When Bob and I began to learn French here in Quebec, we mistakenly thought there wouldn’t be anything newsworthy to share with you, our supporters, on a weekly basis. Although that is true for the most part, there are days, like today, when our pondering hearts just have to share. Here are a couple of reasons why.
The current topic of our Tuesday night Bible study is The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren – in French, of course. Last night, we were discussing the fact that we are created by God for God and that He has an ‘awesome’ and individual plan for each one of us. Steve, another student who has been attending the Bible study with some other friends, asked how he could be ‘in that plan’. Tim V. and others answered his question – just one of many. Steve continues to search.
On Wednesdays, we are in a special French oral expression class with another missionary couple, the Gayles. Last week our teacher gave us an assignment of finding a song ‘en francais’ that we liked. You can imagine what our choices were, especially as, for the most part, the only songs we’ve heard in French have been at church. After explaining our choices today, our teacher then gave us next week’s assignment: explain to her the meaning of the song “Amazing Grace”. She had heard that song for the first time in English and didn’t understand the meaning; didn’t fully comprehend ‘grace’. WOW! After class, as I stood waiting for Bob, I was overwhelmed with the privilege of explaining grace, and overwhelmed once again as I started thinking about what ‘grace’ is. How many times have you had that opportunity? What would you say?
As one friend of ours from Cote d’Ivoire shared how God is working through them in the lives of international students on a university campus, she related: “It is enough; it is finally enough.” She was referring to all the wondering about why God had allowed the war in Cote d’Ivoire and the evacuation of missionaries from that country, and especially what He was trying to accomplish in their lives after that experience. I begin to understand how she felt. What could be more important than sharing God’s love – His grace – with another. If that’s why He wants us here in Quebec for now, and not in Cote d’Ivoire – It is enough!
Please pray for Steve and for our professor. They are seekers. God has given us the privilege of being here to help them seek. Also pray that we will find the right words in French to answer their questions.