As they were looking for ways to share the gospel, the sisters found out about OM Transform, a mission conference held annually in a European country. Appreciating OM’s core values and doctrinal statement, they felt like this was the right option for them. In July 2017, they arrived at the conference in Spain. Most participants go on an outreach right after the conference, but for the Chapa sisters, this proved difficult due to other plans already made.  

However, undeterred by their time restraints, they decided they would still return the following year, even if only for the outreach! It was an unusual decision but definitely possible. This time they arrived in the north of France, ready to work with a small church in Bruay-la-Buissière, together with team members from Switzerland, France and the USA.

“The opportunity to spend a week with five other people sharing our stories and lives with each other is what I am most thankful for,” said Nadia. “The icebreaker games helped us get to know each other right away and immediately began the process of building trust and confidence in each other. This continued to grow and develop during the week and made us a very strong team.”

Chanel perfume

“I came to France expecting to meet superficial people smelling of Chanel perfume, wearing expensive clothes with expensive handbags on their shoulders!” recalled Nadia. “Instead, I met two different types of people: the first was a small group who were surrendered to the will of God, Christians with warm hearts and a desire to serve in the church. The second group of people was a much larger ‘non-believing’ community who was thirsty for the love of God. This became clear to me as we did ‘faith surveys’ on the streets.”

Zaira shared about visiting a refugee centre and meeting a man from Eritrea, who told her he had to leave his family behind in his home country. “Even when he said he believed in God, I shared the gospel with him,” said Zaira. “And when he asked why a girl from Mexico would come to France, I told him I came to meet him and talk to him about God. I told him how we prayed for Mexico and other countries the previous evening and now I wanted to pray for him and his country.” She told the man that she would also pray he’d soon be reunited with his family.

Nadia said: “While my teammate and I were conducting the surveys at a square, I was very amazed that people were acknowledging not believing in God, yet very willing to give us their personal information, even looking desperately for an ID card to make sure we wrote their address correctly. Unbelievable! This is something I keep remembering from time to time and makes me think how thirsty and ready people are to receive the gospel.”

However, Nadia and Zaira agreed: “Participating [in an outreach] right after the Transform conference has an advantage because one gets really inspired by the praying, singing, learning, sharing and praising the Lord along with other missionaries. Listening to all the conference leaders’ teachings and anecdotes, including how they experienced opposition in some places, and how the Lord has been with them always, was very encouraging. OM did a great job equipping us!”

Zaira added: “We consider the outreach in France a successful outreach. As teammates, we had times for devotionals, time to study and share, worship and pray in the church. We also did a prayer walk on the city streets, made surveys, visited a centre for refugees and, after giving out invitations to the citizens of Bruay La Buissière, we also had a family party in the church garden and a concert night; both were fully attended, with 75 people filling the church to the brim and many new people showing up.

Having been made aware of the spiritual situation in Europe and the need for people to share the gospel in France and other countries, the sisters concluded with the words of Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 9:37-38: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

In 2019, the Transform conference will take place in Athens, Greece, with several outreaches in Greece, as well as to Serbia, Romania, Albania and Turkey.

“Our main objective with these classes is to share the love of God through these classes, Bible stories and the relationships we build with the ladies. We want them to know that they are of great value in the eyes of God.

"We provide teachers with books and curriculum for them to prepare their lessons easily. Our students are from various countries and cultural backgrounds (including some unreached people groups from North Africa, Central Africa and Central Asia), ages (between 20 and 60), education levels (some have their Masters from their home country and others have never been to school). Some have come to France in search of 'a better life' while others are here as political refugees. Despite their differences, they have something in common: the desire to improve their level of French, while enjoying a convivial environment.

"At the end of the class, over tea and mini-cakes, we take time to get to know them, to help them with administrative tasks or to discuss Bible stories. Some of the ladies even invite us to their homes and these visits allow us to have deeper conversations and to share our faith. These visits bear fruit: some have come to faith during these meetings–and in class as well.

"Thank you for praying for these ladies and that they come with a heart open to His Word. Please pray that God may give the teachers wisdom to disciple our new sisters – and prayers for more teachers would be appreciated as well!"

*name changed

Sometimes we ask ourselves if it is worth it all. You work hard and long with little fruit. I was pondering this question as I followed Ahmet up to the fourth floor of a rundown apartment. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon, some weeks ago in the town of Soissons, just two hours east of Paris, and we were going to minister to the Bulgarian Turkish speaking group.

David*, the leader of the group, was very chirpy, and the deep lines on his face were filled with joy, as he told me how everyone was waiting for us to come and share the Word of God with them. Somewhere, deep in my heart, I wanted to feel the same excitement as David about this upcoming meeting. I was just so tired and trying hard not to show it to David. Petro followed a few steps behind, breathing hard from climbing the stairs.

David did not bother to ring the doorbell. He just opened the door and walked in, as if it was his apartment. The joyful chatter from the house immediately got my attention. As we entered the old rundown apartment, we saw people sitting on the floor in the corridor, the kitchen the adjacent room and the main lounge.

There were people everywhere. They were so excited to see us, after we had been away for a month. I quietly asked David how many people where there in the apartment. He smiled, showing deep lines on his face, and whispered in my ear, “There are about 50 people here and we have six new families that accepted Jesus as their Saviour just last month.”

I could not believe my ears and eyes. After I ministered the Word of God to this group, they lined up for prayer, and for the next hour, Petro and I prayed for different needs. We left, four hours later, completely exhausted but so blessed and encouraged.

It was then that we realised that God is at work in His own way, and Muslims are stepping into a relationship with Jesus like never before. And yes: it is worth it all.

*Name changed for security.

Pray for the work among the Turks. Pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to the Turkish community in France, and that He would strengthen those leaders already in place. Pray, too, for the Delange family, as well as Alper Tetik, a Turkish Christian who recently joined OM France. Pray that the Lord will help him as he learns French.

Ana had that dream the same night she received an email about the Riverboat from the OM Director of Portugal, who happened to be her godfather. Her godfather knew about Ana’s talents with stage design, and found it a relevant skill for the Riverboat, specifically for The Agency. However, Ana did not want to open the email. “I had the thinking that once you start being involved with OM, you wouldn’t be able to get out,” joked Ana.

After the dream though, Ana went back to the email and learnt about this green boat. The consequences were high for her – she would have to quit her professional job as Costume and Stage Designer in a theatre where she had invested four years of her life.

“But the dream and the email stayed in my mind,” said Anna. “Honestly, it was messing with my mind!”

Ana decided to have a chat with her boss, the Theatre Director, who is a non-believer and asked for advice. “Ana, but isn’t this what you have worked hard for?” she stated. “You have nothing to lose!”

It was true. Ana had gone into this specialisation with the intention of using it for God’s glory ultimately. Over the years she had somehow forgotten about this desire, burying herself in work. Now that the opportunity was placed in front of her, she was pushing it away instead of grabbing it.

As she read the scripture from Matthew 13 that talks about the Kingdom of Heaven one day, it became clear to Ana and she exclaimed to herself, “What am I doing? The Riverboat is what I’m supposed to do!” Ana quickly filled out her application and sent it in, giving herself no time for regrets. Subsequently, God’s provision financially was her confirmation to join the Riverboat.

Due to the cancellation of a conference, Riverboat community members arrived on board a week earlier than planned. In her first week, Ana felt bored and useless until Creative Director of The Agency, David Svenson (Sweden), asked loudly for help in designing one of the rooms known as the ‘control room.' Ana immediately volunteered saying, “I’m a stage designer and I can help!”

David went through the creative concept with Ana and how he visualised the room to be, adding that there was not a lot of budget available. With the vision and limitations in spending, Ana got creative using what she could find, like coffee, sugar and salt, along with paint and glue, to paint patches of grey and black in the ‘control room’, creating a feel of mystery and darkness. While doing so, she worked with other community members from different cultures - a new experience for her. Ana admitted that it was a challenge trying to communicate and teach others what to do in English.

In that moment, while designing the room, it dawned on Ana that she was mixing her two passions and worlds together – design and missions. “I was finally working on what I really love for God and I felt God in it,” shared Ana. “I knew I was in the right place.” Even though the work took long hours due to the impending launch of The Agency, often stretching till 01:00 or 02:00, Ana enjoyed herself immensely.

After the Riverboat, Ana will help OM UK build the set of the Global Village in a new location. It is also her heart’s desire to join the Global Village factory and its team in Sweden one day. Having tasted the best of both worlds, Ana cannot go back to something less, but to keep serving God, using her talents.

“I see this as a success of our marketing efforts,” shared Line-Up Manager, Michael Radloff (Switzerland), who had initial worries about how the secular media would report on the Riverboat. The reports turned out to be very positive. Michael had also shared during Strasbourg’s port orientation that 92% of France has no evangelical Christian presence and only 0.8% of Christians classify themselves as born-again Christians. It was one of the biggest prayer requests before the start of the port visit to pray for non-believers who would be going through The Agency. “I really think that it was God’s will to have an evangelistic focus for this port,” added Michael.

The most important touch point in the experience is to help non-believer participants gain understanding in the debrief segment. Debriefers have a crucial role in shedding light on the experience and subtly leading them to see the message of the gospel that lies within. “Meeting a lot of young people at the stage of life where they are thinking about what lies ahead in their future and exploring what to believe was a great opportunity for me,” shared Brent*, one of the port volunteers who served as a debriefer. “Being able to influence their lives, even a little bit, was very rewarding.”

It is not an easy task to switch between an openly antagonistic atheist group to an enthusiastic Christian group in debrief. “My main concern is not to let them feel like I’m forcing something on them, whether it be Gospel sharing or missions mobilising,” said Douglas*, another port volunteer. “My job is just to provide information, and the rest is their choice.”

However, Douglas shared that the most frustrating time for him was not during debrief with the atheist groups, or the enthusiastic Christians groups. It was the majority in between – Christian groups that appreciate the experience as an entertainment and walk away, gaining almost nothing. “I could sense no excitement about salvation and missions,” shared Douglas. “It was just a kind of greyness over the whole thing.”

Pray for lukewarm Christians in France to be revitalised with a new sense of passion for salvation and missions again.

* surname not included for security reasons

The Riverboat’s last port of call, Strasbourg, France, includes something no other port has offered its visitors so far: the chance to meet 32 port volunteers from around the world. This large number of volunteers is due to OM France’s initiative in actively encouraging people to come and experience missions in France from anywhere else in the world.

One of these volunteers is David Sisler, from New Jersey, USA. His role on the Riverboat has been to act as a homeless man in the onshore segment of The Agency experience. Although David has a script to guide him, in reality, he is acting out parallel scenes from his former life.

In 2000, David became homeless, following drug and alcohol abuse with unsuccessful rehabilitation attempts, a failed marriage, unemployment and attempted suicide. He was left to live on the streets knowing exactly what it felt like to be left with nothing.

David grew up in a strict Christian home, where he was only shown conditional love. He had an uneventful early childhood until he was five, when his life was thrown into turmoil by witnessing two traumatic accidents. He watched a friend sled into a tree, when a branch pierced the head of his friend, instantly killing him. That same year, he saw another friend run over by a bus as they raced each other to the bus stop. These two incidents caused David immense physical suffering: eczema, panic attacks and nightmares. Although his parents prayed for him, he was unable to shake off his feelings of terror. Eventually, he turned to drugs for immediate guaranteed relief.

By the time he was 18, David had started robbing drug stores to fuel his habit. At 24, he was arrested for interstate drug trafficking. In spite of his rehabilitation at the Word of Life Bible Institute, his drug and alcohol abuse continued to plague him, and he was asked to leave the programme. David ended up at America’s ‘Keswick,’ where he continuously claimed Psalm 51 for his life, as he attempted to put his life in order.

One day in 1984, George Verwer visited the centre to present on OM’s ministry at a Bible conference. George had somehow heard about David and asked to meet with him.

“David, why don’t you come into my room? Let’s talk.”

George spent the whole afternoon with David, listening to his story and sharing his own testimony. David was surprised that George struggled with similar issues; he didn’t think that George had also gone through his fair share of highs and lows.  

“George didn’t have to do this on top of his busy schedule, but he did,” David recalled. “His kind deed left a lasting memory.” 

David continued to seek help from different rehabilitation centres, as he tried to get his life back on track. His last rehabilitation at the Jesus Saves centre in 2016 gave him the inspiration he needed to stay clean in order to serve God, through his counsellor, Ellya Indradjaja.

During a meeting with Ellya, David had complained about the discomfort of sleeping in a bunk bed with so many roommates. Ellya said, “I know how you feel, David. I had the same problem living on a ship.”

“What ship?” David asked.

“The Doulos,” Ellya answered, showing David her hand with its missing finger, which she had lost when Doulos experienced a terrorist attack.

David’s eyes widened. He remembered hearing George Verwer speak about OM and Doulos 33 years earlier. Memories of that afternoon with George started to flood his mind. “Wow, what are the odds of Ellya being here and being my counsellor?” David thought.

“I think I need to start serving Jesus right away,” David told Ellya.

He and Ellya prayed together, then David went online to look for short-term mission opportunities.  He immediately found the Riverboat’s invitation to join in France, but the application deadline was nearly up. Ellya helped him apply, and, amazingly, doors opened for David to join the Riverboat. The church linked to his rehabilitation centre sent David out and supported him financially as Ellya encouraged David to keep trusting God.

David is excited to see how God will “connect the dots” while serving on board the Riverboat. “God’s timing and ways are so different,” David said. “I’m in anticipation of what the Spirit will bring forth—and how divine encounters will happen to people.” Acting as a homeless man, he sees how people at different stages of their faith are impacted by their encounter with him.

“I think it was God putting the pieces together years and years ago,” David acknowledged. “If I hadn’t met George Verwer 33 years ago, I wouldn’t know what Ellya was talking about when she mentioned Doulos.”

Looking back, David affirmed that Psalm 51 has unfolded in his life. “It didn’t happen immediately, but it happened in God’s perfect timing,” he reflected. “God’s love is relentless and persistent. No matter what we did, He still pursues us with His life.”

In David’s newsletters to his supporters, he always ends with the phrase from Philippians 1:6 (NIV): “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” David is certain that God is going to complete the good work in him—“with or without my permission,” he added.

“I don’t think there’s a future for a separate Turkish church because their children speak French. If you plant a Turkish-speaking church, it will last one year, maybe two, and then it’s done,” Martin explained. “Our vision is to integrate these groups with the French churches.”

However, finding a French church to accommodate the Turkish believers has been challenging, he admitted.

Once a month, the couple hosts a meeting for all of their Turkish contacts in a Paris church. They also have bi-weekly Turkish Bible studies for people in their neighbourhood and a youth meeting for French-speaking Turkish youth.

Beyond that, Turkish believers meet in less-formal locations around the country. Martin recalled an invitation to speak to a group of Bulgarian Turkish believers. “They were packed into an apartment, sitting on the floor,” he described. “I got my Bible out, they were taking notes, the women came, and everyone was sitting around my feet. I felt like [Apostle] Paul. There’s such a hunger.”

Same language, different response

In France, not all Turkish speakers are equally open to the gospel, Martin noted.

On the one hand, “you have this amazing movement of Bulgarian Turks moving into the west of Europe,” he said. “Many of these Bulgarians come from the south of Bulgaria where the church is very strong.”

These Bulgarian Christian believers arrive in France without spiritual leadership and without the local language. “We are getting contacted from people all over France, but I cannot find a French church to open their doors to these Bulgarian churches,” Martin said.

Although Martin and Petro continue to liaison with French churches, they meanwhile encourage six church plants across France. “It means a lot of travelling for us,” Martin stated. Furthermore, once a week, the couple holds a Bible study via Skype. According to Martin, three of the virtual attendees want to be baptised.

Anatolian Turks, on the other hand, who make up the majority population in the couple’s neighbourhood, are “very closed,” Martin said. “It’s hard to get into their community.”

Martin distributes literature at a Paris street market. He also visits a local mosque whenever he has opportunity. Three days after the newest Imam arrived in the neighbourhood, Martin invited him to breakfast.

While the two men were eating breakfast, the restaurant owner approached the Imam. “Watch out for this guy—he’s dangerous,” he warned.

Later, when Martin tried to follow up with the Imam, the Islamic religious leader told him it wasn’t a good idea for them to have contact. “Why do you come to the mosque?” he asked Martin.

“I’m a theologian. I want to talk about Jesus the Messiah,” Martin responded.

The Imam was not interested. “For the first time in my life, the Imam asked me not to come to the mosque anymore,” Martin said. “In my neighbourhood, a lot of people know about me and are warned to stay away.”

Pray for French churches to receive the Bulgarian Turkish believers. Pray for Martin and Petro to find open doors in their neighbourhood to talk about Jesus.

*Name changed

Nicole James is a journalist, ESL teacher and adventurer. As a writer for OM Middle East North Africa and OM's Muslim Ministries, she’s passionate about publishing the stories of God’s works among the nations, telling people about the wonderful things He is doing in the world.

The celebration took place in Pontault-Combault, France, over the weekend of 25 to 26 March. That Saturday, about 100 people gathered at the Pontault-Combault Baptist Church, commemorating God’s goodness, and the ways in which He has worked through OM in France to see the gospel reach many people from the 1960’s until today.

The next day, Tong preached at the Sunday morning service, expounding on the shepherd heart of God for the lost—a fundamental basis for missions. He also drew much laughter from the 500-strong congregation when he recalled how he made his first mission trip out of Belgium into Paimpol in France when he joined OM in 1978, sharing at local church meetings and selling books from door to door on a shoestring budget.

“Interestingly, the Pontault-Combault Baptist Church started in the living room of OM France’s former field leader, Chris Short, and has today become a vibrant community of Jesus followers made up of many cultures,” Tong said.

The occasion did not just celebrate spiritual milestones in missions, but it afforded OM France the opportunity to cast a vision for the future of missions in this country.

With the many changes happening across Europe in recent years, such as political instability, mass migration and human trafficking, OM France has been responding promptly to stay relevant to the times, yet remaining grounded in their fundamental mission of sharing the gospel of Jesus of Christ with the unreached.

In this regard, OM France has a strategic ministry ministering lovingly to some of the least reached people in France through short-term outreaches, literacy classes for immigrants in the northern Paris suburbs, networking among Turkish Christian groups, ministering to victims of human trafficking and discipling young French Christians to be a witness to their friends.

“We are excited to see people connecting with the Lord Jesus at different levels and to be a part of what He is doing in this country,” said Simon Yeomans, the current OM France field leader.

Yeomans added passionately, “We want to be a support to our local churches. We want to help them grow, encourage them to send many out into missions and become truly vibrant communities of believers. The OM global community can support us by sending recruits to reach the 65 million people in France who have yet to encounter Jesus in a real way.”

OM France is part of Operation Mobilisation (OM), an international missionary organisation that works in over 115 countries in partnership with local churches. The role of OM is to mobilise Christians to see vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached. For more information about the work and ministry of OM in France, please visit www.fr.om.org

Her mother gave them some money, took the book called One Way, Jesus, and put it on the table. “My mother never read the book, but I did,” related Béatrice, “and the arguments for discovering who Jesus Christ really is led me, at the age of 17, to find Christians who helped me to confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.”

The six-year ESPOIR pour les années 80 (Hope for the '80s) campaign (1981-86) was one of OM’s largest distribution campaigns, covering the whole of France—over 35,000 cities, towns and villages—with Christian tracts and literature. All of France needed the gospel, but local churches were unable to reach every town and especially isolated villages. Mobilising OM teams was the way to help do it. ‘At least something for everyone’ was the watchword.

Tract in every letterbox

Through June, July and August up to 700 young people on 79 teams were sent to a prescribed area to put a tract in every letterbox. If possible, they sold Bibles and Christian books and shared personal testimonies. Church teams of French speakers were more involved in local churches; distribution teams concentrated on tract distribution in villages while pioneering teams worked where there was no local church, trusting God day by day for His provision.

From September until Christmas, campaign leader Chris Short visited most evangelical churches where they wanted to evangelise the next summer, presenting and explaining the ethos of OM and the campaign. From February through May, he visited churches every weekend for motivation and training, giving him a good understanding of the spiritual climate around the country.

Many teams had no accommodation simply because there was no evangelical church. One team member told of his “Christianity…pushed to its limits”. Where churches did exist, teams received an overwhelming welcome; some had even organised a series of prayer meetings before the team arrived.

Team member Allister Fugill (UK) told of his first Sunday morning at Riom. “An old lady thanking God for our arrival broke down and wept…because the Lord had at last sent people to her town with the time to reach everybody.” He continues, “This undoubtedly had an effect on the team. Before, many thought: ‘What can I get out of this?’ Now it is, ‘How and when will the Lord use me to bless the people in this place who have been praying for so long?’”

Almost uncanny

In some hamlets, people manifested their opposition by tearing up the literature; in others, they seemed extremely open. Despite difficulties, team reports mention decisions to follow Christ. Jean-Claude Tremblay from Québec, Canada, said that his greatest blessing over the summer was to see “God lead us to people that He had already prepared. Sometimes it seemed uncanny.”

The Saint-Junien team told of one Friday night when they had little money, food or petrol, and an emergency prayer evening was called. With great awe the next morning, they discovered a bag of eggs and cakes, as well as a monetary gift, on the stairs.

One lady from Lure was so impressed with the literature received that she asked for 10 more packets for her whole family. Another lady, living in the same street as the evangelical church at Lons-le-Saunier, received a tract from a July team. By the time the August team arrived, she had already trusted Jesus as her Saviour and was attending the church.

Vehicles in distress

Prayer and several travelling mechanics kept the teams and their vans on the road. Their visits proved a great encouragement, as well provided news from other teams. Mechanic Conrad Wiebe travelled over 15,000 kilometres one summer, seeking vehicles in distress. Fifty vehicles had been on the move in July and again in August.

Summarising Hope for the '80s, Chris Short wrote in the autumn of 1986: "Six summers have gone. Apart from some isolated areas, all 35,000 towns and villages in France have been visited. 85,000 books and Scripture portions have gone out and can now be found in even the most isolated hamlets. 15,000 people have written in asking for a Bible correspondence course or other information; a number have accepted Jesus as their Saviour and integrated into local churches. During the Hope for the 80’s campaign, we have worked alongside about 450 evangelical churches, and behind every summer campaign, thousands have prayed and given so that all this could take place.”

Years later, in 2016, former OM France Field Leader Chris Lorimer wrote, “We have met over the years many evangelical church pastors/leaders who were involved in OM campaigns and trace their commitment to full-time ministry back to such times as Hope for the '80s.”

Anne Marit Viljoen, from Norway, joined OM in the early 80s for three summer campaigns in France and long-term work in administration, hospitality, leadership and communications in Europe and East Asia Pacific. She and her husband reside in Norway, and she currently serves as a member of the OM Europe communications team.

Ruth came to France through the Transform conference, and joined a team of 12 others, partnering with a church to try to establish connections and relationships with those in the local camp.

At the make-shift school on the outskirts of the Calais refugee camp known as “The Jungle”, Ruth and Paul had the opportunity to talk with a Sudanese Muslim man, a biomedical engineer forced to flee his home.

He told of his three-month journey to the north of France: in the early stages, he had entered a mosque in Italy to pray to Allah, but was asked to leave as he was black. He was amazed that a church then welcomed him in to give him a place to sleep and food to eat. It made him question his religion.

“We then shared the gospel with him and challenged him to ask the God of the Bible for answers,” Ruth explained. “I believe that his heart is opening to Jesus, and I pray that he will read the gospel of Luke that we gave him. God has shown me that he prepares hearts for the sowing of seeds on outreach.”

The One who loves you

One day, another participant named Jennifer met a man from Afghanistan at the school. “A teammate and I were teaching him English and French” she shared. “He invited us to his tent for tea and we had an enjoyable time. The next time at the camp we went back to his tent and he again extended his hospitality with a cup of tea. We then went with him to the school.”

“I was praying for an opportunity to speak about Jesus into his life,” Jennifer said. “He showed me a note from someone, written in English, that said “I love you.” I asked him if he knew who truly loved him more than anyone else, and he said no. I told him that Jesus loves him more than anyone else does, or ever could.”

She thanked the Lord, for opening his heart and for opening the door for a gospel-centred discussion. “From there we shared the gospel and talked about Jesus for maybe an hour or so,” she shared. “His heart was clearly open and he was curious and receptive.”

Sharing their stories

Each day as Elsa and her team met with the same Sudanese group, they prayed for an opportunity to openly share the gospel and give them Bibles or even a gospel of Luke. One day they were able to spend four hours with them and each person in the team shared their testimony.

The Sudanese refugees were very receptive and took the literature that was offered to them. A powerful discussion about the gospel followed.

Pray that the Holy Spirit works in their hearts and for them to read the Word of God! Pray too for the churches and local believers, who continue to work in the camp tirelessly, long after the OM team has left. May God provide for all their needs, physically, spiritually and emotionally. 

Hindsight is, as they say, 20:20. It’s usually easier to see, after the event, what should have been done to prevent it from happening. But whether this is true for the recent tragic events in Paris is a case for argument.

So whilst police and anti-terrorism experts try to analyse reasons and propose laws to prevent such things from happening again, most people come to their own conclusions. Maybe it’s down to Europe and our ever increasingly open borders? Or perhaps it’s the opposite – a lack of communication between Belgian and French police? Or then again, perhaps it’s down to our own inability to raise young people with purpose and passion for values of tolerance and fraternity? 

Putting reasons aside, maybe the most shocking element of the indiscriminant shooting was precisely that it seemed to have such a generalized target: everything and everyone. The Charlie Hebdo shootings in January were horrific enough, but everyone knew what was being targeted. This time, the horror was raised to a new level. All ages, all religions, all nationalities, all backgrounds. Everyone and anyone.

The results were of course deliberate. If anyone is a target, then everyone should beware. Fear will take precedence so that people are scared to go out and tourists cancel their holidays. The end game is to make the City of Lights into a ghost town. Such a result might have been possible, except for the amazing resilience of most people to dismiss the ambitions of the terrorists and simply get on with life.

And so that’s what we do. Our busy lives keep us on task, enable us to keep going, prevent us from taking a step back. And like most things, this has its good side and its bad. Coping mechanisms are good if they prevent us from breaking down. But taken to extremes they prevent us from thinking about issues and seeking purpose in life. They take our minds away from the destiny awaiting every man, and focus on the imminent, the now, today.

I would like to say that tragic events get us in touch with ourselves, make us think about purpose, draw us closer to God. But, as with all things, unless we deliberately enter into the reflection, there is little chance that our lives will change for the better. May God help us to take stock. May his Spirit speak like a megaphone, blasting through our indifference and drawing us to Himself. For His love too is indiscriminant, given freely to all who would receive it. Everyone and anyone.

When God told me that He wanted to use me to reach those without access to the Gospel or Christian witness, I started scouring maps of the 10/40 window. I was excited, ready.

I was not happy when the Lord told me to go to France. Europe! Surely He was mistaken. It angered me that most missionaries go to mostly Christian nations while other areas of the world languish for lack of someone to share Christ in person.

All I could do was entrust myself into His wisdom and seek out His plan for me in a land where Bibles and church buildings were plentiful.

Living in France has opened my eyes in a way that statistics could not. It’s one thing to read that 10 per cent of the population is estimated to be Muslim, while less than 1 per cent is evangelical Christian. It’s something else to walk into the French literacy class that I teach and know that for many of these veiled ladies, my fellow teachers and I are the only Christians they know.

Each week women from among the least reached—Moroccan, Bengali, Comorian—encounter His Word from Creation to Pentecost through stories incorporated into our teaching materials.

Clearly God has a higher plan than my own on world evangelism. I pray we’re all ready to avidly accept our roles in it, whatever they may look like.

* Name changed

The event will take place in Valence (southern France) between 30 December 2014 and 1 January 2015. Aimed at young people between the ages of 15 and 30, Mad in France seeks to communicate the Gospel through both dynamic music events and times of discussion and debate. The theme, “Start,” marks the beginning of something new, the departure point on a journey towards a new destination.  This year, based on the idea of travel, Mad in France is inviting young people to get on board for an incredible experience that may just change their lives.

As part of their vision to equip children and young people, OM France is partnering with Mad in France. “There is a definite convergence with our TeenStreet work, in terms of vision and presentation,” says Simon Yeomans, Field Leader of OM France. “By linking up with Mad in France, OM will be able to raise its profile amongst French youth. At the same time, we will be able to offer them hundreds of different options for serving in missions around the world.”

As a result, OM will be offering a 4D experience of mission at this year’s festival - the Global Village: a gigantic cube of sound and light, an immediate travel experience pushing senses and reactions to the extreme. “It will be an unforgettable 4-dimensional experience,” Simon says.

A project of this scale requires significant infrastructure and OM France needs the generosity of French Christians to help them with builders, actors and small group leaders. “However, the reason it is worth the effort is because we want to inspire young people to share the love of Christ in their daily life, wherever the Lord has put them,” Simon explains. “We want to open their eyes to the needs of this world and challenge them to think about getting involved in mission, whether for the short or the long term.”

For more information about the event, see the website (in French): www.mad2014-start.com

Madeline is a young woman from California, USA. She went for three months to France, where she helped the OM Team with various jobs. Literacy classes, being part of the communication department and serving meals to the homeless were part of her program. As she looks back on her immense memories, she has one evening on her mind.

During her time in France, she had the opportunity to help at an association called Mission évangélique parmi les sans-logis (Evangelical mission among the homeless) with Celine Léchot, another OM France team member. This organisation provides daily meals and a story of hope to those facing some horrible conditions. “One of the unique aspects of this association is the passion for sharing God’s word with those arriving for a hot meal,” said Madeline. “Before each meal a Bible story is shared. As we listen and observe we can see those who are interested in the story and others who are impatient.”

While serving the meal, the team gets to have interactions with the guests. “One lady specifically loves to talk to Celine,” said Madeline. “You can see the trust building in their relationship. Celine has had the opportunity to take her for a hot chocolate a couple of times now and it has been a great encouragement in this sweet woman’s life.”

“Keep your smiles!” said one man to Madeline and the other team members as he left one night. “Even now I am struck by these words. This man lives in a bleak situation, in a situation that seems hopeless, yet he chose to notice joy. He was thankful for a simple smile, and in return I was thankful to him for reminding me to appreciate the little things.”

God is doing an amazing work within the lives of the homeless in Paris, according to Madeline. Each evening the ‘preacher’ will talk to individuals and ask if he can write down their name so he may pray for them. Some are not interested but others eagerly share their needs. “This ministry is thriving as those who are hurting meet those who care,” said Madeline. “Most importantly they can hear of Jesus’ love and the relationship they may experience in Him, they only need to call on His name.”

OM France would appreciate your prayers for this association and for the homeless people who hear about the gospel there.

However, here he shares the story of one girl who recently took the courageous step to leave her life of prostitution for the freedom Christ offers.

It all started with a telephone call from a worker with the international humanitarian organisation Doctors of the World, who asked if I would meet a girl in great spiritual and emotional distress. I met Clara* near a tramway in our city and was surprised by the fear visible on her face.

She asked me to go to a more private place, and I could see she was distressed. She told me that the heavy makeup she wore was just a mask, but that she wanted to get rid of the mask permanently.

Her determination was real – she had been to the police a few days earlier to file an official complaint. She admitted to being at the end of her tether after nine years on the streets but was afraid, thinking she had to carry on because she had no one to help her make the change.

I felt then that it was time to mobilise God’s people, like we had done before to help another girl out of prostitution, who is now doing well in her life and faith. 

A partnering church welcomed Clara that same evening to stay in one of their rooms. I will never forget the heavenly moment when we left her at the front door of the church. There was a moment’s silence in which we felt God’s tangible presence. She told us that only three days earlier she had thought God had abandoned her, and now she was sure that He hadn’t.

The following Sunday, Clara gave a spontaneous testimony during the church service. A church member told me that, for her, it counted amongst the church highlights of the year.

Emotional, psychological and social restoration

When we talk about restoration, there is always the legal side of things. Thankfully, France has many institutions and charities that are very competent. Clara had effectively no identity because her passport had been taken away. But since being at the church, she has obtained her official papers, which allow her to work and get a resident’s permit. She is also now in a home.

However, the emotional and psychological price to pay is expensive. She has frequently said that her childhood was stolen. Her views of love and men have been affected and the simple act of changing her routine from night to day takes time.

The spiritual side is also important. There are sins to confess, things to renounce, chains to break, thoughts to reconstruct and wounds to heal. She feels guilty and afraid for her family. The people who exploited her are part of a renowned gang in her home country, and she often has nightmares. It’s a long path that can only be walked with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and prayer.

“A chapter of my life is over. I am now a new creature in Christ,” she had said, as we unloaded her belongings from my car to go into the church that first night. We are so grateful to God for all He has done for her.

Am I a living testimony?

The answer to Clara’s feelings of abandonment was meeting Christians who enabled her to find a relationship with our God, who says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5; NIV). Helping a girl who is a victim of human trafficking implies love that is not limited by words alone, but by words and truth.

As believers, although we are not of this world, we are in it. Whether we are a missions worker, a student, a stay-at-home mother, or we have a job, we need to ask the same question of ourselves: Am I a living testimony of Christ’s love and freedom?

We are aware that Clara is only at the beginning of the restoration process, but for each one of us who have been seized by God, we are not alone on our walk towards our heavenly home. Jesus is the way and is also the Shepherd who leads us on the way.

**Full name not included for security reasons

*Name changed

“France is in an exciting position when it comes to reaching the whole world,” said worker Marsha*. “Just spend some time under the Eiffel Tower and you will see the world right here at your doorstep: so many nationalities, ethnic groups and different languages, many of them from Muslim countries.”

One of the five ministries of OM France is to “love Muslims”. Another is “reaching neighbours,” and a third is “caring for the marginalised”. Many immigrants in France fit into all three of these categories, so several years ago, OM France decided to start meeting a practical need to build relationships with immigrants by teaching French.

Now, OM France holds classes several times a week in three churches in Paris and one church in Toulouse.

Some of the women the team works with come from French-speaking countries but are illiterate. Others hold degrees in their native countries but don’t know a single word of French.

Many of these women arrive in France, and immediately they need to register their children for school, find doctors for their husbands and buy groceries. They don’t speak French. How do they communicate with schools? How do they know what the doctors write on the prescriptions? Many immigrants face these very real day-to-day dilemmas.

"While we as teachers may not be native French speakers," said Marsha, "our French is better than theirs, better than no French at all. As foreigners ourselves, we can relate to their problems, build bridges and help them see that leaning on God is the solution.”

Marsha connects with her students through shared experiences. When she explained about her appointment to renew her residency card, she was met with sighs of understanding. Her students can relate to her experiences, and she can form relationships with them.

Please support the work of OM France by praying for this ministry and these women. For more information on how you can get involved, contact info.fr@om.org.

*Full name omitted for security reasons

I finished high school over a year ago and honestly didn’t know what to do next. I was looking into possibilities to travel, go to Bible school, or maybe go on a mission trip when I came across OM online.

I picked a couple of countries that interested me after speaking to an OMer in Canada and started to pray about them. It was during that time that God made it clear that I was to go to France.

Since my arrival I’ve been involved in a literacy class to immigrant women and helping in the OM communications department. I’ve been learning about the Bible and learning French, as well as participating in short term mission trips like TiM (Teens in Mission) and TeenStreet.

TiM brought teens from all over Europe to England for a week of sharing the gospel through face painting, playing soccer with children, inviting families to a BBQ and letting people share prayer requests.

The second part of our ministry was with a local youth club who invited us to lead a meeting. Team members shared their testimonies and a drama describing how Jesus is always a true friend to us. A feeling of community developed quickly as we all slept on a church floor, prayed together and were almost always together – even when we didn’t have to be. I left the week with a bigger picture of God’s potential for me.

TeenStreet is a giant youth camp with teens from all over Europe. Teens are able to spend time with friends, make new friends, dig deeper into their relationship with God and discover more of who they are in Him.

I volunteered with KidStreet, which is a day programme for the children of TeenStreet staff. It was fun playing with children from numerous nationalities, despite not being able to communicate verbally all the time, and having a Bible lesson with a small group each day. A highlight of my days at TeenStreet was the Throne Room, a part of each day set aside to worship God through music and singing. God really used that time to convict me of sin and begin exposing more of my heart to Him.

God has used my time in France to change and teach me. I’ve learnt a lot since I arrived through all of the different ministries I’ve been involved with. And I have been pleasantly and willingly pushed out of my comfort zone many times.

If you and God have been talking about taking part and serving more in your church, community or elsewhere, be obedient to what He’s saying to you. Maybe you need to stop talking about it and do it, or maybe you two need to have a serious conversation.

Who knows, maybe I’ll see you in France!

To learn more about OM France’s short-term outreach opportunities, click here. For information on OM France’s longer-term opportunities, click here.

Seven volunteers from the USA, England, Switzerland and Ireland came to Lyon to join the team and help with the outreach. While part of the group went out each evening to meet the women, the rest stayed behind to pray. The volunteers offered the women a glass of fruit juice, along with small gifts and a Gospel or Bible in their own language. A worship evening was organised at the end of the week, and four of the women invited came to the event.

“The first time we went out into the streets, we went to an area where we knew we would meet prostitutes,” said Juliane, a member of “Alliance of Hope” who helped with the outreach. “The first woman I met was leaning against a post, and as I approached her, my attitude was one of harshness and judgment."

Gabrielle* was French. She said she had been a Buddhist for some time, although she was originally from a Catholic background. “Speaking with her, my attitude changed as I looked into her eyes,” Juliane said. “She started to open up to us. We asked if she would like us to pray with her, and she accepted prayer for her three-year-old daughter and also for her grandmother who was going blind.”

Gabrielle told Juliane she was working on the streets in order to pay off a large debt and she wanted to stop once the debt was fully paid. The Transform outreach team said goodbye and hugged her.

“Holding her in my arms, I was overwhelmed by a sense of God’s love for her and found it hard to let her go,” Juliane said, adding that Gabrielle thanked them several times for coming to talk to her. “I know my heart and attitude towards these women has been changed by God’s love.”

Please pray for this ministry to these women. To learn more about Transform outreach opportunities go here or find out more about what God's doing in France here.

*Name changed to protect privacy

Marcel told them that during his youth, he’d had faith. However, two factors had put him off. For one, he couldn’t conceive how God could be good and yet at the same time allow all the suffering and injustice in the world. In addition, he thought religion enslaved people and preferred being free without a God to answer to.

Freedom.

But what is real freedom?

The team continued talking with him, and Marcel went on to say that he would like to believe but that there was something like a barrier in his heart that was stopping him. The team told him that they were going to pray that God would touch him and that his heart would be opened.

When they left, the team members gave Marcel a copy of John’s Gospel.

May the Lord touch Marcel’s heart, and in Isaiah’s words (Isaiah 55.11), may His word not return to Him void.

*Name changed

The group joined up with a much wider evangelism project, organised by an association of churches called “France Pour Christ,” which took place over a 3-week period. The OM team danced in the open-air, and evening concerts were organised through the week.

“Direct evangelism is not my forte," said Linda, one of the team members."I prefer to establish relationships and have one-to-one conversations rather than coming into people’s lives ‘cold’. Dance enables me to build up that rapport with people.”

The team saw enthusiasm from the community. One evening, the hall where they performed was full to capacity, and the dancers had to move their performance outside so the entire crowd could see them.

“Although it was not the ideal environment for dancing, the audience were touched by our concern for their evident frustration,” said Linda. “After our performance the singers came on and we were very aware of an atmosphere of joy and energy throughout the watching crowd. I walked quietly around, moved to the heart and full of thankfulness to God my heavenly Father, for His goodness."

For more information about Transform outreaches go here or learn what else God is doing in France here.

Tim, a participant from this one-week outreach, tells his story:

“One afternoon at the kids’ club, a local resident, a North African man, approached us and began to talk with me and one of the youth from the church. He said we should not be there and we should leave. He told us he would go and get the Muslim elders to talk with us and convince us to leave the neighbourhood.

"After talking with him for some time, we were able to share our faith, what we believe, and a testimony. We also had to convince him we were believing Christians.

"He decided we could stay, and he left us alone, after telling the local children to keep away from us. This was a real reminder of what we are up against when we step out in faith.”

To learn more about God's work through OM France, see their news website. 

Last September, the youth group leadership discussed the possibility of taking the youth group to TeenStreet Europe for the first time. “We thought it would be a fantastic chance for the youth to meet other Christians in a new context and to experience teaching and worship relevant to them,” said OMer Sophie, an involved member of the church. “More importantly, we hoped the conference would encourage them to deepen their relationship with Jesus.”

However, the leaders knew there would be hurdles they’d have to get over first, including getting the church and the youth excited about TeenStreet and paying for the trip.

The church had six teenagers eligible to attend TeenStreet as participants. “At 225 euros a head, plus transport, it didn’t seem achievable for most families in our church,” said Sophie. “However, the youth leadership team truly believed this was an opportunity not to be missed, so we decided to try to raise the money.”

With the goal of raising 1,500 euros to pay the teens’ participation fee, they planned their strategy. “We decided on three types of fundraisers: selling cake after church, participating in a local rummage sale selling items donated by church members and hosting a fun evening at church with a presentation about TeenStreet that included games, dancing and a light meal where people could give donations if they wished,” Sophie said. “We hoped to raise 300 euros from the cake sales, 300 euros from the rummage sale and 450 euros from the evening fundraiser.” The church also allocated 650 euros from the offertory to support the project. 

“By the start of June, God had greatly blessed our efforts!” reported Sophie. In total, over 250 euros more than expected was raised. Not only did God exceed their financial expectations, but four additional teenagers signed up for TeenStreet. They held a final rummage sale to raise the rest needed for these teens.    

“In our fundraising endeavours, God has shown Himself to be so faithful,” shared Sophie before the TeenStreet event. “This is a great testimony for the youth to have as they go. We have seen them come together and become increasingly excited about TeenStreet (and youth group!) as they have been active in raising the money.

“We have also been blessed to see how much the church contributed. Though we are a not a large or particularly wealthy church, everyone came together in support of the project, and the majority of our funds came from within the church. They too see what a great opportunity this is for the young people in our congregation, and that has been a huge encouragement for us. It has grown from a project for the youth group and leaders to a project for our entire church!”

Sophie challenges other youth groups to not allow finances be a hindrance when considering participating in TeenStreet. “In fundraising, we've seen God work in providing for our needs, and He has also worked in the hearts of the youth and of our church before the conference has even taken place. We hope to see you at TeenStreet 2014!”

For more information about TeenStreet Europe, visit www.teenstreet.de. 

“Yes,” said Andre*, who works in France with women who are victims of human trafficking, “when His people, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, intercede for the town authorities using Romans 8:26**, as the church here has been doing.”

In the city where Andre works, 30 local government leaders attended a meeting on human trafficking. They discussed the need to consider faith issues when following up with African women bound by occult vows taken in their homeland.

Andre had the opportunity to explain the importance of the Bible and prayer in breaking such vows. A police officer went further, adding these women are so full of fear that the police feel inept to help them.

“What a joy it was to hear these people speaking of their helplessness in the face of the unseen,” Andre said. “This encouraged us in intercession and action for these women, remembering that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.”

The meeting also led to other contacts, as a person working in the prison service asked Andre for information on churches in the city.

“Praise God,” Andre exclaimed, “who responds to the prayers of His people!”

* Name changed 

** “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” – Romans 8:26

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

An OM team reaching out in Orly, France, met with these responses and more during a recent outreach. The team found it difficult and discouraging at times—not easy to continue smiling after 90 minutes of door-to-door in the snow, for the second time in the day, when almost all the people replied with a variation of the same negative answer. But for the evangelical church in Orly, this was the first step of many to reaching out to the people in their town.

During the five-day outreach the team distributed more than 2,000 leaflets about the church by placing it in numerous letter boxes in blocks of flats, and by knocking on doors. They also invited people to attend an evening of music and sharing. But after a week of outreach, no new people from the area came to the evening event, and not one person had expressed faith in Jesus. Understandably, the team felt disappointed, but there were also high points in the week.

Members of the church participated with the OM team throughout the entire week—their enthusiasm encouraged the team, and the church members are motivated to continue.

During the outreach, they also spoke with a non-practicing Muslim outside a supermarket. An OM team member asked the man what significance being a Muslim was to him, and in return the man asked about the team member’s faith—and voilà, the team member could share about the hope found in Christ. Others on the team also talked for longer with another person, who learnt that for Christians, prayer isn’t limited to a particular moment in the day.

The team also enjoyed working with a church that understands the importance of long-term ministry, who has a vision for the future and won’t give up the work after a week of difficulty. They see that it wasn’t a wasted effort, as there are now at least 2,000 more people who have been reminded that the church is there, that God exists and that Jesus wants to be part of their lives.

As 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (NIV*).

To see what else God is doing through OM’s work in France, check out the news page.

*Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Valerie*, Lisa* and Lynn*, who work with OM to help immigrants, started the scholastic year off at Saint Denis walking around the open market, handing out announcements about the French literacy class they are teaching to immigrant women. The meeting room filled up quickly with new women from Bangladesh, India, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. Some of the women came only briefly, while others have become regulars.

“We always pray that God will bring the right women who have an open heart to hear the Bible stories presented during the class,” Lynn said.

A few weeks ago, after completing the Old Testament, the OMers started the stories of Jesus, the promised Messiah. Some women seem a little uncomfortable with the topic, while others seem fascinated and want to talk more about Jesus. 

“It’s always a joy to see the women’s reactions to hearing the stories of Jesus for the first time,” Lynn said.   

A few women have started to stay longer to chat with the OMers after class. One of the women told Lynn she was a kind person and had many good things going for her. The woman’s belief is that good works can save a person. Lynn took the opportunity to share with her how Lynn was a sinner and deserved to die, but she was thankful God sent Jesus the Saviour to die in her place.

“This is the time when meeting the women one-on-one becomes more important,” Lynn said, “especially for those who want to learn more.”

Last week, it seemed like spring was in the air, so the OMers decided to spend an afternoon in the park with a couple of women from the class, before stopping by Lynn’s apartment for tea. It went so well, they plan to continue as often as weather permits.

“Visiting the women in their homes is nice,” Lynn said, “but often it is more difficult to talk about Jesus. When they come to my place, I have their full attention.”

Little by little, through persistent friendship and hearing about the Gospel of Jesus, these women from all over the globe are coming to an understanding of who Jesus is and what He wants to do in their lives.

Please pray for the women coming to this class, and for the OMers reaching out to their new neighbours. To stay informed about OM’s ministry in France, visit the OM France news page.  

* Name changed

The more than 35 participants had large-group sessions, as well as separate small-group break-out sessions for girls and boys, to facilitate open interaction about the biblical basis of sexuality, purity and faithfulness.

A key verse discussed during the event was Psalm 119:9: “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word” (NIV).

Several young adults shared their own struggles and victories, which impacted the other teens. Once again, OMers noticed how important it is for teens to have older “brothers” and “sisters” to talk to about real-life issues. They know it is important for teens and young adults to have the chance to pray and worship God together. And the teens learnt that if they decide to live a life to please God, He will let them know how to live.

“It was an eye-opener for many to have a fresh look at how God introduced marriage and sexuality into this world as something beautiful and good,” said an OMer, “and how purity and limits is a great investment for a life pleasing to God—but also a life that is more satisfying for ourselves, when we involve God on all areas of our lives, including sexuality.”

OM France is planning another LinkUp in the next few months, focusing on other extremely relevant but sometimes taboo subjects like sexual identity, self-control and anger.

Please pray for the young people who attended the event, that the mentoring relationships would continue and that the teens would dedicate this area of their lives to God. Pray also for the upcoming LinkUp event, that many will come and be challenged by the truth from God’s Word. For more information on God’s work through OM France, see http://www.fr.om.org/eng/.

André* and his wife, a couple working with OM France, have a heart particularly for women who are victims of human trafficking. For just over three years , with the help of local churches and many volunteers, they have been giving their days, and often their nights, contacting these women—many of whom are Nigerians and an increasing number of Romanians—to offer practical help and share the gospel.

Among other activities, André is in contact with local authorities and even the national court of asylum, fighting for these women to be recognised as victims of human trafficking.

A while ago, André accompanied Kate* as she went before the national court of asylum. Her request was rejected and André wrote a letter to the judge overseeing the case. Consequently, Kate was allowed to pass before the judge again, who this time was more sympathetic. He allowed André to plead her case, and according to the lawyer there was a 99 per cent possibility that Kate would be recognised as a victim of human trafficking. They are still awaiting the results.

André trusts in the sovereignty of God, yet asks for prayer that the authorities make a just decision (as stated in Rom 13:1-7).

* Name changed

An OMer working with immigrant women in Paris shares that she lives in two worlds: one that consists of French friends and culture and another that consists of North African friends and culture. A couple weeks ago, her two very different worlds collided:

Claire* is French and is married to her high school sweetheart, who is of North African origin but was raised in France. I sort of assumed that she was nominal Catholic and he was nominal Muslim and that religion wasn’t all that important to them, as is the case with many French people. My assumptions were very wrong.

Claire agreed to help me study for a French exam. We spent four hours together one afternoon, alternating between studying and talking. Although she doesn’t admit it to most people, Claire chose to convert to Islam at age 16. Her mother made sure that she was baptised Catholic, but they weren’t practicing.

Claire started searching for God and didn’t find Him in her mother’s religion. She decided that Islam seemed clearer and the rules seemed easier to follow, so she converted. After all, she thought, aren’t they just different paths to the same God?

Since then, Claire tries to pick and choose the parts of Islam she wants to follow and tries to justify the parts she doesn’t like. Basically, she just exchanged one set of rules for another.

What broke my heart is that she has obviously never been introduced to Jesus. Please pray that as I spend time with this woman, I will have the opportunity to introduce her to Jesus. After all, He is the one she has been looking for but has not yet found.

* Name changed

Her time on Logos Hope took her to the Caribbean, West Africa, the Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula. While on the ship, Lucie spent five months on the housekeeping team before working in the ship’s café, where visitors would come after browsing the on-board bookshop.

Several events stand out for Lucie. Along with two other crew members, she was sent to Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the country on 12 January 2010. Since the education system had broken down, their task was to provide help in the orphanages and schools. Every day the little team organised children’s activities. Lucie also trained people in leading children’s clubs.

While the ship was in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest countries, Lucie had become good friends with 16-year-old Ramatu, already the mother of a little boy. Every day Ramatu visited Lucie, and Ramatu decided to follow Jesus before Logos Hope sailed on. Lucie found it hard to say goodbye to her friend.

In Bermuda, Lucie chatted with a woman visiting the ship a second time, who shared that she had discovered new life in Jesus. Lucie was aware of being just one of the links in the chain to this woman’s faith in Christ; she knows that salvation is the work of God alone, and He uses different people along the way to bring people closer to Himself. This time, she experienced the excitement of being the last link in that chain!

After enjoying two years on board Logos Hope, along with 400 other Christians from all over the world Lucie’s vision has grown through her discovery of new cultures, new churches and new ways of living her faith. She also feels freer to share about her faith with others.

The first apartment block proved impossible to enter. At the second they prayed, and in less than two minutes a man drove up. As he got out of the car with his groceries and went into the building, they followed. At the third building Marvin and Chris prayed again, and within 10 seconds a few workmen came out the door, which meant they could get in.

At the fourth block, Marvin said to Chris, “I believe that we will get into every apartment block today.” They prayed and waited. Nothing happened. Marvin tried some of his basic French phrases with the workmen, pointed to the door-entry system and tried to show that they needed access to the letterboxes. A workman gave them the door code, which made it possible to enter all 10 apartment buildings. They had stepped out in faith, and God responded!

Marvin, Chris and the rest of the Transit Challenge team spent three weeks serving six Paris churches during their 5-month tour of Europe, sharing God’s love with those they met. In Paris, they painted, cleaned, distributed flyers, stuck up posters and did child care.

Interested in demonstrating God’s love and sharing your faith with the people of Europe? Click here to learn more about joining the Transit Challenge this year. 

How exactly do you tell those around you in France of the love of Jesus when you don’t speak a word of French? You put to work the gifts that God has given you and let Him do the rest.

This is exactly what Chorong, a South Korean member of the Transit Challenge team, did. An expert in applying make up, she got to work painting the face of a boy in the park where we set up for open-air outreach. During the face-painting, I was able to chat freely with his father. He remembered the last time we were there in the summer of 2011. Let’s pray for this man who called himself an atheist, but was happy about what we were doing in the park.

Before leaving, he accepted a Gospel of John and promised to read it. May God be revealed to him! The little boy was delighted with his face painting and showed the other children, who also ran to Chorong to have their faces painted. In this way, without a word passing her lips, Chorong brought lots of children and parents to hear about our faith in Jesus.

*Jean-Luc Pillon is a former OMer now serving on the pastoral team of a church in the south of France. During their visit with the OM team in France, Chorong and the rest of the Transit Challenge team helped church members share the gospel and work toward planting a church in a neighbouring town.

Interested in demonstrating God’s love and sharing your faith with the people of Europe? Click here to learn more about joining the Transit Challenge this year. 

“We took a group of 13 from Lyon to Southampton, UK, for a mission organised by a local church. We went to a children’s holiday centre in the mornings and afternoons, organising activities for the children, including a bouncy castle and a free barbecue.

Several things stood out. Firstly, we saw grace in action. The church gave so much to these families over the week: games and activities, meals in the evening, sweets at all times—unconditionally and without limits! Secondly, the whole area knows ‘Bob the pastor’, a former heroin addict whose life was changed because of Jesus. He is always ready to accompany any local youth to their court hearing. The third lesson we learnt was that it is hard to love without expecting to be loved in return. For instance, you give and the food is sometimes thrown back at you, or you are insulted. But despite it all, what a joy it is to have helped baptise 23 new Christians in one day!”

A main event of the week was the RAG (Raise and Give) race. Each teenager raised money and found sponsors for this fundraising race. At TeenStreet, lots of the French teenagers took part in the race and contributed towards the 44,000 euros raised as a gift to OM Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The money will finance projects that will give young Bosnians an opportunity to get together for times of sharing while playing sport. One will help develop a campground owned by the national church. Additionally, some of the funds will go towards a football school in Sarajevo where 50 kids have received weekly training

 “The camp has been one of the most efficient ways to share the gospel and develop the believers’ faith and walk with the Lord,” affirms an OM Bosnia worker.

The three teenagers who raised the most money—among them a girl from France—will be given the opportunity to go to Bosnia and see how the work is progressing in March 2013. The TeenStreet leadership believes that helping those in need and sharing are important values to learn, and believe that encouraging the TeenStreet participants to practice these opens their eyes and touches their hearts.

OM France thanks all those who took part in the adventure. Don’t forget to sign up for another TeenStreet week next year, from 27 July to 3 August 2013. For more information, visit www.teenstreet.de.

In six days, seven individuals went to six towns, covering 1,500 km (about 930 mi) after deciding to put their faith into practice and rely on God for their day-to-day needs while they served Him during OM France’s Retro-Extreme outreach, from 11-16 September.

When we began planning this outreach, I had two goals: serve the local church in two of the most spiritually-deprived areas of France and give Europeans the chance to put their faith into action by taking part in an outreach where they rely on God for food and accommodation.

I was expecting to sleep under the stars, eat stale bread and wash in the river. Instead we had mattresses every night, so much food we were still eating it three days later, and there wasn’t one night without a shower! God showed me that He truly is the God of all resources and when we put our faith in Him he will supply our every need, over and above our expectations. Amazingly, all our expenses were met and we were left in credit!

It was an honour and a privilege to be a part of God moving in the lives of people we met: encouraging the local churches, reading Bible verses during surveys, challenging hitchhikers, sharing coffee with and explaining the gospel to the homeless, singing in markets, doing practical DIY work and even collecting potatoes! And God prepared this all in advance – how good He is!

OM France’s Retro-Extreme outreach will take place again from 24 August – 1 September 2013. Don’t miss out! For more information, click here.

Paul Dixon has organised OM France’s short-term outreaches since 2010. He is closing in on his goal of setting up one outreach for each month of the year!

On leaving South Africa and their two eldest children, Psalm 126:5-6 became particularly dear to Martin and Petro: “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (NIV).

Previously in South Africa Martin worked for the crime investigation police unit, while Petro was a cook in the Air Force. Following a theological course, Martin became a pastor, prior to joining OM in 1992. Martin and Petro were involved in a church-planting ministry in eastern Turkey from 1993 to 2006, before having to leave the country. Three colleagues were killed on account of their faith in 2007. Martin has written a book about their ministry in Turkey; The Edge of Paradise is available on your national Amazon Internet site.

On returning to their home country, Martin and Petro worked until 2011 as part of the OM leadership team in South Africa. A conversation with Jan Coetzer (also a South African by birth, and director of OM France from 2003-2011), brought the need for a witness among the Turkish population in France to their attention. They are working with OM France in this capacity for an undefined period of time, but a minimum of five years.

This year, they will be concentrating on learning the French language, and afterwards begin work among the Turkish community, in co-operation with Parisian churches. They will also start a follow-up work among Turkish contacts made through Sat-7, a Christian satellite TV channel for Middle Eastern and North African peoples.

It was a gorgeous summer’s day in the middle of France. Our group of eight was joyfully hiking down a mountain, soaking in the beauty of God’s creation and the last hours of our rest day.

In the joyful atmosphere, members of the group made jokes, which drew the attention of another group of hikers. We struck up a conversation. The three men in the other group joked about getting down the mountain in time for their beer, and they were dragging along a 10-year-old girl. “You want water?” they said to her. “Well, we don’t have any!”

Thankfully, I did, and the girl gulped the water thirstily. Smiling, I began praying inwardly: “Lord, give us a chance to share the gospel with them.”

Our walk continued, and our new companions began to question why our group consisted of someone from northern France, someone from the South, and me, a Scott. Once the truth came out that we were from a church group, a whole panorama of questions spewed from their inward grumblings. “So, where are your limits? I mean, like rules?”

How to show him that life with God isn’t about rules, but about living fully for God, that that really is the best life possible? I wondered. Enthusiastically hopping down the path, sun shafting through the leaves, I attempted to share even the tiniest glimpse of the joy of living with God.

“But no, it’s so sad—redemption and all. Christ is always suffering on the cross!” he said.

Redemption…sad? What a twisted view of God! I thought.

“Redemption is deliverance!” I replied. May he understand this joyful acclamation of truth!

Despite his obvious confusion, he persevered in his questioning.

Rather abruptly, our path led out of the forest, and I saw the parking lot, a necessary end to this God-given opportunity. Though he had laughingly rejected the gospel, he thanked me for answering his curiosity. And I, in return, thanked God for these 30 minutes of a sun-filled explanation of abundant life in Christ.

Molly Moench participated in an OM France summer outreach. She and her husband serve in full-time campus ministry in Clermont-Ferrand, France, with another organisation.

The poll reveals a France that, despite its religious scepticism, is nevertheless having difficulty breaking free of superstition—and that is as much the case of the highly educated as with the less academically qualified.

Less than a third of those questioned held to a world-view in line with biblical revelation. Half believe in faith healers and premonitions, while just one-fourth believe in foundational claims of the Christian faith (the creation of the world by God and the resurrection of Jesus). Even more surprisingly, one-third of practising Catholics share this general scepticism.

It seems that in spite of the constant, deafening noise of secularism, modern men and women remain spiritual beings, but that this spirituality is skewed, and needs to be countered at a foundational level.

David Leyshon, a volunteer translator for OM France, is a retired British pastor living in Brittany, France. He is the author of the book, Sickness, Suffering & Scripture.

Through clothing and food drives, holiday kids’ clubs, gospel concerts and open-air evangelism, they seek to share God’s love with those around them. Still, they long to do more. Recently, they asked that OM send a team of people to spend a year in Bruay doing full-time ministry.

Pastor Yann Piatowski explains, “I’m a part-time pastor: part-time in ministry while I teach full-time in an elementary school. It’s frustrating not to be able to spend enough time in evangelism or in contact with the Bruay residents. I need helpers with the time to spend in friendship evangelism, regular distribution of Christian literature, setting up evangelistic events and developing a children’s ministry. There are many children in Bruay.”

The OM team has recognised that sending a team could make a difference for Christ in the town and in the lives of those they befriend. Do you know someone who would be interested in joining this team? Is God calling you? Please pray that God would send workers to share His love in Bruay-la-Buissière.

For more information, please click here.

In a turbulent time of economic uncertainty and crisis, TeenStreet Europe wants to focus on how to help others in need. Raise And Give (RAG) is a project for each TeenStreet participant, whether a teen or adult, to raise and give money for teens in need.

Mathilde from France, who went to see the project with two other teenagers and their leaders from Switzerland and Sweden, gives insight into this year’s project.

At 15 years old, Mathilde lives near Strasbourg and was anxious to return to TeenStreet. Her heart’s desire was to reconnect with friends and to relive the moments of connection with God that had been, in the previous year, so memorable and intense. However, she also wanted to return to take part in RAG, collecting funds as a way to serve God.

Mathilde took part in RAG in 2011 and finished among those who collected the most money. This resulted in a special prize. But when the prize fell through, TeenStreet leaders suggested Mathilde take a trip to Bosnia in February as an alternative. “Naturally,” says Mathilde, “I accepted and ended up having the best time of my life!”

Bosnia-Herzegovina was a new world for Mathilde. “I felt I was in a world in complete contrast to the one I was familiar with. I really felt like a foreigner, but what struck me was the people. They were extremely welcoming. That touched me.”

Mathilde also had the chance to experience up-close the violence of Bosnia’s history. “Once,” she says, “when I had the opportunity to touch a wall full of bullet holes, I realised that war is far from being fictional. It’s real. For me this was a revelation.”

Collecting funds towards the sports project in Bosnia-Herzegovina is important, as some of the local Christians find it difficult to get alongside the youth who want to find out more about God. Says Mathilde, “I can personally confirm that Bosnia-Herzegovina certainly is far from being a rich country, which is why we need to collect funds towards the building of (among other projects) a sports field.”

A small group of Bosnians will be attending TeenStreet Europe this year, from 28 July – 4 August in Oldenburg, Germany. The TeenStreet leaders pray that in a country torn apart by war, where the Christian witness is so small, they will be part of reconciliation and telling the good news about Jesus Christ.  

For more information about RAG and TeenStreet Europe, click here. 

Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Grenoble. Cities across France abound with women enslaved by human trafficking.

In one of France’s largest cities, a small team of OMers and local believers have come together to help as many of the women as they can. The project began two years ago and demands huge investment from those involved. After a break at the end of last year, the team has returned to the streets at night to share the Truth with these women.

“The women have really welcomed our presence,” shares OMer, André*. “However, it’s very difficult to make them see that they don’t have to stay working on the streets.”

“I have no choice!” André says the team often hear the women say. “We try to share with them what we believe: to accept their circumstances is to limit God’s power,” he continues. “Other women have already left the streets and chosen to trust God to change their lives. Why will these women not do the same?”

The team regularly organises Bible studies with a few of the ladies, and several have opened up, which the team has found encouraging.

Members from local churches stand alongside the ministry. An intercessory prayer group has recently started, and another group want to help the women—mainly single mothers—in practical ways.

Yet, the needs remain overwhelming. “Many women still need to be visited and supported practically, spiritually and emotionally,” says André.

“We are so thankful for your prayers, which keep us going,” says André. “May God give us His grace, without which we can do nothing.”

Please pray these women will fully grasp God’s grace and love for them.

*name changed

Nadia* with OM France has been teaching French literacy and sharing Bible stories with North African immigrant women in Paris for several years. This year, a record number of women showed up for the first classes of the term. Nadia and her co-workers had more students than they could handle. The lack of personnel, however, turned into an opportunity to share Jesus with a few of the students.

"The final week before October half-term, my co-workers were away for training," said Nadia. "Saliha* and Houda*, both new students, stayed to help me with the clean-up. Since neither was in a hurry to leave, we chatted and I was able to completely share the gospel with them. Saliha asked many questions and Houda knew many of the answers. Her former neighbour was a French Catholic lady who talked to her about Jesus.” 

Saliha taught Arabic literacy in her home country, and the three women have begun studying Arabic together every week. Saliha also accepted a French/Arabic New Testament and promised to read it, says Nadia. The three women, along with others, have gone shopping together and discussed meeting in the park to exercise together. 

Praise God for the friendship developing between Nadia and her new students. Pray that Nadia’s relationship with Saliha and Houda would continue to grow. Pray for further opportunities to share the gospel with them.

*Names changed

“Turning up at a park and initially seeing no children around is discouraging, especially when you’re looking to do a kids’ club," said an OM short-term worker after a two-week outreach in Carpentras, Southern France.

Working closely with a local church, 12 short- and long-term OMers spent two weeks organising open-air market outreaches, surveys, kids’ clubs and international nights in the old town. 

"God is good," continued the OMer. "After everything was set up, suddenly a crowd of kids and parents arrived, and we had a kids’ club! It became very encouraging to keep turning up at the park, knowing that there would be kids. Sometimes there were a lot, sometimes not so many or none, but we knew that God was, and is, working in the hearts of those who attended and heard the gospel. We thank Him for these opportunities to share the good news of His great love for all.”

Two New Testaments in Arabic, 34 DVDs about Jesus, 22 Manga-style “Messiah” booklets, 11 Gospels of John, 15 Q&A books and one Bible were handed out during the two-weeks. Please pray with the team for results.

"Having left the house late, going back to pick up the one Farsi Bible from my distribution material hardly seemed like a sensible idea," said Carl* from OM France. "But God was prompting me, and I obeyed."

There were no public transport delays, so in spite of leaving late, Carl arrived at the market ahead of his team. Those there to help him man the literature stand were all Arabic speakers. Carl was the only one in the group who did not speak Arabic, which is normally a disadvantage since most of their clients speak that language.

Soon the other team members arrived and they began having conversations with immigrants who stopped by the stand. "Suddenly one of our team members, James*, called me over to him. He was trying to chat with an Iranian who spoke only English and Farsi. Fifteen minutes later, we had discussed this man’s dissatisfaction with Islam and his struggle to accept the need to obey God. I suggested that if God had made us, our obedience was in fact His right."

When Carl encouraged him to find out more, the man asked how he should proceed. "Then I knew that God had set everything up so that my Farsi-speaking friend could find the Truth,” said Carl. “I gave him the Bible I had returned home to get that morning.” Praise God for His provision for this seeking man! Pray that this man will read the Bible and know the Truth. 

*Names changed

The first day of ministry in the park, the team couldn’t find any children who wanted to be involved. So the team prayed, and suddenly a few children appeared. The team was able to put on the puppet show for about 10 spectators.  

One participant was really encouraged by the way people from different churches got involved. "There were lots of people who were there every day, sharing the gospel from door to door and in the streets of the region."

Another participant shared, "I came to Codognan filled with curiosity, and I discovered a family well-equipped for the work it would accomplish. I call it a family because, although we all came from different cultures, countries and church denominations, everyone had their own role. I was warmly welcomed and I could feel the passion in everyone’s hearts—the passion to share the love of God."

In hindsight, the OM team concluded that it was evident God’s hand was at work and prayers were answered. “I have learnt that prayer is indispensable,” says Kathryn. “It should precede, underpin and surround every action."

When the group of 19 people from seven countries performed the international night at the church, team member Tan, from New Zealand, says she felt God’s presence as she took part in sharing cultural items from home.

“I almost felt as though God had His hand on me and was saying, ‘Good on you, Tan,’” she remembers. “I was so blown away by how God filled the church both nights, and amazed that every home got an invite. God is so faithful to us.”

Laurence remembers specifically one young man and his girlfriend who came to church for the first time. After the programme, the man approached one of the singers and told her he felt that she was not just singing, but that there was something more.

“He could sense that she was singing with all her heart for the Lord,” says Laurence. “God was certainly at work.”

For more information about OM France, check out www.fr.om.org.

This year, Open Air Campaigners (OAC) and OM France teamed up to produce a dynamic outreach for the festival. Fifteen people from France, UK, Australia and Canada worked with local church members performing on the streets of Avignon.

Each evening, they attracted a crowd of 50-150 people with performances of music, mime and florescent-painted sketch boards lit by a black light. 

The team gave out hundreds of tracts and put people in contact with the local church. Listeners often stayed to talk with team members after the presentations.

“Gilles, a teacher, had no interest in the Bible up to this point, and had doubts on the existence of God,” says one team member.” Nevertheless, he was prepared to read the gospel of John over a week.”

Another participant says, “Daniel, a young German guy, spent a year on a farm after his baccalaureate. He had lots of questions for us about the Bible and science. He was happy to receive a DVD on the life of Jesus.”

Praise God for many opportunities the team had to talk about Christ. Pray that their interactions will have eternal impact. For more information about OM France, contact info.fr@om.org.

In response to the pastor’s message, several youth took the microphone to share about their desire to serve God. One of them was Melissa, 18, from Lyon, who for the past three years has organised outreach camps with other youth from her local church. Melissa thanked her parents for their encouragement and faithful support, stressing the importance of unity between the different generations in the church, and admitted her need for advice and support: “I take all the help from older people I can get!”

Praise God for a growing hunger amongst French youth to serve God in their communities, and for initiatives, such as Nouvelles Générations (nouvelles-generations.org), that train young Christians for the work of ministry and for the building up of the body of Christ.

According to Ephesians 4:11-12, the various ministries of the Word (apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors/teachers) are a gift from Christ to the Church. Their role is to train Christians for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. If the Church lacks properly-trained ministers of the Word, it will be weak, unable to take up the challenge of sharing the love of God in France.  

Action priorities

So then, how should they react? This was the question raised during the first meeting of the New Generations project. Modern man’s reflex is to think immediately of training programmes, information campaigns and communication strategies. These things have their place, but when the team thought about what was needed first, they were struck by Jesus’ words, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38, NKJV) This is why the first mission of New Generations is to initiate a prayer movement for the recruitment and training of new “labourers”.  

Prayer Network

RING (Réseau d’Intercesseurs Nouvelles Générations – Network of New Generations Intercessors) is looking for intercessors to strengthen their team. If you would like to commit to pray at least once a month for new workers, then sign up on the website (only available in French at this time): www.nouvelles-generations.org/ring.php.

Website 

The new website aims to become a portal for Christians seeking information about church ministry. Video clips, testimonies, a full list of camps and training courses, thought-provoking articles and a bibliography of ministries is already available online for sharing.

Challenge Weekends

The first of these weekends was held in February 2011 in the Paris region with around thirty young people looking at a possible full-time ministry commitment. The participants received enthusiastic Bible teaching on the ministry of the Word. They were able to question experienced pastors and meet other young people who are thinking along the same lines.

New Generations Training Experience

For those who feel drawn to full-time ministry, but are unsure whether they are suited for it, practical ministry training experience is being offered alongside an experienced pastor. The first of these courses will hopefully start in September 2011.

Kyle, please tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in Northern Ireland, in a small town called Kesh, surrounded by tractors and fields. As a child, I was keenly interested in the army, and trained with the Cadet Force until I turned 18-years-old. I completed my A-Levels at Portora Royal School, and have a place for an Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Degree in 2012, although I may not go.

Why did you decide to join the Transit Challenge Team?
I grew up in a Christian family, and at the age of 5, decided to follow Jesus. When I was 16-years-old, I joined my school’s Scripture Union Committee, and started understanding more and more of what it means to be a Christian. As a result of years of prayer, the headmaster allowed us to distribute the Bible to everyone in the school that year – something previously unheard of! It was at about the time I started to prepare for my exams, and I had to decide what to do with the next part of my life. I hadn’t gone to ‘The Stables’ for a while - a gathering of folk with a speaker every other Saturday. George Verwer was the guest speaker, and as always, gave a challenging talk. I was excited to hear of Transform 2010 and after talking to George’s assistant for a while, decided to google ‘Transform’ once home. Presented with a copious amount of options, I started short-listing based on finances, country, dates, and so on. By the end of the week, I had essentially got nowhere. Frustrated, I started over. “God, show me the one...” I clicked “Transit Challenge” on the Transform homepage and while reading the description, heard a loud “YES!” I knew this outreach was for me. It also turned out to completely defy my original short-list of finance and dates. This one lasted 5 months, and therefore cost the most. But it didn’t matter anymore. I began to pray around 6 times a day for finances, and got everything I needed. At about 3 or so in the morning, I set out for Dublin Airport. Destination: Transform 2010. I had no expectations. I prefer to be surprised!

How did you end up in France?
After our outreach in France, I received a generic email regarding long-term service with OM France. Curious to know more, I replied. Next thing, my parents get a phone call telling them that I would be going to France for 6 months. Of course my mother hadn’t a clue what was going on, and neither did I. But I decided to take this ‘misunderstanding’ as a possible sign and kept France in my prayers. When I returned home from the Transit Challenge Team, I decided – with some good fatherly advice – to take off into the mountains and spend time with God. The whole time I was there, I felt God telling me to get on with it. “Get on with what, Lord?” I replied. But I soon realised what He meant. It was like I had to cross the ‘Red Sea’, not sure of the outcome. And so, with a single ticket in my hand, and a rucksack on my back, I made my way to the GO Conference in January 2011. I had taken the next step - where it would lead me, I did not know. While at the GO conference, I met with the personnel of OM UK and OM France. It was agreed that I could join OM France, and here I am now.

What is your current ministry with OM France?
I work with male immigrants in Paris. A female ministry has already been established, and so a team member and I are working on developing a male’s ministry too. Most of my work consists of distributing Bibles and literature, talking with folks on the street, providing French language classes, and making contacts. We have been encouraged by the openness of people to the Gospel, and by new contacts made in the past few months.

What do your parents think of all this?
My parents have always supported me in everything I do. They have never pushed me to conform, especially in regards to education. They say they are behind everything I do, and they are. Important to them is that I follow God’s will and worship Him wherever I am. And to me, that is the most important too.

What is your long-term plan (if any)?
My long term plan: HA! Right now, I really do not know. I could stay in France for longer, but that is only one option. I have been thinking about the Transit Challenge Team again recently. As a new ministry within OM Europe, I think it has a lot of potential, and I would love to become a long-term part of it. I adore travelling. And travelling whilst sharing the Gospel, what more could one want? I’m trusting God to reveal His will to me. I’ve just got to try the doors, and see which one opens.

Would you encourage others to join the Transit Challenge Team?
YES! It was the hardest five months of my life. But it was also the best five months of my life. If you enjoy travelling, living in close quarters with your brothers and sisters in Christ – and I mean close, very close quarters; spending almost each second with a handful of other people you’ve just met; travelling long distances in a stuffy van during the summer, and a frozen van in the winter; using your gifts, and experimenting with outreach, and being led by the Spirit; being a servant to all around you; and a lot more, then the Transit Challenge Team is for you!

For more information, contact the Transit Challenge Team or check out their most recent blog site.