La Grande Challenge (Part six)

When a British couple decided to move to France and convert a semi-derelict farmhouse into a Christian holiday and retreat centre they knew they were in for a challenge - but they had no idea just how big! In the final instalment of their adventure Evelyn and Graeme say goodbye to the final guests of their first season.

We watched as the music group packed away guitars, drums, amplifiers etc. The door was closed on the meeting room (or practice room as they had come to call it) and the cars were loaded. They had clearly had a great time and we had enjoyed having them here, but the time had come for them to leave. We waved goodbye until they drove out of sight, our hearts a little heavy.

The music group had been our last group of the season and although we knew that the phone could go at any moment with a single person or a couple seeking a time of rest, the music group were the final group for the year.

One full year had passed since we had arrived here in France. We had seen each beautiful season spill forth all its precious gifts. We had worked harder than we had ever worked before and we had seen guests come and go. We had enjoyed fireworks over a medieval castle on Bastille Day and joined the tourists in the streets of Mont St Michel and Rennes. We had spent long sunny days in the garden with visiting family members and walked in forests and on beaches.

But as we reflected on all we had done and achieved in that year, we also reflected on what we had not achieved. We looked towards the road that lay ahead with both hope and fear. We had survived the year and we were not bankrupt but our finances were not good. We had transformed large parts of this old farmhouse into beautiful new rooms but there was still so much to do. How had we ever thought that it could all have been done by last Easter? It had not taken us the eight months we had originally planned; not even a year - there was still several months' work ahead. Still, with no one here to disturb us we should make good progress and so we set our selves a new goal - to have the house complete by the end of the year (2007).

We needed the bookings to start coming in for the next year. A good year would put us back on our feet financially. We took stock of our advertising and updated our website and prayed. To our amazement (why are we always so amazed when God answers our prayers?) the phone rang and a Christian travel agent from Belgium wanted to book the whole house for three weeks next summer. We then had another call from a church group wanting to book 15 people in September and another call from a church who wanted to a book a youth group in for Easter. We had a family from America phone to ask if they could stay in the spring. Astonishingly we even had an enquiry from a church in New Delhi and also one in Canada and it was very exciting to know that people all over the world were finding out about us.

But we reflected on other things that had happened during the year too. We had had an emergency call from the UK at 8.30pm one night and by 8.40 had been on the road headed for the port. We suddenly felt a very long way from our family and the doubts of course had crept back in. Had we done the right thing moving to France? Even though I knew we had, it didn't stop me briefly wondering or worrying. When we made the choice to come here we also knew we would be leaving our young adult children behind in the UK. That was not, and is not, easy.

But as we look to the future here in France and as we anticipate the year that lies ahead of us I know we will be fine. I know God will carry us and hold us close through the tough times and I know He will laugh with us through the good times. I know He called us here to this place and that He will bring others here to benefit from it. I know that He loves us and I know He blesses us. I know that all we are and all we have lies in His hands and that there is no safer place.

So once again I am reminded of that ever comforting scripture, 'I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' (Jeremiah 29:11) For that, we thank you, Lord.

Graeme and Evelyn's Holiday and Retreat Centre is now open - to book or for more details visit www.christianbreaks.com or email graeme.stewart@club-internet.fr