Paul Cooke reports on how supporters' gifts are being used this year
In the last issue of the magazine, I asked you to pray forwisdom for the Trustees as they assessed applications to France Mission’s Education & Training Fund. I can now share with you how those prayers have been answered.
Firstly, let me introduce you to the Lamonnaie family: dad Harris, mum Ornella, and their children Sam and Léana. Harris & Ornella have recently started three years of training at the IBN (Institut Biblique de Nogent), just 10km east of Paris. Until recently, the family were living in Nantes and were active members of the city’s established Perspectives church (eglise-boissiere.fr). Professionally, Harris worked as a painter and decorator while much of Ornella’s time was taken up with their children.
Encouraged by their pastor, Patrice Alcindor, Harris & Ornella felt the call to pursue biblical training. Hence the move to the IBN, with both Perspectives and their home church in Nantes providing support. Thanks to your gifts for FM’s Education & Training fund, we’ve been able to make up the shortfall for their first year. The Lamonnaies will continue to seek additional sources of support for years 2-3, with Harris offsetting some of the training costs through practical work at the Institute.
When I spoke with them last month, I was struck by what a big move this was for them as a family (new schools, new friends, new rhythms, etc.) and was also delighted to learn that they’re living in the new accommodation block that the prayers and gifts of FM supporters helped see completed earlier this year! Please do pray for them all as they continue to settle into their new life in Nogent and seek God’s will for the future.
Secondly, here’s Adrien Ropert. I first heard about Adrien a few years ago in one of the reports from the Perspectives church in Romorantin sent in by Graham & Pauline Stevens. Now that Peter Calvert has taken over as pastor at the church, he too has been keen to commend Adrien to us as a humble young man with a great love for the Lord and His Word, willing to take risks for Jesus. Following studies at the IBG (Institut Biblique de Genève), Adrien is now starting a year of practical application in Amiens (350km north of Romorantin) where he’ll be working partly for the FEU (Foyer Évangélique Universitaire: amiens.lefeu.org) and partly for the Perspectives church in the city. Without the support from FM’s Education & Training Fund, this next step for Adrien simply wouldn’t have been possible. Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to lead Adrien as he commits his ways to Him.
Finally, here’s Joy McClean. Joy only moved to France in early October 2022 and will spend the academic year serving the Perspectives church in Le Pré Saint Gervais, on the eastern edge of Paris. Joy already speaks fluent French, having graduated with a degree in modern languages in 2021. She’s spent the past year working as a Church Apprentice at Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge, and will be fulfilling a similar role at Le Pré. For Nathan Millet, pastor at Le Pré, Joy’s arrival has been a real answer to prayer, and she will no doubt prove a great help to the church as it continues to grow under the Lord’s hand. Eden is doing a wonderful job of supporting Joy as her sending church, but FM is delighted to be able to contribute to her support. Please pray that the Lord will help Joy to adapt quickly and show her whether He might have plans for her in France beyond 2023.
