It is 11:00pm. Bob and I have returned to our room having made the decision to forego the night life of Paris. We are obviously a fun pair. We were both a bit tired. I like to be able to return and give some thought to the day and to this journaling exercise which I can only hope some are reading.

We had another full day though that is not unusual since every day has been full. I confess I am glad because if I have time to think I get homesick. I am not cut out for the traveling life. I love my wife, my home, my bed, my office, and my comfort zone. I would never go anywhere if I did not have to. My world is big enough and I have developed the fine art of literary travel which one does in books. Having issued my tendency to get homesick, I will hasten to add that I am glad I am here experiencing Paris and enjoying the visits we are making.

I do not think I have mentioned something that is standard procedure in our visits. We hear a presentation of sorts or see a community and then take time to pray for some of the needs of that missionary or that ministry. You should know that because, after all, what I am attending is called a prayer conference.

I think some came with a notion that they will be giving. I, on the other hand, came with the notion that I would steal every thought and idea I could. I am learning much from the missionaries who are sharing their stories and their ministries with us. They are asking some of the questions we are asking or should be asking. I hear how they are approaching the very heart-hard communities where they live and cannot help but reflect how heart-hard are the communities in which we live. They have much to teach us about the ministry of the gospel.

I had better stop editorializing and get into the day.

We began as we always do with breakfast in the breakfast area which like everything else in Paris is too small for my American tastes. The streets are small requiring tiny cars. The apartments are small requiring that everyone eat in a café somewhere. And our breakfast room is small requiring me to crawl over someone who does not want to be bothered in order to find a place to drink my coffee and eat the wonderful sausage and bacon they prepare for us.

We left at 8:30pm taking the Metro to Cergy Le Haut. My apology to franco-philes but I cannot get the sound of the word to match the letters. Fortunately I am writing and have no necessity to give a pronunciation. I cannot be sure my spelling is correct.

We were greeted by Kermit Horn and the ever present and delightful Detlaf Gwinner who transported us to the home of Kermit and Cheryl. Kermit has served in the leadership of World Team but has stepped back to study philosophy for two years. He goes to Paris 4 days a week to sit in classes on Philosophy. What does that have to do with being a missionary? That is obviously a good question because you thought it. Kermit seeks to understand even better the French mind and its thinking. He has been in France for 26 years and still feels a need to go deeper. He hopes to be a teacher for pastors and missionaries.

He and Cheryl live in the most delightful rural village I have seen. Remember, I have not seen many. Their home is something out of a story book as far as I am concerned. It is a relatively new home in France, only a couple of hundred years old. They have purchased their home because renting is just too expensive and inefficient. Eventually, they dream of being able to host pastors and missionaries for a time when they can read and learn together.

The part (called a department) of France in which they live is called Oise. It is largely rural and has the least amount of evangelicals in the whole country. Rural France creates some unique problems. Because people are spread far, providing services is quiet difficult. The various villages form associations and then band together to form associations of associations. To provide schooling, one village might provide a school for second grade while third grade meets in the neighboring village.

Kermit told us that World War 2 brought a new wave of missionaries through the American G. I.’s who saw the need and set out to serve God in France. Many were lone rangers who came, set up shop and tried to share the gospel wherever they could. About 15 years ago, the determination was made to work under the French Association. The thought was that since this was France, perhaps the French should be the leaders of such a work. It was the French who asked that missionaries come to Oise.

France VIE has come to Oise under the direction of French leaders and seeks to partner with works that are going on there. There are almost no evangelical churches there. Dave and Kathryn Lohnes moved to Meru to begin to plant a church. They live in the town of Andeville where a group of believers gathers in a church.

Kermit said that many people were abandoning the rural areas to move to Paris. Now, a reverse migration has begun as Paris expands. People are seeking the country life once again.

As we left the Horns, I rode beside Cheryl and talked of family and personal issues. I enjoyed our conversation and was reminded that these people who are so special are at the same time so very normal. Our conversation contained no great revelation of deeply hidden needs and certainly of no great failures but rather the somewhat normal matters that rise out of growing children and adapting life to the transitions that must come.

We traveled to the home of Carl and Caroline Kishbaugh who are fellow Pennsylvanians from the Berwick / Bloomsburg area. They were out hosts for lunch. I should put in a large plug for the hospitality of our missionary hosts. They are all good cooks. I have come to the conclusion that missionary school includes a course on cooking and hosting since they all seem to do it so well.

After our delightful lunch, we heard from a pastor in a church nearby. Jean Claude Chong told us his story of how he was converted, called to the ministry and serves the Lord. I cannot begin to recount his whole story here. He is a dynamic man with a riveting story and a great heart for the French people. His name, Chong, is Chinese but to describe all that would draw me into sharing his story and I cannot lest my fingers be worn away to nubbins and I will still be here in the wee hours of morning.

Jean Claude began by saying that French people are difficult to reach since they are very suspicious and protect their space and privacy. You can see from the walled yards and locked gates that each family has its space. He notes that French see themselves as Catholic who will die Catholic without a thought of changing even if they never enter a Catholic church.

Jean Claude, after a journey from being a successful professional photographer to a Bible school, pastors a church in Oise. He has served now for nearly 30 years. The church he pastors has come to need more room as people have come to Christ. He notes that several years ago that people came and began to plant churches but never talked to him. He felt hurt by these attempts.

Five years ago, France VIE made contact with him and sought his input for church planting. They have been working together and learning together about the work.

At this time, Jean Claude has seen people leave his church and is very discouraged. We prayed for him. He is clearly a dynamic man and has a heart to serve God.

We left the Kishbaughs and headed for the home of David and Kathryn Lohnes in Andeville in Meru. The Lohnes’ moved to begin a church plant there. They were very uncomfortable at first with life in a rural town but after a year settled in believing that God wanted them their. After a couple of years, they saw their first fruit in 2005. Now, they have a group meeting in their home which has grown too large. They are looking for a place to meet. Dave has an important meeting on Thursday to seek permission from the mayor (this is standard procedure) to purchase a building for the church. This building will be an important step ahead. People do not like to come to a home since it makes the church feel like a cult.

We went to Meru which is nearby. Meru has an interesting history since it was a place where the kings would send their illegitimate children to get them out of the way. Later, it became a place where polluting industries were sent to get them out of Paris. Because released prisoners were to be banished to a distance of 50 kilometers and because Meru is the first town of that distance, prisoners would gravitate to that town. Obviously, Meru would be a challenge to a chamber of commerce who wanted to advertise the town. The Lohnes’ are seeking another church start there. We drove there and prayed for the town in a little park that overlooks the town.

During our stay, Dave expressed his appreciation for our presence and the encouragement we brought. He expressed what I heard from Florence on Sunday afternoon. I saw again the personal price that is paid by these who have come in the name of Jesus to bring the life giving gospel to a people who deeply need it.

We enjoyed a barbecue and salads of all sorts at the Lohnes home. I will repeat what I said about hospitality a bit earlier.

We returned to the Metro which bore us back to Paris and here I am telling my story. It is now midnight. Enough.

Thanks for your interest and prayers.