Psalm 96:3 – “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people; for the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.”
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated with people from other cultures. Here in Stains, on the outskirts of Paris, I am surrounded by such people: African women wearing colorful robes with wee babies on their backs, Muslim women enveloped in black burkas, North African men with weather-beaten faces. Among my twenty-five classmates at the Sorbonne, twenty different nations are represented. I am truly in my element! But the Lord does not let me forget that I am here for more than a taste of international life; I am here to bear witness to His glory. In answer to your prayers, He continues to give me opportunities to share the Gospel:

- My Vietnamese friend T. came over to teach me how to cook some Asian food. As I told her of some of the wonders that God has done for me, she said in astonishment, “How is it that you know God like that? Could I get to know Him the way you do?” Since she comes from a Buddhist background, I proposed that we meet for a Bible study (starting with Genesis 1:1) and she readily accepted.

- One day on the train I sat across from an Algerian young man plagued with vitiligo (a skin disorder in which melanin disappears in patches). Since I also have vitiligo, the Holy Spirit asked me to use that as a conversation-starter. He claimed that the disease was a good sign from Allah because it is turning his dark skin white. My heart was burdened for him to understand that his real problem is not the color of his skin but the wickedness of his heart.

- An Albanian friend came for dinner and shared with me some of the heartaches she has suffered (including the assassination of her grandfather when she was a child during the political upheaval in her country). She seems open to the Gospel.

- T., a young woman from the country of Georgia, stopped me on the sidewalk outside my school building to ask if I would be her English conversation partner. I am looking forward to sharing Christ with her as we meet once a week.

- A Korean-American classmate told me over lunch that she knew all about the Bible but does not believe it is literally true. “Besides,” she said jokingly, “Hell can’t really be all that bad, right?”

- “Your story is so inspiring,” said D., a classmate from Poland. She had been curious why I had moved to France, so I suggested we meet for coffee so I could fully explain. It is possible that she has been exposed to the Gospel before.

“Attention – ça s’appelle reviens !”
(An expression French people use when they let someone borrow something – literally, “Watch out – its name is ‘come back!’”)
Along with amusing French idioms, I am studying grammar, phonetics, and French history 25 hours a week. Listening to the radio and reading the newspaper is slowly getting easier, but talking on the phone is still quite a challenge. Once I tried to find out some information from someone from church, but after asking him to repeat himself several times I gave up and called someone else. The best part of making progress in French has been the opportunity to enjoy greater depths of fellowship with believers.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Prov. 4:7
As I spend hours each day applying my mind to a greater understanding of French grammar and inclining my ear to the nuances of French pronunciation, my Heavenly Father has been challenging me to pursue wisdom with even greater ardor. I am desperately in need of a deeper knowledge of Him and a more sensitive ear to His voice. But with such a demanding schedule I find myself daily battling the temptation to cut short my time of Bible study and prayer.

Newest piano student / missionary recruit
Priscille Xandry is a very gifted pianist in my church. It has been a joy to teach her, and I am eager for her help in developing French sacred music resources in the years to come. Miss Hannah Lawton, age four, recently told her grandma that she wants to fly to France and be a Christianary with me.

Prayer requests for July/August:
- Total dependence on God’s grace as I teach the Bible to T. and continue to develop relationships with others. I have lost contact with the girl Marilyn that I mentioned in my last prayer update.
- Wisdom in balancing my studies with my other responsibilities
- Pursuit of God above all else

Although the pressures are mounting and the needs around me are overwhelming, His grace is sufficient. There is nothing else in the world that I would rather be doing. My heartfelt thanks to those of you who are keeping me here through your financial support and your prayers.

By His grace,

Kristi Colas