Dauner News Update March 2009
Local church life slowed down this month because of absences due to school vacations, mission trips, foreign lectureships, spiritual retreats and sickness.
Our CEM students, with their accompanying staff members, were on the road for over three weeks: first, for the annual Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) at the church camp facilities in Gemunden, Germany; and then a two-week mission trip to Mauritius Island (near Madagascar).
The mission trip included a full schedule of outreach activities with two congregations in the French-speaking Indian Ocean island country. The local preachers of both these churches have a close and long-time connection with the Marseilles work: Dr. Tony Leuteritz and CEM graduate Canden Subarayadu. Plans to help with the construction of a church orphanage in Madagascar were thwarted by the recent political unrest in that country, which shut down air traffic. The group did get to spend some time, however, with orphan children in Soweto, South Africa.
On the local front, the ladies of the congregation launched a new initiative for the mothers of the neighborhood and their young children: a Wednesday morning breakfast at the church. The breakfast involves several women whose children are in our youth programs.
For the past few weeks, the church has greatly benefited from the part-time volunteer work done by Patricia Hézard. Patricia is an employee of the French Tax Office, and near the end of last year was pushed down a stairway during a robbery in her building. (The perpetrator got away with over $1,200,000 — in tax checks he will never be able to cash). As a result of the attack, she was granted professional leave for a couple of months and is donating much of her free time to the church.
This winter has been particularly severe in France, especially in the region of the Bonnefoi Retreat Center, which was covered by ten feet of snow. A couple of expeditions have been organized to assess the damages caused by ice and flooding, but access to the Center is still difficult (by snowshoe only). With the spring thaw, we will no doubt be looking at some lengthy and costly repairs.
We are thankful for each of you – for your support, your friendship, and your prayer. May God return to you all the good that you have done for us.
Max and Prisca Dauner