Mum and Dad visit
For those of you that know my family I thought you might want to see a few family snap shots!
My parents in the main city square by one of the many Joan of Arc monuments.
Me and dad outside Chambord - a castle!
Alpha Begins!
Hello again! We have just had our first Alpha meeting on Thursday night. Before it we spent 2 days cleaning the room! It was just a store room packed with spare table and chairs. Everything had to be rearranged and then washed. My parents are here visiting at the moment so they both mucked in and we got the job done a lot more quickly.
During the cleaning process….
And after!
The night itself was quite hectic! There was a little crisis with the food but we managed. Alltogether (leaders and kitchen folk) we were 15…8 not yet Christians. The meal was nice, we watched the video together. It is the new French version of Alpha, it follows the same pattern as Nicky Gumble but uses French cultural references and jokes. However, at the end he did a little call to salvation which I think shocked people. We then split into discussion groups over coffee and cake. My group was very chilled and the people were really keen to get to know about Jesus. On the other hand, group number 2 were very argumentative and loud!! I think it is French culture to ‘argue’, but still the noise level scared me somewhat!
Please pray for the participants and us as leaders that God would soften hearts and reveal his Truth.
PRAY!
ALPHA STARTS TONIGHT AT 7.30PM. PLEASE PRAY.
How amazing are God’s coincidences?!
Yesterday morning I had to go across the city to meet another pastor about Alpha. It was going to be my first trip in my car alone. I was quite nervous, but I managed really well and felt quite comfortable. I even got lost on the way home and ended up on the city ring road which is nightmare - but I managed! I thought, "There must be some people praying for me because to feel this at home on the roads this quickly is not ‘natural’."
Then…my parents were due to arrive in the afternoon. They rang at 5pm saying they were stuck the other side of the city and had no idea how to get accross. Could I go and find them? Well amazingly it was the one and only route that I know - past the church I visited in the morning!!!! So I was able to drive across the city in rush hour traffic and find my parents and then have them follow me home - without getting lost! Amazing! I don’t think I could do that in Preston!! How amazing is God?!
Wooo hoooo!!
I have a little car!! How exciting!!
(Please note the good parking which was done on the first attempt!)
I now have the HUGE challenge of naming her. (She of course is female) So if you have any ideas let me know - quickly! I can’t drive round with her being nameless for too long…
After picking up the car I went to the local supermarket to get petrol. It is SO strange driving a right-hand drive. My left hand just kept automatically reaching for the gear stick and finding the door handle!! It’s soo exciting knowing I can go out now at night. (the busses stop at 8pm here) I have freedom! Hurah!!
On another note a bit more cultural, September is the ‘Foire aux Vins’ in the supermarkets. The pastor said, in all seriousness, that it was part of my training to understand wine so he took me wine shopping!! Ha ha!! It was amazing, there is a HUGE choice, I’ll have to try get a photo tomorrow. Being English and buying by price doesn’t work - anything over 2 euros (£1.40) is apparently good to drink! It was like a whole little party in there. Strangers were all giving advice to each other on what tasted good and what was a good year etc etc. I’m afraid I simply opted for those with a pretty ticket. 
However, with Jean-Marc’s help I came away with a rainbow variety of wines from all over France. Considering I’ve been here 3 months, bought one bottle and never opened it, I think it will take me quite a while to get through it all!
Almost got there…
I paid for the car today! Hurah! So officially it is mine. However, I can’t drive it away yet becuase I have to get insurance. Of course this is France and it isn’t easy. Typical. 
Anyway, I’m off to the town hall now to sort out the tax papers and everything and then this afternoon we have to try again and get insurance. Life in France is one big paper chase…
Ha ha ha!!!
Look at this photo of me taken by another pastor during a VERY LONG meeting!!! Ha ha! It was riveting!!
Ha ha ha!!!
But the others weren’t that excitable either…
Not a nice evening…
I was walking back from Bible study just now and a flasher did what they do out side my building door. Luckily I was inside but it is a glass front… Quite shaken as you can imagine I rang the police. They were very well organised and were round in 5 minutes and took me in the car around the neighbourhood to see if we could spot him. Which we didn’t.
Anyway, I’m feeling pretty shakey still and quite insecure. I know these people are not usually dangerous, just idiots. But please keep my security in your prayers.
Help!
Life is really speeding up now and I’m feeling the strain - worrying that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Please pray with me. I have been feeling ill for the past week. Just REALLY tired and no appitite. I’m not usually ill and I think it might just be all the changes…whatever it is, it isn’t nice! I also have a really bad back which is stopping me sleeping - this just adds to the problems. 
More positively…Yesterday afternoon I forced a few lemsips down and went to suss out the local Kayak club. They were suitabley disorganised and very relaxed, I felt at home! We spent 2 hours paddling down the Loire in about 28 degree heat - lovely! It was hard work however as there wasn’t much water and I have 2 HUGE blisters to proove it. When I told them I worked at the Baptist church they all huddled together and talked about me - not very quietly. I can tell that I’m still in the ‘test’ time and that they really aren’t that open to me yet. But they didn’t freak out as many French do, so I was encouraged! I will be going to the pool session on Wednesday so hopefully they will see that I’m not weird or trying to win them to a sect…
Tomorrow up very early to catch a train to Tours for the ECM team day. I’m REALLY looking forward to meeting up with the others. It gets quite lonley on your own. Then I’m staying over night with Susanne and Fritz - other ECM missionaries - and then to Bourges for the Baptist Pastor’s meeting on Tuesday. They are discussing church membership. Don’t think I’ll have much to offer as I have never been a church member!! Opps! It’s something new for me this…
Alpha
I’ve been given the green light for Alpha and it’s full steam ahead! However, can you pray for me please! The past 2 days the realisation has hit me about how much work this is going to be and I’m getting quite scared. The biggest part is the practical side - Like how am I going to cook a meal for at least 15 which reaches acceptable French standards?! Arghh!! We have yet to find a TV and DVD player. There are lots of possible problems. But I know God is greater and that he has it all in control…I just don’t see that right now! Please pray for peace and trust. Thanks!
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