The IT Team

July 19, 2018 Doug Sprague

The IT Team

Here we are at the end of the first phase of my trip: DougN and Joshua leave today. I’m happy for them to be able to go home to their families, but I’m personally sad, as we were just getting into a team rhythm and I have come to like and respect both of them. We’ve been incredibly busy, to say the least! Let me introduce the four amazing men I have the privilege to call teammates and friends.

Josh is very accomplished “jack-of-all-trades”: he’s a server guy, an electrical engineer, a telecom expert who has both years of entrepreneurial business experience and six years as an IT (information technology) missionary in Cameroon, Africa (yes, IT pro’s can be full time missionaries!). Until recently, he led the IT department at Mbingo Hospital in Cameroon, a missionary hospital about 3-4 times as large as Bongolo. He also served the rest of the CBC (the Baptist hospitals in Cameroon) as an IT consultant. Josh and his team created and implemented a very sophisticated IT infrastructure there. Josh has also pioneered “TVs4Jesus”, which I’ll describe later. Unfortunately, Josh, his wife and young children, as well as everyone else at Mbingo, have been evacuated indefinitely to the capital for their safety due to escalated regional fighting for power that has reached the hospital. Please pray for peace in Cameroon, and for the medical missionaries and hospital staff who are figuring out what to do next.

Dr. Jeff Lane with maintenance friends, Olivier (blue shirt) and Jacob.

Doug N (the other Doug!) is from the Raleigh, North Carolina area and has had nearly 30 years at the US government’s Department of the Interior Fish and Game department. He is a mapping expert who has been recognized for his innovative work with satellite mapping data among other things. Doug is also a desktop computer and phone guru, the perfect complement to Josh’s server expertise. Married for 33 years, Doug’s daughter turned 21 while here and, fortunately, the internet was up for a phone call! Doug and I have spent most of our time here together so far and I’ve enjoyed every minute

We wouldn’t have been able to get as much done without the help and support of our team “captains”, Rob Peterson (IT Director, missionary pilot and Bible translator who is currently in Charlotte, NC) and Dr. Jeff Lane. What? You might be asking? Yes, our IT team captains are a pilot and an anesthesiologist. I don’t think you would ever find that at an American or any other western hospital. Both of them made time to meet with us to plan each morning at 7:30 and recap each night at about 8:00. He also was available during the day (between surgeries!) to help think through solutions, especially when what we were tasked to do might have impacted an individual who isn’t here now or a department at the hospital.

DougN, Josh and me (DougS) at Bongolo Falls just below the hospital.

As I mentioned, both DougN and Josh, have telephone system experience (from debugging and repair to installation to the back-office programming of extensions, etc.). While I had an introduction to this technology from my friend, John Wicker, who works in telecom and donated a lot of Cat 5 equipment (thanks, John!), I came in basically knowing nothing about this subject.

So far, my primary role has been to facilitate Josh and Doug’s work by showing them where things and places are, running back and forth for parts to the main garage, talking with the affected hospital employees and families, and occasionally giving direction for the physical installation part of a project. Oh, and I asked lots of questions and tried my best to learn, help and simultaneously stay out of the way!

My growing French has come in really handy and it’s good to know my investment in language acquisition is paying off. It’s very clear that I’m waaay better than my last trip here. To be honest, sometimes I feel like I understand more in French than when Doug and Josh lapse into computer jargon, lol! I’m hungry for some more concentrated, immersed French learning, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

We had a overwhelming looking scope of work to accomplish and, by God’s grace, completed all of the list! I’m so grateful to have four guys here to learn from. Bongolo’s telephone and computer system depends on consistent internet, back-room programming, and reliable equipment.More to follow on what we accomplished, so stay tuned!

Bongolo Trip - Week #1 Reflections

July 13, 2018 Doug Sprague

Week #1 Reflections

Wow, the first week is over, already! Our team, Josh, Doug N and myself have been traveling and/or on the ground since last Friday. Let me quickly give a recap of events:

Sunday: Safe arrival at Bongolo Hospital after 2.5 days of travel. For me, it was Pittsburgh to Paris to Libreville. We overnighted at Bongolo’s guest house where I was reunited with Papa Siko and his wife, Delphine, who were returning from vacation home in the DRC. Siko runs the laboratory and is the pastor of a village church; Delphine is a surgery recover nurse. there, then left at 7:30 Sunday morning for the 9 hour drive to Bongolo. That first night in a bed was great! I don’t sleep much on airplanes and was exhausted. The temperatures were considerably cooler than during the hot rainy season and I slept really well; so deeply in fact , that I nearly missed our ride! I had less than 15 minutes to come awake, get dressed and pull my things together. How embarrassing! The ride was smooth and long. Our driver, Philippe (who I’ve known these last three years), has 25+ years as Bongolo’s driver. Nine hours was a blessing in that our team began to bond.

Dr. Jeff (anesthesiologist) and Amy (finance office) Lane, our hosts, greeted us at about 5 pm. What a delightful couple and hosts! We ate dinner with them and began to get acquainted. They live on the second floor of “Quadplex”, a four-unit building, across the wide hall from where we will be staying. We’re in Quad 3. Amy assigned us rooms and I was fortunate enough to get a small room by myself; Josh and DougN are sharing a bedroom.

We met our other roommate, Kevin, who is going into his 2nd year of medical school in Rochester, NY. A native of western Colorado, Kevin is remarkably mature and very sociable. He is an intern for the surgical team (a first for them) and is assisting mainly in research projects that will eventually be published. Kevin has been here for four weeks and has three more to go.

I have had a wonderful time re-establishing friendships and beginning new ones. I even ran into a construction worker while out on a run and briefly met his family. Even though over half of the American missionary doctors and their families are home on planned leave, there are still plenty of people to reconnect with. Shouts of joy, big hugs and conversations galore. We happened to arrive in time for the soccer World Cup tournament semi-finals and we joined in for two nights of “football”. I don’t follow soccer much, but that didn’t matter; fans are fans. The final is late Sunday afternoon and we are invited to the potluck party!

What a joy to be back in my Gabonese home. Oh, and we’ve been working hard since Monday. Our computer and telephone work has also been very productive. More on that next time.

2017 Re-Cap

December 12, 2017 Doug Sprague

Bonjour and Joyeux Noel! It’s amazing that my time in France has come and gone and Christmas is upon us. Thank you for your prayers and the financial support to make that trip possible. French language school was both incredibly fulfilling and unbelievably difficult. By the grace of God, a lot of help from my students friends, and hours of homework every day, I accomplished my goal of growing from beginner to intermediate proficiency. I don’t remember a time when I was so challenged and stressed out over such an extended period – or so enriching and encouraging.

Not only was it enriching to experience one part of France and French culture, it was also a time of sharing God’s love with people who never even think of God, as well as fellow Christians. It’s amazing what happens when we operate inside of our purposes, strengths and giftedness. Over and over while in France, I experienced God moving through me. Whoever would have thought these things would happen while I was struggling with all my strength to learn French? Not me, that’s for certain. But, God surely did and I’m so grateful that I could play a small part in his plan for Montpellier.

2017 Highlights. It is the same with the impact Agape Africa Fund has had in 2017. Even though it has functioned on a very part time basis, your generosity and prayers made the following and others possible:

· Coordinated the donation to Bongolo Hospital and funded the container shipping costs of a donated gently used, full-body x-ray machine by a Pittsburgh chiropractor friend.

· 4-week (March) trip to Bongolo Hospital where my mission to advocate on behalf of the team there (and perhaps others in the future) was confirmed. While there, I was able to encourage and support the missionary doctors and others on the team.

· Participated as part of the ACAC team at the Alliance’s international meeting in Columbus, where deeper contacts around Bongolo emerged.

· Funded the next generation of internet access at Bongolo, enabling the team and visitors to have more of a first world online experience.

· Guest Pastor for 4 weeks (July) at Ross Community Presbyterian Church, where I brought a message of hope through surrendering and trusting God.

· Developed and nurtured a fledgling relationship with the leadership of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of the North Hills (Dr. Izzi Elliot’s sending church).

· Continued my training to become an Alliance pastor through the PBI (Pennsylvania Bible Institute). I’m currently more than half way through the three year program.

· Held dozens and dozens of meetings with ongoing and new supporters and friends, sharing the vision and gathering financial and prayer support.

· Attended Immersive French Language School, September – November in Montpellier, France.

God Shows Up. I want to linger on the Language School experience for a moment as an example of how God shows up when we want His presence in our lives. My prayer going over was that I would somehow impact and encourage others while being taught. I didn’t have any idea how this would happen. And, the question in many minds was the same as mine: “How could this happen when Doug doesn’t speak or understand French?” Well, God provided some amazing opportunities.

At school, I became “Cool Uncle Doug” to my 18-25 year old European classmates. When it was time for oral presentations, I often discussed being a missionary and pastor, which led to some wonderful follow up conversations. God also used me to encourage them and gently nudge toward Him when the opportunity arose. For example, He gave me the words to plant seeds of faith to a German atheist. And, God opened the door to witness to encourage several Christian German young women to follow God and grow in their faiths. I gave several copies of my book to various new friends, hoping that they will be drawn close to our amazing Savior.

God also gave me a host family to invest in, even though I didn’t speak enough French to communicate much verbally. Somehow, my “French parents” sensed the Holy Spirit in me. They are staunch Catholics, yet especially my “mom”, Catherine, loves God. We talked about him using sign language and through my French Bible. I comforted her when their oldest son, a lifetime Army officer, was deployed to Lebanon for six months. I was able to reassure her during an upsetting family drama, and I made friends with and encouraged my French “father”, Michel, in how he handled that same drama. Catherine repeatedly told me that they were so grateful for God to bring me into their lives.

The most amazing single event in France was to preach my last Sunday at the English speaking International Chapel of Montpellier, where I brought a message of hope, encouragement and the challenge to take even more action as individuals and as a church. That lovely body had become my church home in France and I attended there the entire time I was in Montpellier. God opened the door to befriend several members of the congregation, and especially to come alongside Pastor John, who has been ministering there for 13 years. It amazes me that my life coaching and construction skills would come in handy there, but they did.

What is the plan for 2018? The big picture is bright and here is a taste: spend the winter engaging Bongolo supporters throughout the Midwest, especially in Ohio; continue to improve my French through Pittsburgh-based classes, self-teaching, and conversation groups, as well as potential course-work in Quebec and perhaps French, again. Finally, I hope to test out my French on a return trip to Bongolo, possibly in the Spring for an extended time of fleshing out their needs, working alongside the team, and encouraging them as they struggle day-in and day-out in the jungle.

Will you continue to come alongside this ministry? Your financial support helps to make this work possible. Please contact me (412-716-3105) to make arrangements, or simply click “Donate” on the Agape website. All gifts are tax deductible.

Checks can be made out to and mailed to: “Agape Africa Fund” c/o Doug Sprague, 1015 Galveston Avenue, Pittbsurgh, PA 15233

Thank you in advance!

Headed Home!

November 19, 2017 Doug Sprague

I made it! Friday was my last day of school. After 24 hours of travel so far, I I'm writing this sitting at JFK airport in New York waiting for my final flight to Pittsburgh and am so excited to be home after 9 weeks of French Language School. My last day of class was the same as every other last day I've ever experienced: a blend of excited to move on and sad it was over. It's been like this my entire live, whether elementary or high school, as well as all four years of college. Let me explain.

Immersive language learning is really intense, especially at my recently nearly beginner level. I arrived in Montpellier nine weeks thinking I knew some French and was abruptly shocked into reality. Conversations, whether they were in the hallways at school, on the street or at my host family’s home were generally meaningless jumbles of sound. I could pick out the occasional word or two, but that was about it. That meant I not only needed to learn as much grammar as possible, but also vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension. French grammar is very complex which made everything more complicated. Oh, and every week we also had a written and oral test…

I’m a closet perfectionist about some things and I struggled at times to feel like I was learning enough. Translated, I intellectually understood that I could only hope to build a strong base in two months, but, at times, I had an unrealistic emotional expectation of how good I’d be at the end. My goal was to come home at an intermediate level capable of faster self-learning and I accomplished this in spades and have the certification to prove it. It’s just that it’s hard to be satisfied with that. I want more!! It’s a lot like martial arts training. You pass a lower level belt exam and feel all tough until you go to the next level and get your butt easily kicked by a smaller, more advanced student. I felt like that most of the time.

I also tend to be very competitive and think I should be able to excel in everything because that was always my academic experience. I’ve never been the middle of a class, let alone at the bottom, which is where I spent the past nine weeks. The other students (except for the occasional American or Brit) speak at least 2-3 languages fluently, so they are at the point where adding one more is pretty straight forward. Also, most of them have had several years of French while growing up. My experience is very different: I’ve been to Africa twice, listened to “Learn French” CD’s from the library, and taken two community college classes.

The most amazing experience was when my European classmates (mostly German and Swiss 18-22 year olds) would help me in English understand what was going on. When I needed the help, they would, under their breath, translate what the teacher was saying and help explain grammar concepts. It was amazing! They took it for granted until I explained how incredible it is that they understand my language so well that they could help me learn French! I made some special friends, especially in my first six weeks because the class didn’t change much. Majallea, Malin, Eileen and Andrea were wonderful support. I think I was “cool Uncle Doug” to them. They made it clear that they liked helping me and didn’t see me as a burden.

That said, when I step back and unemotionally evaluate how much I’ve learned, I’m really excited! Garbled sounds became recognizable sentences and I would get really excited when I understood what was going on. Every once in a while, I’d lean over to one of my classmates and gleefully tell her that I truly knew what was going on, lol! An example of my progress is that I was able to (intentionally at the end!) make my host parents laugh because I could communicate well enough to crack jokes. The most encouraging proof of my progress was that I understood Monday’s guided tour of Montpellier. A teacher gives a free two-hour guided tour of alternating parts of Montpellier every Monday afternoon and these helped me to learn my way around as well as see some beautiful places. However, I stopped going after the first two weeks because it was too frustrating not to understand. Plus, I was schlepping around my heavy backpack. However, I went this past Monday and found that I could understand nearly everything she said!! It was the same teacher and I was really psyched.

Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. You have made this trip possible. I’m so grateful to have taken this focused, immersed “next step” in my preparation to serve in French-speaking Africa. While I have a long way to go, I have a solid base and a plan to keep improving when I get back to Pittsburgh. I’m working on scheduling a winter/ spring trip to Bongolo, as well as ongoing French education. I will continue to work, cut my living expenses and fund-raise to support what God has called me to. I’m honored you are part of this journey!

November 12, 2017 Doug Sprague

Today, Sunday, I had the privilege to be the guest preacher at the church I’ve been attending while in Montpellier. It’s an English speaking fellowship called the International Chapel of Montpellier and it is a missionary outreach with other “Chapels” in different French cities. Their focus is English speakers, whether they be ex-pats living here for a season, full time students, or anyone wanting to practice their English. It is a wonderful, welcoming body and I have felt right at home from the start. They meet in a rented first floor space in an apartment /office building about a 15 minute walk from my language school.

About four weeks ago, I felt a God-prompting to offer to substitute for the pastor, John Coules – to preach one of the remaining Sundays. I had been wondering if there were some way to bring the needs of Bongolo Hospital more to the forefront at the Chapel, but wasn’t certain how I could make it happen. Also, I was up to my eyebrows learning French and wasn’t sure I could handle preparing a forty-minute message. I guess that’s where my human nature hit a brick wall. There wasn’t any way I could make any of that happen in my strength. In addition, I was a literal stranger and a short-timer at that. So, I surrendered the urge and left it to God to either make it happen or not.

When I volunteered, it was at the end of an afternoon together with John at the church assembling and installing an IKEA-like diaper changing station into a concrete wall. As you would expect, we laughed and told stories while we worked. The project brought us together, and it was an easy time together and rewarding for us both. So, I volunteered to speak if John felt that was a good idea. I had the sense he could use the break. John told me he appreciated the offer and would pray about it for a couple of days. I assured him that either a yes or no would be OK, and meant every word. I think I’ve inherited my Dad’s philosophy around preaching: he did the best he could whenever he spoke, but didn’t “love” the pulpit like some pastors. I’m the same way. Imagine my joy when John emailed me and took me up on my offer!

I had already been praying over consolidating my four messages around God’s call of Gideon in the book of Judges, and the message began to take shape. I had never used PowerPoint to do a sermon, so creating the slides actually took longer than determining and fleshing out the teaching points and stories. More than anything, I wanted to encourage this small congregation that God wants to utilize their individual and collective skills and talents to get stuff done. God would meet them where they are today and go from there. That’s exactly what he did once he got Gideon’s attention.

At the end, I wasn’t sure if I had made any impact at all, when person after person approached me and said they felt like God wanted them to hear that message today. For example, one English lady visiting friends was going to go to another church but ended up with us and today was exactly what she needed. The mom of a young girl (they are Chinese) came up and told me that her daughter said she wants to be a missionary doctor! A college-age German young woman told me how she senses God wanting her to change paths, but she’s not certain which direction to go in, yet, but that today encouraged her to take the first step. Finally, a retired Engish woman and her French husband who had just moved to Montpellier to retire, told me that they wanted to get more involved at the Chapel. They felt they were too new, and I encouraged them to both get settled in and to to talk with John and his wife, Robin (I also mentioned this to John and Robin asked him to act surprised when the conversation happened). Like Gideon when he realized the Lord was going to give him a miraculous military victory with only 300 soldiers, I was overwhelmed and worshipped God!

To top things off, John and Robin’s twenty-something daughter was unexpectedly home this past week. She has been teaching in an Israeli Christian school and had to take care of some Visa requirement by returning to France for a short period of time. As it turns out, John got to spend much more time with his family by having me speak today. Neither one of us saw that one coming, that’s for sure!

Today was a perfect “final step” in my time in Montpellier. I have one more week of school, but today was the climax of my trip. To think that I brought God’s word to a French church! What an amazing God we serve.

What It's All About

October 22, 2017 Doug Sprague

Three significant and impactful events happened this fifth week (of nine) of French language school. They that brought back into focus the “why” I am here in France. While at times this week I actually thought I could pick out portions of conversations, this continues to be a grueling, grammar-intensive marathon and I am tired. I don’t know about you, but keeping a long-term objective fresh and strong can sometimes be a challenge. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture in the daily grind. And, I received a number of much needed shots-in-the-arm this past week, large and small. They were God-touches: tangible reminders that He is actively directing my path if I will only surrender and trust Him. He reconfirmed the importance to continue to prepare, day by day, for my role as Bongolo Hospital’s “Partner Development” guy. In spite of tiredness, I am so grateful to be here! I could not do this work God has called me to without both your ongoing and needed financial support (a growing number of you!) and your prayers (all of you). Let me tell you about three of the big ones.

First, I attended a BNI meeting early Tuesday morning before school. BNI is Business Networking International, a global organization that exists for the sole purpose of helping each other to grow our businesses, in my case, Agape Africa Fund. I have been a member and leader in BNI of Western Pennsylvania for the past four years in prior business ventures and BNI has played an important part in their success. It turns out that there is a BNI chapter here within easy walking distance of my school. In fact, early in my trip, I had walked into the beautiful hotel they meet acting, I hoped, like I belonged even though I was dressed down some (I needed to use the bathroom if you must know…). God has such a sense of humor that it ended up being where BNI meets!

BNI Montpellier! Yes, that's my USA name badge...

Anyway, the meeting was great. It was absolutely wonderful to “work” for two hours. I had stayed up late the night before practicing – in French - my one-minute introduction that is standard to BNI agendas around the world. I had decided the day before to attend the next day; this meant I didn’t give myself the opportunity to have my teacher proof read my presentation, so I had to rely on what I had learned and a handy translation software. I must have made sense, because three people made a point of asking for tete-a-tete (one-on-one, but literally head-to-head) coffee meetings this week and next. Two speak fluent English, one speaks about as much English as I do French. In fact, one of the fluent English speakers is British and he grew up in the small northern England town of Bury, where I went to high school for a year when I was a high school English student! Who knows what God will do with them, but it sure felt great to be in a “business” environment.

The second was that I decided to put my home up as an Airbnb host site. Earlier in the year, God had impressed a question on my heart: “What would I do with my house if my call were to live full time in Africa at Bongolo?” Even though my call is to continue to live in Pittsburgh and travel, I began to pray around the idea and did not discern any clear path; there are significant pros and cons to selling or renting or doing nothing. But, that question weighed heavily on me. Finally, about a month before I left, I sensed a release from God to go ahead and rent my home as a “short term furnished home” for, most likely, a business traveler. Prior to leaving for France, I had fought against Airbnb as too complicated at the time, and, for me, it was too much to bite off with everything else going on. Instead, I contracted with a leasing company and literally “moved out” so that if a miracle happened and someone leased it as a short, furnished rental, the home would be ready. My great friend and Christian brother, Bill Pricener, sacrificed several vacation days to help make this possible, as did two of his co-workers who came and pitched in. All of my personal possessions, papers and clothing are currently in my attic

However, nothing has happened on the rental front, and God, through my treasured Nancy, impressed on my heart that “now” was the time to experiment with Airbnb. I signed up after school the next day and the positive response has been overwhelming! Several bookings for as early as today through the middle of December have already been made. Most significantly (and I can hardly believe it!), my home has been rented for 7 consecutive weeks in January and February for enough to cover my mortgage and utilities with some left over. This is exactly the scenario I had dreamed about! Because of this significant impact in offsetting my expenses, God and I are now discussing three opportunities. The first is a journey to Bongolo; the second is to continue my French language studies; or perhaps, living in one of my rentals where I’ve been leaning toward asking my current tenant to leave (this would allow me to live for significantly less as well as provide an ideal opportunity to do some deferred maintenance, as well). All three are worthy ideas; please pray with me for discernment!

Finally, I spent all day Saturday with a two wonderful doctors, Drew and Kim, and their two-and-a-half year old son, Nolan. They are currently in a one-year language school program in Albertville, France. Late this summer, they head to Bongolo Hospital to serve with our medical and surgical teams. They will provide much needed “gap filling” and will make a huge impact in Gabon. Amazingly, they have never been there, but their faith in God is so great that they expressed their preferences, then allowed God (and Samaritan’s Purse, their sending organization), to choose for them. During out time together, we shared our stories. I gave them my book, showed them photos and videos, especially of the team there, and hopefully encouraged them regarding how much their individual gifts and medical specialties are needed. I am blown away at their surrender and trust! We had a great day together. They are generous and caring, and little Nathan and I bonded pretty much immediately. In fact, he called me “Uncle” all day long!

Every once in a while, we need to be reminded of why God has us doing the things we do. I really needed these reminders of the “why” I am here, alone, in France instead of being home with my loved ones and friends. God reminded me that not only am I not alone here, but that He has me exactly where I am supposed to be at this point. Like the very imperfect King David, I pray I am doing enough of the right things, quickly repent of my sins, and prayerfully stay in God’s perfect will for my life. I pray this for you, as well. Thank you, again, for your prayers and financial support!

French Adventures!

October 15, 2017 Doug Sprague

I thought I’d lighten things up a little bit this week. As far as school is concerned, this past week has been more of the same: new, confusing grammar until I get it, and hours outside of classes studying so it all falls into place. Past tenses in French are complex to say the least, and we only covered two of the forms among everything else covered! Wrap an intense but fortunately short head cold around it and that was my school week. I’m feeling nearly 100% now, Mom! I’m really fortunate because many of my fellow students have been sick for weeks.

A number of people have asked me about my weekends so far, so I’ll see what I can tell you. First of all, Sunday has been the most consistent: 11:00 a.m. church in the morning, followed by blogging, studying a little bit, and watching a movie or 2 into the evening. The only way this “movie” thing is happening is through the generosity of my friend, Dan, who opened up his private movie library to met . It turns out that my Amazon Prime works over here only for a small number of their own TV shows; none of their other content will play in France due to copy write, etc., laws or agreements. Netflix won’t let me change my plan to add streaming (I only have DVD’s from them). Thank you, Dan!!

Except for this morning when I ran a 10k race (that’s a story for another time!), church has been at the International Chapel in Montpellier, about a 10 minute walk from my language school. It was referred to me by a fellow African missionary who was here before me. I could attend a French church, but would not understand anything at this point. So, I have been worshiping at an English-speaking church. The pastor has been there for 13 years and is a self-funded missionary! This seemed a bit odd to me at first, seeing that France is so non-Christian. But, there are also a lot of ex-pats and students who speak English here, as well. Singing and worshiping with people from literally all over the world has been very fulfilling. The weekly service and other activities are held ina rented first floor commercial space just barely big enough for the 35 or so congregants and kids. The preaching is solid and the people have been welcoming. There are lots of transients like me, so it is difficult for the pastor to get a lot of ongoing traction. I feel badly for him. I offered to fix things or help with projects, but no takers, so far. Wish I could do more.

My Saturdays have been adventurous from a different perspective. ILA (my school) provides optional extra-curricular trips once-per-week to a nearby historical town or site of interest. The trips are for groups up to 30 students and cost between $30-45. Food, snacks and drinks are not provided. A comfy charter bus transports us. They provide a guide (one of the teachers) and a page or two of appropriate places and photos of interest, which they talk about both on the bus and while there. Then, they dismiss us to go off on our own after making sure we know what time to meet and where for the ride back to Montpellier. I didn’t go last weekend because I was sick, but I have been on three other trips. Let me quickly tell you about where I’ve been.

Outside ONE of the gates at Auges-Mortes

Pointing at Auges-Mortes in the distance.

My first trip was a half-day to the historic village of Augues-Mortes and a nearby salt production facility. This region has an ancient legacy of salt production. The old village, surrounded by modernity, is about 20 minutes to the east and is famous for its 30 foot tall, hundreds of years old, intact, perimeter stone walls, turrets and ramparts. The quaint village inside is mostly supported by tourists. This is the off-season (fortunately for me!), so it was pretty quiet, relatively speaking. The second half of the afternoon was at a large salt production facility. I have to admit that I’ve never considered where salt comes from! There are large evaporation ponds that take up acre upon acre, which are then bulldozed and transported to be dumped onto huge mountains of pure salt. It is then processed down to various grades for commercial and home use. The really interesting part for me was getting to walk up to the top of one of the “mountains”. From there, I could see the pinkish hues of the ponds that are this industry’s hallmark. Additionally, there were also small flocks of flamingos (of all birds!) scattered throughout. Not sure what this is about, but they sure are pretty! I’ve not seen flamingoes anywhere else, so far.

The second trip was more far more rural and about a 45 minute drive north from Montpellier. Our destination this time was Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert (think “William” in French), a small Medieval village carved - literally - out of two parallel 1,000 foot high mountainous ridges. Not that high, but very dramatic! The hilly village may run a quarter of a mile in length, but it is only two (maybe three in some places) cobble-stone streets wide - and those narrow streets may barely be able to permit one small car to pass. The homes and shops are built into the existing stone. Doorways are arched and low, as are many of the shop ceilings. The homes appear to be more on the perimeters and are either much higher up or much lower than the shops in the middle. I’m not a shopper, so, other than the really cool Medieval church in the center square and it 1,000 year old tree, there wasn’t much for me in town. So, I high-tailed it into the surrounding hills and trails for a couple of hours of much needed nature therapy.

The trip this past weekend was the best, in my opinion, both from experiential and cost perspectives. I say cost because it would have been about $40 US, but I went for free! Earlier in the week, it was announced in class that the school was looking for blog articles (with photos) for its web site. So, I seized the opportunity and re-wrote my Week 1 blog. They loved it. And, in my opinion, this was the best trip by far to this point. We spent all day at two amazing places about an hour or so northeast’ish: Pont du Gard and the city of Avignon. Pont du Gard is a 2,000 year old Roman aqueduct (now a national historic tourist site) which they built across a river as part of a 40 mile long water supply project for the city of Nimes. Incredibly, this stone and concrete system only had a fall of 55 feet its entire length! The dramatic three story arched structure was used both for the water-transporting aquaduct as well as a bridge. Much to my surprise, the water portion was at the very top, at least 100 feet above the river!

Palace of the Popes: like something out of Lord of the Rings!

Avignon, another 20 minutes farther, is the “county seat” for its region. It is a small city in its own right in addition to its historical heritage. Avignon is by far most famous for being the headquarter of the Roman Catholic Church for almost one hundred years, starting back in the early 1300’s AD. This ended up being “temporary” as the Pope returned to Rome to stay after this stint. However, the Church took its buildings seriously, and in a short 20 year span, built much of the amazing Palace of the Popes, which dominates the northeastern portion of the city. I paid the 13 euros for the tour with sound and am very grateful I did so. While the vast building(s) are empty of any furniture, the scale, architectural and construction achievements are breath taking. My favorite part was when I discovered that one grand cathedral-sized hall, with high, vaulted stone ceilings sit on top of a nearly identical hall below! How did they do this!!?? They served different purposes. One was for official ceremonies and worship services, the other for banquets. And these were just two portions of the incredible two hours I prowled around the Palace.

I certainly am thrilled to have had these opportunities. It is difficult to imagine setting up trips like this on my own, considering my self-imposed limitations. Without a car, it would be challenging at the least, and likely more expensive, to do these trips on my own, even if served by a train or bus. That said, it sure has been nice to clear my mind and “get out of Dodge” for a few hours, that’s for sure! I’m not certain what the next couple of weeks will bring – hopefully there will be other interesting and different options. I think I may also plan an adventure or two on my own…

Hump Week

October 8, 2017 Doug Sprague

Hump week is the only way I can describe my experiences this last seven days. The first two weeks were mostly joy-filled and exciting, even if exhausting and somewhat alien. The adventure of being here was still “the point” and I was filled with “vim and vigor” as they used to say. School was an exhilarating mountain to climb; existing in a French-speaking world was welcomed and exciting; I was rising to the challenge and loving it!

But, something happened on Monday, at the beginning of Week 3. It started with the addition of three new students bringing our number up to 10, the maximum students per class. Ten doesn’t seem like much, but the classroom can only hold 6-8 comfortably (in my opinion). But, everything here is more compact and smaller than in States, so it’s no real surprise the classroom is, as well. Anyway, in my opinion, ten is too many. Additionally, two of the new students were 18 year old young German women who knew each other. They were a distraction right from the beginning; they would talk and whisper, seemingly endlessly. They, also, seemed to be better in French than most of us.

In addition, I was feeling what I at first thought was increased loneliness, but was actually “isolated”, rather than lonely. I have been filled and am so grateful for the support and communications from back home! My host parents are wonderful people and are taking very good care of me! However, they are also very private who keep to themselves and do not interact with me very much. The class is all girls 20 and under except two. So, I don’t really have much in common with them. And, the school is not set up to be a social networking solution. My teacher is very competent but is only there to do a job with a constantly rotating student body, as is the rest of the staff. But, that’s it. Additionally, everyone in my class was sick with some bug and I was irritated that I was likely next.

Finally, the routine I liked so much last week got on my nerves this week. The enjoyable two mile walk to and from school started to irritate me; my backpack felt unbelievably heavy even though I had not added any real extra weight; and I felt as though I was sweating more on the walk home when the day was the warmest. afternoon. The way the people here walk as though they are playing “chicken” all the time truly got on my nerves, and I was sick and tired of avoiding left-behind dog poop.

More than anything, I started to experience frustration at the slow pace of my French acquisition. I was so irritated that, no matter how hard I studied, after 2 WHOLE WEEKS of advanced beginner French, that I still wasn’t fluent! I was afraid I was “failing” in spite of the extra hours of study every day.

LOL!

Do you see the irony of all of this? How unreasonable was all of this?! I had become my own worst enemy and, in a minor day-to-day way, had taken on the role of God. I’m glad to say that after an “aha” conversation Tuesday evening, Wednesday was a much better day. I re-centered myself on why I am here and began, again, to sense God’s hand in all of this. I relaxed in His presence and submitted to the “alienness” of life here. An invitation to dinner Friday came. I decided to make friends with the new girls instead of cause conflict - this worked out really well, actually. And, it was a lot more fun for me! Also, I took a leadership role in the class to get all of us talking with each other, especially before class. It turns out that most of them don’t know a lot more French than I do; it’s just that they are shy about asking questions, so they stay silent! Hilariously, they have learned to rely on me to raise my hand! All of them are delightful, smart people and I have benefitted from reaching out to them. They also all speak English remarkably well, and that helps.

What’s the point? The point is that hope is just a glance away, like the beauty of the street full of pink umbrellas I found because of construction closure on the street I usually walk on. It was there, I just needed to see it. The point is that I made my own situation a lot worse than it really was by placing unrealistic expectations on myself and the world around me. I remembered that bending in the wind is a lot more effective than fighting the wind head-on. More than anything, I went back to the basics of surrendering and trusting God for my days. My problems didn’t go away, but managing them got a whole lot easier.

Settling Into A Routine: Reflections on Week 2 of French Language School

October 1, 2017 Doug Sprague

Two of my nine weeks of French language school are over. On one hand, this seems fast. One day blends into the next. I have gotten more used to the routine and to my teacher, Helena, and she to us - my classmates and me. "Us" is a fluid term for my classmates and me. There were five of us the first week; this past week, there were seven students. Only one, Christine from Rowanda, was a carry-over from the first week. Two others were promoted into the next level up; the fifth finished her two weeks here and went home to Florida for college. This week, three wonderful German, one Astonian and one Swiss young ladies (ranging from 18-27 years old) arrived. People come and go because that is how this style of school is set up. Students can start on any given Monday; they simply join in at whatever point the curriculum is, like I did, where the class left off the previous Friday. Each level of courses run in revolving six-week cycles. I jumped in on week #4; this upcoming week will be week 6, and then the next will be week #1. The learning does not build upon the week before, so the system works. I am in "A2" which is advanced beginner. I believe the highest level here is C2 (mostly fluent). All of this has taken some getting used to, and I'm not entirely certain what happens when I finish the cycle. I guess that will depend upon how much they (and I) think I have learned. I'm planning to ask for a meeting with one of their "progress counselors" this week. I hope he/she speaks English! My reading comprehension is noticeably improved, but, in addition to awakening my brain to memorize grammar rules, vocabulary and verb conjugations, I am struggling with oral comprehension and speaking. No real surprise, but I want to do what I can to improve as quickly as possible.

On the other hand, it has seemed slow. I am at the emotional point where I am noticing feeling lonely and detached because of my lack of French. That said, each day is pretty much the same, and I have settled into what I think is a healthy and productive routine. Monday through Friday, I am up at or before 6:00 am. I have my devotional time - my church (ACAC) is reading through the Bible with and audio commentary. This is followed by some warm up exercises - mostly push ups and squats - around making my lunch and packing up my back pack for the day. I wash up, get dressed, eat a light breakfast, do a little studying, and am out the door by 7:30. Each day, I walk to and from school which I love! The sun is just coming up and the weather has been dry and in the 50's. Many mornings are clear and cloudless; a few are overcast, but that generally burns off shortly after full daylight. The hilly urban hike took me about 35-40 minutes the first week, depending on which route (a more direct but busier route, as well as a quieter but five minute longer alternate). This past week, I've knocked five minutes off: I'm both in better shape and more confident of the way (that means no more stopping to look at my map!) I also use that time to lift and swing my hefty backpack like it is a kettle bell. It's really the only "gym" time I have.

This gets me into the walking historic district of "Centre Montpellier" between 7:45 and 8:00 for an hour of studying before school starts at 9:00. Even though it is cool (I put on my jacket at this point), I love to sit outside at a table in the main square, the Plaza de Comedie. During the day into the evening, there are numerous large cafes with outdoor seating. Three of them are closed when I arrive, and I alternate views most days. I change out of my sneakers into my school shoes, stretch, people watch and get to work. The school opens at 8:00 and I will likely end up inside once the temperature dips below 50 degrees.

I'm always the first to the classroom. Teaching starts promptly at 9:00 and goes until 12:15 (sometimes 12:30), with a school-wide fifteen minute break at 10:30. During the break, I take my light snack outside to the bustling old world street-scape and enjoy people-watching, as well as the light and air. We are in a windowless, second floor classroom with a large white board, and a small wall-mounted TV/DVD/computer. The first week, I wore my contacts and reading glasses and I began to suspect I was over-straining my eyes as I repeatedly went back and forth between the board and my papers. They were so tired feeling and I had a low-grade headache. So, I started wearing my (hated) glasses this week and noticed a clear decrease in eye strain.

However, I did not observe a corresponding decrease in "brain strain"! What a battle it has been to re-adapt to being a student after all these years! To make matters more challenging, I have a physically active work life and am not used to sitting still for long. I've been told, especially recently, that I have "ants in my pants"; this is true. AND, I am relearning how to sit through the morning while I struggle to comprehend French grammar. This week's lessons were somehow easier to conceptually grasp, fortunately.

After class, I stay put and eat my packed lunch while I let my brain slow down some. I'll watch a short French video on my laptop or just sit quietly. A few minutes later, I begin the process of reviewing and summarizing the morning's information using a system of 3"x5" and 4"x6" cards I brought over with me. I learned some of this from Sandie Freeman at Bongolo. She is one of the nursing school teachers and she took in on herself to teach me a little bit of basic French grammar. More importantly, she showed me how she use flash cards to learn verb conjunctions and other vocabulary! Thank You, Sandie!! I now use the smaller cards to summarize grammar rules and the larger for list of vocabulary, verbs and phrases. I review these daily, have recorded them to listen to while walking, as well as look at my class papers. I remember back in college that my easiest 4.0 grades came from the classes where I deliberately re-read my notes every day. I'm now counting on this same system!

This usually takes about two hours, or until I can't stand it any longer. Then, I change locations and either continue to study or read until about 5:00. Sometimes, I need to use some of this time to address something happening back in the States. To break up the routine, I either find a different classroom (with a window and sunlight) or a park bench. Every once in a while, I will buy something to drink later in the afternoon at one of the outdoor cafe's and work there. On Wednesday, I found the giant, beautifully modern, public library and, for 6 Euros (about $7.50), I got a library card and access to their WiFi. It's a little bit out of the way, but will be worth it.

Then, I walk home. Sometimes I'll stop in one of the grocery stores - there are four to pick from without deviating my course - for small lunch or snack items. I've been doing pretty well in my eating seeing that I bought a 2-meal per day plan, and eat whatever Catherine puts in front of me. That said, I am starting to feel the impact of fewer vegetables and more fresh bread and cheeses. Admittedly, I've eaten some chocolates, as well, as stress relief. That's a slippery slope that I need to get quickly get back under control! Overall, I've lost about 5 pounds since arriving and feel like I've gotten fitter and stronger.

Once home, my hosts are usually doing their own thing, so talking with them isn't an option. I head to my room and either take a 20 minute nap or continue to study, or both. Dinner is at 7:00, usually with a before-dinner aperitif served by Catherine, either with Michel or by myself. I eat at their dining room table by myself. They don't seem to eat together due to her diabetes diet and his schedule, and they have their set private ways. I thought this odd at first, but have also settled into this aspect of my routine. I read while eating - at the moment, I am working my way through A.W. Tozer's, The Pursuit of God. In English, thank you very much...

After dinner, I head back into my small but comfortable bedroom (I spend nearly all of my at-home time in there) for some final study and review before one or two video phone calls back home. I use my cell phone so I can move around, and have been working on developing a mobile hands-free phone harness to make this easier. If you're interested in getting in on the ground floor of this revolutionary zillion-dollar product, feel free to contact me directly! I'm not kidding... During the week, my goal is lights out before ten, which I've been overall successful at achieving. I've been so very tired from these first two weeks that I need all of the rest I can get.

The weekends are a topic for another time. I'm overall pleased that I've been as diligent as I have been and hope to continue this pattern next week. I certainly value and appreciate the opportunity I have to study and learn! Now, if you will excuse me, it's time to start to get ready for class tomorrow.

Settling Into A Routine: Reflections of Week 2 of French Language School

October 1, 2017 Doug Sprague