Our congregation in Paris, France, welcomed Superintendent General Olusola Adesope, his wife, Tolu, and two of their children for a visit, August 7-10. Foremost on the agenda was a tour of a possible church site. A permanent place of worship would offer many possibilities for the development of the work in France and, more generally, for francophone regions.

The Adesopes arrived to a warm reunion at the Paris airport on Friday evening, August 7. Then Brother Sola and Sister Tolu accompanied a group of saints to see the building currently under consideration for purchase. They noted that it is in a favorable location with good access to public transportation. After an extensive tour of the facility and discussion of the remodeling plan, Brother Sola suggested prayer for God’s will. For several minutes, everyone gathered and prayed over the building, committing the outcome of the entire purchase process into God’s hands.

On the Lord’s Day, the congregation gathered for Sunday school, which was organized into two classes—one in French and the other in English. There was also a children’s class. The lessons were beautifully taught and enjoyed by all. The Sunday morning devotional service followed and was a blessed time of spiritual fellowship for all the worshipers.

Before the message, Brother Sola conveyed greetings from his family and the saints in Portland as well as the Board of Directors. Then he took his text from John 12:21, in which the Greeks went to Jerusalem and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” Titling the message “We Want to See Jesus,” he asked the congregation, “Why did you come to church this morning?” He said that since arriving in Paris, he had seen magnificent buildings, but he had come to fellowship with the saints, see the possible church site, and above all, see Jesus. He is the solution to every problem, the means for receiving salvation, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the Source of healing, guidance, and victory. Brother Sola concluded with a reminder that where two or three are gathered together in His name, Jesus is in their midst. He invited all to the altars to seek Jesus in prayer.

Following the devotional service, the saints enjoyed a pleasant time of fellowship. Three brothers from our group in Belgium met with Brother Sola and received encouragement for the work. The young people were also encouraged to stand firm in the faith and keep the flame of the Gospel burning in France. They were admonished that as the next generation, they will have the responsibility of continuing the work, should the Lord tarry.      

After three short but meaningful days, the Adesopes concluded their stay on French soil and departed very early on Monday, August 10. The weekend was a source of spiritual refreshing for all involved. The zeal of the congregation was rekindled through the times of worship, fellowship, encouragement, and the shared vision for the expansion of the work in France.