News & Reports – March 2020 Issue [Online Edition]
The Online Edition of March 2020 BFM News & Reports is available at the link below. Read how God is working through the lives of our faithful missionaries and continue to pray for them.
Note: You can also click on any headline to view the story on our blog.
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Student Ordained; Planning 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.
February 18, 2020
Dear friends and family,
This has been a time of planning for the year of 2020. The calling, traveling to set new places for classes, and planning the dates has been much busier than expected.
However, that is AWESOME. This means that we will be reaching many more pastors and church workers than we reached last year—and to do this we need to be out and about.
Bluegrass Baptist Seminary is reaching new areas and this means that plans sometimes have to be changed, revised and sometimes we are having to say, “Not now, but please be patient. We will get to your area soon.” Bluegrass Baptist Seminary with its accreditation in Brasil is an AWESOME blessing for pastors and church workers. Pray with us as we attempt to reach as many “areas” of Brasil as is possible.
We are continually trying to find more economical ways to travel, find hotels, and rental cars so we may reach more areas and train more Pastors. One way all may help is to donate to BFM and designate your donation to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. But the most important thing that you can do is pray.
We are in Brasil doing this work because of BFM and their support and all they do for missionaries. Without them this ministry would not be possible.
Let me digress for a bit and tell you about an AWESOME bit of news. We are posting a picture of a family in the mission point of Natividade da Serra. This family attended the Seminary about two years in Natividade da Serra and this month the husband was ordained to the Gospel ministry. This is just one more example of how God is using the Bluegrass Baptist Seminary in Brasil.
Our God is an AWESOME God.
We ask all of you to continue pray for the ongoing ministries in Brasil, for strength and travel mercies as we travel to the many locations, and also for the future locations that God is putting in our paths and the future students. We are excited about this new year and the ministries that God is sending our way.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.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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An Example of Love & Good Works
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
March 9, 2020
Dear Fellow Disciples of Jesus,
This morning Judy and I received a very welcome call from Jean-Luc and his wife Rose. They are members of the church at Tournefeuille and were calling to see how we were doing and to let us know how much they missed us. We are truly blessed to serve with them and others like them in France.
Last week we had a great time of fellowship with the folks of New Life Baptist Church in Lexington. God has blessed them with an excellent building from which to minister and we enjoyed getting acquainted with new members in this body of Christ. The previous weekend we spent three days with Emmanuel Baptist Church of Bellbrook, OH discussing how to follow Jesus making disciples. Judy and I were very encouraged by the interaction with the followers of Jesus there.
Though the word “missionary” does not appear in most translations of the New Testament, it is clear that all of us who are disciples of Jesus are His light on earth and we are instructed “to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called”. At the meetings in Bellbrook we became acquainted with Mike and Marci. They along with others shared how God had opened doors to communicate about their faith in Christ. I asked permission to share with you what they told us, and here is a bit from Mike and Marci in her words.
How it started –
Mike and I felt the need a few months ago to “reach out” where we can and thought home was the best, and, to be frank, easiest way to widen our comfort zone. I had been giving treats from baking to the neighbors in our condo so it seemed natural to have “Muffins and Prayer in the Stairwell”. Notes on doors for time and date and here we are. *It’s important to note that our first effort was ignored. But…God’s timing, not ours!
And… more recent news –
Thought I’d update on the “Muffins in the stairwell” happening. Monday before last we had three show up for what actually became coffee and brownies and prayers. Since there were only the five of us, we invited them in and it went great.
We met again last night and had two more! (Again, no muffins but great cookies from Kroger-God has given me grace on the scales!)
Last night it was decided that we would try to meet every other Monday. Prayer has been wonderful and the one couple that is moving has promised to keep meeting with us.
We ask special prayers for our young single neighbor upstairs. She is quite shy but seems to enjoy our “God talk”. We are hoping for God to lead us into a conversation on salvation soon.
We have what is a single gentleman downstairs who is an alcoholic and is basically walker bound. I leave goodies and encouraging notes for him as he seldom comes out or answers the door. Praying for him and patiently “wooing” him and trusting our God.
There is one other family downstairs that are polite and enjoy the goodies but show no interest. I’m sure God has His own plan and we’ll remain available.
Our current plan is to put chalkboard adhesive paper on our front door with a bag of chalk. We will put daily Bible verses on it and leave room for prayer requests when we aren’t home. We are learning to be hospitable, (I still tidy more than usual but I’m a work in progress.) And we are learning to REST in Him, not just SUBMIT!
That’s it for now. Just wanted you to know God used you to make an impact in our and other’s lives. Praying for you faithfully. God bless you!
Mike and Marci Walker
Well, I hope their words encourage you “to love and good works” as they have encouraged me. And… let others in your church and fellowship know how God is opening doors around you. In fact, I would be delighted to hear from you. I will not put it in my newsletter without your permission!
With you following the call of Jesus,
John and Judy
John Mark & Judy Hatcher
JMHatcher[at]aol.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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Sharing the Gospel with Disillusioned & Depressed Partygoers
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
March 4, 2020
Dear Friends,
Having finished our two-week missions training seminar, we now have four new fulltime volunteers working with our traveling evangelism team. The team went to work immediately after the seminar during Carnaval week here in Brazil. I’m sure you have heard of, or seen on TV, a taste of that awful “lust-fest.” Fortunately, our team was able to interact with many of the festival-goers, without having to be involved in their immoral practices. They shared the gospel with dozens and several people repented and surrendered to Christ. Our team formed groups of three volunteers to mingle with the people at large gatherings on the beach to pray and look for individuals who might give them a hearing. Contrary to appearances, quite a few of the party-goers were depressed or disillusioned with life and were open to discuss God’s plan for their lives. We train our missionaries on how to approach people outside of the walls of the church building with the gospel and, thankfully, the Lord saw fit to use them to bring several to Christ for salvation.
The Brazilian school year has begun again and so our traveling team will begin to go into the public schools where they were invited to share the gospel through skits and testimonies. Our newest volunteers haven’t had that opportunity yet, and they are excited about it. It is one thing to mingle in a crowd sharing the gospel one-on-one, but quite another to stand before groups of 300-500 people performing a skit or sharing your personal testimony. Please pray for all 15 of our traveling team members.
Charlene and I have started back our English as a second language classes. Between the two of us, we have 44 students between the ages of 8-17. All but five of these students come from the community around our church and are not church members. She and I give the English course free of charge so that we may have the opportunity to get to know them and their families and to share the gospel with them. We have been doing this for a couple of years, now, and we have people in our church who came as a result of this means of outreach. We are looking forward to being used to reach those that the Lord has sent to us this year as well.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support so that we might continue to share God’s love in our corner of His field of service.
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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Discipling Young Men in New Village; Security Concerns
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.
March 4, 2020
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now several months into 2020. May we use our time wisely in service to God, trusting Him for the results. I am reminded of Psalm 39:4, which says “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.” May we truly use our opportunities wisely for His kingdom, and relying on Him each step of the way. This update will share current ministry progress as well as prayer requests.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple younger Kenyan men in the village of Taito, which is on the outskirts of Kitale town. The man that I have been relying on for help with recruiting younger men moved recently, and is now closer to town. Taito, this new village, has much potential for finding younger men to train. There are many schools around this area with students attending nearby. My prayer is that over time I will be able to make friendships with some of these young men, describe the training ministry to them, and pray that some of them will join up and learn from the teachings of the Word of God. The ultimate final goal is for them to be grounded in their faith before going out to establish churches, Lord willing. But, just as a house needs a firm foundation to stand upon, so these men need to be established and discipled before going out.
I have learned to take nothing for granted. Sometimes I look at some of the lessons and think they are not so much needed, only go to teach it, and have a student say, “This is the first time I have learned about this.” Or, “I have received teaching on this, but not in depth with Scriptural support from the Bible.” Each lesson has multiple verses that refer back to the topic, and my hope and prayer is that the men will get grounded in their faith, get the foundation they need, get a vision for their village/community, and then go out and do the work of the ministry. I am reminded of Proverbs 29:18a, which says “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Would you pray with me that these young men will get a heart/vision for their villages and communities, and go out to reach them? That is my prayer. I will keep you updated on the progress of this ministry.
Concerning the prison ministry, I (Nathan) have been continuing along through the teachings of the Old Testament. We have learned many things, from Creation, to Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, Abraham and Isaac, etc. I am excited to start teachings in the New Testament, where we will learn about Jesus and His ministry. There are so many lessons, such as the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness, Jesus feeding five thousand, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, etc. We will also see that Jesus is the door to eternal life – He is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Please pray for the prisoners and for me as I continue to teach them the Word of God. I am thankful for the chaplains and the prison officials for allowing me to continue with the ministry and would appreciate your prayers each step of the way.
In family news, my wife continues to stay busy at the Christian school here in Kitale. She volunteers there daily teaching fifth grade grammar, writing and reading. She is a blessing to the students there. It is also good for our daughters as they get to see her at school in the mornings.
McKenna and Camille have both done well. We would appreciate your prayers for them, and for us as parents. Camille will turn nine years old in February 2020, which is hard to believe. McKenna will be twelve in April, Lord willing.
Speaking of April, my wife’s parents are planning to visit for a few weeks. Please pray for them and their trip here, for our fellowship together, and for our time together as a family. I know they will be a blessing not only to us, but to many others as well. This will be their fourth trip here and we pray it will be a time of rest and refreshment for them, as well as getting some needed family time.
We are both so appreciative for those who donate sacrificially to the hospital ministry. The staff there have been very welcoming and friendly, for which we are thankful. Many mothers and babies are receiving much needed supplies, and the mothers are receiving the Gospel message in their own language, so we are thankful to those who give and for the opportunity there. We appreciate you so much.
In closing, please be in prayer for the safety of the Milimani area, where we live. There have been some robberies along the roads in our area, mostly at night. We try not to go out at night unless absolutely necessary, and to take all precautions. Please pray that the security forces will be successful in their efforts, and that the residents of Milimani here in Kitale would feel safe and protected. Of course, our ultimate security is from the Lord. Psalm 138:7 says, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me.” May we trust Him for our safety and protection at all times.
We appreciate each of you so much, for your prayers, interest in missions, sacrificial giving, and notes of encouragement. You are each such a blessing to us. We will keep you updated.
Blessings,
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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Celebrating a Dozen Years in Kenya
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is church planting.
February 13, 2020
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
I want to thank you all for your prayers and support over the years. We just celebrated our twelfth year in Kenya—we left the United States to commence our ministry in Kenya on January 31st, 2008. It hardly seems possible that another year has come and gone again. We’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs in the past twelve years. There have been so many times I was certain we would never make it another year, another month, or even another day. Those times of doubt and frustration, periods of being overwhelmed and wanting to quit still come, and I’m sure we will again face them in the future. But by the grace of God we are still here. We definitely attribute our still being here to God alone and not to our own strength. If still being in Kenya was dependent upon our own strength, we would have left long ago. But God is good and He has strengthened us for this ministry. All the praise and all the glory go to Him. And if you are reading this report then that means you are interested in our ministry and support and pray for our ministry. We need partners like you to continue this work here. Thank you again for your prayers and support. We couldn’t even think about doing this without you.
At the Chapel we just completed an 18-week expository study of the book of Galatians. I thought it was crucial for the Chapel folks to know and understand that we are justified and sanctified by faith and not by the works of the Law. I think church goers in every culture (Kenyan and American) struggle with this Biblical teaching, trying to be acceptable to God by being “good enough”, by “human righteousness”, by not doing certain things, by keeping certain rules and regulations. I taught my people, as Paul taught his, that we are justified and sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus. We ended our study by investigating “walking in the Spirit” and how the Spirit’s fruit is produced in our lives. (By the way, my people are very gracious and loving towards me. Last week I preached for an hour and fifteen minutes before I even realized what time it was. Everybody listened attentively and nobody complained about the length of the message. I think I would burn too many roasts if I tried that in the States.)
Let me here give some kudos out to my wife (without her knowing that I’m doing it). Julie works so hard as the Head Teacher and main administrator of the Milimani Christian Homeschooling Community where she volunteers at that position. She does such an amazing job and cares for the kids of the school so much. She so very much desires that these kids get a good, Christian education so that they can thrive as adults and go change their world for Jesus. Many of these kids also have various learning disabilities which have prevented them from thriving at other schools and which has landed them at MCHC. Julie is helping come up with unique and outstanding ways of helping these kids learn. One of the MCHC directors told her this week, “Julie, you can teach anybody”. Another visiting missionary referred to her as a “rockstar”. Also, a mother of one of high school students recently posted this on Facebook: “Last year I had a seriously depressed teen hating school and threatening to just leave and drop out, not caring about university, unhappy, ill etc etc. Removed from school system into a home based system and he is happy, striving, talking about getting A’s and interest in university fully awakened”. Julie is definitely using this opportunity to make a big impact in the lives of these children and for the Kingdom of Jesus. Glory to our Lord and Savior!
Blessings to you all,
Roger, Julie, 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.
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Four Generations of Missionaries Together in Manaus
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
February 12, 2020
Dear Friends,
We are grateful for your prayers and generosity. Our family and ministries are blessed by you!
Our four children are in good health and doing well in school. Sarah is practicing softball, Laura is playing volleyball, Benjamin is engaged in soccer and basketball, and Melissa enjoys playing everything.
At the end of the year, we had a very special Christmas time at Maria Virginia Baptist Church. The neighborhoods near the building received a door-to-door Christmas cantata during the two weekends prior to Christmas. Several guests visited us during services and attendance is increasing. Last week we received a couple that searched for us online and came to the main worship celebration.
Pastor Helder and family arrived in Sao Paulo on January 8th to assume leadership at Maria Virginia as the new senior pastor. Within the first month he visited most of the members at home and everyone is excited to have them in the fellowship and his encouraged by his leadership.
Our gatherings with Imagine are always full of laughter and filled enjoyable moments. People enjoy sharing life stories around our meals and prayer requests during small group meetings. We continue to gain momentum as more people arrive to do life together with us.
The children at Hope are always full of energy and excited to see us every time they see us. Contact with parents through the kids is ever increasing as the adults learn to trust us and seek our help in emotional and physical needs and on how to raise children.
For two weeks at the beginning of January, we traveled and stayed with my parents (Paul and Wanda Hatcher) in Manaus. (My parents were in Manaus for a short season to assist Tabernacle Baptist Church with transition.) We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. This visit also gave us time with my grandfather John Hatcher (he is cared for by my parents). We were also able to invest time with my uncles and aunts: David and Penny, and Odali and Kathy. We scheduled a photo op with a professional photographer to take our family portrait, with parents and Grandpa John. We took a great picture of four Hatcher generations in Brazil.
While in Manaus we visited several friends and churches. I had the privilege of preaching at Ativa Baptist Church in Manaus where Pastor Neto is pastor and at Pedras Vivas Baptist Church in Iranduba, where Odali Barros is pastor.
Please, continue to pray for us.
Grateful always,
Jud Hatcher
Judson & Raquel Hatcher
(859) 544-9040
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
Website | Twitter | Facebook
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Always on the Mission Field
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
February 11, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
You never know when the Lord may open the door for you to speak to someone about Christ. I was flying back from Florida this past Friday night and a young man sitting next to me told me that it was only his second time to fly. His first airplane flight was just a week earlier on his way down to Florida. He was from western Kentucky.
As he spoke, I asked God to open the door for me to speak to him about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Maybe five minutes after that prayer Trenton asked me if I was speaking on the phone in another language when he first sat down next to me. I told him, “Yes, I was speaking in French.” This led to his inquiry about why I spoke French and I told him that I lived in France. Shortly thereafter he asked me if I was there for a job, and we were off… to heaven! So, for the rest of the flight we spoke of our need and Christ doing all necessary for us to be forgiven, become God’s children and live with an eternal purpose. He did not make a profession of faith on the spot, but did speak of his need and how God had brought others unexpectedly into his life to talk about salvation.
All of us are always on the mission field. It is important to realize that this is the reason our Heavenly Father has left us here on earth.
So, why was I in Florida, anyway? Paul and Wanda Hatcher were returning from Manaus, Brazil where they had been for the last 6 months. The Lord richly blessed their ministry to the Tabernacle Baptist Church and other churches during this time. They were returning bringing with them our father, John A. Hatcher, who’s health has declined substantially. All of us in the family are very grateful for the continual and demanding care that Paul and Wanda have committed themselves to provide for our parents during the past five years. They have done this as a ministry to enable Judy and me, David and Pennie, and Kathy and Odali to give ourselves to ministry where God has placed us.
So, I was at their house in Florida to clean, sort and move things to provide the best circumstances for their return and sort through documents so that Paul and Wanda would have the all they needed to care for Dad in the home and provide for future care.
I then drove to Miami to pick them up and taxi them back to central Florida. The Lord worked everything out perfectly and I also enjoyed visiting with a couple of churches in central Florida where we have family and friends.
We are looking forward to being back with Emmanuel Baptist Church of Bellbrook, OH, February 21-23, for a series of meetings on following Jesus to make disciples. If you live in this area and are interested, you can contact Pastor Darrell Messer for further information. We are also looking forward to being with New Life Baptist Church in Lexington, KY on March 1 and celebrate with them 23 years as a church.
We thank God for your prayers and faithful support.
May the Lord bless each of you,
John and Judy
John Mark & Judy Hatcher
JMHatcher[at]aol.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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