Building Relationships, Building Strength

The last few nights have been very difficult for the team. Transitioning to our nine hour difference has proven to be a challenge. Please pray that we'll be able to get a good nights rest for the school start-up tomorrow.

Yesterday was spent getting to know each other. Of our 6 team members from the US, only 3 of us have worked together for Lifesprings. Our team members are Janice Gutierrez, Terri LaBrie (from our first trip), along with the newbies, Amy Clossen, Sabrina Gillian, Caron Hofer, and myself. Rather than visiting the monestary, which was cold, cold, cold, we decided to go into Grenoble to to take in the sights. It was pretty cold too, since a cold front swung through the area yesterday. During our time out, we had several opportunities to walk and talk with eachother. We have been taking every opportunity to catch little snippets of new friends history. Our first lecturer and his wife, Nate Feldmeth and his wife, Joanne, joined us. We have had a blasting getting to know Nate, a professor from Fuller Seminary. Seminary professors are people too! What a treat to hang with out with the prof.
Grenoble, the sight of the '68 Olympics, has an old city core which is very beautiful. Surrounded by mountain ranges, one being the Alps, the vistas are amazing!. We took the bubble gondola up to the bastille, an old army fortification. From the top of the site, we were able to get sweeping views of the city and valley below. It was beautiful.

Women begin to arrive this evening. This afternoon we will complete setting up the room, putting together binders, and making final prepartations. At 9:00 this evening we're meeting all together for a prayer and worship time. Nine is a little late for us US citizens, especially with jet lag to deal with, but the timing is very European. We begin early on Saturday, with an 8 am coaches meeting for myself and the start up of the school beginning at 9. As we will begin our meeting while you're all sleeping this evening, please pray for us this afternoon.
if you can. We really appreciate all of our praying friends and family back home.

All of our supplies have arrived, so I need to sign off. There's work to be done. Most likely I will not be able to add to my blog tomorrow, but will make every effort to catch you up on Sunday. Until then, Au Revoir, mis ami!