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August 2009 - past and future news |
Summer 09 news from the Perriard |
Dear friends,
"The Revelation of God to men must be complemented by a revelation of man to God"
(Russian theologian Nicholas Berdyaev)
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|  Yves' professional situation
In the course of the last seven months, my healing ministry has not picked up as quickly as I hoped, in spite of the fact that I have personally contacted many churches and that I have had very good results in some of my healing service. Canadians are very cautious and much slower than Americans, and even if all things are possible, the impossible still take more time in some places than others! Emotionally, I love the healing ministry as much as the local church, but financially I have less choice right now, such that I have to start looking more "outside". Until now, I had been helping the "home church" that initially invited us (with my experience as church planter), and it has been a very satisfying win-win relationship. They have been contributing to our financial situation, but not enough to be viable. There are four kinds of opportunities within the denomination in which I am now officially accredited (Pentecostal assemblies of Canada): 1) I could do interim pastor for sometimes for churches that have "lost" their pastors 2) The denomination could create a position as a mentor for half a dozen of churches that want to turn around evangelistically 3) I could accept the position of a senior pastor for a church really willing to change and grow in numbers, but the opening would have to come up in the region where we live now (there are opportunities elsewhere but it is too far in the North or in the "boonies", something my family cannot have) 4) Finally, I could become a church planter here, but this a long term project that would get me settled for a few years in Canada. In my heart of heart, I am still very much attracted to move back to the mission field within 2-3 years, which was the amount of time planned before coming in Canada, but since I am open as well to consider what would be the very best for the family, which could imply staying much longer, I have to decide on the short term (options 1 and 2) or long term (options 3 and 4). So now is a time of praying and fasting, seeking the very best so no time is wasted until the answer of the governement in November (see next section) . Thank you for praying earnestly in regard to this situation! |
Everything will be decided in 3 months In November, we will know as well if the Canadian government will extend our visas, as recently their immigration policy has considerably toughened, due to the present economic situation. Normally, we have all the chances to stay, but immigration in those days is such that we cannot have any guaranty, and there is absolutely nothing we can do about this.
Two scenarios will come in 3 months:
1) If the visa is NOT extended; we stay in Canada with a tourist visa for 6 months in order to raise our financial support and prepare ourselves to leave for the mission field. To be missionaries is something I always wanted to do anyway, as we came in Canada with the intention of staying temporary for two-three years or more, but honestly this is a "forced exit" we would really not like to happen so soon and certainly not so rushed.
2) If the visa is extended; I keep on working with the healing and other resources described above, and this allows my wife to receive as well a legal permission to work full time, (something she would really want anyway, as being a full-time mother was needed and appreciated until now, but not forever)
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Family life in the Canadian summer
 pic above:The Okanagan, a semi-desertic region in BC (yes it is in Canada!) The children are finished with school, which they really enjoyed so now hard work has started for the parents!( by the way, their english is such that they understand everything and have almost not accent). Since we did not leave anywhere for vacations, except being a week in the Okanagan, as our budget is presently tight, and Canada is so beautiful in the summer, daddy and mammy have the challenging mission of rewarding their children when they have finished 3-4 hours of doing piano, math, French, Russian and English every day!
Yves is trying to escape into his theological cavern, as has decided to intensively take more courses in order to finish his master's degree from Fuller (another six months until completion), but his children keep on persecuting him, by reminding him that in Canada's sunshine and swimming pools only exists in the summer! By the way, just like their last winter had the heaviest snow fall in the last 50 years, the same is happening with their summer being the hottest in the last 50 years! We had been told that weather here is mild in all seasons, but since we arrived there are only extremes. ("What else can you expect with Yves?" said my wife) Anya has quickly and very well adapted to the North American way of living, as she is already a professional shopper who knows how to buy the cheapest, tastiest and healthiest food (usually these are three words that do not go together here!). She knows how to take care of the house (we never had a house before, as we always lived in apartments), and she knows how to direct the traffic, as our children have a remarkable gift of hospitality toward their school and neighborhood friends! What her boys love the most about her is that she cooks infinitely much better than daddy who made all sorts of culinary experiments on them in Geneva :( Anya really loves our "home church" as she has found some friends with whom she feels very comfortable, and with whom she can even go shoooopping! (she's now working on having a driver license, a license for real freedom)
We miss some of you very much, as British Columbia is the northern equivalent of New Zealand on planet earth: its people and landscape are as beautiful as everyone says it, but it is far from most people we know.
Again, thank you so much for praying for doors to open, and for the Canadian visa to be renewed in four months! As Albert Einsten so rightly said: "'There are only two ways to live your life. One, is as though there are no miracles. The other is as though everything is a miracle". May the Lord bring you the miracles you need!
With love and thankfulness
The Perriard family
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| Yves, Anya, Yann and Joel Perriard
10311 167th Street
Surrey, BC V4N 1Z2
Canada
Home: +1 (604) 583 6111 (Pacific Time) Cell Yves: +1 (778) 66 88 22 1 (only for emergency)
Cell Anna: +1 (778) 386 54 58 (only for emergency) |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 November 2009 )
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