My European Adventure

This article was first published in French at TPSG.

From October 9-24, 2023, I had the joy and privilege of undertaking an unforgettable journey to Europe. My original purpose was to speak at the Coeur de femme women’s conference in Corbas, near Lyon, on Saturday, October 14. But having already flown all the way across the Atlantic, I decided to extend my visit and see several friends. And who better to do so with than my precious 14-year-old daughter, Isabella. 

Discovering Lyon & Its Surrounding Areas

Following a layover in London, we landed in Lyon, where we were welcomed by Cheryl Daily and Kevin and Lucy Heater, church planters with the MAEF in Corbas. We visited the little towns of Mions and Vienne with our hosts before meeting up with Florent Varak for a fascinating tour of the Christian sites of Lyon, including the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fouvière, the Cathedral of St. Jean Baptiste, and the l’Antiquaille. The highlight of the day, however, was finally meeting Florent in person, after having corresponded with him for years. And for those who haven’t met him in the flesh, he’s just as cool as he seems in his podcasts and articles!:)

Touring Lyon with Florent

That same day, I got to meet another virtual friend, pastor’s wife and women’s ministry leader Suzanne Sarron, with whom Isabella and I enjoyed our first taste of Lyonnais gastronomy and a visit to Maison de la Bible, where she volunteers. 

Coeur de Femme Conference

Held at the restaurant Le Cavatello, the program for the day included a morning message on Psalms 42 & 43 followed by discussion in small groups. Then, we shared an amazing meal together - French people know how to do conferences right! The wonderful day of fellowship concluded with a message from Psalm 16, followed again by discussion time. But the highlight of my day was when I spotted a familiar face walking across the room: It was Aurélie, who had come to surprise me! We’d never met in person, so it was a delight to share the day with her along with the 130 women in attendance.

Continuing on to Switzerland

Immediately following the conference, my new friend Suzanne gave us a ride to the airport, where we picked up our rental car and made our way to Bons-en-Chablais, outside of Geneva, where we lodged with mission colleagues and church planters Bob & Heidi Winslow. It was there that I secured a very special gift for my husband Dan: raclette boards engraved with the names of the four great ones of the French Reformation - Calvin, Favel, Beze, and Knox. (Bob makes these himself and raises funds for an evangelistic youth camp. So, check them out!)

The next morning, we attended Église Évangélique Internationale de Genève, where we received the warmest of welcomes and took part in a wonderful worship service. That afternoon, we had the pleasure of touring the sites of the Reformation with Fabien De Lucia, our energetic and engaging guide with Calvin Tours. A faithful listener of Chrétienne, he not only offered us the tour of Old Geneva, but also hosted us for lunch beforehand with his lovely family and gave us a ride back to Bons-en-Chablais afterward! If you’re ever in Geneva, I highly recommend you book Fabien for a tour.

Fabien of Calvin Tours

Grenoble

Following a pleasant evening with our friends, the Winslows, we made a pit stop the next morning literally 500 meters from their house to pay a visit to Franck and Sandrine Segonne. The former baristas served us the best coffee (and hot chocolate) as we engaged in a lively discussion about our common passion for Christ and his Word. Then, we were off to Grenoble, where I was reunited with old friends Nick and Annie Van Wingerden. Nick and I did our studies together at Moody Theological Seminary, where we also served on the worship and leadership team at an urban church plant in Chicago. What a treat to see them again after 20 years! 

That day, Aurélie drove down from Hermon for us to film some in-person episodes together. But first, food! We partook of a raclette supper that night with Marion Charron and Magali Laroche, our trusty camerawoman. And the next day, we enjoyed a delicious lunch with Rachel Yates and Chloé Lang of Évangile21. Only after enjoying yet another taste of French gastronomy did we get down to business, filming an episode with our EV21 sisters, and another two with Nick V. on relationships. 

With Nick

Off to Teen Ranch

The next morning, Isabella and I hopped into Aurélie’s chariot in the direction of Teen Ranch Hermon. Two women of action, we had to take advantage of the opportunity to film two more episodes that day in Aurélie’s minuscule recording studio, which doubles as her laundry room most of the time! The next morning, Isabella tasted of the French educational system as she spent the day at school with Aurélie’s mini-me, Marilyne. The next morning, once I’d finished doing our laundry, we filmed two more episodes before we had to bid Aurélie a tearful farewell at the St. Étienne train station.

Aurélie

Magnificent Paris

My sweetheart and I boarded a TGV nonstop to Gare de Lyon in Paris, where our final hostess on our European odyssey awaited us. Deborah Prisk is a missionary leading women’s ministry at Église Connexion in Paris, and she was generous enough to allow us to crash on her pull-out couch. For four glorious days, Isabella and I wandered through the streets of Paris, taking in sites like Notre Dame, Sacré Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysée, the Arc of Triumph, and many more. We took the obligatory Seine River cruise. I practiced my Wolof with the ubiquitous Senegalese street vendors. We splurged on a special meal at a bistro, but the rest of the time snacked on fresh figs and Medjool dates when we were up for a healthy treat, and millefeuilles and macarons when we were craving a treat. 

Deborah

The Love That Unites Us

One highlight of our days in the City of Love was worshipping with the brothers and sisters at Deborah’s church and going out for crepes afterward with her women’s ministry team. There’s just something so special about being a child of God: we may have never met in person before, we may come from different lands and speak different mother tongues, but when Christ unites us, we share a love that the world cannot comprehend. That is what Isabella and I  experienced not only that day over a creps with our sisters from Église Connexion but throughout our two-week European adventure. Everywhere we went, we enjoyed hospitality and attention that is but a foretaste of what awaits us all in eternity. I can’t wait! In the meantime, I’m already looking forward to my next trip over the pond with my daughter Evangeline. I hope to see many of you then!