Spring Has Sprung

April 7, 2011

Yes, spring has sprung, the grass is riz, how pretty all the flowers is....or something like that!
All over, the trees are blooming, the flowers are popping out, and it's warmer.  It's fun being in a four-season location again. 

But what's even better, is that we are seeing God at work already.  An elderly gentleman, known and prayed for by our daughter Kathy and her husband David for 8 years, has finally given his heart to the Lord.  What a milestone!  And we are convinced that God is preparing hearts all around us in our little town of Villers-Saint-Paul (45 minutes northeast of Paris); so that at the right time, when they are presented with the opportunity, they will respond.  We hope to be starting a home group soon.

Meanwhile, we eagerly await next Tuesday, April 12, when Harold will get his wrappings removed.  His left arm has been immobilized against his chest for over 5 weeks, and he is SO ready to be free!  Typing with one hand on the computer is no fun!  His main struggle has been how to sleep comfortably.  He is scheduled to preach at our daughter Kathy's church this coming Sunday, April 10. 

Meanwhile, Barb is comfortable shopping, going to the PO, library, etc.  Her French is coming along.  Of course she has a wonderful, live-in French instructor!!

It's VERY French to have a garden, and we moved into a rental home with a classroom-sized back yard FULL of WEEDS!  What a challenge to get it in shape.  But Barb, with her two black thumbs, has jumped in feet first.  Got no less than 5 huge bags of weeds, etc., out to the curb in the past two weeks.  It's fun fixing it up with a view to entertaining our neighbors - a very Frenchy summer thing to do.

We are seeing our neighbors, and everyone (including our post-lady) is sympathetic.  I think everyone up and down the street knows that Harold has a broken arm!!  It does give us exposure!!

More after we've been to the doctor's...

Fall in winter - March update

Well, here we are almost in the middle of March, and there is news!  I promised to share about our neighbors.  Across the street live Jocelyne and Gerard Buros, who have already been over for an afternoon snack.  He gave us some wood for a small repair job in our house (he teaches woodworking), and she is a peschool teacher an director (like Barb used to be in the States! - what a bond!).  Barb has been to see Jocelyne's school and is invited to teach a song in English this week (March 18).

We also met a Portuguese couple down the street, Delfina and Manuel, who are very friendly (on our first visit with them they even told us we could stay in their home in Portugal!!!).  Manuel especially seems very open to Harold sharing the Gospel.

Harold has preached in a couple of churches, and is invited to do more.  His passion is stimulating the members to "make disciples" a la Matthew 28:19-20, thus resuilting in church growth.

There is no home group as yet, but Harold is planning other ways of getting a group going - possibly an evangelistic Bible study.  He had planned to go see the mayor, but "a funny thing happened on the way..."

Monday night, Feb. 28, Harold tripped on some steps leading into the dining room, and, long story short, ended up in ER with a broken left upper arm and a broken rib.  His left arm is immobilized for 3 weeks.  He now has greater empathy for his oldest son, Phil, who's been operating successfully with one arm since age 6!

Barb continues to study French in creative ways: besides the normal venues (French textbooks, TV, computer programs), she learns a lot through children's library books (local library - both in French and bilingual), children's game books (paper and pencil - crossword, word search, follow the directions, etc), and especially a beginning reader for pronounciation help (Harold listens and corrects:).

January 2011

Well, it's been awhile (sorry!!), so it will take a bit to bring you up to date.

We stayed Sept-Oct with daughter Kathy and her husband David Lohnes, waiting one of those months to take possession of a rental home (200+-years-old) in Villers-St-Paul.  Nov. 2 we moved in with 2 chairs, 2 mattresses, 3 end tables and 2 desks.  Not much for the first night, but enough! Shortly thereafter followed a queen bed and a frig; and since then we have slowly furnished the downstairs (LR, DR, K, bath, and small office).  Praise the Lord for thrift stores, donations from family and friends, and safe shipment of our 17 boxes by boat:)  The first picture above shows us in our LR.

The second photo is of Barb on the steps of our home - you can see how we have zero front yard, and we open right onto the sidewalk. An 11th century cathedral towers about 50 feet from our house.  We hear the church bell chiming on the hour and half hour, day and night.

The last pic is of Barb in the kitchen window, also fronting the sidewalk.  She has a "window ministry," as many folks park for a moment by the window, rush to buy tobacco products or lottery tickets at the bar 2 doors down, and then drive away.  Barb, unlike many French, keeps open curtains (discreetly) and presents a positive face to all who care to glance her way.  They are also prayed for!  We have the Light of the World in this dark place, and HE WILL OVERCOME THE DARKNESS!

We are in contact with Sebastien, a young restaurant owner down the street, whom God has laid on our hearts to reach.  We visit regularly, if only for a snack.

A home group is in the making, beginning with a Christian couple - named Dominique and Marie-Flor - who have been "sent" from a downtown Paris church to help plant a church here(we are 45 minutes north of Paris).

We are making friends around the neighborhood - we'll tell you more next time.  Stay tuned - it will be sooner than this last wait!!! :)