TdF Prayer Team: Day 7

For our final day together, we went to Annecy to worship at ABBA Church.  We knew that Steve was preaching (in French, of course), and thought that perhaps Fred or Johanna could help to translate for our group.  Jordan and I are at the place with our language learning that we can understand parts of the sermon, but we can certainly not translate for others!

Well, interestingly enough, this morning ABBA had several visitors from other countries - Ireland, England, the United States, and the Netherlands - so they asked someone to translate the message from the front of the church for everyone.  It was a gift!

After church we shuttled our Prayer Team off to lunch and then to the train station.

As one friend hosting the Grenoble team said, "Goodbyes never get easier."  We had been warned at Pre-Field Training that in our line of work goodbyes are a normal, common thing.  Fortunately, we aren't saying "goodbye", we're saying "see you later" - at least to Doc and Carol - because they will be back to France with GEM in the next year, Lord willing.  They have responded to God's call and are in the process of raising a team of ministry partners so that they can move to France as intercessors.

You may ask:  Why can't they just pray from home?  Well, after this week, I'm even more convinced of the importance for them to be here.  While our God hears our prayers no matter where we are - on the streets, in our rooms, in the US, in France, etc. - there is something powerful about praying specifically for the people and places and buildings that you can see, smell, and touch.  

But beyond that, our team was so encouraged; the other Christians we met with this week were incredibly blessed by this small group of people.  To know that these Americans spent a lot of money and time to travel to Aix-les-Bains to pray for us and with us truly impressed, inspired, and encouraged us and our national friends and partners.

May God provide abundantly for Doc and Carol so that they may move here by August 2014!