My wife and I are missionaries in Lyon, France and during the past two years, it has become very difficult to find adequate support. The euro/dollar ratio has dropped over 40% (that's a 40% pay cut over 2 years ), gas prices in France are about $8.65 per gallon (1.45 euro/liter), and giving seems to be down due to fear over the economy in the USA.
I'm a little unique on the field over here because, I'm not a church planter; I'm a software engineer ( coding for Christ ). Rather than wait to be recall to the USA by our sending agency, like some of our co-workers, we've decided to setup a tentmaking operation, in other words a business, and we'd like that business to provide services to help missionaries communicate with churches and suppporters.
Are there any idea on how this could be done better?
Also I'm looking for web designer and a marketer, as a startup partners.
What exactly is your
What exactly is your ministry? What does "coding for Christ" actually mean?
--Tony
"I can make it good, fast and cheap...pick any two."
Description of the French Evangelic Electronic Library
You are right. I did use the phrase 'coding for Christ' in jest, but I am always excited to tell people about the ministry the Lord has given to us.
We moved to France with Crossworld Ministries to help a small Christian publisher called Éditions Clé provide study and ministry tools in a language in which Christian publishing is near non-existent.
I went I felt God's call and because Éd Clé had been praying for a software technical lead for over 4 years. I work primarily in automating document conversions formats using XML, XSL, Perl, Python, Ruby. My wife, who speaks English, French and German, serves as a translator and editor for the library.
The French Evangelical Electronic Library is an initiative to create and distribute a comprehensive
French Bible study library that will include 100 key Bible
study books in Bible research software format. The FEEL
library will be a complete Bible study and ministry toolbox on
CD-ROM for students, pastors, professors, missionaries and
committed Christians in the European, Africa and other areas in the French-speaking world.
The FEEL project will include Bibles, Bible study notes, Bible dictionaries, commentaries books on church history, theology and apologetics,
devotionals, tools for evangelism and discipleship will
constitute the FEEL library. Approximately 25% of the library
will be French-authored and FEEL and it will include reference books by African
authors.
200 million French-speakers are scattered across the globe in
44 different countries. The far reach of the French language
has made it the third most used language in education. Over
27 million Christians compose the global French Christian
community - 4 million in Europe, 18 million in Africa, 2
million in the Caribbean, with more in North & South
America, Asia, the South Pacific and the Middle East.
FEEL has a special place in its heart for Africa.
The French publishing of Bible study materials is less than 2% of the number of Bible study materials that are published in English, and French Africa much less than than.
We are partnered with Serving in Missions for distributing these pastoral libraries in Africa.
I think and I pray than the FEEL project has the potential to make a big difference in the French speaking world for Christ.
for more information ...
http://missions.holmlund.org/
http://missions.holmlund.org/d...
I can't help you out but I
I can't help you out but I will be praying for you. A friend of mine from high school and her husband are missionaries to France. I will include you in with my prayers for them so it will be easy to remember.
Thank you
Thank you