When we began our search for schools for Liberty and Van in late August, most were still closed. So we focused on finding an apartment. That was actually easy as there are many options for finding houses or apartments. What we realized after several days was that rental agencies wanted someone from France to act as our Guarantor for our rent, with a salary of 3 to 4 times the monthly rent.

Who has that kind of money?? So we reached a point of discouragement, and really, it came down to trusting God to lead us to an individual landlord who would trust us and not insist on a guarantor.

In the meantime, schools opened and we could visit them. One after another we were told, “Sorry, no room.” So we found ourselves with no apartment, and no school for the kids. What to do? We had met one landlord who seemed willing to trust us, but hadn’t heard from her clearly.

Then, mid week last week, we visited one school. The Director said there wasn’t room, technically, but she could call the class teacher to see if one more child could squeeze in. She tried calling, but there was no response. So the Director decided to call the next door school to see if there was room for Liberty (who is in a higher grade). The Director smiled as she was told that one student had just cancelled their spot: There was room for Liberty! This seemed to embolden the Director who, being impressed with how quiet and patient Van and Liberty had been waiting, said she would try to make sure Van could get in. This way, they would be in the same school. We thanked her profusely, and went off to meet another missionary who lives in Caen with his family. He had offered to help us talk with a few schools, but since the one for Liberty had opened up we decided to go there first and start Liberty’s registration. While there the Director from the school we were trying to get Van into called, and spoke with the Secretary of Liberty’s school. When she heard we were there right then, with a friend who spoke French, she yelled for joy (we could hear her over the phone!) and asked for us to come back to her school (Van’s) once we were done at Liberty’s school. So we finished up, and went back to Van’s school to hear the great news that Van’s class’s teacher had willingly offered Van a spot. So just like that, both kids had found their schools; both schools were eager and happy to have Liberty and Van!

Below I am including some pics of the unfinished apartment.