It is now the end of week 2 here in Marseille, and I am beginning to feel more settled here. More familiarity with certain areas, and less paranoia about someone ripping my bag off of my shoulder every time I hear a motorcycle or scooter zipping by. I'm sure you, too, are relieved that I am probably perceived to be more at peace when walking around here rather than someone who has had too much coffee and has to go to the restroom. How dumb to fear anything other than God, anyhow? So what if someone takes my bag? It's just stuff; plus, my passport would be at home, so I would still be able to return to the U.S.

Today, was another day full of grace. Buckets and buckets of grace, God's grace. I went to the same church i went to last week, and it was good. I praise God for Ayshka, who helped me out a lot today. She is the intern at the church, and she is from the UK. She speaks english, french, and italian, and she will be here for her internship with the church until the end of June. What a blessing that God placed her and I here at the same time. She translated some things that I didn't understand, and we exchanged contact information.

After service the "young adultes" had a short meeting to discuss things that are coming up. Next weekend the girls are having a "girls day" and the guys on their own, and for dinner we are all getting together for a potluck at the pastor's house. Some (including myself) are participating in Resurrection Day celebration in Toulouse (another city in the south of France) one weekend in April. I am super pumped about this because what we do is learn a choreographed "dance" routine, more like a workout routine, meet with other French people in front of the capital building in Toulouse, and basically do a demonstration for the rest of the world as all Christians in the south of France come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Over 200 people have already registered, and I am looking forward to this-- i've never experienced anything like it before! We will probably take the church bus to get there and back, and stay overnight at a church there. This demonstration (for all ages) began in Hungary, and here is a link to see what it will be like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5dSIL358NM&feature=player_embedded

Work is going. I am beginning to identify what things I enjoy doing and what I don't. Through it all, I am learning discipline and humility, so praise God for that! Those two words have loaded explanations in terms of how I am learning each one here, but feel free to ask!

I also took a day trip to the town Cassis yesterday with some new American friends that I made here. They are all students in a study abroad program in Marseille until the end of May. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of walking! We walked 7 or more km just in the walk from the train station to the center of the city and back at the end of the day. Yes, I am a bit sore today, but it's a good kind of sore!

The sun is shining and the rain has gone away for now in Marseille! A few days ago I was able to take a run along the mediterranean in such beautiful weather. I look forward to more of this weather!

I miss you all.

Love,

Grace