Paris update

Blog – 22 July 2008

Since the last posting we have discovered that there are 66 McDonalds restaurants in Paris and quite a few more around the city limits. We’ve now visited most of them and can recommend their double McCroissant and fries. Actually the reason we keep going there is to use their free wifi internet access as the campsite doesn’t have any. Basically, our days go as follows at present:-
· Get up (not often all that early)
· Have breakfast
· Read Bibles and pray together
· Cycle to McDonalds to search the internet for 2 bed apartments in the very particular area of Paris we would most like to live in (near Parc de Montsouris in the 14th arrondissement)
· Come away disappointed an hour or two later!

So far we have not found any apartment which is in this area and which is also affordable and available. It is extremely frustrating indeed and we are very keen to find one and secure it before we leave for Rendezvous on Friday morning (we are picking Emily up from near Orly Airport at midday).

If this doesn’t happen by Rendezvous then we have got some difficult decisions to make. Do we, for example, cancel our planned holiday immediately after RDV and come straight back to Paris to continue searching for apartments? What do we do about the planned removals on 17 August just after Tim and Rosie’s wedding? Mike Emery is due to help us. We don’t really want to cancel/postpone that so we may need to look for temporary storage facilities around Paris for our furniture etc. Do we come back to this campsite in our caravan or do we look for other options? Lots of “don’t know” answers at present.

We do believe that God wants us here. That is so clear. We do believe it would be good to live in the area of Cite Universitaire for many reasons and the prophetic word we received at Brighton immediately after we had been prayed for on the Thursday night, confirms that. We also received a word from someone else at Brighton that one particular door would not be easy to open, but would after much patience and prayer. Is that this?

We have a busy social life this week here before RDV. Tomorrow evening we have a meal with Gordon and Kerry Neal and the two leading couples from Sel et Lumiere (the existing Newfrontiers church here). We will need to discuss how and when best to close Sel et Lumiere. On Wednesday we hope to see Amandine. On Thursday we are seeing another couple from Sel et Lumiere (who can’t come to RDV) at their studio flat in the city centre). Then on Friday we strike camp, collect Emily and drive south.

We are getting to know parts of the city quite well and feel confident on the public transport system (metro, tram etc). We have cycled many miles and I went for a run yesterday in the Bois de Boulogne.

Our French bank account with HSBC is open. Gill’s debit card works well. Mine does not! We will have to go back to the branch in the 15th arrondissement to sort it out!

Talking on the phone is interesting, but on the whole I am managing well. Gill has just bought some Narnia books in French to read.

News hot off the press! The estate agents have emailed us to say that there is a potential purchaser looking at our house on Friday. Apparently she has nothing to sell. Please pray she buys the house.