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Special Event
Story

Paris Area Outreach
Deuil-la-Barre,
Villiers-le-Bel, France

Oct. 6-21, 2007

Eglise Evangelique Baptiste in Villiers-le-Bel

Our team consisted of three ladies from the USA, project leader Freddie (who had spent 18 years of ministry in the Paris area) and project assistant Jim. For Freddie it was a homecoming as he had worked with theses churches in the past and knew many people from both. His fluency in  the French language was a huge piece of our ministry effectiveness. Emily and Hannah came from Idaho with muscial skills to share... Hannah on violin and Emily on piano. This musical talent also became a vital part of our ministry. Marilyn, from Michigan, rounded out our team and is a 75 years-young missions-minded lady who has been on many EuroTeam projects including the Torino Winter Olympics.


Corny, France Retreat Center

In Deuil-la-Barre our time started with a weekend church retreat in the town of Corny. It wasn't a "corny" weekend as we helped with childcare during the times the adults were having a study on the book of Hebrews. We played many games, but also shared about the "wordless book" and explained the colors to the kids as we made bracelets with colored beads. Hannah and Emily performed a few duets during worship time with the adults and Jim also led one worship song. The chuch is filled with people from North Africa and the Carribean (Haiti & Martinique). The church is working with many of them to get their legal papers to remain in France as a part of their ministry.


Girls from Deuil-le-Barre at Corny

During our week in Deuil-la-Barre we worked with pastor Jean-Francois and renovated the church nursery room, helped a church member move to a new apartment and had an outreach evening on Friday the 12th. The outreach event included music from Emily and Hannah, a skit on French and American cultures clashing and God's love mending differences, some country fiddling, and a message from Freddie on love and mercy and not being critical of each other. On a Friday evening that normally has 5 gathering for prayer... 30 came!


Hannah and Emily Finishing Nursery Wall Mural

The second week in Villiers-le-Bel we worked with pastor Pascal and his wife Esther. We renovated a main Sunday School classroom that will eventually become a kitchen, helped out with an evening Alpha Course program and had an outreach event that included the musical talents of many from the church and from our team. Marilyn shared of some missions adventures in Peru and Freddie shared a Gospel message. There were 60 in attendance at the outreach night!


Outreach Night Music at Villiers-le-Bel

One visitor to our outreach event in Villiers-le-Bel spoke with Freddie for about an hour. Serge is a man who is curious about this local church. He is a self-proclaimed athiest with a strong communist view and some catholic background. He is really searching for truth right now and is interested in coming to the Alpha Course. Pray that the Lord continues to work in his heart and the hearts of so many others that came to both outreach events! Pray, too, that the local churches continue to reach out and share the Good News of Jesus in their communities!


Our Team with a host family, Pastor Pascal & Esther