Happy Independence Day, y'all!!!

Day two (three? Jet lag is a real thing, guys. . .) of the Boston’s team stay in France, and today is the big day: ARRIVAL DAY!!!! All the campers have arrived, and we're off to a great start. Kids from all over France, some from Germany, Britain, and even Sweden!!! It’s been so exciting see both returning and new faces!!! It’s also been incredibly hot - 90+ degree weather daily here, so we’ve been drinking lots of water and praying for a cold front. 

It’s been so good to be back. I was telling a friend the other day back via email, that my heart is so full being here right now. The mountains, the people, the food, THE COFFEE, the list can go on. I cannot wait to see what God will be doing here over the next few weeks!  

If you can be praying for all the camper’s who have arrived today, for open hearts! 

A Bientot! 
-Liz

Champfleuri video

Hey everyone! As we prepare for Camp TED 2015, here's a clip of some things we did last year. The campers officially arrive tomorrow - and a few arrived just a few minutes ago! - and the whole team can't wait for camp to start. Please pray for our team to be unified, enthusiastic, and prepared to share Christ's love with the French teens.
À bienôt!
-Hannah

Team Photo/Prayer Requests/Travel Update

Our Team!

Team Prayer Requests:

Sarah – Pray for my energy level and that I would not get too tired over the course of the camp.

Mady – Pray that I would have good health on the trip, and that I don’t get sick.

Amber – It’s my first year being there, so please pray that it would go well!

Hannah – Please pray that I would do well as a leader. This is my third time on the trip, but my first time being a counselor at the camp instead of a camper.

Liz – Pray that we would have safe travels and peace of mind during the trip.

Tori – There is a heat wave in France! Please pray that we have energy in the heat, and that we find a balance between deepening relationships with people we know and new relationships this year.

Tonisha – That I would be able to come out of my shell and get to know people.

Joshua – Please pray that I would be able to understand the other campers and also that I would have endurance for the duration of camp.

Kurtis – Pray that I would be able to work though the language barrier as I try to get to know the French campers.

Jared – That I will be able to sleep enough and maintain my emotions so I can stay positive.

Max – Please pray that I will not be overly stressed with all of the time around people and that I will build good relationships.

Mackenna – Pray that I will not be overwhelmed with the language difference, and that I will still be able to serve God on the trip.

Minnie – You can pray that I will be able to make valuable friendships with the French teenagers while at the camp.

Monica – Please pray for the French teenagers to have their hearts and eyes opened to hear about God’s love for them! trip.

Micah – Please pray that I don’t run out of energy.

Amy - You can pray for my health. I have been very sick as of recent and seem to be getting better right in time for this trip. Health, along with safe travels and wisdom to talk to other French teenagers about God's love.

We safely arrived in London and are boarding our flight to Lyon in an hour. Thank you for praying for us for the next two weeks! Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook on Hannah Courtemanche's profile, and on instagram @campted2015.

Boston's TED Team

Hey All! 

Meet our CF TED Team 2015!!! We're so excited to be headed to France in TWO WEEKS. Can you believe it? Us either! We have a LOT to do before we take off, though - and we'd love your prayers and your thoughts as we finish up all our last minute details (including fundraising!) 

Blessings! 

-Liz

Team Covenant 2015

Champfleuri Team Covenant 2015

Purpose

The purpose of our missions trip to Camp TED is to be intentional campers. We want to share our faith and make relationships, telling people about Jesus with our words and reflecting Him with our actions. We want to serve God, the French, and the missionaries at Champfleuri. We also desire to grow in our own faith and in relationship with each other, being genuine and sincere.

Goals

·       Challenge—We will leave our comfort zones knowing that God goes before us.

·       Selfless—We will persevere when we are tired or uncomfortable, putting others first. We will not take our tiredness out on others.

·       Enthusiasm—We will strive to maintain a positive attitude, even in difficult circumstances.

·       Patience—We will show patience with ourselves, others, and with the leaders at camp.

·       Accountability—We will call one another out in love when necessary. And we will receive correction with humility.

·       Respect—We will show respect toward other cultures and embrace speaking English compassionately with those who are not comfortable with the language.

·       Outward focused—We will not clump with other Americans and bilinguals. We will purposefully reach out to the other campers at every opportunity.

·       Prayer—We will pray alone and together, for the team, our leaders, the French campers and ourselves.

Unity

If something is on our minds we will voice it.

We will talk through frustrations or issues we have with others.

                  -First we will talk to the person directly.

                  -If the issue is not resolved, we will talk to our leaders.

We will listen to our leaders and pay attention to them, showing humility and willingness to learn and be challenged.

We will review this covenant before, during, and after our time at TED.

As I am able, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I will hold to this covenant and encourage others on the team to hold to it as well.

Jonah 2:9  But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.'

Moment of authenticity

There are few things in this life that will bring you to your knees like asking for financial support from others. Part of this trip is fundraising, doing yard work for donations, writing support letters, going before the congregation--

This year we have also helped sell snacks at upward basketball practices, hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser, and we intend to do more before June comes to a close.

And yet, even knowing that we are doing what we can, even knowing that God is in control, there is something core-rattling to look at a bank account and recognize the deficit.

So we turn to prayer.

And here's where I want to confess--it's often like that for me. I do what I can, I remind myself that God is in control, I look at the numbers...and then I pray. Not to say that we haven't been praying all along, beseeching God for His grace to pour down on us in the form of monetary donations. But as the due date looms closer, the prayers seem more urgent. More often. More desperate.

And we are desperate. Not for finances necessarily, but for the Spirit of the living God to work in us and through us in the weeks to come. We cannot do this alone. We cannot just look to a faraway God who runs the world. We cannot just keep staring at the challenge ahead. We need to I need to come before the Lord, in humility and desperation, to ask Him to work as we seek to serve Him.

And more than financial support, would our team find prayer supporters who will go before God on our behalf, asking the same.

--Monica

Spiritual Conditions in France

The spiritual conditions in France are different than those in the United States. France government is more secular than the United States due to various laws expressing the separation of church and state which does not explicitly exist in United States legislature. Also, the population of these countries who go to church is vastly different. In France, 12% of the population regularly attends church. In the United States, 39% of the population goes to church. 

Church attendance is much greater in the United States. 10% of the French population attends church nearly every week, but 40% of the American population attends church regularly. Secularism is much more prevalent in the France, which means that although sharing the gospel is important in the United States, there is also an equal, if not greater need for sharing the gospel in France. 

The religious demographics are rather varied as well. About 40% of people in France are Catholic, but less than 5% of people are Protestant. However in the US, 25% of people are Catholic and over 50% percent profess to be Protestant. There is also a greater population of atheists in France, with 13% of the population compared to less than 2% of the American population.