La Maison de Retraite

In the top photo I talked with an 80 year old woman, Marcelle. She talked about being a girl in WWII. Her family hid Jews under the hay at the top of their farmhouse. Her parents watched at the window for the soldiers and her dad ferried the Jewish families on to the next village. When I asked her if it was hard to keep that secret, she replied that all the families in the village did this! If you ask these families today to show you the hiding places....they prefer not. These places were useful during the wars of religion and during the wars with Germany.....you never know when they might be needed again!
In the bottom photo Dayna Anderegg & Paul Loftness were talking with another resident of the Retirement Community.

From Nîmes we drove to La Salle which is a village in the Cévennes mts. M. de Casenove and his family own a château there and willingly let us use it for a few days. Nancy Painter cooked wonderful meals and we rested to get over jet lag. The students loved the castle and explored the nooks and crannies, including 2 towers and a library with books and manuscripts from the 17oos!
We took this time to teach them more about the Protestant Reformation. Many protestants fled to this area during the wars of religion. There are caves, remote farms and many hills that are good hiding places. Today it is still a pocket of protestant families and churches. They worship in "un temple" which is usually very plain. There might be some pillars out front, but there are no statues, saints, incense or stain glass windows like you would see in the usual French catholic churches.
Many of the elderly in the surrounding villages finish their days in a Retirement Home in the center of town. We gave a concert of Gospel music there. The people were thrilled.

Lunch in Nîmes

Lori Blount ( our music director) and Colleen Hawthorne ( our Science teacher) in front of La Maison Carrée. This is an old Roman temple in Nîmes

All together!

We all met at the Marseilles airport and headed to Nîmes for lunch. Kelly had reserved a wonderful restaurant, Le Basilic, outside in a courtyard. So this is our first French meal together. Left to right are Dominique, Connor, Elizabeth and Katelyn. Some of the group had not slept for over 24 hours....but they still smiling!

Life in Provence

Another hot, dry day. We won't have to worry about rain for the VBS. Here is a typical house in the city. Made of stucco, it can remain cool in 100* heat if you keep the doors and windows closed. It's dark and cool inside. Meanwhile, much of the family activity happens outside on the patio. The hot, dry wind dries the laundry which gets hung outside. People sit in the shade and talk, nap, read or talk. Life wakes up again after 8 pm dinner.

Life in Provence

Early arrival

Dayna and I had a good flight, despite a crying baby nearby. As we came out of the Marseille airport, Anne Herrenshneider and her daughter met us. Perfect timing. Thank you Jesus! When you are tired and jet lagged....it is so nice to be met by someone!
We stepped out into the heat...90* and not a cloud in the sky. Plus, no A/C in Anne's van. New culture, new language, fatigue & heat!
Anne had so much to show us. She is an English teacher in Aubagne, so we have education in common. She is also a believer in Jesus and her son is coming to the VBS. Anne drove us around very enthusiastically. Dayna and I were thrilled to see Mt. Victoire and a pictoresque village. We ate lunch in a crêperie and then begged for a nap. In the evening, we hiked along les Calanques and looked at the Mediterranean Sea.
Today explored a bit of Aix en Provence. Here I am in front of a fountain of warm water. It is using the thermal springs under the city.