Settling Back in Brazil
February 1, 2023
Wow! It has been a joyfully exhausting time since we arrived in São Paulo. Long days and short nights, but plenty of energy and grace from the Lord.
Struggles of settling back in
It has been a crazy season for us as a family. We needed to remodel the house before we arrived, but contractors kept delaying and didn’t finish before we returned. We arrived at the house with over half of the work still needing completion. Fortunately (even after weeks of delays and endless hours on the phone), the remodeling is coming to completion, the dust is settling down, and we began unpacking our bags. Additionally, the car on loan to us ended up with multiple issues and left us stranded too many times – overheating, losing power due to the fuel injector, and other issues. Praise the Lord, we purchased a vehicle, but the loaned car is still in the shop.
Exciting times for the ministry
During all things crazy (of settling back into life in São Paulo), we managed to visit all the people who are part of the Imagine church plant in São Paulo. We plan to have our first evangelistic gathering in February— a one-day camp/picnic with plenty of food, games, competitions, and a Gospel message. This occasion will also serve as a team regroup strategy. Word is getting out among friends of friends, and it should be a great event. The post-event follow-up with families and those who make life-changing decisions is crucial in moments like this one. Please, pray with us as we prepare.
I traveled to the interior of São Paulo and Paraná this last weekend to visit the churches my grandfather (John Hatcher) started. In Garça, I had breakfast with pastors on Saturday morning, where I proposed they join the network I lead, “Rede Convivência” (Life Together Network). All who attended came on board the network. In the afternoon, we (Pastors Gilberto, Epitácio, and I) drove an hour to Pompéia, where a church needs to be replanted/vitalized. We dreamed together at the building location and looked for houses for rent. Pastor Epitácio (Odali Barros’ brother) is considering leading the endeavor at Pompéia. I drove an hour and a half to Lupércio for their church anniversary on Saturday evening. The building was packed, and we had a marvelous celebration! Early Sunday morning, I drove an additional 2 hours to Cornélio Procópio, Paraná, to visit churches and Pastors Valdir and Silvio. We celebrated with them during the morning worship gatherings and had lunch together. We are discussing the possibility of starting a church in Londrina (the second-largest city in Paraná state). Please, pray with us as we mobilize churches and pastors to develop new leaders for church planting and kingdom expansion.
Our kids started school this week. We are grateful to finally begin a normal routine with the family and work. Grateful for your prayers and support. We are blessed by you.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
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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God is Still Marvelously Saving Sinners!
January 31, 2023
Dear Friends,
“A blast from the past,” I think is an expression that seems to pop up occasionally. That is what I got a few days ago. And it was a good “blast.” She is a lady now, but was a nine-year-old girl when we met Tabitha in 1987. In our first church plant in Curitiba, Brazil, Tabitha was a round faced little girl who we invited to our children’s Bible school. She and two of her younger siblings would come regularly to church each week. She was taught the gospel and she memorized Scripture and learned a lot about God’s will for her life. Despite several years of showing her love and biblical teaching, Tabitha chose to lead her own life and it was not in the direction that she learned in our Bible studies and church services. For many years she was involved in demon worship and witchcraft. The “blast from the past” came last week when Tabitha messaged me, sharing that she had treasured all our teaching and examples in her heart and had finally surrendered her life to Christ! She has been marvelously saved from her life of sin and asked me if I would baptize her as she begins her new life in obedience to God. Oh, how amazing is our Savior’s grace!
Our evangelism team, Projeto Vida, has just completed its first Missions Training Seminar of the year. We had volunteers from several Brazilian states participating in this three-week experience. The first two weeks were spent in biblical and theoretical studies, and the last week was the practical application of what was learned in the classroom. During this edition of our training seminar, the volunteers accompanied our veteran team of missionaries to native Indian tribes in the neighboring countries of Paraguay and Argentina, as well as to a settlement on the Brazilian side of the shared border. Day and night the volunteers and veterans shared the gospel with hundreds of lost individuals, from little children, even to the tribal chiefs. The Lord blessed greatly and many of them openly confessed Jesus as their Savior. We’ve partnered with a local Baptist church to begin the discipleship process among those who have been converted.
Our missionaries to Portugal, Yago and Manoela, reported that they are learning some very important and helpful lessons as they reach out to the lost there. One such lesson was learned shortly after they arrived about the city where they thought they would reside in and begin a church plant. They discovered as they visited the city that most of the city’s population is made up of “vacationers”. That information helped them realize that it would be very difficult to establish a thriving church with a population that is mostly transient. They are in the process of moving to a city where the population is more permanently established. They have begun regular fellowship meetings with some other Brazilian Christians they discovered also reside in Portugal. Their main purpose, though, is to win the Portuguese people to Christ, not to form a Brazilian church in Portugal. Later this year, Charlene and I intend to go there to take some supplies and to lend some leadership training. Please pray for the success of Yago and Manoela’s ministry efforts in Portugal.
Our church will hold its first service in our “new” (for us) auditorium this coming Sunday. We held our last service in the old auditorium last week with standing room only. By God’s grace, we were packed! In my message to the congregation, I encouraged the members to invest themselves in what the Lord is doing. In an amazing show of enthusiasm and desire to serve Jesus, a large portion of the congregation showed up with tools and willing hands and hearts to move our equipment and furnishings to the new location. Many of them are working every day until 11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. installing equipment and arranging furniture to be ready to launch our first service in the new location after having worked all day at their regular jobs. I thank the Lord for the privilege to pastor such a dedicated group of brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a lot of work ahead of us to adjust to our new installations, but this group of volunteers makes it a joy, and not a burden.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Contact Info:
Bobby & Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1@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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Edson Graduates from Veterinary School
January 29, 2023
It has been a very busy month. To say it has been a blessing would be an understatement. We have had a house full of visitors: our children, their spouses, and our GRANDchildren. Mary Katherine and Walmir, and their two daughters Chelsea and Ashley; Bryan Keith and Jill, and their daughter Briley. All our children and grandchildren at one time! Oh, how blessed we have been. Oh, how AWESOME is the Lord and SAVIOR we serve.
I had forgotten how busy things can get when you are trying to keep up with three young children (ages 12, 14 and 15) and all the places they want to see together. Bryan and family only got to be with us for one week, but Mary and family were able to stay for three weeks. After their departure, the house seemed so lonely.
So, we left for our trip to Brazil. It was a twofold trip. We were to visit some of the pastors there about the seminary and attend the graduation of Edson Martins. We were on nonstop appointments with five pastors, explaining the new ways that we will be teaching at the Seminary and the use of the internet. Our time in Brazil also included around 3,000 miles of travel into four different cities and two states: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
The highlight of our trip has been the graduation of Edson, that we, as his adopted parents, were to be there. He came to the orphanage at the age of eight or nine. We have been able to see what God can do in the lives of those who will accept Him and put Him first in their lives. This young man went from a street kid to now being called a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Again, the word to describe this can only be AWESOME.
So, thank You, Lord, for putting Edson in our lives. And thank You for walking with him through all these years while in school.
Thanks to BFM for sending missionaries to the mission fields to carry the good news to the people in other countries so we can see the miracles that God can do there and everywhere. God is AWESOME every time.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@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.
Read more
Everyone Helping in Church Building Project
January 29, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are thankful to our Lord for all the things He has blessed us with. The beginning of the new year is going well. We are working to get more people involved in the church and ministries. The couple that is helping at the village of Ubim is doing great. The church had a bus that was not being used. So, the couple is bringing the people from Ubim to the mother church once or twice a week. The teens there have enjoyed coming.
This month the main church is working on building a wall around the church. We are doing it as a church group project. Everyone is helping as they can: cooking, digging, mixing concrete, or carrying bricks.
The only problems that we have had are our cars. They love the mechanic’s shop. We pray that this time they will get fixed. We found a new mechanic that is very careful with his work. Pray that all will go well. Kathy has planned some visits with some of the women of the church but has not been able to go. Since there is not cellphone signal everywhere here, it is dangerous to be on the roads.
Another project we have is a camp to have to use for the ministry. In these villages, there is nothing for the kids to do, but lots of drugs. So, we want to build a camp where we can have lots of activities for the kids, teens, and adults. We have started cleaning the area and opening the area to build the dorms. Pray with us that all goes as God has planned for us.
Thanks for all your love and support. God bless each of you!
Odali and Kathy Barros
Kids giving water to people who drove by on bikes and motorcycles and in cars. 
Contact Info:
Odali & Kathy Barros
Iranduba, Amazonas
Brasil, SA
odali_kathy@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
Fruitful Opportunities in New Friendships
January 15, 2023
Dear Fellow Disciples of Christ,
We hope your new calendar year is starting well. This is the first week of my 71st year and it doesn’t seem much different from last week. (LOL) It is good to remind myself that with the Lord “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
We are thankful and encouraged by the blessings from our Father this past year. He has given us fruitful opportunities in new friendships. Last week Judy was out walking and saw a lady who had stopped and was swinging her leg. Judy asked her if she was OK and this lady responded that she was fine but had recently had a hip replacement. This encounter led to a long walk together. The lady began sharing details of her life. She just turned 70 on December 25 and was impressed that she was the same age as Judy and I. She was widowed a couple years ago, is quite lonely, and strongly encouraged Judy to come and visit her! They have been texting each other. God has given us a number of similar encounters this year and the process of pursuing these friendships and sharing what He has done for us continues.
Our church meeting today was wonderful. We are studying through the letter to the Hebrews. The congregation is avidly attentive. Our Bible studies during the week are also going well. During the last three days we learned that two of the participants placed their faith in Christ. One is Kerwan, a young man who is now a High School Science teacher. We have had the joy of presenting the Gospel to him since he was in Elementary School. He regularly came to Youth meetings when he was in Middle School and High School. He will be getting baptized soon. He is one of the two believers besides Judy and me in the Bible study in L’Union. The participants in this Bible study show a great interest.
The other confession of faith is by Elliot, the oldest son of the couple who host the Bible study in their home in Campagne sur Arize. He trusted Christ on Christmas Day. The Parents led him to Christ when he expressed a desire to trust Jesus.
The youth meetings are also very encouraging. Most of the teenagers who come are believers. This year we are discussing how to express your faith and share the good news.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for the believers and those who are seeking as the Light of God draws them. Give thanks with us for the new believers and the growth of the disciples.
May our Father’s love be evident to you today,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
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
Opportunities in a New Semester
January 8, 2023
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
I pray all of you had a wonderful and Christ-filled Christmas season. God is so good to all of us (all of His children) and we praise Him for the gift of His Son that brings us redemption and salvation. I am learning that God is good and that I complain too much.
All of my students were gone for the month of December – to rest, to spend time with family, and to celebrate the birth of the Son of God. So, while I was not in the classroom for the month of December, I was certainly not idle. I spent the month of December preparing for the two classes I will teach starting in January. I am very excited about both classes. I have the opportunity to teach Basic Theology and New Testament Survey to eager and excited Kenya students. I am excited about this term because of these two courses. These are important things for Bible students and future church leaders to learn and study. What a grand opportunity to instill into future Kenyan pastors and church leaders some of the wisdom I have gleaned from God’s Word so that they can take the Word of God back to their own people and minister to them in Jesus’ Name. I pray that some of them will even be so moved by the Holy Spirit that they take the gospel message even beyond their own people to other unreached peoples of Kenya and the surrounding countries. Lord, thank You that I get to entrust to others what little I know. May they take Your Word to all people and may Your Kingdom grow mightily in this place. May the gospel of Your Son be known and may He be loved and followed by all of Your beloved Kenyan people.
One of my new students this term is Daniel T. I am giving you Daniel’s English name because, honestly, I cannot pronounce or spell his given name or his family name. Daniel is from the world’s newest country – South Sudan. South Sudan recently received independence from Sudan, which is a predominantly Muslim country. South Sudan is a challenging place to live – Very hot, very dry, not much water, impoverished, lots of persecution. I would cherish the opportunity to visit there some day and to share and teach the gospel. I have only met a few South Sudanese people, but those I have met have left a lasting impression upon me. Not only are they always happy and smiling but the few that I have met have a big passion for taking the gospel of Jesus to their people. Daniel is no different. He is married and has two children, but he leaves them for three months at a time to come to Kenya and learn the Bible. I personally do not recommend doing that, but he wants to minister the gospel to his suffering people. Lord, may You bless Daniel for his sacrifices. Lord, keep his passion for Jesus big and his heart for Your Kingdom and his Sudanese people large. Protect him, his family, and his people from all enemies of the gospel and entrust to him a great ministry, empowered by Your Holy Spirit.
Another of my roles at the school is to serve as the Finance Manager. I usually have a plethora of students coming through my door to sit and talk with me about their finances. Most face great challenges in paying their fees and I have great compassion for them. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, the financial challenges that face most Kenyans are very great. Most that come in to talk with me are at the end of their rope. I cry with them. I pray with them. I teach them Biblical financial principles. I help them work through various plans to assist them with their finances. This is very challenging for me too but it is a crucial part of their learning. Milkah is a student I counseled this week. A church leader had promised to sponsor her and pay for her schooling but has now backed out of that commitment. He told her to focus on her studies and not to worry about fees. Now, she is in crisis mode because she did what he advised. She sobbed into her handkerchief as she sat in my office. I cried with her and counseled her. I prayed with her that God would provide for her needs, even if it took a miracle. I helped her think through her financial situation and we are working through a plan. Lord, bless Milkah. Replace her stress and anxiety with peace and trust. Bless her efforts to raise the money she needs. And when You provide her with the finances she needs we will stop and thank You and praise You for goodness towards Your children.
Blessings to all,
Roger, Julie & Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
Moffat Bible College
P.O. Box 70
Kijabe, Kenya 00220
rojuta@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.
Read more
Blessings in December
December 22, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope that all of you have had a blessed year. God has been wonderful and things here are going well. The year went by so fast. It’s hard to believe it is December. God gave us the opportunity to visit our children in the USA. We are thankful for the people that God prepared to help with the works here while we are traveling. The new couple that is helping in the village of Ubim has really been a blessing. They are getting more and more involved with the youth. They are giving music classes to those teens that are interested. At the mother church, we are trying to reach out to the areas that have no churches nearby. Pray that God will guide us and open more doors. Also, for next year, we plan on doing some river ministry. Pray that God will direct us and send the help we will need.
When we arrived in the United States, our son Zinho picked us up in Florida. On our way up to Evansville, we realized we would be going by Lexington at the time of Sunday School. So, we decided to make a surprise for our dear friend, Pastor Steve Wainright, and his members. What a wonderful moment. We would love to see more people, but our trip is short.
The time we are having with our children and grandkids has been wonderful.
God bless each of you dear friends and supporters.
Love in Christ,
Odali and Kathy
Music Lessons in Ubim 
Surprising the Wainrights 
Time with Grandkids
Contact Info:
Odali & Kathy Barros
Iranduba, Amazonas
Brasil, SA
odali_kathy@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
Seekers in Bible Studies
December 16, 2022
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Judy and I are grateful for your support and the prayers. If you have prayed for the Bible study at L’Union, you will be glad to know that your prayers are being answered. We are very encouraged by the interest shown in the meetings. The hostess, Blandine and her son, Kerwan, are believers who know the Scriptures well. They are great participants helping their friends understand what we are reading. The others are not believers, have practically no knowledge of the Bible, but are clearly seeking. God has opened great doors of friendship with each of them. We started with the first few chapters of Genesis and are now slowly working our way through the Gospel of John. Please continue to pray for these studies and the seekers who are there.
The other Bible studies are also going quite well. The one at Mazere is made up of 10 individuals from very different backgrounds who all profess faith in Christ. They range in age from mid-forties to mid-seventies. We are presently studying the book of Ruth. The long-term plan is to study the Old Testament passages that tell about the women who are specifically mentioned in the genealogy of Christ in the opening verses of the Gospel of Matthew. This group is a mixture of people with an outstanding knowledge of the Bible and some who have a ways to go.
The Bible Study in Campagne-sur-Arize is four people from our church, and Laure and Henri, a couple who are believers with very little knowledge of the Scriptures. Judy teaches this couple’s children while the adults study.
We are also delighted with new contacts that God has given and we look forward to what He will do in the days ahead.
A bit of trivia to remind us that the time is short and that we “must work while it is yet day.” Judy and I met the parents of Blandine (lady who hosts the first Bible study mentioned above) when we first came to France. It dawned on me this week that she is the same age now as her parents were when we first met them. We have been here for an entire generation and there is still much to be done! So, keep praying!
Your co-laborers in Christ,
Judy and John
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
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
