Lessons from France Part 2/4: La Rochelle (Exodus 12:24-28)

We visited La Rochelle on France. La Rochelle had a very nice harbour. We walked around the downtown. Their city hall was a castle in the middle of town – we thought about talking to Mayor Sharie Minions about maybe making something like that here! It would be great for tourism! La Rochelle: Do you know what the significance of La Rochelle is from a Canadian point-of-view? It the city from which Canada was founded! The Chamber of Commerce in La Rochelle funded the voyages of Cartier and Champlain.

Cartier was the first person to map the St. Lawrence, including what would become Montreal and Quebec and he is the one who named Canada, Canada. We actually saw his house (from the outside) when we were in Saint-Malo in Brittany. It was neat because you could actually see Britain just across the water – I went swimming there – it was not swimming weather! But it was nice.

Back to La Rochelle who funded Cartier and Champlain; we know who Champlain was? He established Quebec City in 1608, three years after he helped to establish the first European settlement in North America at Port Royal in 1605. La Rochelle was so involved in Canada that when France surrendered New France (Quebec) to the British after the Seven Years War, their Chamber of Commerce protested the French surrender, encouraging France to fight for 100 years to keep Canada!

It was interesting to see the roots of Canada and specifically the French in Canada. There, of course, are lots of bad things about colonization that our country is coming to terms with today. It is also important to remember that without Cartier, Champlain, and La Rochelle that none of us might even be here today and Canada probably would not exist – for good or bad, it is important to know and remember our history.

The Bible is very big on remembrances – I am specifically reminded of the Passover where there was an elaborate ceremony so that the Hebrews would never forget how the Lord delivered them out of Egypt and of course tied to that is the Christian ceremony of communion where we are to “do this in remembrance of Him” and never forget Jesus and how his death and resurrection have provided salvation for the whole world. Sad moments such as Israel in slavery and the death of Christ are not to be forgotten; they are to be remembered and they are to be remembered in the context of the victory of delivery from slavery and then delivery from death to life! …Eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!

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