Building a Firm Foundation: First Thoughts on Life in France
Dear Family and Friends,
Bonjour! I am so excited to be writing this first update from France! What a journey these last months have been. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your prayers and support that have made it possible for me to be here in France and spread the Word of God to college students!
Since my arrival just 6 days ago, I’ve been quite busy. I met with my supervisor to go over expectations, attended a gathering for student leaders (more on that in a minute), and participated in a Bible study at Nanterre University. I also went to the grocery store many times to stock up on kitchen and household items, finished unpacking, opened a bank account, and got a French phone number. I’m glad to say that I’m already starting to feel settled.
Speaking of feeling settled, this week God reminded me of what it means to have a firm foundation. In one sense, He’s given me a firm foundation in terms of language capacity, cultural familiarity, and a comfortable home. In another, He’s reminded me that my faith in Him is my true foundation. Those skills and physical comforts have helped immensely in the transition but I may not always be able to rely on them—I can, however, always rely on Jesus. So as I start life here, I pray the Lord will help me build upon those tangible skills, and even more importantly, build upon my spiritual foundation in order to serve well and thrive in this new role.
Now, here’s more about that student gathering, called Interfac.
Interfac: Student Leader Gathering
This weekly worship and sermon session is called Interfac because it’s when all the university students in the Ile-de-France region are invited to come together. (Inter = between + la faculté = university) Besides this Friday evening event, students meet throughout the week in smaller Bible study groups at their universities. (If you’d like to see where all the groups are located, please click here for a map.)
This particular Interfac meeting was unique because it was only for the student leaders to come and report on how the year has gone in their respective groups. After we sang some worship songs, we split up, talked, and prayed for one another. I met with some students leaders who gave the following praises and prayer requests:
- One group had only about 3 regular members, but throughout the year every single one of them had the courage to take turns leading the study. As they look towards next year, they hope to start 3 new groups themselves!
- One leader shared about a participant in his group with unique story; he grew up Muslim, switched to Catholic Orthodoxy, explored Christianity, and now seems to be wavering again. Even though this student has been attending the Bible study often, he still seems lost. The leader asked for wisdom in knowing how to ease this student and guide him gently towards Christ.
- Another group has had faithful members but the apartment where they meet is tiny. In order to welcome more friends, they’re praying to find a larger space.
Please pray for the points above and also (1) that these leaders would close out and celebrate their groups well before summer break and (2) that they find rest and refreshment in God after a job well done this year.
Thank you so much for reading and praying along with me! Please feel free to reach out with prayer requests and updates of your own as I am continuing to pray for you as well.
With love and gratitude,
Kelsey
P.S. Feel free to forward this email along to family and friends of yours who would also be inspired to hear about how God is moving in France.
Ministry Update
Thank you so much to all of you who have begun giving! Thank you for sharing this vision and being a financial partner. Even though I’m in France now, I still have 5% left in my budget. Therefore, to help me reach 100% would you consider starting a pledge? Or, if you’ve given a one-time gift, would you pray about making it a recurring contribution? Your faithful, consistent partnership is essential to bringing Jesus’ love to French university students—thank you!
Why It All Matters
I have a lot to learn about this ministry and I’m already delving in. Once all my funds are raised, I can be free to focus completely on building relationships with students and teaching them about God’s love. How amazing would it be for these students to accept the Good News here in Paris and continue to grow in faith throughout their lives? When my team and I get to invest 100% in students, we believe this can happen!
How You Can Help
- Pray – please pray that God will help me meet others who will invest in this ministry. Pray for open doors and open hearts.
- Connect – If you have a friend or family member who would enjoy hearing about God’s work on campus, I’d love to connect with them! Please reach out to let me know.
- Give – If you haven’t set up a gift yet, I’d be honored if you could do so. As God leads, feel free to set up a recurring gift, increase your current gift or give an extra one-time gift. Just a note: While all gifts are very valuable, recurring ones are especially important in sustaining the ministry long term.
Thank you!