Venezuelan Couple Helping in Iranduba, Growth in Serra Baixa
Odali and Kathy Barros served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together from 1987-2013. In late 2013, they transitioned to Manaus in Northern Brazil to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
Iranduba
Iranduba
Friday Night in Serra Baixa
June 1, 2018
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We have had a great month and we hope that you have also! Things here are moving along in an amazing way. God has done so many wonderful things. The church and the missions are doing really well.
The church in Iranduba has had several activities going on. The visitation is doing well. We have the Venezuelan couple working with us there—the husband is a pastor. We have been letting them do several of the activities with the youth there. They are really excited. We are praying that that will continue to go well. It would be really great if they eventually could take over that work. As big as the city is, a full-time pastor would be a blessing.
We will be having the inauguration service for the church building in the community of Ubim this coming Saturday, June 2nd. We are going to take members from our other missions to help with visitation for the service.
We are excited and the team that works there are really happy to have the space to work with the kids and youth. Kathy and I will be going there Saturday nights for service since we don’t have to go to Iranduba now.
The service we have in the community of Serra Baixa on Friday night is growing. Many of the people that are coming are not saved. Please pray for us as we share God’s love with them.
Thanks to all of you who support us and the ministries and your prayers. We greatly appreciate each of you!
Odali & Kathy Barros
Caixa Postal 1
Iranduba, Amazonas 69.415.000
Brasil, S.A.
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
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Scoffer Surrenders to Christ Just Days Before Drowning
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
June 3, 2018
Dear Friends,
We were very excited to be able to minister in Porto Rico this month! Oh, but it wasn’t the one in the Caribbean Sea. Actually, it is a small town in our state located on the banks of the Paraná River. Our outreach team went to help a local missionary share the gospel in public schools and parks for a week. Every outreach experience is different, of course, but some are very remarkable, like Porto Rico was. During our gospel skit presentations, there was one man who kept loudly interrupting the speaker by making jokes and trying to ridicule our efforts to share the gospel. It was necessary to have a couple of our men escort him from the platform more than once.
Before and during our presentations we pray for the Lord to guide us and use all that is done for people to hear and accept the gospel and this man was certainly being a hindrance. On the human level, he made our team angry and frustrated, but the Lord helped one of our preachers to see that the man´s behavior was the result of a spiritual battle going on in his mind and spirit. The preacher began a personal conversation with the man and asked him about his relationship with God. The man admitted that he felt totally alone in the world and was seeking attention. The preacher shared with him that Jesus Christ loved him and gave his life so that he could be saved and have an eternal relationship with God. The man listened and then returned to watch the rest of the presentations and testimonies. At the end of the service an invitation was given for anyone who had trusted in Jesus Christ to come forward to make a public profession and the man who was earlier causing a scene, stepped forward. The local pastor took the man aside and again explained the gospel to him to be sure that he understood the message. He assured the pastor that he understood and that he was surrendering his life to Christ.
A few days later our team went to work in a neighboring town. When they got on the highway to return to our headquarters the local missionary in Porto Rico called the team to share the sad news that that man had drowned in the Paraná River just that morning! Our joy and hope is that he is now in the presence of Jesus Christ. That remarkable event helped us realize again, and even more strongly, just how vital our ministry is. The likelihood that he would decide to go to a church service on his own accord was very slim, but because we took the gospel into the public square where he and many others were, that man got to hear the truth of God´s saving grace and we believe that already he is already in the presence of the Lord.
Just as the agitator in the crowd served to remind us to look for opportunities in our aggravations, my cell phone crash opened a door for me to share Christ with the iPhone tech guys last month. When I took my phone in to be repaired I had to wait at the counter for nearly 30 minutes. There were two technicians sitting there and no other customers. I started a casual conversation with them that led them to ask me what I am doing here in Brazil. That gave me a chance to share my testimony of coming to Christ as Lord and Savior through the Scriptures and to invite them to come to our church to know more. I pray that God will help me to constantly be aware of the open doors around us, if we will just pay attention.
Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry here Curitiba, Brazil.
In Christ´s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1[at]hotmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
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News & Reports – June 2018 [Online Edition]
The Online Edition of the June 2018 BFM News & Reports is now available at the link below. Read how God is working through the lives of our faithful missionaries and continue to pray for them!
[Click here to read BFM News & Reports – June 2018]
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Heading to Nairobi for Work Permit Requirement
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
May 29, 2018
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now nearly halfway through 2018. We thank the Lord for all His blessings, His goodness, and His care over us. What a mighty God we serve. This update will give ministry progress as well as prayer requests.
One big prayer request we currently have is in regard to our work permits. Both my wife and I are valid and have current work permits. However, there was a recent development that requires all current permit holders to go to Nairobi and provide current documentation to be entered into a new paperless system. From what we understand, there are around 34,000 foreigners in the country that are required to do this, including my wife and I. As of now, there is only one place in Nairobi that will do this, and from what we have heard, the lines are incredibly long. We have a friend who waited in line for seven hours before finally completing the process. Please pray for us this week, as we travel to Nairobi and seek to get this done. God has a purpose in everything, even in this, and we trust Him.
I (Nathan) am continuing in the discipleship lessons with a younger Kenyan man in the village of Rafiki. We have covered many lessons and I appreciate his interest in the Word of God and following and obeying it. There is still much to teach in the days ahead, so please pray for me as I prepare myself to teach, for the Word of God to lead and guide us as we study, and for the Lord’s leading in this ministry. I am trusting God each step of the way, and desire to go to village areas, teach in the Swahili language, train younger Kenyan men who the Lord would raise up, and trust God for the results. God is in control of all these things and I trust Him. Psalm 37:5 says “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” I am trusting God and committing all to Him.
The family is doing well. Our girls are now out of school for a break and will be homeschooling with my wife to keep them up with American standards. She is a great teacher and will teach them many important subjects. Please pray for this time, and for our daughters, that much will be accomplished and they will learn much.
God bless each of you and we thank the Lord for your interest in missions in Kenya, East Africa. To God be the glory for everything, as He deserves all praise.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
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Encouraged by a Stateside Visit
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is church planting.
May 21, 2018
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Living on the road and out of a suitcase. Yes, that has been my life of late. I just left my latest overnight stay, stopped in at a health service provider for an x-ray on my knee and now I’m sitting in a Starbucks, accompanying my newsletter with a nice cup of coffee.
In case you hadn’t guessed I am actually in the United States, not in Kenya (still no Starbucks in Kenya). My trip back is a short one and also one done without the rest of my family. I am here for one month only, seeing loved ones and visiting my home church in Bellbrook, Ohio. And the family is not with me for two reasons: 1) Amy and Josiah are in school and 2) We still are not able to travel outside of Kenya with Chloe. So, Julie, Amy, Josiah and Chloe are all back in Kenya, facing Kenyan challenges without my help. It seems like every time one or all of us are facing a trip back to the States that Satan attacks extra hard. Among many other problems that arose right around the time of my leaving Kenya, I arrived in Detroit and stepped off the plane only to be immediately informed that Julie was very ill and in a hospital back in Kenya. Hearing something like that can get you anxious right away, knowing that your wife is sick and you are ten thousand miles away and helpless to help her. Fortunately, we have good friends in Kitale who were able to look after Julie and Chloe in my absence. And, thankfully, Julie recovered rather quickly even though her care at the hospital was somewhat lacking in quality.
It has been a joy to be Stateside and to see my parents, my daughter and son-in-law and other loved ones. My time has already gone by so quickly and I leave for Kenya in one week. It was also a joy to worship with my home church, Emmanuel Baptist in Bellbrook. Thank you, Lord, for the faithfulness of your people; thank you that I can be gone for years and come back and find them still here, still worshiping you, still loving Jesus, still following your ways; thank you for their rock-steadiness, for their commitment to your Word, for their desire to glorify you; thank you, Lord, that in the midst of a hostile, anti-Christian world, they haven’t quit or given up or ruined their Christian testimony; thank you, Lord, for their love of me and my family.
Please continue to pray for our Kenyan ministry. While I am here friends are at work for me back in Kenya. We still need a place to worship. We need some finances. We need open doors. We need faith and courage. We need grace. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need Jesus in a big way. One of the biggest encouragements of being in the States is the multitude of people that have come up to me and said the following: “I pray for you and your family every day”. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those exact words, even from people that I don’t even know by name. I certainly don’t deserve such love and support from you all, but I can’t even begin to express how much I appreciate and need it. Blessings to you all.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
Two Wonderful Weeks of Seminary Classes
The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.
May 16, 2018
Dear friends and family,
These weeks have been some real AWESOME ones. Weeks and months of preparation have come to fruition. We have completed two wonderful weeks of seminary classes. These perhaps have been two of our most fulfilling up to this point.
The first class taught by Dr. Derek Colman of Gardenside Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky, was Systematic Theology. This class started opening the eyes of the students and created an atmosphere of excitement about Biblical learning.
This was our introduction to São Paulo City. I have been somewhat reluctant to go to this city because of its enormity. It is a challenge just to get from point A to point B. You see, the city itself is only 57 miles across. Yes, I said 57 miles. So, the challenges that the students had was not only studying, they had the challenge to get to class and—on time. The students have regular daytime jobs, so they had to face getting to the classes from their job sites, to face the congestion at quitting time, and all the other difficulties that Satan could throw at them. This alone made these students very special. Even facing these challenges their desire to learn has been AWESOME!!! Their questions have been great.
Then came Dr. Edge from 1st Baptist Church in Texas—he taught the Old Testament Survey class and just mesmerized the students.
Let me tell you about some of the students. There was this one very special lady in the class (among many others) and her story caught our attention. She was in her late 60s, still working—she is a medical doctor in São Paulo City. What brought her to our attention was her statement about our Seminary. She told us that she had been praying over 40 years for a Baptist Seminary where she could attend and learn more. Her desire is to know the Scriptures better so that she could be a more effective witness for Him. We all need more of her enthusiasm and dedication for learning more about our Lord and Savior.
Another student said that he was helping in a mission Church and had studied the Old Testament very little but after the class on the Old Testament Survey he was very enthusiastic to learn more and more.
As we were preparing for the class I was praying for 20 to 25 students. We had 23 pre-registered students, but come the night of the first class, we had 44 students. Oh me of little faith! I simply forget what an AWESOME God we serve. Sixteen of these students are Pastors. This fits right in with our desire to train Pastors and church workers to be more effective and better prepared to take the Word to their respective areas.
As we have shared with you in previous letters we are keeping our eye out for that one that God would have us help in their endeavor to start a church. Well I am happy to tell you that we have selected one from this class. He is a young man that is trying to start a mission in a needy area. His Pastor who is also in this class has high regards for this young man. We will be gifting him his books and seminary costs and will help him monthly. This help will be for one year to give him time to build God’s work in this area. He says that he has around 20 in his mission at this time and all are needy. Not only physically (very poor) but also spiritually. His name is Ricardo Posca he is married and has a little girl. Please keep them in your prayers. If you would like to be a part of his ministry, please send donations to BFM marked in his name in care of Aj Hensley.
Continue to pray for the Seminary, the professors and the continuing students and the future students. I will be returning in June or July to look into more sites for the seminary, but when I find them we will need God to send more qualified professors. Please put this on your prayer list.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
Like them on Facebook.
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
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Mothers Day, Music Classes, and More!
Odali and Kathy Barros served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together from 1987-2013. In late 2013, they transitioned to Manaus in Northern Brazil to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
May 15, 2018
Dear brothers and sisters,
It has been such a wonderful month to see how God has worked! God has blessed us tremendously and the works are doing really great.
This month is Mother’s Day, so we’ve had several special days at our mission point. We take advantage of these days to encourage the children to bring their parents. Then we will have a special service with the children singing where we also present the gospel.
At the church of Iranduba we will be starting some new things. On Wednesday and Saturday, we will be going out into the community and homes to have services and special programs for different ages. We have also started keyboard and guitar classes that are going great.
The work at Ubim is going well. We will be having the inauguration of the church building real soon. Last Monday on the way there our car that is used broke down, so they did not make it there. So, they called the lady where we have the service with the kids to let them know they were not coming. The kids started crying! How wonderful it is to know that these kids love to be at the meeting! So please pray that God will help us get a car that we can depend on.
I had the privilege to preach and a village down the river. It was a thanksgiving service. Just wonderful.
Venezuela has sent all foreign missionaries away, and many of the Venezuelans have left their country. We are helping 3 families. They are Baptist. One is a seminary graduate.
The camp ministry we have started working with is doing great. We have been able to get machines working and things fixed along with other improvements. When we started our ministry back when we got married, we worked with the deaf ministry. Well, we got in touch with one of the girls that worked with us back then and asked about having a camp for the deaf. She loved the idea. Pray for this!
Kathy is in the US for the arrival of our grandson. Since he is not in a hurry to come, Kathy is visiting her father.
We appreciate your prayers and your support! May God continue to bless each of you.
Odali & Kathy Barros
Caixa Postal 1
Iranduba, Amazonas 69.415.000
Brasil, S.A.
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online
Read more
Discipling a Young Man in Rafiki
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
May 4, 2018
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now nearly halfway through 2018. Time truly passes so fast, and may we use the opportunities the Lord gives us to serve Him faithfully. This update will share current prayer requests, as well as family news.
In regards to health, I (Nathan) recently had to have some moles removed after being seen by a dermatologist. There is a decent hospital about an hour and a half away from Kitale, for which I am very thankful. There is a history of melanoma (skin cancer) in the family, so it is wise to be seen and have moles removed when necessary. I am healing well and would ask that you would please pray for me, as the sun is very hot here, and I do my best to wear good sun screen and protect myself. Please pray not only for me, but also for the entire family with any possible health issues. The doctor does not seem concerned and I trust Him for the results. It is all about trusting God, using wisdom, and relying on Him day by day here, with everything. He is so faithful.
The girls are now back in school after a month off. This was a great month for my wife, as she could homeschool them and get them caught up in various subjects. It has been difficult to try to figure out the system of a Kenyan school and the best ways to help the girls keep up with American standards, but we are starting to get the hang of it. We really feel our daughters need socialization with other kids their age and some of the experiences a school offers, especially for learning some independence and gaining friendships in this culture. While it has been difficult to find the right balance, we have prayed and sought wisdom from others and feel the girls should continue to attend the school as much as possible. Please pray for them, for socialization, and for adapting well to the culture here. They have done well so far, and we continue to pray.
I (Nathan) have started a discipleship course with a younger Kenyan man in Rafiki, a nearby village. It is about half an hour from where we live on windy, dusty (or muddy, depending on the season), pot hole ridden roads. So far, I have been able to proceed well through the teachings and ask that you would continue to pray for our time together. As I have shared before, this term I really desire to go out to village areas, off the beaten path, to use the Swahili language, and train younger, qualified Kenyan men God would raise up. I know that God is in control and trust Him each step of the way. After building a foundation with at discipleship course, the next goal would be to train the man in church planting. I recognize there will be men who will not work out for one reason or the other, but I desire to be faithful, give it my all, and trust God for the results. I would greatly appreciate your prayers and for the Lord’s help each step of the way. I am reminded of verses such as Luke 1:37, which says “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Also, Ephesians 3:20, which says, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Anything is possible with God, and I thank Him for that.
Please pray for us in regards to travel safety around Kitale. It is now rainy season and the roads are becoming very muddy and slippery. Large trucks drive on our road, which causes large ruts and potholes to form, making it a challenge to drive. God is in control of all things, even our going out and coming in. He is so faithful.
Blessings to you and we appreciate you,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
or click here to donate to BFM online.
Read more
