Dearest Family in Christ,

 What a difficult time this has been for me and my family, yet greater is our God! I am writing you right now from a hospital here in GA due to the Coronavirus. About 2 weeks ago, I tested positive for the virus and went into quarantine mode at home. I took medicines to keep my fever down and could not eat. It hit me harder than I ever thought. It is not like the flu or anything I have ever had! When I was nearing the 2 week mark, I thought it would get better, but while gasping for breath, my oxygen went into the danger zone. Beth immediately took me to the hospital, but could not come in. They checked me along with my condition and after my body did not respond to the oxygen machines, they put me into ICU. It was a miserable experience that is hard to describe. I thought many times that I would not make it out to see my wonderful family, but God preserved me through this difficult ordeal.

I am now out of ICU and in a regular room, hoping to be checked out. I have to take an oxygen tank home, but I feel 100x better than when I got here. Thanks for your prayers. I will be able to get out and not infect others after the quarantine. 

Please pray for Pastor Austin Gardner of Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta GA. He is a dear friend, but is in ICU due to COVID 19. God used him to help me train for missions while in Peru, where I met my wife. He went on a trip with me to NAfrica where God confirmed my need to go to Egypt. He’s been used to give me counsel in missions and church planting. He has and is doing so much more. Pray!

Critical Thoughts
1. Please follow the suggested guidelines to stop the spread and also to protect you.
2. I doubted the validity of  COVID 19, but wanted to tell you that it’s real.
3. Pray for churches as they open, to wisely move forward.

Thanks for the hundreds of prayers from all over the world and thanks for providing gifts for my family while being stuck here. 

We just praise the Lord, thank our friends, and the staff here at Northside Forsyth. 

I will be writing a prayer letter update but wanted to share this personal story and prayer request.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

David Gates
Psalm 27:1