Prosperous, yet destitute
Rouen is an ancient city nestled in a valley along the banks of the Seine River. We have good shopping, delicious bread, medieval cathedrals, green grass year-round, and all the rain you could ever want. We have comfortable homes and good healthcare. The French people are well-educated, well-dressed, and generally very well-behaved (except when they get stuck in line at the grocery store). But this city is in the deadly grip of the prince of this world. As we seek to proclaim the Gospel day by day, Satan is right there, ready to pluck away the seed of the Gospel from hearts. Over and over I have scheduled meetings with women to share Christ with them, and they have called to cancel because of sickness. When I told the Foxes how amazed I was at the fierce opposition, they said, “Making disciples in Rouen is like climbing up a steep cliff.” Frankly, I would pack up my bags right now (even though I just finished unpacking them!) and go back home if I did not know Who is on our side. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-19, “All power has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Brethren, pray for us!

Headaches and silly slip-ups
Thank you for your prayers as I continue to adjust to life in France. Whether it is trying to figure out a different kind of oven and ruining several meals in the process, learning my way around town by taking many wrong turns, or accidentally giving the choir instructions in English, I am finding that adjustment takes a ton of time and patience. There have been some hilarious moments, of course – like when I asked for a cashier’s check at the bank in order to buy my car. I got my numbers mixed up and asked for 400,000 Euros instead of 4,000! (400,000 Euros is over half a million dollars.) You should have seen the teller’s face! Last evening one of the guys at church asked me if I’d noticed what section of the newspaper I’d used to decorate a Sunday School poster entitled “Good News.” When I said no, he chuckled. “You used the obituaries!”

Waiting for the “fish” to bite
Sibylle [see-beel], my unsaved handicapped friend, has thanked me over and over for reaching out to her. Lucy, who has huge doubts about everything the Bible teaches, continues to keep in touch. I have also made some new contacts, including Zora, an amiable young Muslim woman, Ségolène, a single mom my age who lives upstairs, and Soizicka, a lonely divorced French woman. Tâm has promised to start reading her Vietnamese Bible soon, and my Kurdish friend Canan plans to visit me in February. I am looking forward to seeing which of these women will be the first to find new life in Christ.

New wheels
The Lord allowed me to obtain a car for the Stevenson family several weeks before their arrival on the field, which motivated me to exchange my US license and learn to drive à la française. Please pray for the Lord to lead me to a reliable car to drive long-term. A children’s Sunday School class in Colorado heard about my car and asked, “Does Chef Soufflé have his own car seat?” As you can see from the photo on his web page, he is petrified when I drive because I don’t understand the bizarre right-of-way rules! He had his French debut during our New Years’ Eve service. I blindfolded him and asked him to guess where he was. “Times Square?” “No, even better! We are finally in the church I told you so much about, Chef Soufflé!”

It is a great joy for me to be serving the Lord in Rouen. Thank you for making it possible!

Thankful for His grace,
Kristi Colas