The Whitemans in France

After that I liked jazz music…

réflexions de Jenn…

I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders yesterday. We talked about some big world issues in class - everything from euthanasia (which is much more common and accepted here in France) to the exploitation of Africa, and I was just overwhelmed by the disparity of so many people and the gaping chasm between them and God…and how things aren’t fair…but they’re not supposed to be, etc… LOTS of big things that I know I will never understand on this side of eternity. 

Thank God for awesome husbands like Josh. I don’t think I’ve ever been as disheartened in my faith as I was yesterday, and he really encouraged me in saying that we JUST have to have faith like a child. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is the kind of faith that doesn’t question and just believes because a child knows no other alternative to faith in a loving parent. It’s the kind that you don’t have to muster up, the kind that just is.

And then I picked up Blue Like Jazz last night to read through for the second time and found some more words that I needed to hear to give me “understanding” and peace:

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes. 

After that I liked jazz music. 

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. 

I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.” - Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz (author’s note)

Weird place to find some peace…I know! But it just clicked. I think my struggle from yesterday was literally trying to resolve everything, but God doesn’t resolve…at least not from our finite perspective. But there is so much beauty to be found in that. I have “watched” how Jesus loved God and humanity in the Bible. Now I feel all the more encouraged to “show” others how to love in the midst of the unresolving chaos. God help…for Your glory.

Pressing On

Bonjour à tous!

Sorry for the long delay between posts…we hit the ground running in January and let our communications slide…so there is a lot to catch up on! Josh just finished his first round of French exams, and Jenn starts hers in another week. School has been intense, and most of our free time has been spent studying. We’ve already learned a ton about the French language and culture; the speaking is coming along slowly.

In February we had a two-week winter break. We spent the first week exploring our local region. Valentine’s Day was spent in Annecy, which is the “Venice of the Alps”. The canals, Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains were so beautiful! We can’t wait to go back and explore when its warmer. 

Our second week was spent in Paris with our teammates. It was good to see our future office in Versailles, attend an English-language worship service, and to get a feel for what life will be like when we move to the city. Our last day in Paris was spent at Disneyland with the Roos, another C&MA family that arrived in France at the same time as us. The time away was restful and much needed!

Shortly after we returned home, Madeline and Josh both celebrated birthdays. For Maddie’s second birthday we had a bunch of her friends from the nursery over for a dinner of homemade macaroni and cheese, and homemade brownies for dessert. Because Josh was feeling pressure with his exams on the horizon, we celebrated his birthday simply – we had a date night at our favorite Indian restaurant. We had a great time, and decided that date nights need to become more regular. 

Early in March we were blessed to have Kala, an intern living in Paris, come stay with us for a week. She was able to help around the house and spend special playtime with Maddie. She was a big encouragement to our family. During that week we were also were visited by Chris and Marcia – C&MA regional directors for Africa. It was good to catch up, talk about how language school is going, and spend some time in fellowship. We’re looking forward to working more closely with our teams in Africa!

Springtime has arrived in the Alps, and we are grateful. The days are noticeably longer, and we see flowers starting to push up around town. As winter is turning to spring…we know that spring will soon turn to summer. Our time here is short, and we want to make the most of it. Please pray that we have wisdom for how best to “get the language” while we are here, and that we would be encouraged through this long process. Also, pray that we would find balance and rest. Its only when we take rest that we realize how much we really need it!

Thank you so much for praying. There is no way we could do this without you.

Josh, Jenn and Maddie

Totally Immersed

Its been a while since we wrote, so I will try to summarize the last few weeks the best I can. The trip across the Atlantic was pretty uneventful, and we were glad for that! Maddie did exceptionally well despite the constant turbulence that kept her from sleeping. After a short layover in Munich, we rendezvoused in Lyon with another family headed to our language school in Albertville. Ironically, their names were Josh and Jenny. :) The ride from the airport was less than two hours, but as we were in and out of sleep it could have been six, and we wouldn’t have known the difference!

Each time I awoke, the scenery had transformed. Farms and vineyards were replaced by rolling hills, which in turn were replaced by glacial rivers and the towering Alps. Savoie is a beautiful corner of France, pressed up against Italy and Switzerland. Although it hosted the winter Olympics in 1992, Albertville is a small mono-cultural town. And that culture, of course, is French. So what better place to learn the language and culture?

When we pulled up to the school, several families came out to greet us and help us get settled in our apartment. They even had our first few meals ready for us, and offered to take us to the supermarché when needed. We really appreciated the warm welcome!

Jetlag made sleep a challenge, which meant Madeline got to celebrate New Year’s Eve with us…probably the last time that will happen for quite a while! A group of families got together at the school and had a party with games and food. There are several families that really enjoy games, so we are glad that we brought so many with us. This is an answer to prayer!

Five days after arriving, we had our language placement test. As Jenn has no background in French, she was placed in the debutant class. Josh tested into an intermediate French course, having some background but little regular use for 10 years. Classes here are total immersion, which means we are drinking from the fire hose. If you don’t understand something in class, you have to ask in French, and the answer will be given only in French. We love our teachers, but every day is completely exhausting and overwhelming. People say that it gets easier, but at first it feels like you are drowning. So we press on. In the mean time, we feel like two-year-olds, struggling to communicate.

Madeline has done well in the garderie and already seems to have some French comprehension. We are blessed to have a French woman named Corine running the nursery program. You can sense that this is a calling for her, and it shows in how happy all the kids are—Madeline included. Another answer to prayer!

Two students in Albertville are fellow Alliance workers…both headed to Africa. We’re glad that Carrie and Amanda are here with us! Tim and Brett, future teammates already living in Paris, made the six-hour drive to welcome us and do some orientation to life in France. Last weekend, Josh took the train to Paris to pick up a car and replace the iMac that we sold back in the States. He was also able to spend time with Al and Carol, the Alliance field directors for France. We’re looking forward to being part of both our teams — back in Colorado and the new team in France.

Please pray for our family, as we have been hit hard with sickness the past two weeks. We’ve all missed some school, which is hard when classes ramp up so quickly. It seems like we are finally getting back on our feet. Also, pray for encouragement, as it is easy to get discouraged in immersive language learning.

It means so much knowing that you pray on our behalf!

Much love,

JJ&m