Wednesday, July 09, 2008

French week


On the way home
Originally uploaded by sraabs.
Last week Scott took five young people down to Marseille, France for a week of "Christians on Mission". This is a program set up by the church there in Marseille to encourage young people to learn more and be practical in their Christianity. There are lessons in the morning and in the afternoon and evening there are opportunities to serve, reach out, share and live what we have heard about.

Scott, Stephan, Sean went with Isha and Kyana Verheijen and Valéri Ubachs in Ruud Verheijen's car (a Fiat Multipla seats 6 and has room for baggage) down to Marseille. Or at least, that was the plan. The car broke down about 90 minutes from Marseilles - in the left-most lane of the highway in the middle of traffic. (Wanda Martin and Dino Maisano are already going "Aahh!") But the car really didn't have too big a problem (it was taken back to Belgium and has already been fixed) and that meant that we began a great adventure without the worry of a foreign car in a big city.

And it was definitely an adventure! We finally got to Marseille and into bed around 3 a.m. But it was a great beginning for a week of learning how to be flexible, how to share and how to keep each other focused on what really matters! Lessons were often in French (translated into English), it was almost always hot, we did a lot of walking, a lot of singing and a lot of helping - and it was all great! Amazing what a right attitude will do for your days.

In the meantime we have made it back home and everyone is sad that it went by so quickly. We all made new friends, stretched our view of what is possible in our lives, and grew in faith. We are looking forward to what God is doing with us each and every new day!