This summer, our family went on a long-awaited camping trip. After being confined in-place for almost 2 years, it was good to be out and driving around. Mind you, we do live in a beautiful place which made most of the confinement bearable, but as a family, we were happy to be in the road again. Prices for hotels were going to be quite high, so we decided to camp. Fortunately, we found a cool tent for 4 people on sale at InterSport! We bought a few more items, and then we were off.
Now, you should understand that because this is Europe, “camping” is not quite the same as what we are used to in Canada, and even the USA. We pitched in between big RVs and trailers wherever we went. But, despite the non-wild feeling of the places, it was good to be sleeping under the sky, with fresh air, and the same midnight stumble to the central bathroom for a bathroom stop. We all had a great time, and didn’t even have any family fights setting up the tent, and taking it down. THAT was actually a lot of work, thus we have no pictures of it because by the time it was up, or down, we were ready to get in it, or ready to leave.
We camped a bit on our way to the yearly WEC conference, and for this I am grateful. I heard the news my mother’s health was poor, and that she might pass into God’s presence soon. We tried to see if the kids and I could get back in time, but it was impossible. So, Aug 11 my mother did die, and went to be with Jesus, and reunited with her hubby. It was a heavy blow. All of us were stunned. We had postponed a video chat just a week earlier, thinking we would chat after the conference. Well, here it is 2 weeks or so later, and we are home, but the shock is still there. Please pray for my family, and for those of my brother and sister, as we all press on in a world without our parents.
We visited Paris after the conference with a goal to visit Uighur restaurants. We were aching for some good spicy food. We found three, and ate at each, one per night. Oh! You can check out my IG account to see the restaurant fronts if you want. When we were first considering coming to France, we of course had put Paris on our list of potential places to live. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an option, partly because of how international the city is. But we are always impressed by (ready for something that sounds silly) how many French people are there! We rarely talked with anyone but French people, so it was a relief, in a way, to rediscover that the French capital is still very French and not only or primarily international.
Liberty still has an interest in graffiti. 
We like eating at Thai places, especially those named after the city of Van’s birth. This is actually in Toulouse.
It was good to get home eventually. The kids discovered that they are not as small and compact as the last time we went on a long car trip! So, if God wills, we will be looking into buying a larger vehicle (we don’t have a car, and in fact we’ve never had a vehicle when we’ve been overseas!). We had to go retrieve our two guinea pigs, Sunddee and Fizzgigg, from a kind lady who watched them for us. The giggly pigs were happy to see us! And, we were back into a routine, of sorts. Cleaning, sorting, and also getting ready for school.
So, I will end this post with a small request, one which applies to many of you too. Please pray as Liberty and Van re-enter school. Liberty is starting an important year in the French school system, the last year of her academic division – college. Van is in fact starting his first year of the same division, college. So, there will be new and bigger stresses for each. Due to laïcité there is very little content about God, which also means that the students, their home lives, and the entire atmosphere, is very godless. There is lots of immorality. They also deal with a surprising amount of anti-foreigner sentiments. Yes, its true! Despite how “western” and advanced and open France is, there is a constant stream of anti-foreigner feelings, including a particular anti-Americanism. It is pretty tough at times for our kids. But I am proud of them. Even though at times it seems it would be easier if they weren’t Christian, they both do their best to stand against sexual immorality, cheating, bullying, and even despair (suicide is not uncommon amongst the student body). And this is even a Catholic school, where you would think there would be a little more awareness and seeking of God, if not spirituality. But when the teachers are cruel, mock students, and care little for spiritual things, and the kids come from a home-life which also doesn’t include God, what can you expect. Pray for them!! And for the students and teachers.
