Visit to Cyprus; 26-30 March, 2007

Early Monday morning, we left for the airport to fly to Larnaka, Cyprus, via Athens. We were picked up about 9 that night by Lew & Nancy Scudder. We arrived at their home in Apaisia
(Ah-pa-sha) Village north of Limossol, and spent a restful night in their guest house. Sunny, warm weather welcomed us the three days we were with Nancy & Lew.

Lew Scudder III, and Nancy, his wife, have long been involved in mission work in Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Turkey-- pastoring, tutoring, writing, supervising, and teaching. In 1998, Lew wrote a comprehensive book, The Arabian Mission's Story, an informative and intensive history of the R.C.A. 's mission work in the Middle East. They have now "retired" in Cyprus, where Lew isa consultant for R.C.A. mission workers in the field and Nancy contributes to their roles in their church and other outside activities.

Cyprus is an ancient land, with a torrid history of different rulers and domains. It is now a prosperous independent republic, but not united, as the Turks rule 37% of the island. (Northern part). Nicosia, the capital, is the only remaining world capital to be under divided rule.



On Tuesday, Lew and Nancy took us to Pafos at the west end of the island. On the way we passed a beautiful area along the Mediterranean, the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite. In ancient times, this goddess of Love was worshiped in Pafos.

It was to this city of Pafos (Acts 13:3-12) that Paul and Barnabas met with the governor, Sergius Paulus. Here, a Jewish wizard tried to divert the governor from becoming a believer. The spirit was expelled from the wizard, and the governor embraced the gospel. Some time later, Barnabas returned to Cyprus with John Mark.

We walked thru the entire ruins and remains of Pafos, with it mosaics, and remains of the temple to Apollos. It was a thrill to remember the lives of Paul & Barnabas in this very place.

Nancy & Lew have a beautiful place they call home in Apesia Village. Their yard abounds flowers and fruit trees--orange, lemon, grapefruit, plum, lime, apricot, peach, in addition to grape vines which produce both seedless, and seeded grapes.

We thank them for the animated conversations, delicious food, and good relaxation, and getting some cat "lovies" from Charlie!

First Visitors March 15-26

How excited we were to receive our first state-side visitors!!

Marta, Kris, and Bill getting off the Air France bus by the Arc de Triomph!

Our two children, Bob, and Kris.
and John's sister Marta & her husband Bill. After being told there was no jet lag allowed, we feasted on "pain chocolat" (a crossaint with chocolate pieces) and coffee. (We did allow a short catch-up nap). Bob and Kris stayed with us in the apartment, and we all packed in to one day, about two days worth of sight-seeing.

Highlights of their visit were: Notre Dame

Musee d'Orsay, Rodin Museum,Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph & Champs-Elysees, Luxembourg Gardens, Orangerie Museum, the Marmottan (Monet) Museum, (a favorite picture below)Sainte-Chapelle, St. Etienne Church, St. Sulpice Church, Pantheon, Louvre Pyramid, Montemarte (Sacre-Coeur), worshipping in our church, to name a few!!!

And, of course, making time for patissiere treats, ice cream, and relaxing over delicious French fare at LePre Verre, and LeBistrot du 7th eme. --even played a couple exciting rounds of pinocle!

We found time to shop for cheeses on rue Cler, and swoon over the melt-in-your-mouth chocolates at Michel Chaudun (near us) Sharon even served a French (well almost) meal here at the apartment, complete with a menu: entree, plat, salad, cheese, dessert...and of course, some choice wine.

Getting around by bus, metro, and RER was an adventure in and of itself, with our guests enjoying the pulse and beat of Paris life. Marta and Bill, later, took Kris down to Avignon and the Provence area, for a look at southern France, away from the bustling city.

Then it was "au revoir" to everyone using the Air France bus to get back to the airport.



P.S. Just for your information, and our enjoyment----we have more visitors coming in April, May, and June.....Then it's back to Michigan on July 1 !!

Spring Comes to Paris (10 March, 2007)

In an unusally warm spring day, we left our apartment by bus and metro, to find an open market in the Gambetta area on the far side of town. It was more than we expected, with booth after booth of fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish, clothing, household goods, furniture, chickens on the rotiserrie with the juices dripping to vegetables cooking below.... The aromas and activity were awesome, and as we pulled along our "cart", we filled it with clementines, tomatoes, strawberries, fresh eggs, and oranges. Then we bought some egg rolls and went to the nearby park to have our lunch, surrounded by flowers, children playing in a sandbox, parents walking their toddlers in strollers, people reading, and just enjoying the sunshine. Then we made our way home on the 69 and 63 busses, amazed at the layout of the streets, filled with activity, people eating outside at the cafes, lines at the Louve, etc. , tourist boats on the river. We spent a few minutes sitting on a bench alongside the Seine across the street from our church... John later walked to the Eiffel Tower, and the sunset picture was taken from our kitchen window!

We remembered how we didn't miss winter in Michigan!!

Friday Mission Lunch

Each Friday, a nutritous, full meal is served to 64 people at the American Cathedral on George V Avenue, which is near our church. I usually take the 63 bus, and then walk 5-6 blocks to the cathedral. Four different churches are responsible for planning for the meal each week. Here at the ACP, we have a volunteer coordinator, Mary Beth Goodell, who is here with her husband who is on a year's work assignment in Paris. Mary Beth teaches special ed at the British School here two days a week.People who wish to be here for the meal, must sign up the week previous, due to the limitation of room size, and giving the planners a means to purchase the food and plan the menu. The folks who come for the luncheon/dinner are low income, homeless, street, both women, men, and occasionally children.Around 10 in the morning, several volunteers begin the meal preparation, all done from scratch, and we begin cleaning the lettuce, fixing the meat, cutting up onions, carrots, potatoes, rice, etc., making the coffee, cutting the baguettes, setting up the tables, getting dishes counted out, etc. From 15-20 volunteers throughout the morning crowd in to the small kitchen, and we thoroughly enjoy the work and fellowship, joining in our service together--black, white, Asian,The people sign in, and are seated, and the food is ready to be served at 12:30. A prayer is said by the rector of the parish. In typical French style, the "entree" main meal, is served first along with baguettes, then the salad and brie cheese and more bread, then the dessert, then coffee. The people are served at the tables, and used dishes are cleaned off and sent down with a "dumb waiter". Back in the kitchen, several volunteers are already washing up and sterilizing all the dishes and tableware, pots and pans, that have been used.John and I have been at most of the Friday "feeding" program, and have so enjoyed the work and fellowship of both volunteers and participants. It is so neat to have several of the volunteers (who speak French) mingle with the folk and talk with them. Some of them also stay and help with putting tables away, etc.I am reminded of the words from Isaiah 58, when God says: "What I'm interested in seeing you do is this: sharing your food with the hungry.....if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will being to glow in the darkness" (The Message)

A Day at Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Pere Lachaise is a 100-acre cemetery, (population 70,000) and still accepting new residents! We got there using bus #69, and returned using #69, 72, and 63 to get back to our apartment. There are many "notable" people buried here, among whom are Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Moliere, Jim Morrison, Frederic Chopin, and Baron Haussmann.

We were particularly interested to see the resting places of Moliere the great comic playwrite "Tartuf" (who once said, "We die only once and for such a long time." Gertrude Stein's last words when asked, "What is the answer?", replied, "What is the question?"

There were also several memorials to Holocaust victims.

John was particularly interested in finding the site where Chopin was buried.

John has played almost all his waltzes on the piano, and loves the music of Chopin!

A Day with my new friend

This afternoon, I met Alberte, a French speaking woman (originally from the West Indies), near the St. Sulpice Church. We have become good friends thru the English/French conversation class which meets Monday nites at our church. She is so friendly, and eager to speak English, and so she invited me to meet her on her day off from her work. She is an accountant for Alcatel, at Le Defense. I took the 63 bus, got off at St. Germain-des Pres, and walked over to the church. Enjoyed going into the church (of DaVinci Code fame), and from there we walked to the Luxembourg Gardens. It was such a lovely day, warm in the sun, and there were hundreds of people all around. It is a huge space, and some of the spring flowers were already blooming. People sunning, drawing, reading, playing tennis, going on pony rides, ...just brimming with life. Then we walked back to St. Michel, had a coffee at McDonalds, and then back to the church where I could catch the 63 bus back to our apartment. She lives quite far away, and so she made a great effort to spend some time with me. I felt very honored and had fun conversing in English and helping her to pronounce various words.

An Evening with Reid and Nathalie

We had a delightful evening with Reid and Nathalie Masselink. Reid is the son of some old friends of John from Holland, MI, going back many years ago. Reid is an artist, and Nathalie is an art dealer. We had such crackling conversations and laughter in the setting of a delicious, relaxed dinner. They are expecting their first child in August, and then they plan to move to New York City, where Reid will pursue a master's degree, enabling him to teach at the college level. Nathalie is French, with family close by. They live on a 6th floor apartment in an intimate neighbor just south of St. Michel place.

Rodin Museum

Within walking distance of our apartment, is the dramatic Rodin Museum. There were exhibits of his works both outdoors, and in the Hotel Biron, which was his residence for many years. I did not realize that he was not only a famous sculptor, but an artist, as well, and there were some very fine paintings displayed. The bronze casting process is explained, which was a medium Rodin used for some of his most memorable works. "The Kiss" is an evocative marble sculpture which was the first work the public loved, but which he later grew to despise. The "Burghers of Calais" sculpture show six men sacrificing their lives together, as they head to the gallows, each shows a distinct emotion ranging from courage to despair. (They were later pardoned at the last minute). And of course, "The Thinker" contemplates his fate in one great thought. The garden area is beautiful manicured and invites an enjoyable walk among other of his sculptures.