Post office & ethnic diversity in Belleville

My biggest project this week has been a mailing for Mission Radicale with brochures for our July 5-9 conference. I've been printing labels for 200 people who have attended our previous 4 conferences or other MR events. In addition, we send packets of brochures to 300 churches and 60 bookstores. So this is a big production. Fortunately today, I had the help of French retirees Jean-Paul and Colette, as well as intern Bakoly, for stuffing and stamping the envelopes. We didn't finish, but we got a good jump on the project

Afterward, I carried the first 300 envelopes to la Poste. The one I went to is a brand new and spacious post office in Belleville. While walking there, I was reminded again of the ethnic diversity in our parish. I passed a number of Black Africans and North Africans on the way. After dropping off my load, I noticed a number of Chinese people while walking to the metro station Belleville.

I also noticed a number of Jewish establishments. They were obvious from the star of David on the front of many of them. After hearing Avner Boskey at our church and seeing acts of Jewish-North African and Jewish-French reconciliation at Embrase Nos Coeurs last week, I am even more aware of the presence of Jewish people in Paris. It seems like how an individual, church, or nation treats Israel is going to result in God's blessing or displeasure.

I love the ethnic diversity of Belleville, as well as of where we live in the Reunion section of Paris. The ethnic diversity, yet unity around Christ that we share our our church are terrific blessings, and something that we missed during our 5 months stateside last year. "Une église pour toutes les nations" (a church for all the nations) is a powerful testimony as well as a great challenge to maintain.