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La Lumière: June 2022

Newsletters
15 June 2022
La Lumiere
June, 2022
click for printable pdf
Doing yard work
UN
CHANGE BRINGS CHAOS

In leading France's technology team, May has initiated a lot of change. She heard a brilliant colleague, Ben Sisson, say, "Change brings chaos, and chaos brings opportunity." This quote impacted and encouraged her. She even printed it out and posted it on the window of her office. May continues to be an agent of change and opportunity, persevering through the chaos it involves.

Dan recently finished a graphics design project for our human resources department, the transition chart. It is designed to help people process through transitions, analyzing how they experience them on psychological and social levels. It is a very useful tool, shining a light on a time inevitably marked by chaos, anxiety and vulnerability. As his team was giving feedback on the design, they found the material helpful because everyone happens to be experiencing some sort of transition now.

This is exactly where we're at right now, transition chaos. Both of our are boys leaving home, we are moving back to Rennes, and the constitution of our teams is changing. This month, there is also a major leadership transition in Cru here in France, where the three people who have been at the helm for the past 17 years are passing the baton to a team of six. They are hosting an event to celebrate this pivotal moment, be thankful for the past and look ahead to the future. Voilà, persevering through the chaos!

Radio France

Radio France concert hall, another favorite place.

 

Please pray

  • for transitions, that we manage the chaos and trust in the Lord.
  • that we all stay healthy and able to carry boxes!
  • for Silas's summer internship with Amazon in the city of Montélimar (in the south).
Efrem is graduating

Efrem will be gratuating in early July!

The Seine at night

Magical view from the Seine.

DEUX
SAYING GOODBYE TO THE LEATHER GUY

We bought a belt for each of the boys from a leather worker just around the corner. He would often wave to me as I walked by on the sidewalk. He has a young pit bull named Orson who has finally mellowed, and we stop and talk if we cross paths while walking his dog. Even though we see each other rarely, I took the time to talk with him and mention that we're moving away, which he seemed to appreciate. For me, it is a way to say goodbye to Paris and prepare for the move. I also told the fruit and vegetable guy that I wouldn't be seeing him once a week any more because of our move. Same with the butcher, the lady I buy fish from, and the watch repairman. It's important to say goodbye, even to places that have been significant: the park we love to walk through on Sundays, the steps up the hill of Montmartre which serve as our free stair master workout, our go-to bread store on the corner. It also cultivates a spirit of appreciation which is easy to pass over. If you had to move, what people or places would you want to say goodbye to? Does that question spark thankfulness?

Our Signatures

La Lumière: May 2022

Newsletters
15 May 2022
La Lumiere
May, 2022
click for printable pdf
Dan & May in Florence
UN
BEING WELCOMING

You can do what you love, use your talents and serve God at the same time. Really. Most students' experience with Cru is the campus ministry, so why would we expect them to know they could serve the mission computer programming or doing accounting or creating content?! Campus ministry requires a specific skill set and personality, but there is space here for everyone. The digital creations team has the pleasure of welcoming their second intern. His name is Varick, a student in Rennes studying graphics design. While he is motivated for student ministry, when he heard he could use his design skills in Christian work he was thrilled. Varick is very talented, and has already created digital and print posters for our events as well as creating animations for videos. Varick is from the country of Vanuatu. Do you know where that is? If you give your globe a spin and search east of Australia you'll see a group of islands between New Caledonia and Fiji, that's Vanuatu, a country with an estimated 300k inhabitants. Being in France has been a new experience for Varick, discovering new culture, food, and weather. We're happy to add using his God given talents and working for a Christian association to the list. It is also fascinating to hear about Ni-Vanuatu culture, especially how hospitality is so integral. For example, they regularly prepare extra food in case someone might show up, which people often do! Think about that, being open to and even prepared for an unannounced guest who might need a meal or a bed. Isn't that beautiful?

Fixing the tower of Pisa?

Bea is doing the heavy lifting, while May keeps her dry!

Gelato anyone?

Bea and May with their daily dose of gelato.

Dan & May with Varick

Dan and May with Varick

 

Please pray

  • for the preparation for moving to Rennes.
  • that we stay focused on what is most important in our work and in our relationships.
  • for the major transition of leadership teams happening within Agapé France next month.
Resting in Florence
DEUX
GELATO MOMENTS

This month both of our boys participated in a music camp in Italy. We had the chance to do a home exchange with a colleague in Florence, who in turn stayed in our apartment in Paris. Our family had a week of vacation together, including May's mom, Bea, who is visiting us. It was fun to discover the Tuscan region, taste pizza with a super thin crust, and see a myriad of replicas of Michelangelo's sculptural masterpiece, David. Of course, May had to enjoy a daily gelato moment, not that anyone complained. We also visited Pisa which was relatively near, shamelessly joining the zillions of people who have posed pushing on the leaning tower. Interestingly, it was already leaning when only the third story was up, and subsequent floors were built higher on one side to try to compensate. The big bonus was seeing the two concerts for the music camp, where Silas and Efrem played along with other violinists, flutists and pianists of an outstanding level. Now we're back in Paris and earnestly preparing to move at the end of June, which is approaching with surprising speed.

Our Signatures
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