"Pray for Sandrine"

After 5 invitations, she finally showed up to a lunch with the students. "Sandrine", which is not her real name, is a professor at the public French university where some of the students here at the Institut Jacques Lefevre attend classes most days. She was invited twice before to join the students for a meal here, but she backed out last-minute both times. Around the same time, she was asking the students about the local church they attend on Sundays in Caen, to which she was then invited to join them. She backed out of that invitation twice as well.

This time, we thought she wasn't coming to lunch at all, especially since she was over 40 minutes late, hadn't called, and had already backed out of invitations 4 times. However, during the second course, just before we cleared her place setting, she appeared with a smile and a bonjour for everyone, accompanied with apologies for her tardiness. She joined the students and a professor from a Canadian Christian school for the rest of the meal.

There is a sense that there is currently a battle for Sandrine in the spiritual realm. It was as I was clearing the table after dessert that I overheard the conversation happening among Sandrine, the Canadian prof, and a local French follower of Christ. The conversation was simple and low-key, but it carried overtones of Sandrine's curiosity and desire to know more about the God we serve.

Perhaps this is it for a while, or perhaps it is the beginning of a very interesting story for her life. Either way, pray with me that the relationship between Sandrine and the Institute would be strengthened and deepened, and pray that God would deepen her thirst and open her heart for him as we continue to show her his great love for her.

Bonjourisme

"The French culture is a relational one." At first, I found this statement to be a little provocative, but since returning to the Domaine l'Estuaire, I am reminded about the most basic aspect of French culture upon which the whole society rests, something I call "le bonjourisme". (the French like to use lots of -ismes).

In almost every situation where it is appropriate to speak to someone else in France, the interaction will begin with a friendly "Bonjour!" or some variation. This is the first thing you say to your coworkers upon seeing them each and every day. The first thing you say to the cashier before paying for groceries, buying a ticket, purchasing a crêpe on the street, etc. This one word embodies the relational aspect of French culture, and it conveys to others that you are acknowledging them in your shared situation.

The words "shared situation" are important ones. While it's pretty out of the ordinary to randomly speak to strangers in France, say on a train or at a bus stop, it is expected that you say "Bonjour" when you walk into a small shop, café or other business, like the local laundromat. You probably wouldn't speak to someone standing at a bus stop, but if it happened to be raining or cold and you had to enter the little shelter where others were already standing, then it would be expected to say "bonjour", even if only under your breath, because the rain or cold has brought you together.

Some might think that this is not very different from American culture, but I would disagree. In the US, it's common for the cashier to say hello and maybe even carry on a small conversation. But, you may also say hi to a stranger you pass on the way to work or strike up a conversation with someone sitting next to you on the bus. Without saying this never happens in France, it is very uncommon and outside of social norms. At the same time, in France it is likely you will spend hours at a friend's house if you are invited over for dinner. What does this say about the French? I think it says that they are more relational than we are. Americans, outside of maybe New York or Chicago, are generally friendly people, but I think there is a difference between being friendly and being relational.

The French have fewer relationships than we do, but the ones they have go much deeper and are more longterm than many of our own. They are a people who appreciate spontaneity, but avoid superficiality. If a French person has reason to believe your friendship was disingenuous or was extended for motives other than the relationship itself, they are likely going to feel betrayed. As a relational person myself, I appreciate this. I love that they avoid saying hello when it is superficial but intentionally and consistently say hello when the circumstances warrant it. It also makes me wonder if the Americans who come back with stories about the "rude French" ever tried just saying "Bonjour!"

Thanks again... and a note from Steve!

Thank you again very much for your generous participation in this project. I will work hard and trust in God's grace to maximize this investment you are making in my own life and ministry as well as in the spiritual life of France. Thank you also to Heather, my wife, for letting me run off to Europe for a month while she works and takes care of the kids. She is an amazing and admirable woman, and I am very grateful for her love and support.

- Jon


A note from the director of Greenhouse Normandy: 

Jon, you are coming at a very opportune time to assist the Center and Institute in ministering God's love to students and French people through the heart of the summer. The team here is worn out right now from 9 solid weeks of non-stop daily ministry activities, with yet another 9 solid weeks to go before the schedule lightens just a bit. You will bring work relief for the team, as well as another channel of service and grace for God to use in the lives of guests and local French friends. Thank you again very much for following God's leading in coming this summer, and please do communicate our deep appreciation to all those who are enabling your ministry through prayers and finances. We are all very grateful.

Cordialement en Christ,

Stephen Darling
Director

It always gets darkest before the dawn...

It’s funny how things always appear to reach the deepest, darkest point before something finally changes and all of the sudden everything is better than could be expected.  This is how I’ve recently felt about my trip to France this month.

Just a few weeks ago, I had only raised a little over 50% of the funds needed for this project.  As the deadline was approaching, I started to face some tough questions which caused me to start to doubt myself and the timing of this trip.  I chose to hold onto my belief that this trip is not only going to provide some much-needed help and support to the folks currently serving in Normandy, but it is also a timely way for me to use my unique gifting to serve the Kingdom of God.  At the end of the day, I had to believe in what I didn’t see; something I felt in my heart based on a passion I have, which I think ultimately comes from God.  That passion is to be used to help people find the love, truth, and hope they are seeking, whether they realize it or not.  The fact that I speak French and feel particularly drawn to francophone (French-speaking) people makes this missions opportunity even more perfect.

After praying once again, I began to share with others about the need I had for $930 more.  It was in the most surprising times -- times when I wasn’t even sharing in hopes to receive support from the person in front of me but instead was just talking about what was on my heart -- that I was blessed with the promise of a generous donation toward the project.  In fact, within just a few days, the entire remaining $930 was pledged to be covered from just a few donors!  Although I can not officially say that I am “fully-funded” since the checks are still on their way to Greenhouse, I can very confidently say that all of the remaining funds are in the mail and well on their way!

Looking back on the past few weeks, I am reminded that God is in control, and when he asks us to do something or adds his blessing to something we want to do for him, he helps make sure it happens.  A statement like that is pretty faith-packed, and I realize that sometimes things don’t always work out the way we expect them to based on something we thought God was leading us to do.  Although this can be a mystery, based on my own history, I can say that in those times I have often not given him enough time to prove himself, and in every occasion like this, I see now that he had a plan even greater than my own (imagine that!).

We had to slightly modify the dates of the trip to account for rising ticket prices, but I can happily report that I do have a ticket, and I am on my way to France this coming Monday (July 12)!

Thank you for your part in making this happen!!  Please continue to pray for me as I travel and while I am there.

Blessings,

Jon

broke the $1000-mark!

Hey everyone,

I just found out that the amount of money I still need to raise before my trip in a few weeks is now below $1000!  The new total I now need to raise $930, which is still a little over 40% of the total needed for this project.

Thanks again to all of your prayers and support!

Jon

A quick update

I spoke to Steve Darling, the director of the Jacques Lefevre Institute, this morning. He said things are going well, even though it is quite hectic at the Institute right now. They are looking forward to the support I will bring this August :)

They will be purchasing my plane ticket very soon, so pray for good prices!

One last bit of good news: at this point the Institute is almost completely booked with French visitors for the entire month of August! This is an answer to prayer as it means more opportunities to build relationships and further the mission.

I am thankful to God for how he is working everything out for this summer, and I thankful to you for your continued prayer and support!

Blessings,
Jon

An update...

First, I would like to send out a huge THANK YOU to all the folks who have already supported me for this project. I am currently at just about 50% of my goal, which has actually decreased to $2155 to cover travel costs, insurance, some basic ministry expenses, and volunteer-rate room and board expenses (the latter keeps me legal while working in France!).  I pray that you will be blessed for your investment in this project!

If you haven’t read my first letter, you can find it as well as future posts both before and during the trip at my blog: http://jonathanfulk.blogspot.com. If you did read that letter, you will notice that the details of the mission have changed a bit. Even though there was great interest from Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, the students were unfortunately not able to raise the funds needed to come this summer. Still, your support and my willingness to participate in this program have gone far to get a valuable program going for the future that is already more affordable for these students than before. The decrease in my total funds needed is also due to this change.

This means that my responsibilities have slightly changed, but there are still many opportunities for me to combine my professional interests and gifts for more direct ministry service.

Why go to France?

• To encourage and coach college students in their use of French and their potential ministry opportunities in France
  
  
• To help strengthen the program and ministry of the Institute itself through the heavy summer months
  
  
• To build relationships with non-believing French people and to be available for how God might use me in their lives.
  
  
• To join the Institute’s staff in executing daily operations like running the café bar, tutoring students, facilities or computer maintenance, grounds upkeep, even washing dishes!  :-)

Join me!

Pray...

• …that there would be lots of opportunities to build relationships with French people in the community.
• …for the students who are away from home studying in a foreign country that they will connect with the need and vision for ministry in France.
• …that more non-believers would choose to stay at the Institute in August and that they would be open and receptive to God’s love and truth.
• …for me as I will be away from my family for 4 ½ weeks. I will miss them a lot. 

Give…

• So far I have raised $1075 toward my goal of $2155, which means I still need to raise the remaining 50% in the next few weeks. 

Gifts are tax-deductible 

if made out to “Jacques Lefevre Institute” 

and designated “for the ministry of Jonathan Fulk"

Jacques Lefevre Institute

PO Box 448

Wheaton, IL 60187

Thanks again for your support!

Initial letter

La Suisse-Normande (France)

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to write this letter to tell you about a recent development in my life, and more specifically, a particular ministry opportunity that God has opened up for me.

As you may already know, my interest in France and the French language began my freshman year of high school when I took my first French class. It was years later before I realized that God clearly had a purpose for this passion since my professional life now pretty much revolves around French!

But more than a career, God has also used my French studies to give me a deeper awareness and concern for the spiritual condition of France and the francophone world. This awareness first began to hit home in college when I had the opportunity one summer to study at a Christian Institute/Mission in Normandy, France – called the Jacques Lefevre Institute (http://www.jacqueslefevreinstitute.com/), part of Greenhouse Normandy. From interactions with my professors at the University of Caen and with others within the community, I learned that God was often a topic that was rarely discussed due to misunderstanding, uncertainty, and fear mixed with a deep and hidden longing for authentic spirituality.

I also learned that ministry in France is very important. Even though France is a well-developed western country, only about 0.2% of the population would generally affirm the traditional beliefs of our core faith in Christ.

Domaine L'Estuaire

The Institute does much more than teaching French to U.S. Christian college students each summer. It is also a year-round ministry center that focuses on evangelism and discipleship, building relationships with people through a number of ministry activities throughout the year. While I was there, I met many interesting people from the community – friendly neighbors, municipal officials, and event planners – who were already closely connected to the staff at the Institute.

I have always known that the Institute invites applications from its alumni to serve on mission projects with them for periods as short as 1 month. This possibility has been of interest to me for several years. In fact, the Institute’s Director and I have stayed in touch periodically for several years regarding this idea of a short-term mission internship.

Then, last fall, the Director invited me to consider a specific need and opportunity for this coming summer, 2010. A missionary school in Kenya, serving the children of missionaries from across Africa, had contacted him to inquire whether the Institute could provide a French experience for a few of their students next summer.

Although the Institute is already very busy during the summers, the Director felt like he could respond positively to this inquiry if God would provide a short-term staff person to direct a program for these missionary kids. He told me that I was the first person he thought of.

Furthermore, after running this 2 ½ week program, I would also have the opportunity to stay on for a couple more weeks to help serve French guests as well. For this second stage, I would be able to serve in practical ways around the Institute. And even beyond that, I would also be able to re-connect with some of the non-Christian French people I knew as a student

So after considerable prayer, and equally considerable discussions with Heather, we felt strongly that God was both leading and providing in giving me this chance to serve. And so it was with a great deal of excitement and fulfillment that I accepted this invitation for next summer, trusting now on God’s further provision for the necessary resources.

My primary responsibilities at the Center will revolve first around serving the missionary kids in mid-July. Most mornings will be spent in language instruction and practice. I will also be responsible for constructive supervision of their outings and free-time, encouraging them spiritually as we use creative means for expanding their use of French.

After the program for missionary kids, the Institute will begin welcoming French guests for the month of August. At this point I will look forward to helping with the daily operations of the Center, while interacting with French guests and being available and sensitive to however God might want to use me.

As a faith mission project, I am trusting the Lord to provide the funds needed to participate in this ministry opportunity. The total support need for my 4 ½ weeks of service will be $2433.Please pray and ask God how he might want to use you through prayer, finances, or some other practical way.

Gifts are tax-deductible if made out to “Greenhouse Normandy” and designated “for the ministry of Jonathan Fulk.” The Institute will issue a tax-deductible receipt to you.

Please mail your donation to:

Greenhouse Normandy
PO Box 448
Wheaton, IL 60187

I would also very much appreciate your prayers, both for my contribution to the work of the Gospel in France, as well as for those things God will want to teach me through this experience.

Thank you very much and I look forward to keeping you informed on what God is doing in my life and through His work in France.

Blessings,

Jonathan Fulk