Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Everything seems strangely quite around our house this afternoon. This morning we took David and Dulce (our third child and his wife) to the airport. They were the last of our family to leave after a wonderful Holiday Season together. For the first time ever we had all of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren together in our home. God has blessed greatly with children and “beautiful children” (the French way of saying “in-law”) who are actively serving the Lord in many different places.

We also had my “beautiful sister”, Peggy Foster, and my niece, Lisa McGary with us for several days. Judy decided a couple of months ago that it would be good to have an open house when all of our family was here so that they could meet the neighbors and friends. This we did on Sunday afternoon the week before Christmas. It was an opportunity to once again connect with many of the people for whom we have a burden. Our desire is that they will one day be part of the family of God.

Sunday is my 54th birthday. I don’t see how I could possibly be that old. This, along with the beginning of the New Calendar Year, reminds me that time is passing quickly. While it is yet day we must do the will of Him who sent us. During the past year we have seen the believers in our group grow stronger and had a number of visitors. There are unsaved people who come regularly and there are some unsaved people who have stopped coming!

A couple of days ago as I came into the room while Judy was watching President Gerald Ford’s funeral, the casket was being borne to the melody of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty”. I was moved to tears as I was struck by the wonderful heritage that we have as Americans and how different it is from that of France. Thank you for helping us hold out the Word of Life in a place where there is so much hopelessness.

Two days ago, Judy also received a phone call from one of the ladies who attends services regularly along with her husband. A friend of her son had just committed suicide. She wanted to pray with Judy and needed advice on how to talk to the family and her son about the incident. Neither of this lady’s two sons is saved. We hope that this tragedy will awaken Julian and his brother, Clement, to their need of Christ.

May God richly bless you this year and make you spiritually fruitful where you are.

For Christ in France,

John and Judy Hatcher