Missionary Update: The Wacasers Stateside from Brazil [December 2015]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
December 7, 2015
Dear Friends,
What a trip! Our ministry partners from Projeto Vida (Project Life), Paulo and Luiza Novaes, came to the USA to spend a month with us and visit with some supporting churches and to attend the annual Baptist Faith Missions conference in Dearborn Heights, MI. On that trip, we traveled through 11 states in 9 days. The Lord blessed us to provide the amazing beauty of the autumn leaf colors of the Great Smoky Mountains—something our partners had never seen and we hadn’t seen in many years.
We had the privilege to share our ministry endeavors and goals with two wonderful churches: The Concord Baptist Church of Leesville, SC and the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Bellbrook, OH. Both churches and their pastors hosted us graciously. Charlene and I and our ministry partners, Paulo and Luiza, were encouraged and refreshed by spending quality time with new friends from these churches.
Three of our teams were very busy in outreach this past month. They were blessed to have 26 public schools open the doors for them to present Gospel skits and testimonies to over 7,000 students and faculty. There were just under 200 professions of faith in Jesus Christ as a result of these efforts. The Lord has truly blessed!
Thank you for your continued prayers for my ailing father and for Charlene and me while caring for him.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Furlough Address:
3912 Casaba Loop
Valrico, FL 33596
Field Address:
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
Phone: (813) 481-7007
Cell Phone: (813) 727-6405
Email: bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
Give: Click here to give.
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2016 Winter Conference
Good News.
Romans 10:15 – “…bring glad tidings of good things.”
2016 Winter Missions Conference
January 17-20
Park Ridge Baptist Church
Street Address: 3629 Crystal St.,Gotha, FL 34734
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 12, Gotha, FL 34734
407-295-6296
Pastor Benton Glover
407-719-9861
Sunday, January 17
6:30 P.M. – Leroy Duncan – Missionary to Jamaica
Monday, January 18
5:00 P.M. – Supper
7:00 P.M. – Bob Jones – Evangelist/Missionary
Tuesday, January 19
10:00 A.M. – John Hatcher – BFM Missionary to Brazil
11:00 A.M. – Myron Jackson – Southside Baptist Church
12:00 Noon – Lunch
5:00 P.M. – Supper
7:00 P.M. – Paul Lightell – Jordan Baptist Church
8:00 P.M. – Dave Parks – Pastor, Thompson RoadBaptist Church; Lexington, KY
Wednesday January 20
10:00 A.M. – Bobby Wacaser – BFM Missionary to Brazil
11:00 A.M. – Mike Channell – Pastor, Bible Baptist Church; Plant City, FL
12:00 Noon – Lunch
5:00 P.M. – Supper
7:00 P.M. – Paul Hatcher – BFM Missionary to Brazil
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DIRECTIONS TO PARK RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH:
GPS: 3629 Crystal St, Gotha, Florida 34734
MapQuest
FROM THE TURNPIKE:
Take exit 267B (Ocoee / Hwy 50). Go east on Hwy 50 approximately ½ mile to Blackwood Ave. (Health Central is on the corner). Turn right and go 3 blocks (block one is four lanes; blocks two and three are a single lane) to Crystal St. and turn left. The church is just ahead on the left.
FROM THE 408 EXPRESSWAY:
Take exit 1 (last exit before Turnpike) to Hwy 50. Turn left and go one block to Blackwood Ave. (Health Central is on the corner). Turn left and go 3 blocks (block one is four lanes; blocks two and three are a single lane) to Crystal St. and turn left. The church is just ahead on the left.
FROM INTERSTATE 4 (WEST OF ORLANDO):
Exit at US27 and go north to Hwy 50. Go east on Hwy 50 approximately ten miles to Blackwood Ave. (Health Central is on the corner). Turn right and go 3 blocks (block one is four lanes; blocks two and three are a single lane) to Crystal St. and turn left. The church is just ahead on the left.
FROM INTERSTATE 4 (EAST OF ORLANDO):
Exit at the 408 Expressway and go west. Take exit 1 (last exit before Turnpike) to Hwy 50. Turn left and go one block to Blackwood Ave. (Health Central is on the corner). Turn left and go 3 blocks (block one is four lanes; blocks two and three are a single lane) to Crystal St. and turn left. The church is just ahead on the left.
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Missionary Update: Odali & Kathy Barros in Brazil [December 2015]
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.
December 4, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Time goes by so fast that it is hard to believe that it has been 2 years since we moved to Manaus, Amazonas. This past year has gone so fast. The Lord has blessed our ministry here in so many ways. We had visited different villages and communities near us. We wanted to start works in some of them and were praying for God to open the doors. Well, God provided 4 different places, all of them in very exciting ways. We praise God for His blessings! Many people have been saved and baptized. It has also been great to see members from the mother church getting involved and excited about the ministries in the church.
Children at the Mission in the city of Iranduba
We appreciate your prayers for each of these ministries. We have services every day except Tuesday and Friday. Last Sunday we had a baptism. Our baptism may be different for some of you. The last three times we had a baptism, it was down by the river. So we just took advantage and had a cookout for fellowship. Everyone has enjoyed the time of fellowship.
Tonight while we were waiting for church to start a teenager that comes to our house a lot called me to the corner and asked if he could ask a question. I said, “Sure.” He asked, “Pastor, what does it mean to receive Jesus as Savior?” Well what a blessing! At the end of the service when I asked if anyone wanted to accept Christ as Savior, the teenager promptly responded and came forward. Praise God!
Clemersom, the teenager who was saved.
Please pray for all the new converts as they grow in the Lord. We appreciate all your prayers and your support. May God bless each of you!
Love,
Odali & Kathy
Odali & Kathy Barros
Caixa Postal 1
Iranduba, Amazonas 69.415.000
Brasil, S.A.
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
Blog
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [December 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
December 4, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
May this find you enjoying the blessings provided by our Creator and Father. We have certainly seen God at work this month. We thank each of you who expressed your concern and who have prayed for us following the attacks in Paris. This along with the killings in the United States of America has dominated the news here. These events remind us that humanity is broken and that there is no hope outside of Jesus Christ. The events have opened doors of opportunity to talk about the hope that we have in Him.
Our Youth meeting the weekend after my last letter to you was very good. Our discussion was about God speaking to us in these last days by His Son and what we learn about God in Jesus. The majority of the 15 young people who were present are not Christians. They come because they have been befriended by the youth from the church who are Christians. It is very encouraging to see the missionary spirit in those who are saved.
We have also been blessed by a renewal of desire to serve in the members of our congregation. Last Sunday we spent the entire service presenting the outreach and disciple making activities. Several believers committed themselves to serve in Sunday school, youth meetings, home groups and other areas of ministry. This past month two prayer meetings and a college age Bible study that meet in homes during the week have been started and are going well.
We are very encouraged, as well, by the meetings in the city of Mazere. A couple and a lady in the group have asked to host meetings in their homes so we are now meeting on a rotating basis in three different homes in this area. It is great to see the participants taking ownership and showing concern for the salvation of their acquaintances and families.
This month Judy received her long term residents card. We have worked toward this goal for over ten years. Up to this time we have had to spend several days each year on the process of renewing our annual “visitor permits”. I received my long term residents card at the beginning of this year.
The Hatchers visited a museum where Douceline is chief staff.
(Left to Right: David, Pennie, Douceline, Judy)
On Tuesday of this week David, my brother from Brazil and his dear wife Pennie arrived to spend a week with us. They were last here about 13 years ago. We have had a very enjoyable time visiting and talking about what God is doing around us.
Please continue to pray for Eva, the young mother that I mentioned in my last letter and for her husband. She has now been confined to bed in the hospital for two months to avoid an untimely delivery. She is thrilled that she has been able to witness to her doctor. I was even able to talk to him about our ministry here during one of our visits to the hospital. Her husband, who is also a believer works hard as an aeronautical engineer and they have a two year old son at home.
I am including a photo of our visit to a museum where Douceline is chief staff. She is the single lady who hosts our Bible study in Mazere and who in addition has a couple of evangelistic Bible studies with unsaved ladies.
Thank you for your faithful support and prayers. May God richly bless you, work in you where you are and provide for all of your needs.
Your fellow servants in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [December 2015]
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.
December 1, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you doing well. We wish each of you a great holiday season ahead. This is such a nice time of year, with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day all within a few weeks of each other. We had a good time celebrating Thanksgiving with
friends here in Kitale, and are looking forward to celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Day in the coming days. It is difficult to be away from friends and family in America and we certainly do miss these times of year with you. Each of you are so special to us and loved. The Lord provides grace for each situation we face.
Speaking of various situations we face, we finally were cleared to leave Nairobi and return to Kitale a few weeks ago. As I had mentioned before, we took both of our daughters in for doctor appointments in Nairobi. Both of them had been complaining of frequent stomach aches for months, so after seeing multiple doctors in Kitale and Eldoret, we finally decided to go to Nairobi. Although Nairobi is far from Kitale, it has the best doctors in Kenya and we thought this was necessary at that time. We saw two very qualified doctors at a big hospital in Nairobi. One trained in America and the other in Canada. We did multiple tests and even a colonoscopy and endoscopy on McKenna, as stated last month.
We got the results back and then went to see the infectious disease doctor from Canada. He looked over the results and concluded that nothing was majorly wrong medically so there was nothing to treat. He thinks Cami may have had a form of food poisoning earlier in the year, then other possible minor illnesses, but nothing major.
Both doctors met together with us in the final visit and they concluded it was either frequent abdominal pain (FAP), or anxiety. At this time, we think it is related to anxiety, but we are still trying to determine specifically what it is. The main point is that the tests revealed nothing medically wrong and if it is anything, it is something that can be managed. We are thankful for this and for the prayers that each of you offered on behalf of our girls. We cannot tell you how much it means. Colossians 4:2 states “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” We are to continue in prayer, or to pray consistently. What a challenge to pray at all times of life, both during difficulties and times of blessing.
Speaking of prayer, here are a few requests for us in the coming year of 2016. Please pray for our daughters, and for playmates for them. There is supposed to be a family from America coming to Kitale soon, but they are waiting on the approval of their work permit. Please pray that they would be cleared soon so they can come to Kitale. Please pray for McKenna and her schooling. Please pray she would not feel anxiety during her schooling, but would settle and rely on the Lord to help her as she studies. Please pray for Nathan, as
his work permit expires in April of this year. We are trusting God for the renewal to come and for the door to remain open to serve in Kenya. Please also pray for his prison permit renewal, that it would process with no problems.
Please pray for Carrie and all of her responsibilities, both in teaching the girls and her other ways she helps the family. Please pray also for her to have stable friends and relationships, as this is so needed while on the mission field. Please pray for Nathan and Roger as they work together in church planting, that the Lord would give wisdom on the best way to proceed. They have tried different ways of doing church planting and they have all had challenges. Pray as they continue to pray and trust God to give them help and wisdom as they rely on Him. Finally, pray for the upcoming year and the challenges ahead. We know there will be challenges, but we trust God through them and know He is in full control. We will remember to pray for each of you also, as you serve the Lord faithfully wherever He has led you.
With the upcoming year, it is easy to get anxious at times and to falter in our faith. How we need to remind ourselves of verses such as Philippians 4:6,7 which say ““Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Isn’t that wonderful? As we pray and trust the Lord, His peace, which passes all understanding, will come. Do you desire that peace? Do I? I hope and pray so. God bless you all as you serve Him. Have a wonderful 2016 ahead and we are so thankful and appreciative for each of you. We will
be sure to do our best to keep you updated.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Mission Sheets: November 2015 [PDF Version]
Get your advanced PDF copy of the November 2015 Mission Sheets at the link below!
BFM Mission Sheets – November 2015
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [December 2015]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
November 26, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Hello dear friends. The day that I’m sitting here writing this newsletter is actually Thanksgiving Day back in the States. In Kenya it is just another day (Yes, I’m sure you’re shocked to hear that Kenyans don’t celebrate American holidays). It’s actually sad for us Americans who would love to be celebrating Thanksgiving with our families back home. Holidays back home are a nostalgic time and a time of missing family and friends.
And now that I said Kenyans don’t celebrate Thanksgiving I now have to admit that today actually is a public holiday – a one time public holiday for this year only was announced earlier in the week. Why? Because the Pope is in Kenya today. I believe this is the first time he has visited Kenya (not just the current Pope but any Pope). While it is not a big deal for me it appears to be a big deal in Kenya. A million people (over a quarter of the total population of Nairobi) are expected to gather and see the Pope perform mass. So, while your public holiday surrounds the giving of thanks, our public holiday surrounds the arrival of the Pope.
Now, speaking of Thanksgiving, I see from Facebook posts from various people that our tradition of giving thanks to God on this day for His bountiful blessings is under attack like never before. People are making it all about racism, the suppression of Native Americans, genocide, political agendas and what not. Now, while this attack on our desire to return thanks to the One who is deserving grieves me, I do not want to entangle myself today with the arguments. Instead, in the spirit of Thanksgiving:
- Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Son, his sinless life, his sacrifice for us on the cross, his resurrection and defeat of the grave
- Thank you, Lord, for your grace, your mercy and forgiveness in our lives, and for the salvation you offer us through your Son.
- Thank you, Lord, for your Spirit who strengthens your children, gives us wisdom and guidance and empowers us to do your work and ministry here on this earth
- Thank you, Lord, for your eternal plan that you established from the foundation of the world that cannot be thwarted or prevented
- Thank you, Lord, that you hold all things in the power of your hand, that you are sovereign and transcendent, faithful and trustworthy
- Thank you, Lord, that while you are transcendent, we can know you personally through our mediator, Jesus Christ
- Thank you, Lord, that you change our hearts and minds and continually mold us into the image of Jesus
- Thank you, Lord, that you allow us to minister and work in your name for the blessings of the nations of this world
- Thank you, Lord, that you cleanse us from our sins and transport us into the Kingdom of your Son
- Thank you, Lord, that you have prepared for us an eternal home where we will live with you and worship you forever
- Thank you, Lord, that when this age is over you will return for us and will make all things in this world right again
- Thank you, Lord, for loving us
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 Emily, Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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Missionary Update: AJ & Barbara Hensley in Brazil [November 2015]
The Hensleys have spent nearly 15 years serving in Brazil. They run a vocational school and orphanage in Caraguatatuba and have also established a church and mission points throughout the city.
November 9, 2015
Dear friends and family,
Well another AWESOME month has become history here in Caraguatatuba, Brasil! It is just AWESOME what God is doing. Lots of physical labor being done on our new Church building. Just think, what used to be a soccer club building has been converted into an AWESOME sanctuary for the Church and the upstairs that will be used for Sunday School rooms and a kitchen.
We have had a wonderful time this month with our children’s ministry. Here we celebrate a holiday that we do not have in the States. It is called Children’s Day. It is a day bigger than Christmas for the children here in Brasil. Our attendance was 119, we had a special breakfast for the children and then each of them received a present. This was accomplished by the generosity of many Churches and individuals there in the States. The boys got soccer balls and the girls got Barbie dolls along with various other things. We include things like toothpaste toothbrushes and other hygiene articles. There were a bunch of HAPPY children on that day.
Back to the Church—we have sealed the walls where the roof has been installed and began the drop ceiling downstairs—this is to cover up the places in the ceiling where we removed 3 walls to make the room bigger for our Church services. We had to put in a steel beam as the walls that we removed were load-bearing walls. Overcoming many obstacles, these areas are now one big room. And this big room will soon be our sanctuary. The drop ceiling that is being installed is making an AWESOME difference in the interior appearance. Just beautiful if I may say so!
This construction and remodeling has at times been very trying. But through it all God is and has been supplying our many needs. How AWESOME is the God we serve. Here we get to see miracles almost daily. It helps one to see how the Apostles were in Bible times. When they would meet they would ask “How has your day been?” the other would answer like this, “Just one miracle after another.” Our God is AWESOME and He is still in the miracle business. We just have to have our eyes open to see what He is doing all around us. This could not happen without the prayer support of many praying saints back home. THANKS.
Another prayer request: pray for our “Pastors Conference” Nov. 10-13. We are planning for 200 to 250 Pastors and wives. This Conference is planned in conjunction with several Pastors in the States. They come down and do the classes for the Pastors. It is just heartwarming that these Pastors and their Churches are giving of their time and money to help train our Brasilian brothers. A big THANK YOU to Dr. Ji Perdue, Pr. Mike Durough, Dr. David Grantham, Pr. Jason Hamblin, Pastor Tim Price and Dr. Louann Purcell (she will be bringing studies to the Pastors’ wives) and their Churches. We see this Conference as one more way of reaching Brasil with the gospel. How AWESOME!!!!
Pray for Barb and I as when this Pastors Conference is over we will be coming back to the States for more Dr. appointments and possibly some treatment. Thanks in advance for your prayers. Thanks for your financial help and thanks for your encouragement. We need all three of these things to do God’s work here in Caraguatatuba, Brasil.
If you would like to see your mission dollars at work, come to Caraguatatuba and we will introduce you to the work that God is doing here. Come on down!!!!
In His service,
AJ and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
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