David & Rebecca Pater: Updates from France - The End of Quarantine
The Ups and Downs of Ministry under Quarantine
Dear praying friends and family,
COVID-19 and Toulouse, France
We hope and pray that this email finds you well, spiritually and physically! We are both blessed to be in good health and good spirits. God has really spared our church with only a few known cases of the virus and none that were too serious. Here in France we were under a lock-down/quarantine for well over two months with very limited possibilities to venture outside. This has since been lifted, though meetings of more than 10 people are still prohibited, and we are not allowed to travel more than 60 miles from our home. Masks are also mandatory in the bus or metro and in most shops. Despite all this, however, and purely by God's grace, we seem to have weathered the worst of the virus here as numbers have been on a downward trajectory for the last month, and we continue to pray that God would provide a swift end to this pandemic throughout the world.
Ministry Updates from the Quarantine Period
We have continued to conduct almost all of our ministry electronically by streaming Sunday services on Youtube and hosting small group meetings, bible studies, discipling etc. through Zoom, Skype and other services like these. God has continued to bless our Sunday services, and while we aren't receiving the number of visitors we were in the beginning of the lock-down, we still are encouraged to see that people from all over France are joining us. The lack of face-to-face contact has been very hard, though, and has led to some discouragement. But we have been incredibly blessed to be able to resume seeing some of our brothers and sisters in the church in small gatherings over the last week. We aren't sure when we will be able to resume Sunday morning gatherings, possibly not for quite some time as we don't have a church building that we can set-up to adhere to the strict government regulations. We continue to pray for this and to thank God for how he has allowed both of us to continue to work and minister from home throughout this time of crisis.
A Story of God's Grace in the midst of Suffering
As everything shut down in early March, two couples in our church had to postpone their weddings which were scheduled for April. In France, you must get married at city hall, so if it's closed you aren't able to be legally married. If this wasn't hard enough, one of the couples, Agnès and Marcos, who are some of our best friends, found out that Agnès has stage-2 breast cancer. Through many difficult times of tears and seeking God's face in His Word and in prayer, they both have remained faithful in their convictions that God is good and His plan is always perfect. Their faith has been an incredible example of how God always gives us the strength necessary to make it through the most troubling of times. Agnès has began chemotherapy and the outlook is positive, and we are praying daily that God would heal her. But just before her first treatment, and in a surprise to all, she and Marcos had the joy of getting married as city hall opened up under special circumstances just for them. In a city of over 500.000+ people, they are the only couple to have been married within the last months! David had the privilege of being the French equivalent of the best man, and we've included several photos of this joyous day down below. Please be praying for this young married couple, that the Lord would see them through this chaotic and trying time, and that their faith would continue to inspire many as the sufficiency of Christ is being championed, even in the midst of immense suffering.
So thankful for each and every one of you,
David and Rebecca
Praises
For Agnès et Marcos' wedding! And for their persevering and encouraging faith.
For the progression of Carlos and several others non-believers toward Christ during this time of crisis.
For God's grace toward our church during the quarantine period, and for the possibility to finally be outside again!
For the US government who mailed David a stimulus check all the way to France and for the French government who provided us both with masks! We are thankful for our authorities who take care of us. Pray for our leaders during these difficult days!
Prayer Requests
For continued healing of those affected by the virus and for Agnès that her cancer would be completely eradicated.
For wisdom in terms of re-implementing our Sunday gatherings and other events, that we would respect our authorities and find the best possible ways to keep everyone safe.
For one couple in our small group who are struggling in understanding God's will for their relationship. Pray that we would be able to come alongside them with love and truth.
