God starts a Good thing in Lisieux

Well the start of this trip started with an encounter in McDonnalds Hedge End between Francis and Diane Dogone and Steve Lee.
Knowing that God wanted to do things within their region it was agreed that subject to my agreement, I would take the Miracle Street mobile stage out to Lisieux for five days of mission on a local council estate. When asked about the trip I jumped at the chance as otherwise I'd have been spending time without work and income, just sitting at home, so this was to be my monthly bill payments covered when I return.
So on Monday 25th at 2000hrs I head off to Portsmouth to join the que that's starting to gather for the 2300hrs sailing to Cann. Having gone in the wrong side of the ferry terminal to start with it was a bit embarrassing having to come out of one side and go in the other, but it had to be done to get checked in correctly. Eventually I get checked in and then drop down the yard and await to be loaded in. At aprox 2220hrs it's go and que up by the boat ready for the actual loading and it ends up that I was almost the last vehicle to board the boat, but soon I find where my seat is and settle down for the night. At aprox 0500hrs (continental time) I wake up and go down and get breakfast and prepare to dissembark.
Eventually I'm on the road heading out to Lisieux and its only a short time before I'm going trough Lisieux looking for No 70, Rue Fournet, which I spot after I'd paassed it, so had to turn round and was soon parked up and going into Francis home, to meet Dianne and the children. After a drink Fracis takes me round to the church and get some rest there in the appartment making up part of the church premisses. After Lunch it's off to look at the estate and a chance to talk through where to park the truck and what was going to happen for the week. On arrival at the estate Francis explains where he wants the stage to go and I pass the comment of the better place being down on the childrens playground but it's decided to go along with the first option and see if the parking bays are clear in time for the start of setup. Knowing what's going to take place each day, it's going to be park up in the morning and move staff cars into the bays when they become free. But for now it's off to Francis home and await arrival of the rest of the team.
Eventually they arrive and then eighteen of us sit down for dinner and that's a tight fit round the table and soe even spilled into the lounge as well. After dinner we all go off to different host families and settle in for the duration and eventually getting into bed reasonably early. After a good nights sleep it's up and get ready for breakfast at 0800hrs. Breakfast goes quite uneventfully, other than a very young lad doing everything to cause problems for his parents, including keeping them up all night. This makes breakfast quite interesting but eventually it's time for the off to site for me, via the church to pick up the truck and leave the others at the church for prayer and planning.
Throughout the morning I sit in the carpark waiting for the three cars at the end of the carpark to move out so staff cars can be slotted in, to create the space we needed and when the team arrived there was still one of the three in the way and it stayed put throughout the whole day. This puts pay to using the carpark for the stage and on consulting with a resident she said that it needed to be where I'd suggested, down on the playground at the centre of the estate. So down into the playground we go, parking so we look up the playground, sorting out places for the bouncy castle, parachute and football goals to go and getting them positioned accordingly.
As I'd been waiting for the cars to move a young French lad came up and tried talking to me in French, he not being able to converse in English and I not being able to converse in French we tried to understand each other with difficulty. Eventually he disappears from sight and eventually he returns with five of his friends, two of which speak a bit of English. So after a short chat, they clear off to play until things started.
Eventually everything is sorted out and the children swarmed in from the surrounding flats and so it gets really busy with approximately fifty children turning out along with about a dozen adults coming and sitting in the cafe area beside the stage chatting with staff and waching the children enjoying themselves. This gives those on the team who were either French or could speak French the chance to chat with the adults that came along, a time that was beneficial to all involved. Each day we were there, we ran the same things on site up until the last day that we planned differently. During the time we were on site we had Police officers look us over as well as a Council official or two, all of which could have shut us down as we didnt have permission to do what we were doing, but it was what God wanted us to do and so that was why these officials left us to get on with the event, without saying anything.
As I said previously, the Saturday was run slightly different inasmuch as it was a shorter session than the rest of the time, but there was an invite to a party to be held at the church a few hours after we left. When we left, we didnt know how many would turn up to the party, so we looked to God to bring them all down to the church and so we prepared accordingly.
At the appropriate time people started arriving, one young lad asking if there was someone who could give him a lift back to the estate at the end of the party, a request that supprised us, but showed how God was working in that situation. Once things were underway it seemed that God bought all those who had attended the other days event on the estate along with more as well. During the party there was the chance to see the video footage that I'd recorded during the week and there was a puppet show as well. Along with this were the chance to do a number of the things that were available on site and there was party food to go with it.
Before the party was over I had to leave so I could get the ferry back to the UK ready for another event on the Sunday. When the children got to know I was leaving a number of them came over and gave me a cuddle and then when I pulled out with the truck they all lined up and waved good bye to me as I pulled away. I really felt unhappy on departure, but I knew I'd be able to go back on the estate in the future as God had started a work there and with the help of Miracle Street, the church will return and it will I'm sure flourish there, in His time. Over the week Fracis had been concerned about the weather forecast saying it would rain on Saturday and I was confident that God would not allow his work to be washed out and said so every time the subject came up. Friday night it poured of rain for most of the night, but come first light on Saturday morning the rain was not to be seen and stayed that way for 99.9999% of the day. It was not until I got into Cann that the rain started, but I don't know if it was the same in Lisieux?
After a short wait to get onto the ferry I have time to reflect on how good God has been and how he'd left His mark on that Council community there in Lisieux.
If as you've read this post feel prompted, please pray for the residents of this estate, that they will feel the presence of God and seek a greater understanding of what it means to be a Christian culminating in them all accepting Jesus died for their sins....................

Thanks and God bless and encourage you........................................................