Praise and Prayer October 31, 2014

We rejoice in the way God blessed the church retreat this past weekend, with 104 people taking part from four different churches.  This was the third time for our family to take part in this annual retreat since we moved to the Bordeaux area in early 2012, but it marked the 20^th time for this annual retreat to take place since it began in 1994 as a one church retreat under the pastoral leadership of Charles Anderson.  Each year the retreat has been held at the historic Chateau de Peyreguilhot, which dates from the early 18^th century and is owned by a Christian organization.  Since that year, three other churches have been started, of which the one here in Saint Medard is the newest.  What a blessing to have Charles and Babs Anderson come back from the USA for this anniversary as one of the keynote speakers.  We had special opportunities to reflect on God’s faithfulness through the years.

It has been a very long time since we have been with a group of that many believers for a service and our hearts were encouraged by the good fellowship, excellent Bible messages from our speakers and a wonderful loving spirit in the serving, game times and meals.  The children had a great time of singing, learning, making crafts and playing with a nice group of other kids as they benefitted from the special program that was prepared for them.  The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather in the low 70s for the weekend.

As the retreat ended we were reminded of God’s goodness once again.  Before we left to head for home someone observed that our right rear tire was flat.  Instead of having a surprise flat tire along the fast lane where the speed limit is 80 mph, or even worse have a blowout, we were able to get the tire change with plenty of help and encouragement from our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We had a slow but safe trip home on smaller country roads.

Praise for:

- a very good church retreat this past weekend with four Bordeaux area churches, and for the various ways God blessed.

- safety in travelling for all of those coming and going from the retreat.

- the email contact we had this week from someone who is interested in coming to our church.

- the prayer warriors and financial supporters that make it possible for us to be serving the Lord here in France.

Pray for:

- lost souls (M, C, F, P).  Pray that God will give us a good opportunity to talk with Mr. P. and his wife in the near future about the Gospel.

- two-year-old Timothée Letellier as he continues treatment for leukemia.

- the next English Connection scheduled for Novembe 14.

- good responses to invitations to church as well as to the English Connection.

- Pray that God will open a door and provide for our church to have our own meeting place with a permanent address, rather than continuing to rent only Sunday mornings.

Praise and Prayer October 23, 2014

Much has happened this month and God has been answering prayer.  We want to say thank you to all who have been praying and give you an update on what is happening.  After no one showed up for our first English Connection on October 10, we moved it to a later time that works better with some of the kids, especially those from Adrianna’s class last year who are now in middle school.  The children are on their first two-week vacation so the next EC is set for November 14. 

At church we welcomed a first time visitor October 5 who had received a church flyer in her mailbox a few weeks earlier.  Since she left quickly after the service we wondered if we’d ever see her again.  Then this past Sunday, she came again and visited with several of us.  Pray for C. that she will continue to come to church and that the Lord will work in her life as well as her husband’s. 

Little Timothee Letellier came through his month of intensive chemo treatments but finished with his white cell counts dangerously low (aplasia).  He caught a virus and was hospitalized with a fever on October 12 and was given antibiotics to fight the virus.  The next Sunday, he was released, but with his white cells still very low, he quickly picked up something else.  Although his white cell count was increasing slowly, he reentered the hospital this past Monday evening.  By Tuesday, his white cell count was high enough to go back home, so the family is once again reunited.  They have all been through a very difficult month, but testify to God’s sufficient grace and their trust in Him.

Praise for:

- C. attending church two times, and for several other good contacts.

- the safe return of the Christys and an encouraging visit from our BMM administrator.

- a recent “chance” meeting with Mr. P. at the pharmacy, and for the interest he expressed in talking about the things in a booklet I gave to him over a year ago.

- God’s help for Timothee Letellier and his family through a very tough month.

- God’s protection for His people in CAR despite renewed fighting in the capital Bangui and continued fighting upcountry, including Bambari.

Pray for:

- lost souls (M, C, F, P).  Pray that God will give us a good opportunity to talk with Mr. P. and his wife in the near future about the Gospel.

- grace and healing for Timothée Letellier, and for his family during these challenging days.

- C. to keep coming to church and responses to invitations to church as well as the English Connection.

- Mrs. T. whose 84-year-old husband went to be with the Lord last week.  Pray for her children and grandchildren who are unsaved, or not walking with the Lord.

- the 20^th Annual Church retreat this weekend, October 24-26.  Our guest speaker is the retired pastor who began the retreat.  Charles and Babs Anderson, and their son Chad are here for two weeks to minister and connect with people they have ministered to and prayed for over the years.