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| This post is for those of you who have been asking about our France trip (back in April). We are sending out a short letter with some info in it in our Christmas cards, and for our supporters - we'll be sending you a follow up email that gives you a little more detail about the trip, since we won't be able to see all of you this season, and a Christmas card doesn't quite do justice...
To give you a little history on France's current situation - there are a great number of people who are Catholic in France, but most of them are Catholic in name only. Secondly, France has experienced a hugh influx of Muslims from French speaking African countries and other areas. It is now the second largest religion in France. This gives you a bit of background on what the missionaries in France are up against - two religions that are very deceptive in regard to the Truth, the Way, and the Life.
For the most part, the job that Adam and I had on the trip was to encourage the students, and motivate them to be involved in the ministry opportunities provided to them. They were all an incredible blessing to us. We were the youngest couple on the trip, so the students found it very easy and ...dare I say..."cool"...to hang out with us, and confide in us when they were nervous or excited, or whatever emotion they might have been feeling. The other opportunity that we had during our trip was to minister to the missionary couples in France. Many of the couples in France are just a few years older than Adam and I - so its a pretty young crowd over there for the ministry that they are undertaking. They were very encouraged by our presence over there - how willing our team was to put their minds/hands to any task. Everything to building a dog-run to wrestling the volley-ball court's bees (I'll elaborate more later...). Adam spent a good deal of time helping Joel with some graphics for France, while I spent a good deal of time with the ladies, folding laundry, baby-sitting kids, weeding gardens (of which there are PLENTY in France!), and preparing & cleaning up after meals.
During our stay in Paris - which was most of our time in France, we did see many of the sights...the Eiffel Tower (which Adam was afraid he would fall off of)...the Arc de Triumphe, the Champs Elysee (where Adam bought his really cool shoes), Notre Dame, the Opera House (most famous from the Phantom of the Opera), Moulin Rouge & Napoleon's tomb (uh...I was the only one who got to see these two sights saw this one, thanks to an infected cut on my toe one day that prohibited me from walking...a bad thing to have happen to you in Paris), the Louvre (sorry...we didn't get to go inside, but...it's a nice looking building!  ), and the Pantheon, as well as a number of churches.
The Paris property (and ministry!) is relatively new for the French missionaries. The property they recently acquired was originally the servent's housing for the Castle in Ecoun [just outside Paris]....an incredibly historic and very cool building! Since the Paris ministry is relatively new, the French missionaries have become quick friends with some of the other missionaries in the Paris area. One other missionary couple worked very closely with us as we ministered to some of the Muslim population in Paris. The Muslim people in Paris were SO friendly! If you smiled at them, you were rewarded with a huge white-toothed smile and a "Bonjour, ca va?" ("Hi, how's it going" in French), to which we were instructed to reply "Ca va!" ("It's going"). We were able to give them copies of the "Jesus" video that was in their mother tongue (two specific dialects that only they speak in France).
The other opportunity we had was to do Open Air in the gardens of Notre Dame. Unfortunately, during our time there, after the first Drama presentation we did (a puppet who is guided first by Satan, then by the World, then Christ cuts her strings) the security for Notre Dame informed the France director who was with us that because our permit was only for musical performance, their liscense for OAE in Paris would be removed immediately if we spoke the name of Christ in any Dramas or gospel presentations. So - we resorted to what we had! All of us soloists on the team pulled every track we had burried in our backpacks and purses while Adam pulled the students together and sang every song we had in our repetoire! We even had children from our audience help us play "the bells". It was a hit! We drew a huge crowd. The two most amazing things about that whole presentation were that first - 3 people came to know the Lord following the Drama - before any of the security could stop our students! Secondly, as I was snapping photos and preparing the bells and solos, I noticed that there were a few stragglers, singles and couples who were singing along with the team...their faces were so happy...some of our team found out later that they were Christians who were encouraged by our ministry out in the open of the park.
Finally, on that same day, there was a student from Australia who had taken the year off to travel the world. We found out that he actually attended the same church in Australia as the cousins of one of our students. He had been very down the last couple of days because he had felt very alone since he didn't speak French at all, and had no friends in Paris. He ended up joining our group for the rest of the day and evening (even eating out with us and coming up the Eiffel Tower with us). He left our group that evening refreshed, encouraged, and with several email addresses in his hand! It was a blessing for Adam and I to see how much the students (and us!) were able to affect people that day. I do have to add a side note here...I did get to sing a solo in the garden's behind Notre Dame. What an amazing experience that was! And not just to sing a solo, but to sing the song "Worthy is the Lamb" by Darlene Zchech - an incredibly powerful song - especially in a place where God is all but forgotten...even in a church.
Our next destination was the original Word of Life France property - in Dinan, a small medival city in the province of Brittany. La Maison Blanche ("The White House") and it's property is the location of the Summer Camp and other activities for France. While we were there, the students spent a fair bit of time working on the property, as well as hosting an event night & bbq for area teens - there was a very good turn out, and by then our students were all pretty comfortable with trying out French phrases, and coaxing the French kids to try English ones. The best adventure that I had while Adam was working in the office on some graphics, etc, for France was the Volleyball Court....yes, this is the moment you've been waiting for.
Several girls and a couple of guys and I headed out to "weed" the beach volley ball court on the property (sand surrounded by grass tends to get overrun with weeds!). As we started pulling up the weeds, we noticed that we were starting to see a good number of bees swarming around our heads and hands. As we continued to work, we were pulling up more and more 'ground cover weeds' (the kind that are all connected together under the soil?)...since it was only sand, they were relatively easy to pull up - however, what we didn't know is that the bees had made nice little burrows in the sand around the roots of the plants. Therefore, as we pulled up a huge section of weeds at once, we disturbed hundreds of slumbering bees. Well...despite our fears of being stung, we did manage to weed the entire volleyball court. We then let the director know that he had burrowing bees in his volley ball court. He didn't believe me...until he saw the swarms of them. So - to make a long story longer, we sprayed the volleyball court and killed all the bees. Those that escaped asfixiation no longer have a home...I guess they'll have to use someone else's volleyball court.
Well...that about sums up our trip! There are always more funny stories, and cool things that happened, but xanga only permits so much space  It was a blessing to us, and a blessing to the missionaries we visited. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. We trust you will continue to pray for the missionaries over in France, as they are expanding the ministry into Paris, and continuing the ministry in Dinan.
A&J
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| Well...I know I've done a terrible job of upkeep on this sight...but, just in case anyone still reads it...I'M BACK!
so.....let's see....the latest news.....hmm....well, Adam and I are doing wedding photography for a couple of weddings this year...My sister's is one of them, and the other is for a couple that work here at the Bible Institute...I am in the process of gathering some photo ideas that will work well for the couples 
Next thing - Adam and I are heading to Huntsville Ontario at the end of August for a week with my family. Since none of you probably know where Huntsville IS...stick your finger on the middle of Lake Ontario and draw a line straight up until you start to hit green stuff on the map....that's where Huntsville is. You could safely deem it "the middle of nowhere". Most of the scenery involves rocks, trees, and moose.
You think I'm kidding, don't you?
Well...I'm not. But I don't think we'll be eating much moose while we're there - so you can all rest easy  For years (ever since before I was born even...it's ok mom, don't feel old  ) my mom's side of the family has travelled up north to what we call...
"The Lodge"
Thank you, Adam Cook, for forever imprinting the idea of an M. Night Shyamalan movie with that title in my head....you won't believe the nightmares I've had! (j/k!!)
Anyway - it's basically two old farmhouses stuck together and remodled. There are about 25 bedrooms and a huge kitchen and huge family room. The lodge sits on the top of a hill and a driveway leads down to the lake that the lodge looks out over. Plenty of swimming, hiking trails (when there's no bears!), boating, fishing, etc 
This will be the first time Adam has been there, and my mom's whole side of the family will be there - including my sister and her (then) new husband, and my brother and his girlfriend Rachel, and all my cousins and aunts and uncles. There will be about 26 people! My aunts, mom and grandma all take turns with a supper meal during the week...this year, since Megan and I will be married, we're going to be responsible for make one dinner meal as well....any suggestions as to what to make for TWENTY-SIX PEOPLE? 
I'm not panicking...yet 
Ok...well...that is all for today - it's 5 o'clock, and believe it or not, I started this entry at noon. (Now you see why I hardly every update!Phew!)
Have a wonderful night everyone! | | |
| Is it just me, or did it seem like Friday would NEVER come this week?
But now...it is finally here!
And I have to make dinner for a family in our church tomorrow (they just had a baby)...anyone have any ideas? What would you really not want to get for dinner, and what would you love if someone brought?
...I just noticed that my office plant is dying. So much for my hopes of having a green thumb. I guess I had better stick to fake flowers and plants....the kind you have to "dust".
On a brighter note...the other day we had this big rain storm, and our window over the computer desk leaked. When we woke up the next morning there were big puddles of water all over the desk and the computer. (You are probably wondering how this is a good thing). Well...everything is OK...the computer still works. The keyboard does make this funny squishing sound when you press the keys.......................................
Just kidding. (but it would make for a great conversation piece if it did).
Well...my imagination has been exhausted for the day (it might get a second wind after lunch)...
Hope you all have a WONDERFUL Friday....
Luv jo
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| Ok, ok...I confess...yes, I did (several days ago) accidentally smack Adam's sore knee... ....(this is just a hunch...but i think he might have mentioned that just to evoke sympathy...right honey???)
Well...it appears that we are in the irreversible stage of wedding planning now...I have officially had my measurements taken for the bridesmaid's dresses. And - since all of Toronto will likely have my measurements by next weekend - Megan will HAVE to get married so that we bridesmaids have not been completely embarrassed in vain ...well...at least this one anyway!
Meanwhile...in the world of Theology...I am keeping my head above water (although sometimes it seems that the water is at about chin level!). I'm not exactly sure how I will manage my other two 16 week classes when they start up this week - as Theology takes all my time just on it's own! (Scary!...I won't think about that right now)
Well...I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
Hugs for everyone....
Luv ~ jo
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