Sud de la France! Allons-y!

Hello again!


We've had the opportunity to accompany Valerie to many different locations that demonstrate both her work in her ministry in France and the culture of the people to whom she ministers. I'd like to step through some of our experiences with you all, accompanying each synopsis with a photo example. Here we go!


"Bonjour!" We were greeted by a short, kind-faced man at the gates of a ranch-style home. He introduced himself as Andre ("In English, I am Andrew!") and quickly showed us inside. Soon we met his wife Marinette, who welcomed us warmly and said (in French), "Make yourself at home!" A steady trickle of locals filed into the house over the next half-hour and took their places around a great, long dinner table, Bibles in hand. Most of those in attendance were made up of retirees or stay-at-home mothers as it was only 2:30 in the afternoon. Valerie took her spot at the head of the table and opened the meeting in prayer. Afterwards, everyone turned to the passage in Acts being studied and, in turn, began to read the passage aloud in French. Throughout the reading, Valerie would pose questions to the group to prompt discussion about aspects of the passage. Though I speak little French, I could tell the conversation was genuine, focused and deep. Around 4, the group ceased their study and prayed earnestly for one another before leaving.


Large wooden doors swing open with a creak. Inside, all is dark; we must carefully grope our way to a light switch. Once the room is illuminated, we see that its modern interior belies its ancient stone facade. The English class takes place in a Reformed Protestant church which seems to be more geared to drawing in people near my age bracket (mid-late 20s). Teaching begins in a small Sunday School room at the back of the church. The students themselves range widely in age and background, but they share one thing in common: a desire and willingness to learn. Today, Valerie is teaching her students location modifiers, so they run through different drills and exercises ("The bank is next to the bakery", "Freda is sitting next to Jacques"). If one student stumbles in their speech, the others step in to help them understand. Oftentimes, someone makes a joke in French and laughter fills the room. It's obvious these people have grown to care for one another and for Valerie. As they leave for the evening, they issue a chorus in English of "Good night!" Valerie smiles.


The city streets overflow with people. I hear at least four distinct languages being spoken within earshot: French, German, Italian and British English. Large booths have been set up in the middle of the square where vendors peddle their wares. Along the perimeter of the square, the cafes and restaurants nearby are teeming with visitors, all talking, eating, laughing, living. The surrounding architecture adds to the liveliness of the people; ornate stone and marble statues look down on the citizens below. Amongst these people, Valerie has told us, only 1% of them are Christ followers. One in one-hundred souls going about their lives in this magnificent place would count Christ as their Savior and Lord. Such magnificence indeed masks a greater spiritual darkness.


Twin spires twist upwards to meet a clear azure sky. The gargoyles set on the walls above survey their ward with old, menacing eyes as they have for centuries. Cathedrals such as Cathédrale Saint-Pierre are commonplace in Europe, but no less spectacular. They are a constant reminder of Catholic influence in these lands, for better or for worse. In more recent generations, Valerie noted, such landmarks are regarded more as historical relics than spiritual centers. For the young, they are simply another part of France's celebrated and storied past now.


The large, intricate Porte du Peyrou pictured above pays homage to King Louis XIV and some of his most well known achievements during his rule. Rendered in Roman style, the arch tells the tale of the king's conquests of the Dutch and the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which allowed persecution of Protestants by the Catholic church. Adorned by the French flag, this edifice reinforces both Roman and Catholic influences in France. It also stands as a reminder that Protestants and their ilk have long been unwelcome in France. Though they are no longer hunted in the streets and burned as heretics, the small number of Protestants churches of any kind is noticeable in Montpellier. The French church that Valerie works with is one of just a handful of Protestant churches in Southern France.


The Mediterranean coast is a large draw for many that travel to Montpellier. Many French make it their vacation spot of choice, as do many other Europeans. As a side-effect of the beach community, things tend to be more laid back in Montpellier than some other locations in France. It's not uncommon to see folks strolling around town in their beach gear. Beach-goers enjoy a variety of activities: swimming, sun-bathing, fishing on the rocks, juggling a soccer ball. The proximity to the ocean also heavily influences the local cuisine, with fish and mussels being a common find on most menus.

This ends our tour through the past several days filming in Montpellier with Valerie. I hope to post about our trip out to Nimes and Avignon soon, so stay tuned!

Derek and Patrick

Adios Spain! Bonjour France!

Bonjour!

So, its been a whirlwind of a few days since we arrived in Montpellier on Monday. Internet access here has been a bit more spotty so my blog posts may not be as consistent as they have been. Anyhow, on to the update!

We left the Wells' villa in Spain at the crack of dawn on Monday. Even though they were quite tired, Lauren and Terri got up and fixed us breakfast and coffee before we left. People such as these are quite rare in the world; their loving care, unselfish acts and hospitality given to us was truly a blessing. Thanks Wells family! Afterwards, we packed our Clio, said our goodbyes, jumped in the car and plotted a course for France. It only took us about two and a half hours (which would have proceeded quicker if we knew how to say ATM in Spanish. Maquina de Banking Automatic? Maquina de dinero?)


We arrived in Montpellier that morning and met Valerie, who ministers to the French community there. That afternoon, we had the opportunity to sit in on (and film) a home Bible study that she facilitates as well as an ESL course that she teaches to several natives of Montpellier. We enjoyed a delicious dinner that evening on la Place de la Comédie while Valerie taught us some quick French phrases and how their usage reflects some aspects of French culture.


There is a reason, Valerie said, that French was long the language of choice for European diplomats. It is naturally predisposed to taking a polite and courteous stance. For instance, whenever entering any store/food establishment it is customary to give an audible "Bonjour!", even if no one is visible. The same goes with leaving such a place; an "Au revoir!" is expected. Also, when approaching someone for assistance, your introduction goes a little something like this: "Hello! Excuse me, I hope I'm not bothering you, but I seem to have a small problem..." Your fellow conversant is now ready and willing to hear about your "small" problem, whatever it may be. Derek and I have found the French people to be quite friendly and accommodating, despite our very obvious lack of French skills and elementary knowledge of their customs. They have definitely defied the American stereotype of French culture: that if you do not speak French, they will not give you the time of day. Or that they hate Americans or all things American (the proliferation of American dance music shatters that one).


One stereotype that I've been glad to have reinforced is the quality of French baked goods. Bakeries here are absolutely amazing! There are all forms of tantalizing pastries, crepes, rolls, quiches, and breads that it's almost overwhelming. I've had the opportunity to stop at a few for breakfast this week and have chosen something at random each time. And every time, it's never failed to be melt-in-your-mouth delicious. So far I've had some croissants, a chausson aux citron, macarons(!!!) and a couple of different quiches. So good. I should really get some pictures of these confections next time I grab breakfast!



Over the past few days, Derek and I have been very busy filming and traveling around Montpellier with Valerie. So much has happened, much more than will fit into this update. I'll go over some of the highlights of out French travels in a subsequent post. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, we look forward to sharing more with you all soon!

Adieu,

Derek and Patrick

Week One Video!

Hey friends,

Here's the video we promised; a short week one summary that we sent to Chantilly Bible Church to be shown earlier today. Enjoy!

Derek & Patrick

Week One: Catalunya Spain! from Derek Knight on Vimeo.

Qui és el meu amic?

Hola amics!

Over the past two days, Derek and I have been conducting interviews with the Wells family and some of their close Catalan friends. As such we've stayed based here in Santa Coloma, doing a great deal of brainstorming, planning and editing. Below are a few stills from the videos we've taken across the past two days, to give a brief example of what we've been doing. Folks at Chantilly Bible will soon see part of the fruits of our labors in the form of an update video this Sunday. I'll post it here on the blog after people at church have had a chance to see it.





Even though our primary work has been mostly focused around tripods, lights and computers, we've also had the opportunity to meet and spend time in the company of several of the Wells' good friends. Among them, we had the pleasure of sharing a delicious Catalan-length meal with Josep and Maria. The couple are unique among Catalan people: they have had the opportunity to do an extensive amount of travel around Europe and the United States. We asked Josef to share some insights into his culture and how it differs from our own back in the States. He gladly obliged and, offering a winning smile, began to speak.

Josef explained that the Catalan people are a much more cautious and guarded group. This stance has been earned over centuries of abuse and marginalization. Catalans have been persecuted by the Catholic church for supposed heresy, invaded by the Moors and used as target practice by Francisco Franco. At several points in Spanish history, the Catalan language has been banned and Catalan culture suppressed with threat of punishment. People who the Catalan considered their friends have turned on them in the past, with the result being death in the most extreme cases in history. As such, even now, Catalans remain very skeptical and careful of new people trying to build friendships, especially outsiders. It takes years of trust reinforced by action to earn the friendship of a Catalan. And until the time where a deep and rich relationship has been formed, personal matters, especially when it comes to belief systems and faith, are not shared. In fact, the openness of Western cultures, in particular that of many Americans, is incredibly off-putting and potentially offensive. As Josef put it, "I don't know you and you are already telling me the problems of your family and what you believe. And you expect me to do the same? How can I trust you when I have only just met you? How do I know you will not betray my confidence?"

However, once a solid friendship has been established with one from Catalunya, you have made a friend for life. As Catalans are so guarded, they generally have a smaller group of friends than most Americans. Those who they do count friends, however, are treated as family. "We are a very loyal people; we wish to maintain our friendship no matter what happens to you or where you go." In this, we encounter another major difference between the way Western cultures regard relationships; for us, friendships can often be short-term and transitory, especially those formed and maintained over long distances. Josef mentioned many times when he had been disappointed by friendships with Americans. "You talk back and forth for a while, but soon you find you are talking to yourself. They stop responding and have abandoned you."

There are also differences in where and how people choose to live. "Many Catalans live only meters from where they are born and where they will die. My brothers are only 10 minutes away and my wife's parents are 5 minutes away. Families stick closer together in Catalunya." Many people in Catalunya also train for one profession and remain in it for the duration of their lives. Education past 10th grade is engineered to prepare a person to perform in their field of choice. Changing professions or concentrations in school is rare and, when it is does occur, is incredibly difficult to accomplish. Great changes, in both living location and profession/school concentration, are much more common in our society. Many families in the States move every few years, sometimes leaving their previous state completely behind them. I am a testament to change in study focus since I switched to computer science from chemistry halfway through my college career. Change is hardwired into our society and revered so much that those who stay in or around their hometowns are referred to in derogatory ways, such as "townies."

So, how do you approach a culture that is mostly closed towards outsiders and unwilling to discuss deep matters without a secure and storied personal history with them? "Take an interest in what other Catalans are doing, in their history, in their language. Spend quality time with them, show them that you are also normal people. Or meet them through old friends. It will take time, much time. But it is worth it in the end." As Josef shared these things, I was reminded that we are to reach out to others and meet them where they are, doing our best to engage them in their own culture, in their own language, in their own way. I thought of I Corinthians 9:19-23 where Paul describes how we have the freedom to connect with divergent cultures in Christ:

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Having discussed the nature of Catalan relationships with Josef, I now have a greater understanding of the challenges that the Wells have faced over the years that they have spent here in Catalunya. Spending time with Josef, Maria and the Wells has also demonstrated just how cherished the friendships that they've built have become: it's very clear that they care for each other deeply as they would family. In fact, I came to find out that both parties have met each others' families over the course of their long relationship. It was really amazing to witness and a blessing to be able to share, by association, in the richness of their friendship.

After we had finished talking, Josef and Maria got up to leave. As he left, we exchanged contact information. I invited him to come and visit Alexandria and the DC area the next time he and Maria made the trip over to the US. He laughed, "Be careful what you promise. One day I will ring your bell and be standing at your door!" I certainly hope he's right; I would love the chance to know this Catalan man much better.

Barcelona Bound!

Que tal?

I apologize for my negligence in updating the blog yesterday; I was thoroughly exhausted by the time I had made it home last night.

Yesterday was quite the day. I awoke around 6 AM; scrambled to take a shower, get dressed and swallow some breakfast. Lauren's friend, Natalia, was moving back to Barcelona and we were going to greet her and help her with all of the luggage she was bringing back. Her flight was scheduled to arrive at the Barcelona International Airport at 8:30 and we were a solid hour away, best case scenario. The three of us piled into our Clio and sped off towards Barcelona. Though we encountered Barcelona's version of morning rush-hour traffic, we made it to the airport just in time to greet Natalia and carry her cache of luggage. We packed ourselves back into the Clio, the operation resembling a game of Tetris (in contrast to the Chinese fire drill we performed leaving that morning).



Our merry quartet was now bound for downtown Barcelona. Although I've briefly touched on it already, it's at this time that I would like to convey to you the fullness of the absolute craziness that is travel in Spanish cities. Drivers tend to leave little space between themselves and the next car and move in and out of traffic with alarming speed and little warning. Scooters and motorcycles are worse, often ignoring all traffic laws, such as red lights and right-of-way. They are also prone to squeeze themselves through the already miniscule gaps between lanes (and the cars in them). The roads add to the pandemonium; they weave in and out of the city, forking and re-merging at will, a system of insane pulsing, narrow capillaries pumping a steady flow of tiny European cars to their destinations.



Derek traversed the ridiculous network of alleys and highways like a pro. He handled situations that would make lesser men curl up under their steering wheels and cry with tenacity and grace. We were all incredibly thankful for his driving prowess and I'm sure it will prove invaluable as we continue our trek around Europe. Once in the city, we helped Natalia carry her luggage home (including other belongings we collected from a friend of hers) and bid her goodbye. Derek, Lauren and I continued on to explore the city. Our first stop was the Sagrada Família cathedral (pictures above and below this paragraph), a gargantuan and eclectic work of art. Construction for this building began way back in 1882 and still continues to this day, as evidenced by the numerous cranes and scaffolding. We also visited the Catedral de la Santa Creu and toured the surrounding Gothic district, which is made up of a cacophony of historical sites as old as the first century BC.


Later that evening, we enjoyed a delicious two and half hour meal at a nearby restaurant. Pictured below is a sample of the delicacies upon which we feasted. So incredibly delicious. You're going to be hearing a lot about food in this blog, especially while I'm here in Spain. It's a major part of their culture and accounts for the greater part of the Catalunyan citizen's day (at least 4 to 5 hours throughout the day). After leisurely enjoying our meal and enjoying discussing all manner of things with Lauren (matters ranging from deep challenges of faith to where to catch/eat the best anchovies), we drove up to an escarpment build atop Montjuïc, which affords an amazing view of the city below.


Finally, we drove back to the Wells' home in Girona late that evening, closer to 1 AM. We went to bed satisfied and exhausted; we had reached saturation point from absorbing so much of the richness of the surrounding culture and history. So much that this blog post is sadly inadequate to convey the fullness of our experience. It's only Day 3 in Europe and already God has blessed our journey in incredible ways. I look forward to sharing more about how God is moving here in the coming days.

Que le vaya bien,

Patrick

Mountain missions to city cathedrals...

Bon dia!

Refreshed after a full nights rest, Derek and I ventured out to explore and experience the city of Girona with the Wells family today! We began our journey with a trip up to a church situated at the top of a mountain. As we drove up the tiny, winding roads, we passed a great hoard of men and women in uniform taking a leisurely hike up towards the chapel. Evidently, it was the tradition of the Spanish police and military forces to offer up their prayers to the mother Mary and ask for her blessing for the year. Lauren commented that things such as this were common in Spain; Catholicism is tied very strongly to their national identity. This would become even more evident when we later toured the cathedral and churches in the city of Girona (such as the one pictured below), but I'm getting ahead of myself...


We next stopped to grab dinner at a beautiful mountain-side cafe on our way back down the meandering way. In Spain, the main meal of the day happens at around 2 in the afternoon and is traditionally a multi-course meal enjoyed over the course of at least an hour or two. I enjoyed expanding my palette by feasting upon delicious dried meats (various forms of pork), roasted lamb, tender beef drenched in a sauce of wild mushrooms (they had literally been pick from the hillsides that stretched below us), and marinated, lightly grilled vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and onions), among other things. People certainly know how to cook here and take great pride in it. I, for one, and my vast black-hole of a stomach, are quite happy about that!



Next, the Wells (pictured above) took us down into the city center of Girona that we had looked down upon while we enjoyed our meal. Buildings stacked tightly together around a towering cathedral rolled into view. After going down many roads that would more likely be classified in the States as walkways than streets, we parked and ventured out on foot. We toured the entire cathedral and the minor church attached. It's times like these I'm reminded just how young the United States really is in comparison to the European nations. Centuries and centuries of church relics, tapestries, and monuments stood testament to that. Each item on display within the cathedral carried with it a different story, described a different event, and defined a different piece of history woven into the identity of the people who now call Spain their home. I'm beginning to see more and more why this culture holds Catholicism as a core part of who they are and the simultaneous advantages and challenges that this offers those working to witness to it, such as Lauren and Terri. The struggles/triumphs in connecting to the Catalan culture have been and are a big part of the Wells' lives here, and it'll be something I'll be sure to revisit in future posts.

Tomorrow begins early and will be jammed to the brim! We'll travel to Barcelona at seven in the morning to do some more filming and to help some friends of Lauren and Terri. This is Derek and Patrick, signing off!

Across the Ocean Blue...

Hey all,

I just thought I'd leave a brief message confirming that, yes, we are alive and did make it safely to Spain! Our flights, though tiring, went without a hitch; we arrived in Barcelona as scheduled. Derek expertly navigated the labyrinth-like Barcelona parking garage and quickly adjusted to the rules of the Spanish road in our newly acquired Renault Clio (Rule #1: When piloting a vehicle with the engine the size of a kumquat, get out of the left lane), bringing us to our first destination: the Wells family home just outside Girona!

The Wells have been gracious hosts, feeding us delicious food such as homemade fried chicken and mashed potatoes, allowing us to take a (very chilly) dip in their pool when fatigue threatened to overwhelm us, and taking us to visit a nearby castle. Pictured below is a very tired me with Lauren Wells as we stand atop the castles crenelations. The Wells have offered us an unique perspective into the culture of Spain, in particular, that of the Catalan people. I'll offer more insight on these things and today's happenings later; right now, I need to sleep!

In Christ,

Patrick