Family Rhythms
The big move to being based in France has been every bit as challenging as we had anticipated, and even more meaningful and beautiful than we could have hoped for. It certainly is true that the most beautiful things in life are tangled up inseparably with the most difficult things, isn’t it? Love is hard. That, of course, is what makes it so precious. In our last big newsletter, we unpacked the many varied reasons behind the move, one of which was to give our kids the opportunity to more fully experience the strength, beauty, and richness of their mothers’ culture. We want them to have the opportunity to carry their own individual sense of belonging here in this wonderful nation, among these wonderful people.
Levi, Shiloh, and I still have a little ways to go towards fluency in French, but in all other aspects of life I think I can honestly say that we feel at home here now. We’re at the point now where we can laugh about the awkward “lost in translation” moments, which still happen occasionally but much less frequently. The 2 younger kids are now in their second year of school here and have both developed wonderful friendships. From what I’ve observed in French culture, I’d say these are likely to be lifelong friendships.
Cultivating an intimate marriage and strong, healthy family is tough, and adding the cross-cultural element certainly doesn’t make it any less so. I like the way my brother David [whose wife, Kati, is Brazilian] puts it to his kids when they wish they were more normal, “Sorry guys, the problem is that I fell in love with your mom.” That’s basically what it boils down to, aye?
Cora is every bit as happy to be back in her home nation as you could imagine, and this brings me profound joy. Unlike the rest of us, she flows effortlessly between the francophone and anglophone worlds, and I can only imagine how hard it has been for her to watch us struggle away here. In my darker moments, of which there have been quite a few in the last year or so, she has been ready in an instant to pack the bags and head back to NZ, and once again let go of her desire to be home with her children in France. I’m so glad she and I continually found the strength to push through those tough moments, as we are now really both entering into the joy of being here together in this incredibly special place.
Keana and Eva are both blasting forward into their destinies as young women. We couldn’t be more proud of them both. Keana, having finished her DTS and Foundations in Counseling Ministry school with YWAM, is now working at Disneyland Paris while doing a Psychology & Counseling degree with a university in London. She’s not 100% sure what she’ll do next year, but she’s leaning towards moving to London to finish off her degree in person. Eva did her DTS in Montana this year and is now doing a Discipleship Bible School with YWAM Amsterdam, and absolutely loving it. Whatever she does next will be something we couldn’t have possibly anticipated. She’s always been a bit like that, and we love it. To all of you who prayed for them, encouraged them, and contributed financially towards their training, words could not possibly express how grateful we are to you. May your generosity return to you a thousand times over!
That’s it for now, friend. If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading our update. Thanks for your friendship, your prayer, and your love. We are so grateful.
I hope we get to see each other in person soon!
With great love and gratitude,
Matt & Cora
On the train home in NYC after a very long day
Shiloh helping me with a furniture project at home
Family photo’s with Nanou [grandma]
Shiloh’s math homework [which she’s learning in French]
