Subway Music

Music while you wait for your train...

Christmas and Paris

Though we've only been married now for two Christmases, Katie and I haven't spent Christmas in the same spot yet... nor will we for another year or so. Last Christmas we were still on our honeymoon in Costa Rica and spent it on the edge of the Costa Rica jungle. This year we celebrated in Paris, France. Next year, we'll be celebrating on the fringe of the Sahara Desert in Niamey, Niger. Quite a lot of change, but it's been good.

Heidi, Katie's youngest sister, came and celebrated Christmas with us. We all have been exploring Paris and gazing at the beautiful lights all over downtown. On Christmas Eve the three of us took some fruit and candy to a group of Romanian gypsies living behind the park here in Massy. I was amazed to see over 40 different dwellings all tucked away in the field behind the park. Though many of them were away, we were blessed to talk with them, hand out gifts, and even pray for some that were sick.

On Christmas day we went to dinner with two other couples who stayed here over break. It was a nice time to share and get together with family, even though they weren't our own.

Christmas is in the Air

Though our apartment is small, we have tried to decorate it as best we can. A little $8 tree adorned with home-made ornaments and strings of popcorn makes its home in one corner of our apartment. Our windows are covered with probably the only snow we'll see this winter... the fake snow from a can. Being from Minnesota and Indiana, we both enjoy the winter months of snowmobiling, sledding, and ice skating. I guess we better start adjusting now of not having snow because once we get to Niger, sand will be all that we see. C'est la vie!


Katie's sister, Heidi, is also here celebrating with us this Christmas. She has been traveling around Ireland the past couple of months and now is resting here in France. It is always nice to have some family around for the holidays. She has been an encouragement to us both.

We all look forward to spending a few days in Paris because Paris is supposed to beautiful this time of year. We'll be sure to post any pictures we take. We pray you all will have a wonderful Christmas. Joyeaux Noël!

French Fun Fact

Nursing homes here in France still serve wine at each meal to the elderly. Kind of crazy, huh?

Church Christmas Program

French Band

Last Friday night the church we attend held an international Christmas Program. Many of the students here, as well as the members of the church, shared a Christmas song in their own respective languages. Katie and I sang with a few others the song: "What Child Is This." We were able to hear praises to our Lord in French, German, English, South African, and a few other African languages. It was a great time of fellowship and praise! The program didn't start until 8:30pm and then didn't end until after 11pm. A little bit different than church in the States...

Christmas Comes but Once a Year

As my eyes connected with the old woman weeping in her wheelchair, I couldn't help but wonder where her life had taken her all these years. Had she been married? Did she have children? Is she now all alone? My voice cracked as I struggled to sing the Christmas songs for which we had come to sing.

You see, a little while ago Katie and I joined the student choir here at Les Cedres with about 20 other students. Every week we've been meeting after class to practice three different Christmas songs in French. It's been a little bit of a struggle, but it has been good. On Wednesday this week we went to a nearby retirement home and sang for all the people there. It was a wonderful experience that I know we'll cherish all season long. It was great just to connect with people who probably don't get very many visitors. I spoke with one gentleman who used to drive a bus up and down the streets of Paris. He lived there all his life, and now he sits in a retirement home... waiting... He says the food is pretty good most of the time, especially in the afternoons. He said he liked our songs.

It's great that we all could go as a big group and share Christ's love at a time of the year when people tend to feel the loneliest. It's too bad, though, that Christmas comes but once a year...