Jennifer Barlow
France | 02375
My Story
Most of you didn't know me in third grade, but if you had been on my family vacation to Epcot Center, you would have heard me speak a tiny bit of French and, when someone spoke it back to me, I was hooked! From that point on, I loved France and everything French. I had also been involved in missions groups at church and my favorite part of those meetings as a child was praying for the missionaries. When I went to seminary, I heard about some traumatic experiences a couple of missionary kids went through as their parents served, and at this point I realized how much prayer the missionaries truly need, and how much hands-on support they need when they are away from their support system and culture. At this point, God gave me a desire to counsel missionaries and to do so in France. In this way, I can also minister to the French people. In 2015, I finally got to move to France and serve God full-time. It took a while, but it has been so worth it!
Where I Work
I have lived in Lille, France since October 2015. My sole role for seven years was as a counselor to GEM missionaries throughout Europe. In November of 2022, I was invited to lead our GEM Wellness Department in addition to offering counseling. This department's role is what other organizations call "member care". GEM Wellness is focused on offering support and resources for people to be healthy spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. We want to empower GEM missionaries to serve God and fulfill GEM's mission out of their own health and transformation. Our department offers services such as retreats, spiritual direction, counseling, care for kids and teens, pastoral care for adults, and helpful resources for honoring the body God has given us.
In God's wisdom and strength, I continue to offer counseling to those who need healing from the wounds that come from being on the front lines of a tough spiritual battle. At times, people will come to Lille for intensive care, and I rent a separate apartment for them to stay in while they receive counseling for 3-5 days at a time. I also meet with people online each week.
In addition to these roles inside of GEM, I spend time with French non-believers who may have never met a believer whose life is centered around God. France is less than 2% Evangelical Christian, so the harvest is plentiful!