For some time I had been looking forward to a trip to the Somme where back in 1997/ 1998 I served as a pastor.
I took the car yesterday and stopped in the small town of Montdidier and found the little hall (photo 1) where we use to preach the Gospel. There were just a handful of believers back then. There is unfortunately no Evangelical church in Montdidier today.
I went all the way towards the sea, to Abbeville, where we us to also have a church service. Sadly there too the little building is no more a place of worship (photo 2).
In the large town of Amiens, I found my little flat where I use to live (photo 3). It was there that the Lord called me 22 years ago to ‘ leave the shore’ and serve in Cambodia.
I parked my car in front of the catholic church (photo 4) where one night back in 1998 I met Christian and Marie – France Des Pallières who were giving a talk on their ministry among the street children of Phnom Penh. When I left the church that night, I remembered thinking ‘I can’ t wait to be in Phnom Penh one day!’
I stopped briefly in front of the large private school La Providence (photo 5) where in 1998 we held a large Christian youth event. That is the school where Emmanuel Macron, French president studied.
Then on to the Evangelical church where I served as a pastor. The building still belongs to the church but is now used for student ministry (photo 6).
What a joy to see the brand-new church building on the outskirts of Amiens (photo 7/ 8). Some believers happen to be in. They invited me and showed me around the building (photo 9). So good to witness how the church has grown over the years.
I got back late to my parents’ place in Tourcoing, exhausted but happy to have seen where the Lord had me some 22 years ago.
Timothée Paton – The Weekly Update- July 01st, 2020
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