Life after DEFLE

Well, another reason we were both a bit fed up on Friday was that until then we were French students. Now what are we? And what do we do? What is our role? What does the future hold? etc.

In other words, champing at the bit!

(Also Pat was going down with a nasty infection - she has raised glands, a sore head, vague, generalised aches and a fever. The rest of us are OK.)

Well, here's our plan for the next few weeks:

1) Preparation for preaching on 25th. (Ephesians 2 or Ehud? That's the question.)

2) House-hunting.

On this front we have some folks praying that we will find a suitable house, near the tramway for access to the student work, near the university and near the kids' school, preferably a bungalow; a pool would be nice for the young people, and if it were under 200 000€ that would be very helpful!

There is a big house round the corner from us that we must ring up about, too. It is owned by the Assemblies of God, I think, and used as offices, and it has a "For sale" sign outside. It isn't in the right area and has no pool (!), but it would be a cracking house, I think, if we could afford it.

More seriously, when I remember God's providence in bringing us here I am filled with confidence that he is preparing the way for us now.

3) Do some walking in the city, and maybe some cycling. We have sat in classrooms for 9 months (it feels like non-stop!)

4) Also some preparation for possible preaching in August.

Some delightful Chinese students come to church. One studied at DEFLE this year, another is starting at DEFLE next year. They said this morning, "Are you going to start Bible Studies for Chinese people? There are about 10 people who meet up, but there is no Chinese pastor in Bordeaux." I told them I would give it serious consideration and prayer, and that these things are a team decision, really.

There will be plenty of work to do. Now, if I started working with Chinese people would I need to learn Mandarin or Cantonese..? Actually they all speak French "pretty well". "Better than we do", said our two Chinese language students.

Pray for the Chinese here. There are lots of Chinese students coming to the student centre at the moment, some are very keen. There is also a very noxious Chinese cult that some have previous involvement in, so it's a work that requires lots of patience and untangling.

Comments

minternational said…
Do you know the song that contains the great words, "Ehud fought with his left hand - bop, bam, boom!" The chorus adds, "They were the judges one and all, But not the sort that sit in court; Sent by God when times were tought, Just like Jesus rescues us." A kiddies one but good to see Ehud getting his due.

BTW, are you intent on preaching on a subject that begins with 'e' because June ends with an 'e' or is this mere happenstance???

Happy cycling!
Alan said…
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Alan said…
I did wonder about Ecclesiastes or Esther, I confess, though it began as "happenstance".

I don't know the song but I am keen it learn it, as I am this new word 'tought'. How's the tune go? Is the word pronounced 'towt', 'toft', 'tufft', 'toot', or 'tort'? I hear that any of those are possible.
minternational said…
Ah, thou spotest my typing infelicity! Tough, not tought. The tune is dead simple - I'll send it to you. Maybe you can put your trombone to good use (pretending it was Ehud's weapon??).
Anonymous said…
I'm sure you've posted this information somewhere on this site but I really can't trawl though every entry to find the answer, so my question is - Are you really starting now with a blank sheet of paper? Is there nothing (apart from where you will live) that is a 'given' for your future work? Knowing more would help people to pray, perhaps...
Anonymous said…
I suspect Dickie, that you are going to be absent from this service, you know, the one where Alan toots his trombone. Wise man I imagine!
Alan said…
The "givens" are:

1) Our mission team has a close relationship with a family of churches here in Gironde who are revitalising a small church about 30 miles north of here, and planting a church in Bordeaux itself.

2) Our mission team runs a student centre for evangelism and discipleship which is in the city centre.

Our heart (Pat and myself) is very much in both these works, so really the situation is a lot clearer than our state of mind on Friday would lead us to believe!

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