell some specific titles during the teacher's conference. I had arranged for 1400 euros (retail price) worth of books to be delivered to our school to re-sell and earn some extra money. Well, the conference took place at the end of a 2-week school holiday, and as a general policy (which we were unaware of!), the shipping company puts school-addressed orders aside to be delivered once schools re-open, which was after the conference was over! I couldn't even go and pick it up at their depot, as it had already been shrink-wrapped to a big pallet of orders. That was one of the disappointments we had to put back in the Father's hands during the weekend. But we have the books now, and our pastor is eager to have these books offered during other events throughout the year. Speaking of immigration status...that brings me to my mayor's meeting. I had wanted to meet with the local mayor to see if there were anything that he, personally, could offer towards a more permanent immigration status (permission to work, etc.). I arrived (nicely dressed, I might add...big sacrifice for me! :) ) and was ushered into his office, only to be greeted by his 1st assistant because he was home sick! This guy was nice enough, but he was a bureaucrat with only "the standard solutions" up his sleeve. He even called in his "expert"- the same lady we meet with at least twice a year to do our regular immigration paperwork! The fact that I was there however, did engender some digging into alternative steps we could take. It also was an occasion for the mayor's office to state plainly that they looked on us favorably. I suspected that, but it was nice to hear it, and we hope that moves us forward. The good news is that our 1-year residence permits finally came in while we await the decision on Rachel's first request for a residence permit as an adult. A favorable decision there could be key. We continue to advance slowly in having the school hire me. The ball is now in the court of the local employment office. |
- Establishing - Pray for a favorable decision for Rachel's residence permit and progress in the process to hire me at school.
- March Madness - It's hopeless...we're hoopless here! :( Here's a snapshot of another full month:
- This week starts off with singing at a funeral. It's for the father of two of the ladies we're closest to at church.
- Continuing the rest of the week is an annual seminar by one of the well-known prophets in France: worship leading and "technology administration" at church all week.
- The following week a team of about 2 dozen French (language) students from two Christian schools in Illinois come for a week of connection with our school: Logistical liasons and translations all week long
- Rachel comes home for spring break just as they leave.
- Angela celebrates her birthday on Easter weekend, and then a Swiss church is having a retreat week near us, so our church will be helping them with worship and translation activities.
- Finally, I cap off the month with a weekend of networking and relational connection with French intercessors in Lyon.
Please pray that we walk in our Father's love and provision all month and not our own strength. Pray also for rich relational connections that build the Body of Christ here in France and across the nations!
- Connections - Speaking of connections, as you may be aware, I enjoy making and nourishing connections between people, groups, etc. I consider it very much a part of "what we do as missionaries." At the moment, there are several people/couples (Americans) with whom I'm in contact, that are feeling stirred about their future and where France fits into that...for some that may include moving here. It's an exciting and daunting prospect to step out in faith in that sort of call! I don't want to give a bunch of details about each situation. What I'd appreciate though, is prayers for an open immigration gateway into France. I've heard many call 2008 "the year of the gate." I'm ready to see the gateway between America and Europe re-open! God calls things that are not as though they were, (Romans 4:17) so let's join with the intercession of Jesus and call for openings in immigration into France, and housing, and jobs, and provision for those that He has called over here.
- Positioning - This is the month, all over France, when municipal elections are held. Town councils and mayors are elected. The local foundations that affect daily life for millions of French people will be laid on the two election days, the 9th and the 16th of March. Completely without our effort or intention, about 10 ladies from our church have been asked to join the candidates for town council. We see this as both a response to our prayers to be injected into all the spheres of society to carry the Kingdom of God, and a subject of a new level of intercession to really be able to live out that call, both in the electoral process and if elected, in the duties of the council. Please pray for the French municipal elections that God's positioning hand would prevail, and specifically for those in our church that the Lord is positioning for a new kind of impact for the Kingdom of God in our communities.
Until next time,
David |