Barb does France

 Barb has been part of a group of women who serve cross culturally with Serve Globally for the past 2 years.  They have worked hard on reading books together, listening to guest speakers, gathering monthly online to spur one another on to better practices while ministering cross culturally.  In this last season 2022-23, the theme was sabbath rest ~ how to maintain good patterns of sabbath when life and ministry just seems to take way too much time and energy. 

Since the inception of this group in 2019, they have been trying to gather from all over the globe ~ literally ~ in one place to celebrate life and the journey together.  The COVID 19 pandemic got in the way for 2 years.  Two groups were able to meet in small settings.  The funds were drying up from the Lily Foundation (this was a Thriving Vocationally grant thru North Park Theological Seminary).    They wondered if they would be able to meet somewhere in the world.  But they did it! Disappointed that not all the groups' participants could be there (some people were traveling on home assignment in the US, others getting ready to relocate from their country of service to retirement in the US), they celebrated those that could gather and included those who couldn't with video links and devotional outlines.

 

They gathered in France to laugh, cry, sing, be silent, eat great French cuisine and listen to the voice of God as they rounded up this season of gathering and learning.  A good time was had by all!

All dressed and ready to go...is this okay for France??

 

Of course we should stumble upon the Bread Festival in Paris ~ in the shadows of Notre Dame.  Where is Steve, the bread eater of the Swanson household, when you need him?

Everything you've ever wanted to know about baguettes and their flavors...cuz it's France, don't you know??!!

One of my colleagues who has worked in the French speaking world for many years told about how when her husband brings home the fresh baguette from the bakery, there was also a good chunk of the end piece of the bread that was missing...because, he said "that's how the French take their first bite into a baguette"

Perhaps my favorite part of the Bread Festival....watching the young French bakers at work, complete with their tall chef hats in place (though perhaps not quite so stiff and in place as you always see them on the TV!)

Notre Dame....because it was, after all, Paris!  The cathedral is still under reconstruction since the fire in April 2019.

Always fascinated by the Eiffel Tower...this structure took 2 years to complete in the late 1800's.

Steve enjoying a hand carried croissant from the bakery that won the "best croissant in Paris" award in 2022 ~ priceless!