Dauner News Update March 4, 2008
Revelation Premiere Fills Chapel
Eighty people attended the first public showing on February 28 of the multimedia presentation The Apocalypse of Saint John. Sixty of those present were visitors, including six priests, a retired professor of surgery from a French Catholic university and a number of lay leaders from neighboring catholic parishes.
Revelation contains too much raw divine truth to leave people indifferent. Most of the audience was completely awed by the story of Christ’s victory over the satanic forces arrayed against the early Church. Their enthusiastic reception augures well for future opportunities to show the DVD in the Marseilles diocese. A few visitors were in a state of shock. In their view, God is too nice to judge anybody at all and would never use violent means to oppose the unrepentant wicked.
Teen Mission Trip to Naples
My coworkers Craig and Kathy Young, along with Lausanne missionaries Brady and Stephanie Smith, led a group of young people (our CEM students, the Marseilles teen group and several teens from the Lille, Lausanne and Geneva churches) on a one-week mission trip to Naples, Italy, during the semester break in February. The southern Italian city is in the middle of a long-running garbage collectors’ strike, but that did not keep the zealous young ambassadors for Christ from carrying out their work: tract distribution, public concerts, visits to orphans’ homes and rest homes as well as various service projects. They were even allowed to present a program of song and skits in a public school.
Accomodations for the Franco-Swiss group were furnished by the members of the small Napolitan church, strengthening the ties that already unite the churches of these two large Mediterranean Sea ports.
Halyna Dudar Passes On
After a long and courageous struggle with cancer, our sister in the Marseilles church Halyna Dudar passed away on February 12. Funeral services were held by Philippe at our chapel on Tuesday, February 19. Halyna was survived by three sons : Oleg (who lives in Spain), Constantine (17) and Alexandre (10).
The very day of Halyna’s death, we received notice from the Childrens’ Court that we have been awarded custody of young Alexandre until January 2009. This judgment is subjet to review and renewal at that time. Alexandre’s biological father has said he will initiate a legal procedure to gain custody of his son. With his well-documented history of domestic violence, alcoholism and psychiatric disorders, it is unlikely that he will win his case. However, his resentment against the church (which protected his family from his violence) may incite the court to place Alexandre in a State institution or with a non-Christian family.
Hutchinson Family to Leave Marseilles
Garth and Diana Hutchinson, who helped found the Marseilles church and have worked tirelessly in France for 18 years, have officially announced their plans to move the the United States in August 2008. Their departure will leave a gaping hole in the mission team and in our lives; it would be hard to find closer friends and more trustworthy coworkers. Their decision was motivated by family responsibilities, which is all to their honor. Garth has already found employment with a Christian-owned construction company in New Jersey and has plans to also work part-time with a local church.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Max and Prisca