In a small region of Northern Spain there is a group of people that has always been there. Their language is different from any other language in the world and no one knows where they came from. This region is called Basque Country, and its most famous fiesta is the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
Sometime in the Middle Ages (no one knows quite when), the Catholic church came to Basque Country. Basque people were very religious and even founded the Jesuit branch of the Catholic church (pretty much anything that has the name Loyola), but in recent decades nearly all religion has been lost. Modern Basques are good at recognizing when an action is authentic and when it is merely done for appearances. As a result, institutional religion, which is nearly entirely focused on outward appearances, has largely been rejected.
We hope to change that, but not by reviving religion. When the Bible describes the early church, we see people eating meals together, reading Scripture together, praying together, serving others together, and having joy and genuine love for each other and God. We are not seeking to establish a physical church building or a fiscal organization that provides the appearance of religion. Rather, we desire to disciple people as the Holy Spirit transforms individuals and Basque communities from the inside out.
We must be people of hope, love, joy, and peace. We desire to be authentic followers of God, working in our communities to be valuable, productive members of society. This often takes place by helping people learn English in year-round classes and in summer exchange programs. We also seek to understand Basque culture, since there is much that we can learn from them about living in a communal society. As we work and learn, we pray that the Holy Spirit will cause people to see God for who He really is, slowly removing their preconceived notions about religion. Once this happens, we pray that they will establish groups of reproducing followers of Christ with their own, uniquely Basque expression of the Church. Will you pray with us for this movement of the Spirit?
English Immersion Exchange Programs
Since 2008, FEC families have hosted teenage students from the Basque Country for a month in the summer as a part of an English exchange program. Learning English is an advantage to young professionals in Europe, so this service is highly desirable to them. Since the best way to learn any language is through immersion, we offer these students loving, hospitable, and generous homes to stay in for the month of July.
Families from our churches commit to hosting and to adopting these students for one month, showing them the love of Christ as they practice English in everyday conversations. Churches also adopt these students for a month, helping host families and welcoming the students into youth group and other church activities. Basically, we plug them into the community that we have already established together!
As believers, God has asked us to “not forget to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13.2), and to “love…the foreigner residing among [us]…as yourself” (Lev. 19.34). Our Basque exchange programs are an opportunity to put these principles into practice!
If you are interested in hosting, contact us by clicking on one of these links: