“France has many, many spiritual needs,” Dave Hobert says. “Even now, they say it’s still less than two percent evangelical, and our region of Southern Burgundy is much lower than that.”

After more than four decades of faithful ministry in one of the least-reached countries in Europe, Dave and Susie Hobert prepared to retire. But in January 2025, while attending Encompass’s Global Staff Conference in Portugal, Susie unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. She was lovingly surrounded by her Encompass family.

As we reflect on the Hoberts’ incredible legacy, we give thanks to God for the countless ways He worked through both Dave and Susie during their 45 years of ministry.

Their work took many forms over the decades, but God used their steady faithfulness to plant the only Protestant church in Montceau-les-Mines, a city of 50,000. When that church became self-sufficient, the Hoberts moved 30 minutes away to Paray-le-Monial—the city of the Sacred Heart—to begin laying the groundwork for another church plant. Throughout the years, they also returned to the U.S. often, investing deeply in the next generation of global workers as Missionaries in Residence at Grace College.

Ministry in France was far from easy. The Hoberts endured loneliness, betrayal from church members, and even the resignation of a partnering pastor. Yet God carried them through every hardship, and the fruit of their work far outweighed the pain.

They ministered in a deeply personal way—building what they called “relational bridges” through music groups, sports, walking clubs, and everyday friendship. “We realized really quickly that it wasn’t going to be a situation of us being up front, leading, and saying, ‘Listen up and we’ll tell you what you need to hear,’” Susie once said. “It was more about us getting involved in their lives, gaining credibility, and just doing life with people who didn’t know God.”

Discipleship was always at the heart of their mission. “It’s one thing to have them accept Jesus as Savior,” Susie said, “but it’s another to work through their past with them.” One woman she mentored is now a leader in the church—serving on the council and leading worship.

One of the Hoberts’ most profound takeaways from their years on the field was learning to let God lead. Some ministry ideas fell flat, while others—like a simple English Bible study—thrived unexpectedly. That group is still meeting over 20 years later.

We praise God for the many lives touched and transformed through Dave and Susie’s unwavering obedience. Because of their service, France is a little less unreached—and countless seeds of faith have been planted. But the work is far from over.

As Dave steps into retirement during the summer of 2025, he carries both the grief of loss and the joy of a life well lived alongside Susie. “Now that we’ve completed our part,” Dave says, “pray that others would pick it up, because the harvest is plentiful, and we need more workers.”

See how you can get involved at EncompassWorldPartners.org/go.