Well, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I have at last an opportunity to take a bit of time out, this bank holiday, to write a newsletter. It’s the first one I’m writing from our new house – so much has happened since Christmas, where do I start ? I guess I start with the move.. and our new address and phone number :

We have a brand new 3-bedroom chalet style house in a small village 10km from St Jean de Maurienne… and we have a garden, or to be more precise, the house is set in some grounds which need to be tamed/changed into a garden. If you have facebook and visit Donna’s page you may have got a blow by blow account of the work we’re doing to make a garden in which we shall be able to entertain.

Rue de la Borgeat
73130 St Etienne de Cuines
France
Tel : 0033 (0)4 57 83 31 04

Our move took place at the end of January on a beautiful warm day (for winter) between two very snowy periods.
We had given ourselves a few weeks to move out of the flat in St Jean completely and do the necessary repairs, redecorations and cleaning.

Moving day - plenty of help on this sunny day

St Etienne de Cuines

Mike was also working on an almost full-time basis for a local architect –things were hectic to say the least – his contract due to finish at the end of March was likely to be renewed for a further period.

And then everything changed… Mike’s boss had a near breakdown and decided to cut back on the number of projects that the firm was handling which lead to a colleague of Mike, and Mike himself being laid off.
In mid-March Mike’s step-father died suddenly and unexpectedly at which point both of us (Mike and Donna) left for England to be with Mike’s mum.
Three weeks later we returned to France to a house with one less cat than when we left… Abel returned a couple of days later J for which we were very glad.

So, on our return it was « full-steam ahead » on the garden as spring was well underway.

The White cliffs of Dover - nearly back in England  

But with all this, church continued – services the second and fourth Sundays of the month; prayer meetings and Bible studies during the week. Those Sundays we don’t have a service some of us have started meeting in one of the local bars for a coffee and we are looking to develop this into an evangelistic tool in due course.

Another initiative we have started is the stand in the St Jean market on Saturday morning.  We display Bibles, tracts and other books and try to engage passers-by in conversation. This gives us a visibility in the town and can lead to interesting exchanges.

Last Saturday we had several good contacts and gave away 3 Bibles, 2 New Testaments of which one was in Arabic and several tracts. Sunday we had a visitor (non-Christian) in our service who had decided to come having seen our market stall a previous week – we were encouraged – please pray for these initiatives.

Luke busy on his laptop

Luke

Luke has all but completed his studies for this year – he’ll be taking exams over the next few weeks. He has finished this year far better than the last year and is presently doing his assignment on his laptop sitting at the table on the terrace.. Once again he is in the process of sending out CVs to try to get a summer job near to home.

Jonathan

Jonathan is away for the weekend for a selection day for a selection day at a professional rugby club. This is his second trial – the club last week have a place for him if he wishes to take it up. He is also looking at other study options for next year. In addition he is going to be taking his exams soon (BAC) and to cap it all he has had a successful season with the local rugby club who are now into the playoffs for France at their level – he will have games until mid-June.

For the Future

• We have friends from England coming to visit at the end of May and mid-June.
• We (Donna and Mike) will be spending a few days in Switzerland with friends to discuss the YWAM inTouch camp this year (August at Le Gault la Forêt.
• We have been asked to do the music at a marriage on 23rd May 2009 – the daughter of a member of the Grignon church is getting married
• We have been invited to lead the worship and bring the message at the church at Grignon (17 May 2009)
• InTouch camp 8 – 15 August 2009

Prayer points

• Our future projects (above)
• Increased financial support or employment for Mike
• Job for Luke
• Decisions that Jonathan has to make for the next academic year
• Evangelistic strategies for the church in St Jean (La Source)
  

Thank you 

for your continued prayers and support….