sent out

Last night our church had a sort of Commissioning Evening for us (« soirée d’envoi »). We began with a buffet meal, so that families could come, and at the end of the meal Marc and I did a short presentation (with Power Point – no self-respecting missionary would do a presentation without it these days, would they?!) to give our testimonies and tell the story of how God led us little by little to believe that He is calling us to serve Him in Benin. There was then a time of prayer before the kids (and some of their parents) went home. Afterwards there was a second part to the meeting where Alain Soudrain (Director of SIM France) said a few words about the church’s responsibility towards its missionaries, and the missionaries’ responsibility towards their church. He also pointed out that in Acts 13, the church in Antioch realises that the Holy Spirit is sending two of their five leaders out on a mission trip. But it is the Holy Spirit who “sends” them, the church just “lets them go” (not actually true in the NIV, and I haven’t checked the Greek yet ;o).

I was very touched by how many people came to the meeting, and by their prayers. As I said during our speechy part, I am very grateful to our church, first of all for being a family to me ever since I arrived in Nancy nearly 8 years ago, and secondly for giving me the opportunity to serve. I have been able to use and develop gifts I already knew I had (youth work, preparing and leading Bible studies…), while being encouraged to discover gifts I never dreamt I had (leading singing, doing the accounts…). I don’t think it’s really hit me yet that we’re actually leaving. I’m not sure when it will, as this summer it may just feel like any other summer when we go away for a month or so. There are people I will miss a lot, though, once I have realised that we really have gone!

Here are a few photos of yesterday’s meeting: