It's Good to be American

Before moving to France, people continually told us, “Oh, everyone will speak English!”  We smiled and nodded politely, all the while thinking that we were not moving to France to speak English.

That’s still true, but sometimes, you just can’t avoid what is plopped in front of you.  

Americans intrigue people in Aix-les-Bains, so when a partnering church from Boston sent a team to work with us last week, we decided to capitalize on their American-ness to bless our city. 

Can you believe that the American flag actually belongs
to our French friend and not the Americans?

The team arrived just in time for our monthly English Conversation Group at the local café.  It was really great to have more native English speakers to interact with those in Aix-les-Bains who really want to improve their English.  We had 9 French, 8 Americans, and many really great discussions.

The team's presence led to other interactions, too.

A man in the apartment building where the team stayed has a dog named Utah.  He loves America and was thrilled to have Americans around for the week.  Years ago, he was actually the language partner of an American missionary when he lived in another city.

One day we walked by an art gallery where an artist was selling his newly released comic book.  In perfect English with hardly an accent he said, “Oh, you’re Americans?”  We stopped and chatted for a while.

Another day the team baked 10 batches of chocolate chip cookies for us to share with our neighbors and people we know in the city.  People were thrilled to receive authentic American cookies made by real Americans.  It’s such a simple thing for Americans to bake chocolate chip cookies, yet it was a huge blessing and surprise to our French friends and neighbors. 

On Friday, the team's last night in Aix, we hosted a “Soirée Américaine” complete with a concert, more chocolate chip cookies, American candies, and line dancing.  People loved it!  

Photo Credit: Krista Guenin

I'd forgotten about Twizzlers and Air Heads!
Photo Credit: Krista Guenin

In addition to these very American/English based interactions, the team of 6 from Boston celebrated two baptisms with us (Guillaume, from our church, and Victoria, from Boston), joined us in prayer-walking through several cities (where we hope to see churches planted in the future), chopped and stacked wood for a family in our community, prayed for many people by name in Aix-les-Bains, and spent time listening to and blessing us as well as our friends.  As one girl wrote, “…What once we had only heard, we have now seen with our eyes and know in our hearts: God is moving in Aix les Bains, France!”

Photo Credit: Krista Guenin