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 [February 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
February 5, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We feel for you who are having a harsh winter in the USA. The weather here has been milder than usual for this time of the year. Thank you for your participation in the proclamation of the Gospel here in France.
All of the Bible studies and meetings are going well. I am including a picture of a ladies Bible study that meets in the home of Wendy Hinzman on Thursdays at noon. The tall young lady on the right is a member of our congregation who is a chiropractor. Her office is near Wendy’s house so the ladies meet there during her lunch break on Thursdays. They have Bible study and then eat their sack lunches together for a time of fellowship. All of the ladies in this Bible study are believers. We are encouraged by the growth that we see in them. Everyone in this Bible study also serves in ministries to children and some are involved in reaching students and other outreaches.
During the month of February we encouraged folks to read a book of the Bible they had never read before or had not read for some time. The interesting thing is that some who did the reading have not made professions of faith. Our hope is that they will soon trust the Lord and express this faith by following the Lord in baptism.
These ladies in France hold a Bible Study every Thursday at noon on their lunch break.
We have had a youth meeting since our last letter and another one is scheduled for this coming Saturday. The Lord continues to bless this means of outreach as those who come return and bring friends. Our the Bible discussion for the next meeting is “The Two Great Commands”.
The most recent Bible study in the city of Mazere (a one hour drive to the South) was packed out. Four people who do not usually come were there. Two of the four were fellows that were in our Bible study in the past. One, who is nicknamed “Jeff” has really grown in the Lord and is now holding two Bibles studies weekly. The two other special guests were individuals who have been saved as they studied the Bible with Jeff. One was saved two years ago and the other just six months ago. It was really encouraging to see God at work through Jeff whom we had discipled earlier. Jeff wanted to bring the two individuals so they could see how we do the Bible studies. We certainly want to follow the Apostle Paul’s admonition to Timothy “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” We are happy when we see evidence that it is taking place.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Judy Archer and her family. Glenn’s move to glory will certainly leave a void in our hearts, but we are thankful for the fact that He is no longer suffering as he did during the past months. May the Lord’s Spirit comfort all of those who are touched by Glenn’s absence.
Your fellow laborers,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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