Dear Friends and Family,
Well this has been unexpected. About a week ago, Joanna was traveling home (to France) following a visit with her parents and her sisters. At that time, we had some sense that there were a few areas in France where there were small clusters of this virus, usually 8 or 9 cases. In the week that has followed our day to day life has changed significantly. Thankfully, Joanna did make it home! On Thursday evening, March 12th, the president of France announced the closing of schools across the country.
Over the following weekend, we heard about restaurants, bars and all “non-essential” places of business needing to close. Finally on Monday evening, we watched President Macron address the nation with the boys and heard him say over and over “Nous sommes en guerre.” - we are at war. He then laid out the plan for the next 15 days (from March 17th) which is essentially a nationwide policy of staying at home except to go and buy food necessities, or receive medical care. We have a form that we must fill in and sign to leave the house for food shopping, etc, and the civil service and army are assisting the police in checking people’s papers and issuing fines. Although no one knows the timetable for all this, it seems likely that this 15 day period of restrictions will be extended. The healthcare system in France is stretched thin and these drastic measures are intended to give the best chance to ensure that care is available for all who need it.
How are we doing?
Good question. On a health level we are doing ok. We’ve had a cold and both Joanna and I experienced some symptoms that are associated with the COVID-19 virus including some breathing difficulty, but we are feeling better at the moment. We’ve had friends here who have had to seek medical care or are feeling unwell and this is scary. Emotionally we are feeling a little shaky, but we are resting in the knowledge that God is on his throne and as it says in a song we’ve been singing lately “the waves and wind still know his name”. Joanna is working on a painting called “Dancing in the Storm” which is a reflection of what we are leaning into in this uncertain time, trusting in Jesus and worshipping him!
We had the blessing of some sunshine this week, which is a rare treat in Normandie. As a family we are finding our way into new rhythms. We have a morning devotional time followed by French school, some tactile activities or outside play, lunch, English school, and lots of play. Joanna is keeping us organized, fed and sane. We are grateful that Lauren, our nanny, is with us during this intense time of home living. She has been really helpful and a great addition to our family. There are wonderful moments as a family but it is also exhausting and feels confining to not be able to go for a walk together or for an outing. For Tom, this week has been full of decisions and pastoring as the church here adjusts to our physical isolation. We’ve begun to gather together online using Zoom and this has been a great encouragement. We are also trying to work out how best to serve our refugee friends when we cannot gather or work as a team in our normal fashion.
How are you doing?
There is so much unknown right now, and, from over here, it looks like the difficulties are growing quickly in the US and UK as well. We would love to pray for you and with you in this time, so please do reach out. We are isolated but not alone.
Changing Plans
One aspect of this worldwide phenomenon is the severe disruption of plans and the challenge of working out how, when and whether to reschedule. For us, we are canceling a number of things including our trip to the UK in April and Tom’s trip back to the US with the Nashville Caen twinning delegation in May. For many, the disruption is far more severe and the unknown much, much more daunting.
Trust
Yet, in all of this, we are feeling so thankful for the peace that passes understanding which we have in Christ Jesus. We mourn with those who mourn the loss of loved ones. We pray for those who are wrestling with fear in these uncertain times. We trust in Jesus, the Author and Perfecter, the Beginning and the End, the One who will complete the good work He has begun in each of us.
