Excerpts from my December newsletter
Of holidays and transitions…
After 3.5 months in France, I say a temporary ‘goodbye’ to new friends and coworkers and a temporary ‘hello’ to family and dear friends.
The transitional nature of A Rocha is simultaneously rewarding and challenging… introducing a handful of international students from Oxford to the joy of Saturday markets, only to say goodbye to them a four days later; meeting the A Rocha International administrative team, typically spread out over five countries, just to say, “see you again in a few months!”; or making my rounds of cheek-kisses and “a bientôt!” farewells before returning to the US for Christmas.
Such transition grants flexibility, however…Flexibility for me to spend time celebrating Christmas with my family, meeting my sister’s newest baby, giving dear friends long-awaited hugs, sharing my experiences and hard-learned lessons with my A Rocha supporters, and, in my spare time, writing a few job descriptions for A Rocha France.
Far from a holiday from my commitment to A Rocha, I consider my Christmas furlough as mandatory period of reconnection and ministry. I look forward tapping into a steady source of strength from my family, friends, supporters, and those non-transitional folks in my life, as well as sharing, with increasing passion, the work of God in France and around the work through A Rocha.
“Tu rigoles!” Challenging the culture, one smirk at a time
“Merci, mademoiselle. 10 euros, s’il vois plait.” My coworker Chantel and I had stumbled upon the “bio,” or organic, section of the Arles Saturday outdoor market. Delighted by this small cluster of cheery French folk selling pesticide-free products from our own valley near Arles, we bought a few fig jams and started a conversation on common ground. In halting French we explain that we work with an environmental organization, too. “Il s’appel A Rocha.” Blank stare. “It’s a Christian environmental organization.” A polite smile hardly obscured the vendor’s doubtful expression. Christian? Environmental? Tu rigoles—you’re joking!
France is one of the most secular nations in the world. Faith, belief, tradition, and Jesus are ‘nice’ – as long as they are kept inside the church, so the government can stay out of the church. Social change is left to the politicians. From its earliest days as a Christian and environmental organization, A Rocha France has brought giggles and stumped French cultural expectations… yes, it is possible to be a Christian with an active faith in France!
The joy of fundraising
Since beginning with A Rocha, I have found myself spending much time, energy, prayer, and thought on the subject of fundraising.
Admittedly, in May 2008, I was quite overwhelmed by the figures of need… the red numbers proclaiming that what I had was not quite enough. In this place of insufficiency, I found that fundraising put me in a position of child-like need, a position in which I was required to announce, “without help, I cannot do what I am called to do.”
This position of need was hardly limiting… in fact, needing money and prayer put me in a place where I could invite others to join with me in pursuing something good. Henri Nouwen said, “Whether we are asking for money or giving money we are drawn together by God, who is about to do a new thing through our collaboration.” Such collaboration with a ‘cloud of witnesses’ – churches, friends, and strangers – that brings the overwhelming joy to fundraising.
Heading back home to reconnect with those who have supported me already and to encourage those still hope to, I am finding those red numbers of need a little less burdensome than before. My supporters are just that – an enthusiastic support team cheering me on as I head towards the prize God’s set before me.
