I'm now back home in Michigan, but wanted to update you on the 'final' news of the 2010 VBS in France.
Since the Friday post was entered, 2 others prayed to receive Christ in St. Paul. If you're following this blog, you already know about the 4 boys who made decisions earlier last week. On Friday, 2 girls made their decision to become Christ-followers. Very exciting.
We leave them in the capable hands of the Arnold's and Orazco's, who will be following up with these precious children and their families.
Pray for these 6 from St. Paul and the one in Marseilles -- that their understanding of what God wants with their lives will grow and flourish, and they would grow to bear fruit also.
Thank you for your prayers for our efforts in France. But keep on praying for the "fruits" of our labors.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Update - July 16, 2010 - Written by Maureen Orsini
Praise God for the work He is doing in France, and the privilege our team has had in serving Him. We are just finishing up our second week of full day VBS in very warm Provence! Thank you for praying because God is calling His little lambs to himself and 5 children have (individually and on different occassions) answered the call to "Get Found"!
This was our 3rd year of ministry in Marseille and we were very encouraged when J. asked me how to recieve Jesus in his life during crafts. He was well known by our previous teams as one of those boys who were quite "difficult", with a very hard background (adopted off the streets in Eastern Europe at 5 years old). We noticed a big change in his life this year and recognized God's working. Dominique was able to have a great one on one with him and led him in the sinner's prayer asking Christ to wash away his sin and abide in his heart! There is much rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner!
This week in St. Paul de Vence, 4 boys, (C.,12, A., 12, T., 10 and E., 8) have prayed on different occassions to recieve Christ. Heaven is rejoicing and so are we. It is such a joy to see their enthusiam to learn about God through the Bible and to choose to sing "I'm Following JESUS!". They all come from unchurched families. Pray that their families will come to the ceremony today and also to the church on Sunday. Two of the boys live close enough to be able to walk to church on their own and have said they will do so. We know that no one comes to the Father unless the Father draws them. Thank you for your continued prayers! It is such an encouragement to see fruit in our ministry and to know that these children and their familes have a place to come and grow and learn more from the ICC church plant here. James Arnold is a great teacher and he is well supported by the Orosco family for discipleship.
There is aslo a Buddist man (L.) who has been coming to the church, helping out, and is seeking God. I know the Lord is drawing him to Himself. Please pray for L., with whom we were able to clearly present the gospel as well.
Ismini is flying home today, so I am where her VBS director hat as well. She is such an awesome joyous leader, and we have been so blessed by her work. The rest of the team will head out on Sunday. Pray that we finish strong!
God is good and we are rejoicing in His work here and what he will soon be doing in the hearts of his little ones at the VBS at Faith church.
Robby Hambd, our missionary to Lebanon has been such an encouragement to me, with his story of coming to Christ (despite being raised in a Druze Muslim home) through a Christian kids camp, at about the same age of these boys. May God guard and keep them and raise these children up for His own glory.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your powerful and effective prayers!
Maureen for the France Mission Team
This was our 3rd year of ministry in Marseille and we were very encouraged when J. asked me how to recieve Jesus in his life during crafts. He was well known by our previous teams as one of those boys who were quite "difficult", with a very hard background (adopted off the streets in Eastern Europe at 5 years old). We noticed a big change in his life this year and recognized God's working. Dominique was able to have a great one on one with him and led him in the sinner's prayer asking Christ to wash away his sin and abide in his heart! There is much rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner!
This week in St. Paul de Vence, 4 boys, (C.,12, A., 12, T., 10 and E., 8) have prayed on different occassions to recieve Christ. Heaven is rejoicing and so are we. It is such a joy to see their enthusiam to learn about God through the Bible and to choose to sing "I'm Following JESUS!". They all come from unchurched families. Pray that their families will come to the ceremony today and also to the church on Sunday. Two of the boys live close enough to be able to walk to church on their own and have said they will do so. We know that no one comes to the Father unless the Father draws them. Thank you for your continued prayers! It is such an encouragement to see fruit in our ministry and to know that these children and their familes have a place to come and grow and learn more from the ICC church plant here. James Arnold is a great teacher and he is well supported by the Orosco family for discipleship.
There is aslo a Buddist man (L.) who has been coming to the church, helping out, and is seeking God. I know the Lord is drawing him to Himself. Please pray for L., with whom we were able to clearly present the gospel as well.
Ismini is flying home today, so I am where her VBS director hat as well. She is such an awesome joyous leader, and we have been so blessed by her work. The rest of the team will head out on Sunday. Pray that we finish strong!
God is good and we are rejoicing in His work here and what he will soon be doing in the hearts of his little ones at the VBS at Faith church.
Robby Hambd, our missionary to Lebanon has been such an encouragement to me, with his story of coming to Christ (despite being raised in a Druze Muslim home) through a Christian kids camp, at about the same age of these boys. May God guard and keep them and raise these children up for His own glory.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your powerful and effective prayers!
Maureen for the France Mission Team
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Skit from Opening Yesterday
Drama, skits and stories are key ways to present Bible truths to young children. Here are some action shots...
Thursday, July 15th
We're having exciting days with the children here in St. Paul de Vence.
Yesterday we set a new record for enrollment for this location.
Yesterday we talked about the story of the "lost sheep" and discussed how Jesus always goes in search of his "lost sheep".
One boy, C., about 8 years old, asked his "main group" teacher how he could receive Christ. She told him that he just needed to invite Jesus to come into his life. "That's all?" he asked. "Yes," his teacher said. "Well then, I want to invite Him in."
Earlier in the week, an 8-year-old girl asked for her own Bible. All we had available at that moment was a very easy reader Bible designed to be read to preschool children. She took it home and read it all the way through that night -- about 150 or so pages. The next day she returned and said she wanted a Bible with "the little numbers" on it, and wanted to know how to use the numbers". Exciting.
Thank you for your prayers and for being here in spirit, and keep on praying for these children. You are a valued asset to this ministry.
Yesterday we set a new record for enrollment for this location.
Yesterday we talked about the story of the "lost sheep" and discussed how Jesus always goes in search of his "lost sheep".
One boy, C., about 8 years old, asked his "main group" teacher how he could receive Christ. She told him that he just needed to invite Jesus to come into his life. "That's all?" he asked. "Yes," his teacher said. "Well then, I want to invite Him in."
Earlier in the week, an 8-year-old girl asked for her own Bible. All we had available at that moment was a very easy reader Bible designed to be read to preschool children. She took it home and read it all the way through that night -- about 150 or so pages. The next day she returned and said she wanted a Bible with "the little numbers" on it, and wanted to know how to use the numbers". Exciting.
Thank you for your prayers and for being here in spirit, and keep on praying for these children. You are a valued asset to this ministry.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
We’re set to start our 3rd day of bi-lingual VBS in St. Paul de Vence with 37 children. A team from Texas joined us here.
Had trouble uploading things to the blog in Barbara Starosciak’s place, but I think the technical problems are now solved. Some of our teens will write some comments and upload photos later today.
In the meantime and always, know that your prayers are very much treasured – and needed. Without His power, nothing lasting will come of this.
Ismini, our fearless VBS leader shared these sobering statistics about the spiritual condition of France with us in our prayer time this morning:
• The least religious nation in Europe (46%)
• 21% declare themselves as atheists
• Islam is the 2nd religion of the country
• Only 0.8% are born-again believers – less than 1%
• Only 16% believe there is one true religion
I was able to talk for awhile with a young man, L., who just started investigating the Bible’s claims of Christ, who is trying to decide between Buddhism and being a Christ-follower. Please pray for him.
Had trouble uploading things to the blog in Barbara Starosciak’s place, but I think the technical problems are now solved. Some of our teens will write some comments and upload photos later today.
In the meantime and always, know that your prayers are very much treasured – and needed. Without His power, nothing lasting will come of this.
Ismini, our fearless VBS leader shared these sobering statistics about the spiritual condition of France with us in our prayer time this morning:
• The least religious nation in Europe (46%)
• 21% declare themselves as atheists
• Islam is the 2nd religion of the country
• Only 0.8% are born-again believers – less than 1%
• Only 16% believe there is one true religion
I was able to talk for awhile with a young man, L., who just started investigating the Bible’s claims of Christ, who is trying to decide between Buddhism and being a Christ-follower. Please pray for him.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Blog continued in St. Paul de Vence
Sunday, July 11, 2010
We arrived in Vence, near Nice, late yesterday. This week’s lodging is in the care of nuns about a 15 minute drive from the English-speaking Baptist church – which is just outside the walled city of St. Paul de Vence.
Nice is a beautiful mountainous area along the Mediterranean. Some of the roads leading up the mountains to Vence and St. Paul are, not surprisingly, twisting and narrow.
This morning we attended services at the Baptist Church, and met their regular attenders, as well as the new part of our team for the week – a group from the Dallas area. Sadly, we lost much of our Marseilles team at the end last week, including many of our French speakers – but were able to replace them with incoming people.
The members of the church welcomed us with a lavish spread of food at a potluck lunch following the worship service.
Some of those we met were seekers who have been attracted to the lives of believers in the church. Just as Jesus ministered “life-on-life”, the believers are encouraging these seekers to consider Jesus for themselves.
Following the completion of set-up for our VBS session this week, we had time for a little R & R, so to be well-rested and prepared for the busy upcoming week.
Pray for us as we complete registration in the morning and communicate God’s love to a fresh group of eager and energetic children.
-Carol Parks
We arrived in Vence, near Nice, late yesterday. This week’s lodging is in the care of nuns about a 15 minute drive from the English-speaking Baptist church – which is just outside the walled city of St. Paul de Vence.
Nice is a beautiful mountainous area along the Mediterranean. Some of the roads leading up the mountains to Vence and St. Paul are, not surprisingly, twisting and narrow.
This morning we attended services at the Baptist Church, and met their regular attenders, as well as the new part of our team for the week – a group from the Dallas area. Sadly, we lost much of our Marseilles team at the end last week, including many of our French speakers – but were able to replace them with incoming people.
The members of the church welcomed us with a lavish spread of food at a potluck lunch following the worship service.
Some of those we met were seekers who have been attracted to the lives of believers in the church. Just as Jesus ministered “life-on-life”, the believers are encouraging these seekers to consider Jesus for themselves.
Following the completion of set-up for our VBS session this week, we had time for a little R & R, so to be well-rested and prepared for the busy upcoming week.
Pray for us as we complete registration in the morning and communicate God’s love to a fresh group of eager and energetic children.
-Carol Parks
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