Sunday
Up again quite early to finish off the cleaning in the church kitchen before heading off to Chinon with 6 other young adults for the Claire’s baptism.
Claire, you may remember, was the young girl who turned up at my house out of the blue in August 2006 and gave her life to Jesus! She then followed the Alpha course and early in 2007 found a long prayed for job in Chinon. So we said a sad goodbye to our new sister. However, we have kept in contact over the year and been out to visit her last September.
Today was the day of her baptism. It was a wonderful occasion. She shared so honestly about the pain and rejection she had felt in her life and the peace and freedom from fear that life with Jesus gave her. It was a very moving time for me as she was the first person I have seen in France go from conversion to baptism. It was a real priviledge to be there.
The baptsim itself was in a blow-up paddling pool, which in the baking sun the children had to be physically restrained from jumping in! When the moment of the baptism arrived a little voice cried out, "She’s so lucky!"
Another of my language flops: I was taking with a group of people when a man joined our group who is a bee keeper. So I lightly asked him how the bees were going. He mumbled something very quietly and I had no idea what he said, so simply replyed, "Chouette!" (Fantastic!) The bee leeper looked a bit puzzeled and moved on. Paul turned round and said, "Chouette? He just said he had lost 90% of his hives though disease." ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!! D’oh!
