Video Projector Helps Ministry in France!

September 16, 2004

Greetings, from Versailles, France -- the home of kings! Well, it used to be, anyway! We are enjoying some great September weather, chilly but sunny, and rejoicing that we are back after a year of Home Assignment in the place God has led us to be. This week I am simply abounding in joy that God has placed us in a ministry, in a country that are exactly suited to us, in which we experience his complete sustenance and satisfaction. Isn't He good?

I wanted to just write and tell you about something that happened here this weekend. Just before returning to the field, my husband was able to tap into AW funds to purchase a video projector for use in our church setting (and also on the field as a whole, for other churches, for mission use, etc).

In the fall in France, every town has a day where all the clubs and organizations of the town prepare a stand or booth and present their group to the people of the town. All the families take time to visit the gym or square where the booths are set up and go around to sign up for their various activities for the year. Moms are busy trailing their kids around to the various sports booths, senior citizens meet at their booth to discuss projects for the coming year, chorales, theater groups, environmental concerns and more -- everyone is represented. We work with the Alliance church in a town called Viroflay, who held their "organizations fair" this past weekend. Of course the church was represented by a beautifully decorated stand, the highlight of which was the video projector! Using a laptop connected to the projector with an image projected onto a white paper "screen", people were able to stop by the booth and play a Bible game. Adults tested their Bible knowledge with questions and kids played Bible memory. Many people stopped by the stand just to admire our projector and ask questions (what brand is it, how much, do you like it, etc). 14 people filled out a form to enter the "contest" related to the games -- each one afterward (in the early days of this week) received their prize for "winning" -- some received chocolates and other goodies and all of them received a Jesus video with a Bible. One of the young couples who helped man the stand made some very good re-contacts with neighbors they had already been working at meeting, many young couples were interested that our church had "young people" representing them, and all in all everyone in the church was encouraged by the community contacts that were made.

All this, and it was the first time we had gotten the projector out of its case. Imagine what use it will be to us in the future. I wanted to write and tell you that story and . . . THANK YOU and all the Alliance Women for your participation in our ministries.

Blessings,
Bev Hawkins
C&MA France