My Journey to Paris
If you’ve read my other articles, you might already know that my first impression of Paris was not a favorable one.
After touring several European countries with my high school orchestra, I left France with something akin to a commitment that I would never return. During my time in East Africa, I had the opportunity to travel to many of the other countries I had visited in high school, including Vienna, Switzerland, and Germany. However, I never once considered France. It was like it didn’t exist.
Maybe a year before transitioning out of East Africa, I was seated on a plane near a French woman and her two little kids. I enjoyed observing them and listening to them speak French. That became the first time I associated something cute with France. Looking back, I think it was God beginning to chisel away the cold shoulder I had established toward the country.
As God continued to make it clear that my time in East Africa was coming to an end, ReachGlobal asked me to become a city team leader somewhere in the world. We began discussing options, and of course France was definitely not on the list! And even when I happened to meet a couple serving in France at a conference, the idea of moving to France did not even cross my mind.
After contemplating several cities, discussing options with my superiors, and fervently praying for clarity, I began to wonder if I should even be in missions anymore. The passion I had once felt for cross-cultural ministry left as discussions continued. I began praying and asked others to pray specifically that God would give me a new passion for wherever he was leading me next.
At what felt like the 11th hour, a leader brought up Paris as a possibility and I immediately started googling. I was surprised to find that Joshua Project listed the French population as 1.2% evangelical Christians. (When a country or people group is less than 2% evangelical Christian, they are normally considered unreached.) I was also surprised by the racial, cultural and religious diversity in Paris. Suddenly, France – the place I had once written off – became the place I was most passionate about.
After more research and planning, I took a vision trip to Paris. I was amazed by the diversity. I often say that for missionaries, being in Paris is like being a kid in a candy store. People from around the world reside in the city, including people from closed countries. Plus, there seems to be something for everyone between the city, suburbs, and countryside outskirts.
Upon returning home, I began seeking the blessing of my mentors, church, and ReachGlobal to move to France. I drafted a job description with help from a leader from the ReachGlobal Europe division. Then, I submitted it to my church and waited. Several months passed before I got the green light from everyone. At which point I had two months to raise support and move so that I could begin French language school on a certain start date. Again, God came through by bringing support through new churches and individuals.
Even though I knew nothing about France, I felt like I had the training, tools, and experience to learn how to adapt while also working towards building a new team. I spent the first two years living with French people, going to school, and interning under French Christians. Through partnering with local churches, I have come to realize there is a level of discouragement among French believers. Due to discouraged hearts, laws against proselytizing, and other factors, the church in France desires to find partnerships and creative solutions.
Is God calling you to the harvest in France? Please reach out if you’d like to learn more about the Paris City Team.
Tips for finding God’s will regarding where or how He will have you serve:
Pray specific prayers about the ministry or area you want to be involved in
Ask others to pray specific prayers
Speak with mentors and hear where they think you would be a good fit
Speak to your missions committee and pastor to find out where they would like to have a cross-cultural worker in the world
Look back to see where God has already used you to find out where God might use you in the future
Try out different roles through internships, jobs, or volunteer work to get an idea of how God might want to use you