Spritual Life in France

So I've kept wanting to tell everyone about service, the meetings and the perception of Jehovah's people in France, but I keep thinking my blog entries are looong; so this one will be dedicated to that topic. Coming soon will be my first adventure into Paris ON MY OWN.

First the perception. I will do my best to describe it, but you must understand the French people and the culture is ironic and elusive; difficult to describe and I am only now being introduced to it. As a whole the nation is atheistic and the scripture at 2 Peter 3:3 definitely speaks to the attitude of the people to God. They ridicule his existence and those who beleive in him. Also, in order to protect religious freedom people are not allowed any religious paraphenilia in state run places. For example, children in school cannot wear crosses around their necks. Women of Islam are accused of provoking debate for wearing their burkas. So you can imagine what people think of the Witnesses coming to their homes to talk of God. The Witnesses are also viewed as a cult. I guess Sarkozy was recently asked if he thought the Witnesses were a cult. His answer would be crucial becuase if he did it would open the way for those who would like to to have the Witnesses banned. Fortunately, he said they are a registered and recognized religion and left it at that. Now the Scientologists are in the spotlight.

The meetings and the congregation are a comfort, as I'm sure you all understand. The structure and the continuation of topics really helps my French and this week I will be preparing my first comment. This is a shift for me as I really didn't prepare comments at home. But now I am a child and my comments will sound like one. The brothers and sisters are very kind and very welcoming. Even the ones who can't speak English come and say Bonjour and try to have a conversation; although it often ends in us akwardly and dumbly staring at eachother. I have all the books in English and French and flip between both. Except the song book. I sing in French, which is really fun!

Service is also very much like home. Although the thought process behind the apathy is different the response is the same. We mainly buzz at apartment buildings. Helen doesn't like to do homes becuase everyone has gates and its especially akward as the householder has to come out of there house and open the gate and most will not bother. Also, the Dubarrys do not take all the kids out at the same time. First of all, it would be very challenging. Also, the French find it particularly apalling to have children out in the ministry. So Marc goes out on Saturday and takes one of the children and Helen goes out on Monday and takes another. So they make it work.

I am so thankful to work for the Dubarrys and that they are Witnesses. I really can't imagine what it would be like to work for non Witnesses in this capacity. Its doable and many Witnesses do do it, but I feel very protected spiritually. Marc is an elder in the hall and the family is at the "center" of the congregation so I am very well looked after.