Dear Friends,

Paul here. We’re back in France after six months in the States where we were blessed to get to see many of you. We were also able to reconnect with our One Collective US workers at a conference in North Carolina and had the joy of spending one on one time with other workers who were in the States on furlough. A special privilege was to be part of our different supporting churches to worship, share in small groups, and reconnect with many of you who have prayed with and for us over many years.

It was hard to leave family, but we are delighted to be ‘home’ in Rochetaillée. We are enjoying long walks by the river, connecting with old and new friends in our little village and in our church, going to the local open market on Saturday mornings, and enjoying slow meals around the table with dear friends.

And our yard has been welcoming us home all month by showing off her vibrant colors. And giving glory to our glorious Risen Lord!

Yes, we love being here, but travel is still a part of our lives. Every 18 months, One Collective gathers our leaders from across the organization and all over the world for a week-long conference. The focus is on seeing Communities being Transformed by the power of God. This continuing education allows us to sharpen our focus and develop more skills, to share information and stories across regions and countries, to mingle and worship together and be encouraged, and to see what God is doing in various parts of the world.

This year’s gathering will take place in Zambia and it will be our first time in Sub-Saharan Africa. We have a small team investing in the community there in various ways, one of which is helping locals learn farming skills so that they can feed those who have no means of sustaining their lives. Over 60% of people in this community live below the poverty line. Most live on less than $1.90 per day.

We’ll be joining about 65 others there at the end of April, and we ask your prayers as we spend face-to-face time with our leaders, as we listen and pray and encourage, and as we seek God’s direction together. We’ve gotten our vaccinations, tickets are purchased, and we’re even planning to take an extra add-on trip south to see the amazing Victoria Falls! Here’s a sneak peek.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve lived in Lyon for almost twenty years. We moved here in response to an invitation to help an established church plant a daughter church in the area. Looking back we see the Lord’s hand in so many ways, despite the challenges that came with the journey. Our small church is now about 8 years old, in its own building (see below), growing and healthy, almost financially independent, with French leadership.

We’re so thankful to see how God has provided each step of the way.

And we’re also thankful for two other local church plants that have taken root, and there are plans for two more in the near future.  In fact, our small church is involved in one of these which is thirty minutes north of us. The Lord continues to raise up French leaders and draw many others to Himself. We’ve always said that there are no bench warmers in France. Those who truly love the Lord Jesus are involved in His church, often giving sacrificially of their time and money.

What are the biggest challenges for us as we minister locally and offer pastoral care to our One Collective workers around the globe?

Thanks for asking! In recent months the #1 challenge that seems to crop up time and again has involved interpersonal relationships. We’re seeing it both among workers as well as locally, in couples and on teams. COVID effects are on-going, and many people who felt isolated are relearning how to have healthy relationships. Join us in asking God to soften hearts as we look to Him for help. Unfortunately, as we know, the Enemy sows discord among believers in such a way that our witness to the watching (and often confused) world is either diminished or seen as negative.

From Elizabeth: That’s the sobering news. But there is also good news. One of the great joys of having lived here for so long is watching the younger believers in whom we’ve invested grow up in Christ. Recently I had the delight of reconnecting with a young woman, Mailys, whom I mentored when she was in school. She is now involved in full-time ministry with Groupe Biblique Lyceens (similar to Young Life) in high schools in the Parisian area. During our visit, she gave me this adorable doll she crocheted. Do you recognize dear Anne of Green Gables? Many years ago, Mailys and the other Jr. and Sr. High girls from our church’s youth group would gather for spend-the-night parties at our home where we watched hour upon hour of the wonderful BBC series of Anne of Green Gables in French!

In late May, we’ll be heading back to the US for a brief trip to visit Paul’s mom, Doris, who is turning 90 this summer. We’re gathering as many of her clan as possible over the Memorial Day weekend to celebrate together. (I think we number about 58 at this point). We’re so thankful God has given her this many years and continues to use her in her new ‘mission field’ at her assisted living facility in Louisville KY.

After that gathering, we’ll be back in France for the summer. We plan to be in the States again this fall. Yes, it’s a lot of coming and going! We are so grateful to the Lord for His sustaining grace. And we are thankful to you for your prayers which hold us before His throne.

We’ll close now with these prayer points:

~for unity among our workers on teams around the world. Pray that brothers and sisters in Christ would be quick to forgive and that peace and love would be abundant in their relationships for the sake of the Kingdom.

~for safe travels for our leaders coming from across the globe to the conference in Zambia, April 23-29 and for God to meet us there in a powerful way.

~that we will continue growing in love with our Lord Jesus.

~that we’ll have one ear to the Holy Spirit and one ear to our workers as we listen and interact with each one.

~that the Lord will enable us to help others listen to each other well.

~for God’s blessing on our local involvement at our church and in our village.

Sending much love and thankfulness for you!

Paul and Elizabeth

(And a peek at some of the grandkids with their growing menagerie!)