Sunny and Cher

Sunny and Cher!

This phrase popped out of my mouth one day when we were describing life here in the southern half of France, and we decided this would make a great newsletter title! But to get the pun, you must know that “cher” means expensive or dear. And according to the locals, it’s the “sunny” that makes it “cher.” In the 3 weeks we’ve been here, we’ve had clear blue skies for all but 4 days! We’re not in Scotland anymore!

We hope that Sonny and Cher won’t mind if we borrow their theme song, “I Got You, Babe”for our newsletter!

  • We got a quick sale and good profit for our home in Paisley, and friends willing to load a moving truck full of our furniture for us next month, keeping moving costs low.
  • We got a great team to staff the YWAM Reconciliation School with David. “Staff training” time has been full of deep teaching and strong prayer times and relationship building. This has been all in French, 8 hr./ day, 5 days a week. David works to try and absorb it all, struggles to express himself deeply in French, reluctantly accepts being less available than the others who are single, and deals with the myriad of little tasks that come with relocation. Normal frustrations in a new culture, but still hard to accept!
  • We got great public school and music school situations for the kids!
  • We got news that France has the most generous welfare system in the world (no wonder all the immigration lines we stand in are so long!), and we may be able to participate in it! This may enable us to rent until we have the time to house-hunt, and offset the high cost of living with 3 kids.
  • We got temporary housing at a peaceful retreat center called the Oasis. It is out in the country away from the frenzy of the world, where Christians come for conferences, or just an overnight stay while driving through the region, and from now until next June, it will be housing the YWAM school. In making this move alone, God has graciously provided this landing place for us until we get our bearings, surrounded by loving, patient people.
  • We “don’t got” a double bed, a normal oven or kitchen, a couch, a private bathroom or a phone line. Pray that we will have the grace to “camp” another month or 2 until our house money is available to buy something.
  • And finally, we got each other! What does that mean for us? Well, at the end of each day, we can choose to take out our French frustrations on each other, or we can choose to love to each other by listening, holding, and praying for each other. The second choice is mandatory for us in order to walk in the fruit of the Spirit here and be witnesses – and as the only foreigners living around here, we are definitely being observed!

Until next time,
Angela

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