Mrs. Alice Joyce “Othermama” Wacaser Meets Jesus Face-to-Face
The Lord called His servant Mrs. Alice Joyce “Othermama” Wacaser home on Saturday, March 14, 2015. She was the mother of our faithful missionary to Brazil, Bobby Wacaser. She was diagnosed with advanced stages of Leukemia during the first week of March. At that time, she was given maybe two months to live. The Lord called her Home to Heaven just a few short days later. Bobby and Charlene were able to make immediate arrangements to fly back to Florida and be with her a few days before her death. Please continue to ask our Father to give them all His grace, peace, comfort, and strength during these times of adjustments.
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” -2 Timothy 1:5
We thank God for the Gospel seeds Mrs. Wacaser sowed in the lives of her children, who in turn have gone to scatter seeds on foreign soil.
Obituary for Mrs. Alice Joyce “Othermama” Wacaser
from Hopewell Funeral Home
WACASER, Alice Joyce “Othermama”, 80, of, Plant City, Florida, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, March 14, 2015. She was a selfless servant of Jesus through her unconditional love. She is survived by her husband, Bill Wacaser; children, Joy Pearcy, Terry Wacaser (Allison), Bobby Wacaser (Charlene), Gary Wacaser (Helen), Denise Wacaser (Keith), and Jeffrey Wacaser (Christie); daughter-in-law, Dee Dee Wacaser (wife of Rossie); siblings, Margaret Petrie, and Larry Copeland; and 28 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren; and many other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her sons Rossie Wacaser, and Ronnie Wacaser. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 21 at 5:00 P.M. at Ahava Baptist Church, 6015 W. Farkas Road, Plant City 33567; fellowship to follow. Private interment at Hopewell Memorial Gardens, Plant City. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to LifePath Hospice, and/or Ahava Baptist Church Missions Program. Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mrs. Alice Joyce “Othermama” Wacaser please visit our Sympathy Store.
If you would like to write to Bobby Wacaser, his email address is bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com.
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Mission Sheets: February 2015 [PDF Version]
The February 2015 issue of the Mission Sheets is now available! Get your advanced PDF copy of the February 2015 Mission Sheets at the link below.
BFM Mission Sheets – February 2015
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Missionary Update: Mike & Beverly Creiglow in Brazil [March 2015]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together since 1971. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
March 11, 2015
Dear Brethren,
Two and a half months into 2015 and we have had only 4 days with no rain. Many of the river towns of our state have had the biggest floods in history. Thousands of families, not individuals, but families are out of their homes. Cruzeiro do Sul sits so high that we have not had as much trouble. It is wet beyond belief though. I can’t mow our grass. I had some papaya trees that were producing, but have died and papaya is tropical and likes water!
The rains haven’t hurt attendance that much though. At this point we are above last year’s averages. Thirty-five new members were added by baptism. This was our first baptism this year. We also held the Lord’s Supper for the first time. We have been praying and working diligently to get the church back in moral and spiritual shape to continue these important life activities. A few more have been saved and a few others added by letter. We still have a way to go to get back to normal, but by God’s grace we will get there.
Since I fired my maintenance man, I have been working long hours trying to get all of the neglected work and repairs caught up. Things are shaping up nicely. It has been a challenge though to keep up preparing quality sermons, daily meditation sheets for the church, preparing lessons for membership classes, counseling, visitation and lessons for seminary classes while hanging doors and mopping floors. This week the Lord made sure I took a day off to rest. I caught some kind of bug and was so sick for a while that I was balled up on the floor in the bathroom. That last sentence was probably more info than you really wanted.
Since we are into more detail than you want….A couple of weeks back I went to teach about security of the believer at one of our congregations way out in the bush. The congregation is past the church at Assis Brasil. After the asphalt ends I continued on a wet messy dirt road for a few more miles then turned right on an even narrower dirt road, then right again, narrower still. The congregation has over 60 members. After introducing the subject and reading the first 2 texts I became suddenly sick and had to excuse myself. I asked them to sing some songs. I rushed out into the bush to “recover”. This all took me by surprise as I had been feeling great. For perhaps the first time in my many years on the mission field I did not have a wad of TP in my hip pocket. Well after my “recovery” I went back in and finished my lesson as if nothing had happened. The folks were very gracious and acted like they didn’t even notice. This had never happened to me in 49 years of ministry. New experiences happen all the time in missions. Most are fun, others not so much.
Please pray for Brazil. You think the US is messed up? Take a look at Brazil. The socialist government of the past 12 years has managed to destroy all the gains made in the brief 8 year experiment with free markets that preceded the present administration. Besides the biggest corruption scandal in human history that is unfolding right now the country has been dragged relentlessly down the social reform path. Brazil is way “ahead” of the US on issues like abortion and gay marriage. Unrest is high and a potentially big nationwide protest is being planned for this coming Sunday. There are even many people calling for the return of the military regime! It’s bad.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike Creiglow
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [March 2015]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil since 1974. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
March 05, 2015
Dear Friends and Co-laborers,
We greet each of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are thankful for God’s goodness and grace this new month. Praise God the Father for providing unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He supplies our every need and much more and we are so grateful to our God.
Wanda’s mother, Mrs. Willa Mcgary came to live with us. She is the widow of pastor/missionary Wilford McGary, they were sent as missionaries to Kentucky’s Appalachia in the early 50’s and served there for thirty-five years. Well, on the forth of March Willa had her ninetieth birthday. Wanda planned a nice party and many of our old and new friends and brothers in Christ here in Florida came to rejoice with us. Willa and all who came enjoyed the food and fellowship. We are thankful for Mrs. Willa’s life of service to the Lord; and no doubt, one of her greatest joys and anticipations is the meeting of God’s children in church. We pray for God’s continual blessings on her life.
New mission starting in down town Manaus. Some years back we were able to purchase a vacant lot in the downtown area. Soon after, urban renewal took most of the land in the area – our lot not affected – and moved most of the people to other areas. Because of the uncertainty, we waited to see how the renewal would work out. Often, government projects in Brazil have a way of not getting finished, but this one was completed. The opportunity looks good and God has raised a team with a vision to reach the area. We are awaiting the building permit to get the construction underway. Pray for the permit and building to be finished as soon as possible; pray for the team, as they get started, to always have a heart to reach the lost and that the gospel seed will find fertile soil producing much fruit for the kingdom of heaven.
We pray for you that your remembrance and knowledge of our Lord, the only true God, may abundantly increase in wisdom and discernment, that your trust and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ may be steadfast always, and that the love of his Holy Spirit may fill and overflow in your every word and action, with thanksgiving to God though Jesus Christ our only Lord and Life.
rphatcher[at]gmail.com
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont, FL 34714
(239)227-6551
Click here to give.
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [March 2015]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I want to send a special thank you to all those who have helped with the adoption process for Chloe. Julie and I appreciate so much that so many would want to assist us in bringing Chloe into our family. We are currently grieved at the moratorium the Kenyan government has placed on foreign adoptions. This decision by the current cabinet is NOT taking into consideration the needs and welfare of the Kenyan children. We are praying the Kenyan government will quickly lift this moratorium and allow us to continue on with the adoption process. Please also be in much prayer for this as we truly believe God has led us to this decision in our lives and in our family. Chloe is thriving and doing so well physically and mentally. Her rapid physical development has amazed me and we thank God for taking such good care of her.
I thank God for my other children as well. They are all such a blessing to me. Emily is currently in Michigan where she would like to gain residency and continue her education. The state of Michigan is being somewhat difficult and this has caused her some delay. Amy is continuing at Rift Valley Academy where she is taking her eighth grade year. It is difficult having to hear of her drama that she deals with on a day by day basis. It seems all eighth grade girls have a lot of drama in their lives. Josiah is our only other child at home besides Chloe. He is still home schooled and will continue to be home schooled until September when he will also attend Rift Valley Academy as a boarding student. He is growing fast (he is second tallest in the family now, behind only me) and his voice is growing deeper. We don’t have a little boy in the family any more.
We pray that God will continue to bless the ministries in Kitale. We have started a new home group that is progressing well. Each week we have a good number of people who gather for worship, prayer and Bible study. The host family is so faithful and generous in opening their home and in showing us love, kindness and hospitality. We are trying to share the love of Christ with all who come. You all can pray that we would have people who faithfully come each week to worship God and hear the teaching from His Word. We do have some that come every week but many of the others are very sporadic. We would like to see God capture the hearts of these people that they might know Him, love Him and serve Him with all their hearts. What a blessing it is for us to be able to minister to these beloved Kenyan people and to teach them how to know Him and serve Him. Thank you, Lord, for these new people to minister to and, Lord, we pray that many more would come to know you as their Savior and Lord and that your kingdom would spread in this world and especially in Kitale, Kenya.
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: Bobby & Charlene Wacaser in Brazil [March 2015]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
March 6, 2015
Dear Friends,
I got one of those horrible painful calls this week. My youngest sister called to tell me that my 80 year old mother has been diagnosed with Leukemia. She also said that it is in a very advanced stage and that she doesn’t have much time on earth. My mother knows Jesus and she is ready to go home to him, but I ask that you would pray for her to have the strength and grace to honor him in her final days in her pain and suffering. My dad has failing health also and the news about his bride of 64 years having a terminal illness has left him nearly without a will to live, himself. My wife, Charlene, and I will be taking a furlough to the US for some months to help my brothers and sisters out during this trying time for us all. All of our ministries here in Brazil are in the good hands of leaders and helpers we’ve prepared for just such a time as this.
Despite these weighty circumstances, we will continue our ministry partnerships with our Brazilian church, Projeto Vida and our young missionary to a Muslim country to the degree that it is possible. In fact, we have a group of 48 teenagers arriving in just a few hours to spend a week evangelizing in the local schools and public parks.
We will have the thrill of baptizing on this coming Sunday one of our first translator volunteers who recently surrendered his life to Christ. His name is Milton and he is 65 years old. When we met Milton 14 years ago he claimed to be an atheist. He loved to help us translate the gospel message every year when this group of youth comes, but just this winter, Milton sensed the Spirit of God speaking to him to repent and accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He did that and now he wants to be baptized and let everyone know that he is now a follower of Christ. We are so thrilled and thankful to God for His mercy and persistence to extend salvation, even when we first reject His love. Milton is my new brother!
Before we leave Brazil next week, I am planning to seek out 3 of my close friends who have come to church on many occasions and, with whom I have shared the gospel several times, to seriously consider surrendering their lives to Christ. We never know how long we have in this world or what events may take place affecting future opportunities to share Christ’s message of salvation, so I don’t want to leave these friends without making an extra effort to persuade them to trust Christ. I pray that their hearts will be receptive to His grace.
Charlene and I are so thankful to all of you who pray for us faithfully and give so that we may serve the Lord through Baptist Faith Missions. We trust that He will bless you both now and eternally for your faithfulness.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)481-7007
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [March 2015]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
March 5, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord’s blessings. You are a blessing to us and the work of the Lord in France.
As mentioned in our last letter, Darrell and Shirley Messer were with us for a few days early in February. We certainly enjoyed visiting with them. Unfortunately, our winter school vacation started just as they arrived and our Sunday meeting was a record low for the last couple of years. Several of our regularly scheduled Bible studies and activities did not take place for the same reason, but the Messers were able to see some of what God is doing here.
Two days ago, Judy and I celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe that it was really that long ago. When I was about ten years old, my mother encouraged us in one of our family devotional times to begin praying for the person God wanted us to marry. I began doing this on a regular basis and God certainly answered my prayers. As Christ and the apostle Paul tell us, some people receive the gift of being able to serve the Lord as a single person. I am so grateful for several believers that I know who have committed their lives to the service of God as single people. The Lord created us and knows us intimately. He certainly knew that I would not be very effective alone. I am thankful beyond words for the life and ministry mate God gave me.
Last week we started a new Bible study in the neighboring department. We had intended on starting it two months ago but the host couple lost a newborn child and postponed the first meeting. I had met this couple last November when they arrived in our area with a job transfer. What a wonderful surprise we had for the kick off last Wednesday. Thinking that there would be perhaps 6 individuals present, we were thrilled to have a dozen. This new couple are great recruiters. Judy and I both delightfully await what God will do through this Bible study. Our other Bible studies are going well as are the Sunday meetings.
Dad turns 90 in April and we are planning to be in the US for just a few days to celebrate this event with Dad and the family and also to attend the Spring Missions Conference hosted by Thompson Rd. Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. It has been 6 years since we were last at this conference. I would love to see you there.
We pray that God will meet your needs and use you as His light where you live. Please pray for us.
Proclaiming the Good News in France,
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 [March 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.
March 3, 2015
Dear praying friends,
We are now into the month of March, which is hard to believe. Here in Kenya, it is regularly around 70-90 degrees at this time of year. I know this is hard to believe, as there is so much snow right now all over the United States. These are times of the year that we miss, as when we are on furlough, we take our daughters outside to build snowmen, play in the snow, and have a good time. Soon, it will be rainy season here, where the rains come down regularly and heavily at times. I remember a few years ago when it rained so hard that even taxis and minivans were getting stuck in the mud on the road where we live. We hope each of you are enjoying this year of 2015.
As I mentioned before, my partner Roger Tate and I are starting a new group in an area of Kitale called Robinson. Robinson is a big area, and there are many to be reached. We have had many children coming to the meetings, as well as adults. One of the challenges we have had is how to minister to the children also, as we want them to receive Biblical teaching also. We have been using a book in Swahili to teach the kids the Bible, as we just finished on Noah and the flood. It has been encouraging to watch the children respond to the questions and see how they are learning the Word of God.
We praise the Lord for the faithful adults that have been coming also, and ask you to pray for them. At this point it is a Bible study group, where we are doing our best to teach them each week in Swahili many teachings from the Bible. We pray that if it would be the Lord’s will, that this group would be organized into a church at a later point. Swahili three times a week in the various ministries is exhausting and time consuming, so I would ask you to pray for me also as I prepare to attempt to teach weekly in the language.
The annex prison ministry is continuing along well. We just finished in the teachings of Noah and the ark. I did my best to teach the men that the vast majority in the days of Noah did not care about living for the Lord, pleasing Him, and how they ignored the warnings of God, which ultimately resulted in their death and punishment. Matthew 24:38 says “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” They were doing their own thing, ignoring God’s warnings. The thing I like about the Firm Foundations course are the visuals that come with many of the lessons. It is exciting to watch the men as they look at the Biblical photos during the lessons, and apply the truths to their lives.
Our children are continuing along well. McKenna is such a good student in school and learning many things. Camille will be starting school soon, so please pray for her as well. Please also pray for me as a father, as I try to teach them about the many truths of the Bible in an understandable way. I am responsible before God for the Biblical training of my family, so please pray for me as I desire to lead my family to follow the Lord and teach them from the Word of God.
In closing, please pray for safety while traveling. The traffic in Kitale has gotten significantly worse over the years. There are so many motorcycles everywhere, minivans that are impatient and overtaking when they should not be, people not paying attention as they walk through the roads, etc. It is a major challenge to drive here, but we thank the Lord for His protection as we travel. The roads are congested, but we thank the Lord each day for His watch care over us. This is simply to request your prayers for us as we travel here, knowing the Lord will help us. He has been so faithful.
God’s blessings to you and have a wonderful month ahead.
Serving in Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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