I'm spending the first half of my year abroad serving Every Nation Church who are working with students in Marseille, France. I’ve been working here for just over a month now, and I can already see that in reality, despite all of the dark sides of the City, there are LOADS of people in France who are hungry for God’s truth.

For students we run an organisation called StuDieu which organises events for the students in Marseille such as Pizza/ Pub nights, conversation groups, bible study groups, or trips to the Calanques and other things nearby. At the moment we are out every Wednesday at the campus doing promo for our group and events, and at the same time doing God Tests and short spiritual surveys which have led to some amazing conversations and God dramatically changing the lives of our students here in Marseille. 

Treasure-hunting, football and faith conversations

During our campus ministry we did ‘treasure hunting’ which involves asking God for words from Him for random people that we meet. Many people were very touched by the words we had for them and I think especially to a Muslim girl that we met who ended up crying and was very touched by the word we had for her. We stayed in contact with her and pray God continues to move in her life.

Recently I was put in contact with some guys from Sport et Foi (Sport and Faith) and have started football with them once a week. The group that plays is a mix of Christians and non-Christians but it has been amazing to see everyone, Christian and non-Christian, bowing their heads in prayer before and after we play and I know that God is working through our relationships with this group of guys.

We have a whole load of students that we are keeping in contact with on an individual basis whether that be through going to concerts together, playing football together, having coffee together etc. God has given us so many new connections and so we pray that through these relationships and as we do life together with these students that they will see something of Him through our conversations and time together.

I see hope

I'm learning that despite all that people say about France being spiritually 'dead' or 'lost', in reality French people not only need God, but they want him. Whether that is seen through the hundreds of students who have given us their contact details as they’ve been interested in our on-campus discussion groups, through to the fact that the number of people attending Every Nation Marseille has at least doubled since it was launched 3 years ago, or through the hundreds of people, Christian and non-Christian, who danced the night away to gospel worship music at the concert we put on a few weeks ago. I could go on and on. But the main message is that French are hungry for God. It's just up to us to give Him to them…

Please pray for a softening of hearts in France and especially of those in power. Pray that the relationships we have made with many students will continue to develop and that God will be able to work through them. Also please pray that the StuDieu group and events will continue to grow and be of real value and importance to our students.

This is a country that has suffered a lot during the past few years and this has had massive consequences on people’s views towards religion and the church. But this is exactly the type of environment that God wants to transform, with His message of hope and love for them.

Callum Steenson is in his third year at Durham uni and currently on a year abroad in France (and then South America). He loves football, languages and Jesus, we’re not sure in which order but that all gives context to the stories he’s been sharing with us from France! It’s so exciting to hear what God is doing there - can you join us in praying for France today?