FESTIVAL OUTREACH '96

by Mark Howe

Over the last ten years, I have taken part in many outreaches, and it seems that each one takes on a character of its own. In 1995, over fifty people joined our combined OM/MEPA team to work all over the Vaucluse. This year ten people joined our full-time team for an outreach that centred on the city of Avignon.

With six participants from America, two from Britain and two from Switzerland, there was never any doubt that the group dynamics would be lively. The Swiss contingent prepared us a raclette, while the Americans extolled the virtues of peanut butter and jelly. The promised haggis failed to materialise, to the great relief of many!

The daily programme began with a time of prayer, worship and Bible study. Kevin Bodsworth and Matthew Glock led a series of studies on a variety of topics.

We then spent time working on sketchboard messages and discussing the best way to answer the type of questions that come up on the streets. Several team members said that they found these sessions particularly useful.

In theory, the plan was to rest after lunch. We did our best, but by mid-afternoon some of the Sunday School classrooms we were using as dormitories began to resemble ovens. We also fitted in excursions to some of the nearby attractions.

Towards the end of the afternoon we prayed together, after which we ate rapidly and set off for the town centre, which was a short drive away. From previous experience, we had decided that the best time to preach on the streets was between 8pm and 11pm.

It is difficult to describe the atmosphere that the Avignon Festival creates. Cars are banned from the city centre, and the roads are carpetted with publicity for the many acts performing in venues ranging from concert halls to bars. Wealthy Parisians rub shoulders with the down-and-outs in a nonstop flow of people.

We set up next to the Peruvian pan-pipe players, in the rue de la République, which is the main road linking the station to the town centre. Other acts walked up and down as we worked: the most bizarre were the 'Men From Hell', who had flames coming out of their heads!

We found that sixty or so people would stop for almost every presentation. Overall we reckon that we preached to about 7,000 people, 2,500 of whom stayed for a whole message.

We had conversations with about 320 people in all. Even those who spoke limited French found English-speakers to talk to. While many of the discussions were fairly superficial, some contacts returned night after night. A student from Madagascar was asking many questions about the Christian faith, and we put him in touch with the nearby Christian bookshop. Another young man with a Moslem father and a Catholic mother was trying to decide what he believed himself. Please pray for all those who heard the Gospel.

It is impossible to assess the real impact of this outreach. Some 'decisions' were made, but only God knows what really happened in people's lives. What we know is that many people heard the Gospel, some for the first time, and we believe that God honours the preaching of his word. We are looking forward to next summer!