Il Faut Faire un Effort!

Today I saw a little girl crying with all of her might. She was walking across campus with her mother, but not once did she try to break away. She was sad, but never did she let go of the hand that was protecting her. Not once did her mother try to scold her. They were simply walking hand in hand. This picture is very similar to my current walk with God through this country. If you read yesterday’s post, you know that I was crying out. You know that I felt as if I was headed to my demise; however, I never let go! I never allowed myself to be free of the one who guides me all along! Listen to what happened today!

All day I couldn’t stop thinking about what Hervé was saying to me last night! He kept encouraging me to put myself out there and make a real effort to meet the French people! In so many words he was saying, “You have to be intentional!” (Thank you Sharia Hays!) Today I had to be intentional. Today I had to step up and try to discover my purpose in France!

After my morning class I ate lunch with my friend Marie and my friend from Norway (Julia). For some reason Marie decided that our entire lunch conversation would be in French no matter how hard it may be. It was very successful! Not one English word polluted our conversation (Ok, maybe just one)! It was finally like a breath of fresh air! After lunch I decided to take Hervé’s advice and try to make an effort to meet French people. I went to the café on campus and ordered a café au lait. As I was sitting just waiting for something to happen, I wrote a prayer down in my notebook. At the end of the prayer I wrote, “I can’t leave this café without meeting someone!” I left the café without meeting someone, but refused to leave the vicinity until absolutely necessary. I therefore sat down on the steps in front of the café and waited once again. Eventually someone approached me and asked me for a lighter. I didn’t have one, but did end up meeting a guy named Julian. He was nice, but our conversation was very anticlimactic. I asked him what good things there were for students to do in Caen and he listed off everything I already knew. He also told me that if I wanted to meet French people that “Il faut faire un effort!” (It is necessary to make an effort). This was the same thing Hervé was telling me last night! As I said goodbye I thanked the Lord, but definitely asked him for another opportunity.

After my afternoon class I decided to go into town to a local café to try again. I ordered another café au lait, sat next to a couple of people that looked my age, and asked them if they were students. They said, “Non.” (No). I then asked them if they were citizens of Caen. They said, “Oui.” (Yes), and that was the end of the conversation. I began to write another prayer in my notebook, but this one wasn’t as nice. I was VERY angry! Then I remembered, “Il faut faire un effort!” (It is necessary to make an effort). I got up from my seat at the café, walked down the street, and into another café.

When I got to the next café I ordered another café au lait and sat next to two girls. I listened to them speaking in hopes that I would be able to interject at some point. I waited and waited and waited. Finally there was a pause. I said, “Are you students here?” They responded! We talked for about an hour! It was great! Then they had to leave. No phone number; no reunion; just, “maybe we’ll see each other again!” I was happy, but wasn’t satisfied. As I looked up at the wall I noticed an advertisement for singles night every Wednesday. I called Rachel to talk to her about my frustrations and told her that I had become so desperate that I would be going to singles’ night later on in the evening. She decided that she wanted to go as well, but that we wouldn’t go together.

As I made dinner and waited for singles’ night to start I became very nervous! I have not been this nervous in France yet! It was crazy! I finally ate and prepared to walk into Centre Ville. On my way I got a call from Rachel saying that singles’ night looked like a flop but that the café down the road seemed promising. I was a bit relived as I DID NOT want to have to recount a story about meeting someone at singles’ night! When I got to Rachel we decided that we didn’t want to wonder into the places alone. We looked at the café that she thought would be promising and scoped out some other places as well. We were lost! We didn’t know where to start! Finally I asked that we just stop and pray that God would show us where to go. After praying, Rachel recommended that we go to the bar next to campus. I agreed and we started walking in that direction. On our way there we stopped and decided that the bar next to campus would be too far for the effort. Just as we were standing in the middle of the road looking like lost puppies, I noticed a group of three girls walking in our direction. I then said to Rachel, “I have an idea!” When the girls got close enough I asked them if they knew of any good places for students to hang out. I also told them that we were new students and that we wanted to meet other students. One of the girls then said, “We are students!” Rachel became so overwhelmed she couldn’t find the words to say. Finally she said, “Can we come with you?” They were very much obliged! We then joined these three girls as the Café Latin and I ordered a decaffeinated café. I could not stand any more caffeine! I had well reached my limit for the day!

I ended up sitting across from a girl named Julia who talked to me the entire time! She is fluent in English, but chose only to speak in French! This made me VERY happy! Rachel talked with the other two girls while Julia and I went to town! After an hour and a half of great conversation, the two other girls decided that it was time to leave. Before leaving they invited Rachel and I to go out with them again tomorrow night! AMEN! When the waiter brought the bill, I did something VERY stupid! I could have died on the spot! I told the girls that they were an answer to prayer and that I would therefore pick up the tab; apparently this isn’t a popular thing to do in France! Julia explained to me that it is very traditional for girls to pay for themselves. I just about cried! My one chance to meet French girls and I pull out the southern hospitality! Mom, why didn’t you tell me that chivalry was only applicable to Texas women? Rachel said that it wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be and that they were just saying that because they didn’t want me to have to pay. I hope she’s right, because these were the first non-drunk group of French friends I’ve made! Please pray that something will become of these relationships and that tomorrow night will be a BIG blessing! PLEASE!