Need in this place

There's a song I've been listening to by Keri Noble called "need in this place" and it fits so well with how i feel about everything here:

Daughters of mercy, sons of grace
Be quick to pour yourselves out there's need in this place
I will be brave, I will be brave

Everyone here, even the American students, have this huge need and desire (unknown to them) for God. In everything that happens I see where God is missing, but where,if there, everything would completely renewed and restored. Remember my description of the abby? Imagine that abby filled with a heavenly choir singing praises to God. It's possible, the structure and the need is already there. All thats missing is God himself, and he's waiting to be invited in. Its so easy and they don't even know or understand, but it also seems impossible. The students just go out and drink away their problems. The french cling to thier intellectual secularism. It's so sad. I went to the oldest protestant church in Montpellier on Sunday, it doesn't even have serivices. It's more of a museum than a place of worship. So I walked around all over the city until I found this beautiful Catholic church (with the help of an interesting Indian man who owned the neighboring restaurant). When I first went in, there were hardly any people. Even when the serivice started, there was maybe only 50 or so. There aren't that many churches and this city is fairly big, so where are all the people? Even the ones that were there, with a few exceptions, were only following along with the ritualistic mass. The priest had heart when he spoke, but the congregation was half dead. For a choir there was one woman at the microphone, and barely anyone sang along to the old french hymns. This was not the abby filled with heavenly praise that I wanted to find. This was half-hearted and sad. I wonder how many people there really believe? Or how many were just going to keep up the tradition...One thing is for certain, even if you do believe, it isn't spoken of here. You never hear anyone talk about faith, of any kind. I was even excited to read about the Christian film festival that takes place next month. But by the looks of it it's more a documentary of different saints of old and not much to do with God or Chirst Himself. My friends here were really shocked that I got up early on a Sunday and sought out church, in a foriegn country no less. It made no sense to them. I talked with two girls about our familys and both only knew religion as holidays celebrating their Indian/Jewish/Irish heritage and nothing more. They asked if I was "religious" and I said no. I told them I don't like religion, but I do believe in God and Jesus Christ and try to live my life for them. They looked at me. I'm sure they thought, oh she's one of those...I pray for them. And sometimes I see their curiosity, like when Ali asked me what Corinthians was when she saw that on the page of my Bible. She explained that a friend of hers completely recovered from a horrible car accident and always had in her profile something about corinthians. I wish she would have let me explain more. And then there's Bhavana. Her family is from the south of India and I'm not sure what she believes. But she thought it was really cool that God was important to me and that I value the same thing in my boyfriend, Grant. She asked if he was "religious" too and I said no, he's like me. She smiled, knowing full well I don't like that word. She enjoyed the quote in my facebook profile that says "a woman's heart must be hidden in Christ so that a man must seek God to find her." Maybe someday she'll really understand what that means. Until then, all of these girls are in my prayers. And I have noticed how close a watch they keep on my behavior, or lack there of. I'm not used to being any different from my friends (who are usually Christians too) so it's wierd for people to take special notice of what I do or don't do. So I'm being extra careful to live as Christlike as possible, for their sake but for my own as well. It's harder than I thought. When you know you're being watched, you notice more things you wish you didn't do. But thats good, because you should imitate Christ no matter who is in your company, but you can't only rely on others to help you do that. Please take a moment and pray for these people, this city, and this country. Whenever people ask for prayers, I find that I usually say okay and forget to do it. So please make an effort and please don't forget. More and more I'm realizing just how much prayer is needed. I pray so hard for a revival here, but my faith isn't strong enough to truly believe it can happen. But if it did, all the eyes in France and Europe would be on this city, and maybe then...