“Becky’s a doctor, does she plan on working in France?”
Many people have asked us this question, and I am sure many more have been thinking it but haven’t asked. It’s a fair question! Considering our financial need and the challenges of living on support as missionaries, I am certain some of you have asked yourselves, “why doesn’t Becky just work part time as a source of income? Doctors are needed everywhere, right? She would be such a blessing in France as a doctor.”
Well…the answers to those questions are not so simple. As the French like to say “c’est compliqué!”
When we left Canada, one major thing Becky had to leave behind was her beloved medical practice. Through much prayer, God made it clear that there were no guarantees she would ever work as a doctor again. He was, in fact, asking her to be prepared to hold onto her medical career with an open hand.
Why? Why would God ask her to do such a thing? The answer was simple, but not easy. God had made one thing very clear: We had been called to make disciples here in France. This is our ultimate purpose. Yes, medicine had previously been an incredible tool that God gave Becky to use to bless her patients and families in her former practice. But if Becky was to resume a medical career in France, it would have to be a tool that God would use towards our ultimate call, and not to return to a full time career. This was also clear.
Since arriving in France we have continued to seek the Lord in prayer about this A LOT; asking God whether Becky’s experience, skill set, and heart for medicine would come into play in our ministry. For more than a year, God seemed to be saying “Wait”; so we waited. In the meantime, we continued to settle into life and advance in our French studies.
Finally in June, Becky did feel it was time to reach out to the Order of Doctors in France to seek more information about the possibility of pursuing a medical career. After several months of emails back and forth, the response from the Order to date has been less than encouraging. It seems that Becky may not be able to transfer her credentials without embarking on a long and gruelling process of re-training, competency exams and standing before a national committee to present her case for consideration.
So where does that leave us? Honestly, in the exact same place. We are still holding on to Becky’s medical expertise and training with open hands, while continuing to live out our calling to make disciples here in France. Our mission and purpose hasn’t changed. And if God should choose to use Becky’s medical training once again to serve this purpose, then He will have to both guide us through the process and provide a way to allow this to happen. But until then, we remain fixed on our God-given calling.
As for the struggles of living on support as full time missionaries here in France? We believe that no matter what, we must trust God to provide. We can’t have a back up plan. Yes, He may provide through a “regular” job some day, but we can’t seek this option out because support raising is hard or we would simply like the security of a pay check. As missionaries, we must continue to trust in God as our “employer”, and in His provision, whatever that looks like.
So with all of that said, would you pray for us in this? Pray for Becky, who desires to trust God with this, yet also misses her patients and her practice and is still grieving this loss. And please pray that we would continue to place our security in God as our ultimate provider, above all else.