Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 1, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today is known in the USA as April fools day. It reminds me of what martyr missionary Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” This may well reflect what Matthew Henry repeated about his father who was a kind and charitable man, “He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose.” It certainly comes from the teachings of our Lord and Savior who told his disciples, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” This is what we all should be doing with the lives, time and wealth of all kinds that God gives us.
We never know exactly how God is going to use our investments. The “preacher” in Ecclesiastes concludes, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. . .In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” So, I will tell you about one of the fields where we are sowing seed and why we are encouraged by what we see.
About 10 years ago, Douceline, a young lady believer whom we had met when we first came to France called us. She had taken her first job in the town of Mazere where there was no congregation of believers of any kind. Away from other believers she was very discouraged. She was born the year her parents trusted the Lord. Both of her parents were previously atheist. Since we had some weekday evenings open, we decided that it would be a good investment into her life to have Bible study with her in her apartment one evening per week after work. After about 2 years of weekly round trip drives of 2 and ½ hours and a couple of hours in Bible study each week, Douceline seemed to have a change in outlook. She began to see herself as God’s agent in this town.
About this time she met a lady through her work at the city library who was nominally Catholic and whose oldest child was to start catechism classes. Douceline suggested that Judy could teach them about Jesus from the Bible. The lady thought that would be a good idea and dropped the kids off at the apartment an hour before our Bible study. Judy had children’s Bible classes with them for an hour each week before our adult Bible study. Douceline started inviting people she met; a few came and very few returned. But, we have continued. For several years we took a guy with us from our area who was a new believer. He now has two Bible studies in Toulouse each week and has led others to the Lord that he is discipling. He is a pastoral leader in his church.
Patricia, the mother of the two children Judy taught, never came to the Bible study but Douceline is now having evangelistic Bible studies with her. Douceline is quite a missionary and is witnessing to several other people on a regular basis who do not come to the Bible study. We have probably had 50 people come do this Bible study over the years. A widow lady in her early 70s who comes has trusted the Lord. She is the only believer in her extended family. She daily watches and witnesses to her 9 year old granddaughter whose parents are atheist. One newly married couple young believers participates, she is a school teacher and he is a carpenter. A lady about 60 comes who is a nursing assistant in a senior citizens home is the only believer in her extended family. A young man who has come is reading his Bible and seeking. Douceline’s parents participate and are reaching out to several others. This has opened the door with their older daughter and her family. The children from this family are enthusiastic participants in our Youth meetings. We are supposed to have a new participant next week at the Bible study in Mazere. There are believers, there are disciples, there are missionaries because your support enables us to be available here and because we believed God wanted us to invest part of our lives into a discouraged believer.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” The completion of this story and millions of other like it will be experienced in heaven…our Fathers house!
May God bless you. Thanks for investing in this part of the world.
Investing in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [September 2013]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
September 2, 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Lord has blessed us with an encouraging month in our regular Sunday meetings and Bible studies. We have Bible studies that meet every day of the week except Saturday. God uses your regular giving to meet our physical needs and your prayers contribute to the fruitfulness of the our ministry in France. We thank God daily for you.
I am spending time individually each week with a couple of young single men who have trusted the Lord and been baptized here. One is a 30 year old software engineer and the other is 24 old who has no special training, no job at present and lives with his parents. Making disciples is more than just preaching and church meeting activities. It requires investing a lot of time helping believers put into practice what our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded. It involves teaching how to study God’s Word and applying it to daily life, challenging, encouraging and praying. Our Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul lived daily with those they were helping to become disciples of Christ.
One of the young men with whom John Mark meets for discipleship.
Even though we are 60 years old, we are still learning. I will give you one example of how this sometimes happens. Recently we were invited to a military ceremony by our neighbor across the street. He was turning over the command of the regional military logistical services and moving on to a different assignment. After the military pomp and circumstances, we were invited to share a meal with the others present. Most of these were military personnel and their families. Hughes, the commander and neighbor who invited us, introduced us to Nicholas, a fellow officer, with whom we spent a considerable amount of time in conversation. Because so many people here are atheist, I had tried to emphasize God’s power, love and grace by mentioning when appropriate that we are blessed in some specific way. About the third time I said something like that in this conversation, Nicholas interjected, “I like the fact that you say ‘blessed’. We usually say, ‘I was lucky’.” Happily, I thought, “He’s getting it.” Then he added, “Because it is not just luck, our hard work is rewarded.” I tried to explain, “No, I mean we receive many blessings we do not deserve.” But, he insisted, “No, you should not be ashamed to admit that your hard work is rewarded.” I am not sure that I ever did really get across to him the reality of God’s grace, but I did make a mental note about how this particular phrase does not mean the same thing to others around me here as it does to me.
So, Hughes and his family moved away and we are anticipating the arrival of the new owners of this house across the street from us hoping to share the gospel with them. Of the 5 houses immediately across the street from us, 4 are having a change of occupancy in the next couple of months. Our field is constantly changing and this gives us added opportunities to demonstrate and present the Good News of Jesus Christ.
One of the ladies who is moving from across the street to a neighboring city with her husband declared herself to be an atheist when they moved in 9 years ago. We have spent a lot of time with them and had innumerable opportunities to share the gospel. She has come to only one special service, if my memory serves me right. But, she now believes that God exists and that He has intervened personally in her life. Last week she volunteered to us that even after they move she is planning on coming over from the neighboring town to our Sunday meetings.
And, so, we keep sowing and you keep helping us. Thanks!
Blessed by God and realizing it in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [February 2013]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making,”
January 30, 2013
Dear Co-Laborers,
We arrived back in France to find things going well. Sunday services have be very good with excellent attendance. There were a total of 15 different visitors during the four Sunday morning services. Better yet, one family of four has returned and indicate that they will be coming on a regular basis. Individuals who have not made professions of faith are present weekly and give evidence that God is at work in their hearts.
Last week Judy had an interesting encounter on her way to Ladies Thursday Bible Study in Toulouse. She takes a bus and then the subway to get to this Bible Study. About half way through the bus ride, a lady boarded the bus and sat across from her greeting Judy as she did so. As she spoke to Judy she said, “I sing in the choir with John.” Judy mentioned that she was on her way to a ladies Bible study and the lady said that she would be interested in attending. I have had the opportunity to witness to a number of people in this choir and one young lady who now comes is the daughter of a couple with whom I first became acquainted through the choir.
This is just one of the many ways God has given us to make contact with people. Philip and Amanda have made many contacts through their children and dog. Yes, one of Amanda’s most recent friendships resulted from meeting a lady who was also walking her dog and who had a daughter in the same grade and school as Abigail, Philip and Amanda’s oldest daughter. Amanda has already hosted this lady and her daughter as guest in their home.
Sometimes when people find out about our faith it scares them. Some time ago, Amanda was invited to join a book club that one of her friends was starting. One of the participants at these monthly meetings was friendly towards Amanda until she found out at the most recent meeting why they are here in France. Immediately, upon hearing about Philip and Amanda being in France as missionaries, the lady got up and moved. However, the lady who hosts this club has been very open. She, her husband and family have visited a service and have been very happy about their children participating in Vacation Bible School.
The various Bible studies are going well. We use small group Bible studies to communicate the Good News and to help those who have trusted the Lord to grow in their understanding of God’s will. These Bible studies range in size from one to eight individuals and are held wherever it is convenient. They are presently being held at four different locations. The closest is our home and the most distant is about one hour away by car. God is using you and others like you to provide the house, car and other tools we use in our ministry here.
Thanking God for your partnership with us in Christ,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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