Recap 1.5: More Christmas

I thought some fun technology would spice this up a bit.

Here are some looks at what our vacation adventures were like:


The idealized beginning to our voyage:




Our expectant voyage through the mountain to Italy:




Our unexpected return to France, after an unfortunate discovery of snow...

Recap 1: Christmas Vacation

18 Janvier, 2009

Recap I: Christmas Vacation

As we ended our semester her e in Montpellier, it was pretty apparent that all of us on the team were very ready for a break. After four solid months of doing ministry, we were all excited to have a little vacation! Before we ended the semester we had seen the kickoff of what is now an ongoing outreach called Thé-O Show, and we had a very successful Fête de Noël, where we shared many of our Christmas traditions with our friends, and most importantly shared about what the true origins of Christmas are.

A few days afterwards, we took off for the Alps, eager to find snow for Christmas and some R&R. We spent the week in the French Alps in a small little village tucked away way up in the mountains. There was snow in abundance. We spent time sleeping in, playing cards, eating together, and even went sledding in the middle of the night on old air mattresses that were basically dead already, and much more so after we sled on them!

One of the highlights of the vacation was the day before Christmas Eve, when we spent the day in 3 countries! We woke up and had breakfast in France, then drove to Geneva (Switzerland), where we enjoyed part of the afternoon and lunch, then we drove along the north side of the lake and eventually back into France to see and go through Mont Blanc, which is the highest mountain in Europe, and had dinner in Italy! Let me tell you, the pasta in Italy is worth the trip. Wow! We had a little trouble getting back into France, because after we had driven most of the way up the mountain on the border, we discovered that the mountain pass was totally closed! It was so snowed in that there was no way anything would get through, including the semi we found trying heroically to turn around at the top of this mountain pass. On our way back down we talked to a local who told us that the pass was closed 8 months out of the year. Thanks for letting us know before we drove all the way up the mountain! Oh well…

Christmas was a good celebration. We had a fairly traditional meal together and spent time reading and reflecting on the prophetic and gospel writings surrounding Christ’s birth. With no gifts, no tree, no lights, really nothing to remind me of “normal” Christmas, it was nice to be able to focus on why we actually celebrate this holiday. It was difficult to be away from family and from home, but I was also glad to be where I was.

Some pictures of the vacation:

Erin and I in Genève, Switzerland.




Here we are in a cute little town somewhere east of Genève. We think it looks like Stillwater!





One of the highlights of the vacation. Snow!



Lac Léman, just east of Genève, Switzerland





The 5 of us STINTers up in the Swiss Alps. Wow!

A petit promise

Yes, I will post pictures and update this soon. :-)

It's been a crazy, energizing, challenging, motivating, encouraging, awe-inspiring last four weeks.


A small teaser from the Swiss Alps: