Anna's FirstServe Prayer Letter - March 30th-April 14th
Bienvenue tout le monde!
It has been a hectic two weeks between leaving Tanzania, coming home for a few days and settling into our final placement in France! However, God has been with me every step of the way and I have continued to see His blessings so much in the last few weeks.
Devotions
As one of my first experiences in France, I went to a nearby coastal town a few days ago to watch some of the huge waves crashing against the rocks, coming up over the walls and onto the road, some even reaching the height of the buildings behind us! It was incredible to watch and was certainly a reminder of God’s unshakeable power and vast love for us.
God’s love is much like the ocean. It is a consuming force that cannot be controlled by humans. It is powerful and complete. It fills the space of our lives leaving no voids. Stepping into the current of God’s love is where human control ends and the magnificent presence of God take over. Like waves splashing to the shore, it is active and alive. Human beings who attempt to control the power of God are only fooling themselves. We must submerge ourselves in the awesomeness of His presence and love. When a true commitment is made that is where selfish control ends and we become subject to the overpowering force that is our God!
The completeness of God’s love for us does not allow for partial commitment. There is obedience or disobedience. He is not interested in waders but swimmers. God’s love is jealous and overwhelming. He is consumed with great passion for us that produces perfect affection that is available for our daily inhabitance. However, sometimes we attempt to slip in and out of God’s presence like a child running in and out of the waves. Their feet get wet but overall it is completely controllable with a quick wipe of a towel. Those who choose to dive in to God’s presence and live in His great love have a very different experience. It is consuming and overwhelming as God fills every aspect of our lives with His love, peace, joy and happiness. Once we become fully committed to a life of loving God and living in His Presence, we will never be able to walk away. We become consumed. We are submerged in His Will and leaving is not an option. Not because He forces us to be there, but because we will love being in His presence and never want to leave. We must surrender to the Lord, completely diving into who God is with total commitment – full submersion.
Home from Tanzania
After a long day of travel, we made it home from Tanzania on 30th, and it was lovely to spend a few days at home to see friends and family and have some time to relax.
It was great to get back for Easter Sunday and be able to go to my home church. They had organised an Easter themed Praise Night in the evening which I was able to play piano at and also give everyone an update of what I had been involved with in Tanzania and what I would be doing in France for the next three months.
Settling in
After a long 2 day drive from Northern Ireland to France with a stop to pick up Rachel on the way, we arrived in Saint Lunaire on Friday evening, where we will be for the next three months. Our programme supervisors David and Stefanie have been so welcoming, inviting us to their house for dinner on Friday evening to give us a chance to meet some of the other volunteers we will be working with, including Tirza, a German student, another Anna, an American student and Sophie and Antoine and their daughter Rose.
Day to day work
The work we are involved in at the centre is very different to Tanzania. The centre is used for church retreats, youth groups, camps and other Christian groups. Our job when there are groups at the centre is mostly in the kitchen doing dishes, serving food and general clean up, which takes quite a long time when there are 130 people to cater for! The best way to describe it is doing 10 times the amount of dishes you have after Christmas dinner twice a day. If we’re quick, it only takes just under three hours!
With kids still at school, we mainly have weekend groups at the moment, so that leaves our Mondays-Fridays free… to do deep cleans and tidy cabins! This week we have been cleaning all the cabins from floor to ceiling and the ‘Bloc Sanitaire’ (Outdoor bathroom block for those sleeping in tents - pretty rough!) which I have quickly established is my least favourite cleaning job.
We have started a deep clean of the kitchen this week which has involved washing every dish, piece of cutlery and piece of equipment in the centre. I have also had my head in a bread slicer this week so that’s another thing I can cross off my bucket list. Jean-Marc, the chef, has had Anna and I trying our hand at prepping more spaghetti and salad than I’ve ever seen in my life and helping make one of his amazing Guadalupian dishes for the staff.
Speaking French
Most of the staff at the centre do not speak much, if any, English, which has meant that I have had to pull out all the A-level French that I can remember! Thankfully, people have been very patient, helping us by having simple conversations at mealtimes in French and making an effort to speak slowly. I am definitely already becoming more confident in using French, even if sometimes I have no idea if what I’m saying makes much sense! For example, at our first church service on Sunday, we were asked to introduce ourselves in French to the congregation.
Free time
In our free time we have plenty to do between the nearby beach, cycling, running, playing piano, games, movie nights and making homemade milkshakes. Anna and Tirza have been showing us around the area and we have already become good friends with both of them, which has been an answer to prayer.
As I mentioned earlier, we went to Saint Malo, a nearby coastal town to watch some of the big waves a few days ago. We started the evening by watching some younger teens waiting by the wall for a big wave to come and soak them, thinking it was a silly idea. Of course by the end of the night, we ended up doing the exact same thing.
I have also made a short video summary of our time in Tanzania which I will link below for anyone interested. Feel free to share the link privately but I would just ask that you don’t share it on social media as it has some of the kids’ faces in it.
Enjoy seeing a side to me that many of you have never seen and may never see again!
Prayer Points
Giving thanks for safe travels and for our confidence growing in speaking French.
Giving thanks that the last two weekend camps have gone well and there have been many opportunities to share the Gospel.
Pray for us to establish a routine and begin to feel like we’re settling in.
On a personal note, please pray as I’m struggling to balance the longer working hours with time to spend with the Lord and rest.
Well that's all from me for now. Again, thank you so much for your continued support in prayer. I can't wait to see what God has in store in the next few weeks!
God Bless,
Anna x
‘In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Romans 8 v 37-39
May God guide you over the next few weeks. Praying for you. Love Jill