What a horrific week for France. After January's attack on Charlie Hebdo, citizens gathered in droves all over the country to show their solidarity and support of free speech. After the Paris attacks, things feel very different. People still seem in shock and appear to be living with a constant level of fear. The state of emergency has been extended for three months which, among other things, allows for phone tampering and searching property without a warrant. The French have a lot of rights and protections, so unless they extended this state of emergency, they would not be legally allowed to invade anyone's privacy ( at least this is my understanding of how it all works).
According to the news and articles I have read, this attack has given the French a different take on terrorism and extremism. Their focus had previously been more on understanding these men and fighting an ideological war rather than one with arms. You might not know that guns are very rare in France- for all intents and purposes, only certain police officers and the military can carry guns.
Michelin has changed their travel plans for now, the schools have commenced new pick -up and drop -off policies. People are also reluctant to gather in large groups and security measures are very tight everywhere.
Things seem to have changed here, but in talking to friends at home, it feels like things have changed everywhere. There has always been evil in our world, but the awareness of a group of people out to annihilate us is now top of mind!
I find myself praying for God to give us peace, wisdom, and vigilance. I am praying for our world leaders and then the one that is the hardest- praying for our enemies! I'm not sure exactly what this looks like- I recall Jesus praying for the men sent to kill him. Hmm.. Mainly, I pray for HIM to be the answer to all of our questions, for us to seek HIM above all else, for HIS peace to bring solace.
Thank you all for your texts, calls, and encouraging words. We woke up the morning after the attacks to so many of you checking on us. We feel relatively safe in our small town, but are trying to always be aware of our surroundings!
