Bienvenue au Creusot

Hello again everyone! Sounds like things have been interesting in your parts of the world!

Mom/Dad: I'm so excited for you guys to come visit Le Creusot...are you getting excited??
Andrew: glad to hear that the lab report issue was resolved...and you're off to an EXCELLENT start with your grades! woohoo!
Nathaniel: are you still a part of this family blog? You're the one who was so worried no one would post and it seems to be YOU that is AWOL!
Philip: don't get discouraged about youth group...things can change even though it doesn't seem possible now. and how'd you do at LS?

Ok: first of all, my internet connection at Creusot is a bit limited (ie: no free wi-fi) and so I won't be able to be on Skype or the blog nearly as much as I'd like. I'll do the best I can, but I'm just not sure what the schedule will be.

I got to Le Creusot late on Tuesday night after dinner with both the Griffith's, the Weaver's and Kristen/Michelle. I was actually really sad to leave Kristen & Michelle and our adorable little gatehouse at teh chateau. But I knew I had to in order to get the next part of this adventure started. So I slept in late this morning (I was feeling a bit sick) and then Sue G & I ventured out to explore Creusot. We drove around town to a lookout on the hill above town...it's incredible! There are sooo many factories...

Brief story about the factories: apparently, the Schneider brothers that owned the factories built all the housing/hospitals/schools/church for the whole town. So it was a big deal in France - in fact, at one time, 1 out of 4 people in France were employed by Saone & Loire industries (ie: these mines). The main plant was at Le Creusot and others were scattered throughout the country. In 1980, Le Creusot was scheduled to become the 3rd largest city in France (and that's why the missionaries moved there). Unfortunately, that's right around the time that Mitterand got elected and started buying the major industries in France. He offered to buy this jewel of an industry but was refused by the owners. Well, in order to get back for the refusal, the Mitterand govt starved the company out by witholding government contracts. At one time, 17,000 people were employed by the factory in Le Cresuot. Today, only 1100 people work there...but the government owns it now which is exactly what they wanted to happen. The population of the city plunged from 50,000 to today's roughly 25-30,000. Those still in the town are a lot of blue collar workers without a place to invest their skills. Kinda sad, actually...

ANNNNYWAY - so we drove to the outlook where (on a clear day) you can see Mont Blanc in the distance. Then we did the walking tour to both campuses of the high school I'll be at. And we bought a train ticket for me to go to Dijon tomorrow and come back on Friday. I'm SO GLAD that Sue was with me because it's still a bit overwhelming trying to clearly explain things in French. This evening, I went to a women's Bible study in Autun and I could get the drift of most things that were said. Tonight was on Romains 1 - "la juste vivra par foi" or "the righteous will live by faith."

The Griffiths are amazing - they are so welcoming and they said it's an encouragement to have me in Le Creusot...and here I was so afraid I'd be a problem for them! Of course, it's only day two, but I hope to not be too much an interference to their regular lives. They're switchiing to a new internet service that will allow us to make free calls to the US - so hopefully we chat soon either on Skype or by phone.

Ok, that's plenty for now - and I"ll try to update as possible.

And - PLEASE PRAY FOR ME TOMORROW! I have to go by myself on the train to/from Dijon tomorrow & Friday. I just want everything to go smoothly but I know I"ll be by myself. God has been good and I know He'll continue to provide, but I appreciate your prayers :-)

much love from Creusot,

amy