Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2016]
April 2, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
When Sunday comes near the first of the month I usually wait until Monday to write the news for the past month just in case something really exciting happens on Sunday. However, it looks like Sunday and Monday are going to be really wild and crazy, so you get the Saturday version of news.
Monday is the funeral of Mr. Pham, a friend of ours. Two of his children are members of the church here at Tournefeuille. He grew up in a well-to-do family in Vietnam who were an exception, they were believers. He came to France to do University studies. At that time Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) was a French colony. Nearly 20 years later in 1975, Jade, who would become his wife, fled from Vietnam as part of a group of “boat people”. They were lost at sea and rescued by a passing ship. She was the only person who had trusted Christ in her family who, like most Vietnamese, were Buddhist. Three of their four children have placed their faith in Christ. After a year studying the Bible with me the youngest son trusted Christ and followed the Lord in baptism. He now goes to a Baptist church in Paris.
About a week ago we received an email from a lady that we had not seen in about 8 or 9 years. We met Tania and her husband when they moved in across the street from us. They attended services with their 3 children regularly for about 3 or 4 years. Neither of them made a confession of faith. In the exchange of mail and pictures we learned that two of their children still read their Bibles. Only eternity will reveal how their lives were impacted by the Word of God.
This morning I received a call from a former neighbor who attended services here for a period of time but who we have not seen in over two years. He called to tell me he was getting married and that he and his wife to be wanted to talk to me about following Christ and baptism.
I am including a picture of a Sunday service here. Jean-Luc, the man on the right end of the first row, is the man who led the services two weeks ago.
Last Sunday we had a wonderful service. The children and young people presented songs, prophecy and New Testament witness about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We followed their presentation with an alternation of Scriptures and songs on the same theme.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support.
Seeing God at work in southern France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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