I don't know how many of you keep up on French news, but there is trouble in the French suburbs again. It's not nearly as widespread as the rioting that went on two years ago, but this is another flare-up of an underlying, ongoing, and quite serious problem. I'm often not as up on current events as I'd like to be, but every time this story is covered, my ears perk up. Why? Because it's happening in Villiers-le-Bel. Villiers-le-Bel is a town literally just down the street from Ecouen. Where, or what is Ecouen, you might ask? Ecouen is the town I stayed in with the rest of my group the first time I came to France. Ecouen is the place where I fell in love with France. It is also, incidentally, the place where, a few years later, a young French man and a young American girl first had a talk about their respective futures possibly coinciding. But I digress. We worked with a church in Villiers-le-Bel, the homechurch of my friend Helene. The pastor, Pascal, touched us all with his honesty and his motivation to spread the good news of Jesus.
About a week ago, two boys were riding in the streets of Villiers-le-Bel on a motorscooter. Unfortunately, they got in an accident with a police car and both boys were killed. As far as I know, the police were ruled not to be at fault. The event and non-punishment of the police officers so angered youth in the town that there has been trouble ever since, including an attack on a police station.
Sometimes I just shake my head at the fact that someone, even ten years ago, would take a group of mostly-female American college students to some of the places we went. Of course, ten years ago, the situation maybe wasn't quite as tense as it is now. But I have vivid memories of getting firecrackers thrown at us and other such pleasantries. Mostly, though, I remember the kids. Kids everywhere. And so many of them just wanting attention. Just wanting love.
I don't know if there's hope for the Paris suburbs, outside of some sort of sweeping revival. Honestly, getting away from that mess was a motivating factor in our move to Poitou. I can just hope and pray that some of those kids we met that summer might remember us and grow up to think that Christians (and Americans) maybe aren't so bad after all.
7 comments:
I follow French news quite religiously and I get it mainly from lemonde.fr and les guignols. I think that it is a fact that the face of France has been changing long before the new president heralded in as a beacon of reform. Time will tell where France will end up. We are excited to return to France since perhaps in five more years the France that we knew five years ago will not be recognizable.
Moon
Well, I can only tell you that in France in 2012, there will be many more tax-cuts for the rich and way less national solidarity and...ooopppss, I think I've said too much ;)
Pour qui tu te prends? Un prophete maintenant que tu es habille comme un vrai "homme de dieu"? Mais pourtant tu as probablement raison.
Moon
Ecoute, mon grand, c'est déjà mieux qu'un costume en poil de chameau, non?
Par ailleurs, oui, j'ai sans doute raison...hélas...
Un costume en poil de chameau: tu voudrais rejoindre les pratiques de Müntzer(adamisme nudiste)?...
Alain
Just kidding about your outfit M. Huguenot.
It would be really great to be able to see you preach though if we get a chance. We will be in France from the 13th to the 27th of March and recently realized that we will be be there for Easter. Hope we can make it out to visit you and your church in Melle.
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