A Montauban

Saturday we drove from the Cévennes mountains to Montauban.  There was heavy traffic as people left on vacation. We stopped at Carcassonne for lunch. This is a well preserved medieval walled city. The weather was hot and sunny. The students enjoyed exploring on their own: Lowri, Sabine and Katja Emily. Liz Szews is one of our drivers and she is amazing as she drives a stick shift van on the roads of France!

Vendredi

Friday morning the team hiked to the top of another mountain to see another protestant temple.
 ( Reformed Protestant churches are called temples). We had devotions there and sang together.
After looking at the Roman ruins (under the church), we visited the town of Anduze for lunch.
Then we spent the afternoon planning VBS. Friday evening we had a final picnic with M. de Casenove ( age 95) and his sister Hélène ( age 93).  Both are fit and in good form.

Aigues Mortes

The name of this city means "Dead Waters"and King Louis built it in the middle ages. Some of the crusades left from here. One tower is named La Tour de Constance,  after his daughter. It was used as a prison for the protestant women. One girl, Marie Durand, was arrested on her wedding day and spent 40 years there. We took a tour of the tower and the students thought about what they were willing to suffer for their faith.

Protestant History

We visited Le Musée du Désert and learned about the "desert period" when the Protestants wanted religious liberty and it was denied them. We saw the Bibles that families kept in secret- even tiny ones that women would hide in their hair. The museum is in the house of one of the Protestants from the 1600s. We toured it and saw where the pastors hid from the king's soldiers.

Afterwards, we climbed to the cave where the Protestants worshipped. It was a strenous hike - really more like rock climbing. How did they do it in their wooden clogs and carrying their children?? Once at the cave,  we sang and worshipped together.  The accoustics underground were great!

Hurray for Internet!

Bonjour!  Hurray for internet! We have been without cell or internet service for 5  days.  That felt like a real hardship for us Americans. As soon as we arrived in Marseilles, we rented vans and headed 3 hours into the Cévennes mountains. M. de Casenove welcomed us and the students explored his castle. Our missionary, Nancy Painter, had a July 4th picnic ready for us. Liz Szews, Lowri Gowing and Aimee D'Amico to the left. Madison Phillips and Katie Deck to the right.

Pre 4th Picnic

The Rooneys kindly opened their home in Annandale, VA for a team picnic.  We met a lot of the students going with us. It was great to meet the parents as well. Here is Maureen Orsini, Thomas and moi.

Our pre-4th of July picnic with Grace D, Thomas, Taylor & Lowri.

More students: Jenna, Lowry, Grace, Taylor, Thomas,Emma, Josh and Josh. Can you find our mascot? LeCoq is the symbol of France and when the French score during a sports match, the crowd yells,

 " Cocorico!" ( Cock-a-doodle-doo!}

Packing, packing, packing!  We are bringing crafts, science experiments, sports games, Bible props, snacks , music videos and decorations - everything to run a VBS in France. My church, South Ridge, donated some supplies and we are also taking a printer for Pastor Richard Chenette. Today I drive to DC with Diana & Jenna Kelley for a team picnic. We leave tomorrow, July 4th in the evening.