Hello all,

Wow – it really has been a while! So much has happened. I left off rather upset about not having gone to France two years ago, but I was able to go the following year. It was an absolute blast and I enjoyed it so very much. I even had trouble switching back to English at the end of the three week trip.

I celebrated my 18th birthday the last full day of the trip, which was so exciting. Unfortunately, I also had gotten strep throat and a 24hour bug, both of which I was recovering from on my birthday. BUT a dear friend bought me crepes in celebration and that was the first meal I was able to eat after catching the virus, and we wandered around for shopping so it ended up being a fun day.

The missions part of the trip was also fantastic. We had so many children attend the VBS. One girl personally asked me to dedicate her new Bible to her. Another even younger girl, about three years old, discovered a much enjoyed pastime of tackling me to kiss my cheek or fiercely hug me every day. Two little boys, in the group I helped with, made quick friends with me and I was cheerfully invited to eat with them every day of the trip – these boys remain so special to me. My absolute favorite part of these days was getting asked to please sit with them by the sign (used for storytelling) for lunch and then getting to follow through and laugh at all of their stories during our meal.

I truly felt at home in the French culture and church. I was happy to see my family when I returned, but a part of me still always wants to be in France, sleeping in the gorgeous chateaus and homes of host families. In one church service, the pastor welcomed us and asked us to sing in English while the congregation sang the same song in French – it was a particularly memorable moment, it sounded lovely. And yes, the food was amazing. (: I was honored to get to be a part of the kitchen staff during the second week we were there. I got to tour the street markets with a French cook and dear friend, then return back to a French kitchen to learn how to cook from the greatest father and son duo that I’ve met. (Plus they were absolutely hilarious!)

The weather was another beautiful thing about southern France. At night and in the morning, the air was always cold, even in the middle of summer. It warmed up during the day, so we were able to enjoy trips to the beach, but at night, we wrapped up in jackets and sweaters to sit on the rooftop and sing under the stars.

Should you ever feel the desire to go to France, particularly if the Lord calls you – do it. Don’t choose not to out of fear. There were risks when I went and in fact, there was an attack on a city while I was there, although the Lord kept us safe a few hours away. The chance for something bad to happen is not a good reason to turn away from the likelihood that something great will occur.

Missing France, but happy to be reliving it and finally sharing with you all again!

xx