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.

Prayer is an important part of getting ready to go. The Michiganders ( Aimee D'Amico, Moi, Liz & Erin Szews) met to prepare and pray last week.  Maureen Orsini and I were at TPS camp, along with Thomas to prepare as well.  The team is buying, packing and planning together. 15 days to go!!!

   As some of you know, we were planning this trip last year when my colleague, Kelly Reilly, found out she was pregnant with a spina bifida baby. She and Keegan were candidates for fetal surgery. The surgery was successful but unfortunately, an infection caused the very early birth of Raphaël. There have been many ups and downs in this first year of his life but he is making progress. Most of the issues have been because of his premature birth. Kelly has been amazing in caring for him and now working with his feet in casts. The best news and answer to prayer is that Kelly, Keegan and the boys will meet us in France! It is amazing that a year later we can have Raphaël with us on this trip. What an answer to prayer!

Here is one of the advertisements that is going out. Please pray with us that lots of children will respond and join us for a fun week of activities in English and French.

We will be teaching the students about the Protestant Reformation in France. This part of French history is being revealed more and more to the French. Many do not know there are protestants in their country or what happened in the past.

The headlines for the newspapers on April 13th read: After 444 years Paris pays homage to the victims of the St. Bartholomew's massacre.  
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hildago unveiled the plaque in the shadow of the Statue of Henri IV (He offered rights to protestants with the Edict of Nantes in 1598).  

Translation: On the 24th of Aug. 1572 and the days the followed, Paris was the theatre of the St. Bartholomew's massacre.  Starting with the Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, several thousand protestants were assassinated because of their religious faith.  Day of horror among days that are counted, marks itself in red and reddened in shame.  Agrippa d'Aubigne (Calvinist poet).

The first week we will stay with French families in Montauban. The church there under Pastor Quéré is warm and welcoming. The second week we will be in Marseille and we will stay at le Cercle Militaire, Ft. St. Nicolas, pictured above. It is on the port of Marseille with views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Je suis spéléologue!

Diana Kelley, Jenna & I went to a Fun Shop to find out more about this VBS curriculum. It looks like fun in the caves this summer!