so what did we do about it?
please remember, none of this is recommendation! And I am not saying I would do it the same way again, either.. In fact, I hope never to have to do it again at all!!
Firstly I spoke with a friend who knows me, knows the church and knows UFM. I "confessed" to them my thoughts about working in France, and also my misgivings and concerns (was I mad or bad...) They were supportive and encouraged me to think further, to pray, and to talk to them again when things had moved on further.
Only after that did I talk to Pat about it. Pat had the power of veto, but she was very supportive. We went together to some conferences to find out more.
Some months later I spoke to the elders of the church here. Neither of them was surprised - one had thought we would end up working in Spain, a thought shared by others in the church we later found out.
I visited Bordeaux to "spy out the land". This raised some matters that needed talking through in the family and with friends.
Then I spoke to the rest of the church officers, and when they felt it was time, we wrote to the church members and at that time we talked to our children about it.
Remember, our children are small. Their first reaction to the prospect was unbridled horror! It was a REALLY BAD EVENING and, as usual, I was out at some meeting or other, so Pat had to handle things alone. (I said she is patient! She's had to be!)
That's why we spoke to the children at the same time that we wrote to the church members. It was important that they hear it from us, and that they didn't have any big secrets to keep from everybody.
It was some months later, in May, that we applied to the mission as candidates, following some further church officers' meetings and members' meetings.
Firstly I spoke with a friend who knows me, knows the church and knows UFM. I "confessed" to them my thoughts about working in France, and also my misgivings and concerns (was I mad or bad...) They were supportive and encouraged me to think further, to pray, and to talk to them again when things had moved on further.
Only after that did I talk to Pat about it. Pat had the power of veto, but she was very supportive. We went together to some conferences to find out more.
Some months later I spoke to the elders of the church here. Neither of them was surprised - one had thought we would end up working in Spain, a thought shared by others in the church we later found out.
I visited Bordeaux to "spy out the land". This raised some matters that needed talking through in the family and with friends.
Then I spoke to the rest of the church officers, and when they felt it was time, we wrote to the church members and at that time we talked to our children about it.
Remember, our children are small. Their first reaction to the prospect was unbridled horror! It was a REALLY BAD EVENING and, as usual, I was out at some meeting or other, so Pat had to handle things alone. (I said she is patient! She's had to be!)
That's why we spoke to the children at the same time that we wrote to the church members. It was important that they hear it from us, and that they didn't have any big secrets to keep from everybody.
It was some months later, in May, that we applied to the mission as candidates, following some further church officers' meetings and members' meetings.
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