A Baptism, A Wedding, & New Bible Study
August 8, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The past few weeks have been very busy and wonderful. Judy and I have driven hundreds of miles, have seen God at work in many different ways and have had wonderful moments with our family.
Early in the month was our neighborhood dinner. It was at the very first of these that we met the first person who started coming to our first Bible study and who later trusted Christ as Savior. This year we met four new families with children who have moved into our neighborhood. All of these are in homes within 100 feet of ours. I was able to speak briefly with two of these couples about what we do here. They informed me that they respected the beliefs of others but were themselves atheist. This is an answer we hear often.
On July 24 we drove north about 200 miles to baptize an 80-year-old lady, Michelle Pascale. We met her for the first time 15 years ago and she trusted Christ 7 years ago. She asked me to preach from John 4 about the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well. “I am that woman,” she said. This lady has 6 children and all but one were at the baptism along with their spouses and children. This weekend was also Michele’s birthday. She invited her children to celebrate her party hoping that they would also attend her baptism and hear the Gospel. Some said that they would not attend the baptism. However, God allowed us to befriend most of them before the baptism and I invited them to attend. ALL of them attended and in later conversations with me and other believers, they expressed how they were touched by the message. Please pray for Michelle’s family.
Our daughter, Lydia, and son-in-law, Adam, and their four children (our grandchildren) arrived from Chicago on the Tuesday after the baptism. They came to attend Nathalie’s marriage. Nathalie, our second grandchild and Philip and Amanda’s second child was married to Brice Arlot on August 5. Brice is a fine Christian young man from the city of Briançon, the highest European city in the Alps. Philip and Amanda are not only family, we have been working together in the mission work here for 21 years. We cannot begin to describe the central place they and their daughters have had in the service of the Lord in Tournefeuille and surrounding cities. I was honored to be asked by Nathalie and Brice to celebrate their wedding. What a joy it has been to see her come to Christ and herself serve as a missionary to refugees in Austria.
The trip to the Alps was about 400 miles each way around, up and down mountains. It was well worth it to be able to enjoy the outdoor wedding in a beautiful setting in the Alps. We met many believers and many who need Christ who are members of Brice’s family and friends.
Philip bringing in Nathalie to be married to Brice. 
Philip and Amanda Hatcher. Parents of the bride. (Our son and daughter-in-law and co-workers.) 
Marriage setting
Judy and I are delighted to be starting a new Bible study in the city of L’Union in the home of a family to which we have ministered for many years. Several people, seekers that we have never met are planning to attend this Bible study. Thank you for your prayers for this new opportunity.
We are continuing to enjoy Adam, Lydia and their children as I write.
May God’s riches blessings be enjoyed by you. We are delighted to be in the Lord’s service with your help.
Your brother and sister,
John and Judy 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.
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Prepping for Class + Two Prayer Requests
August 16, 2022
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
I find myself in “gear-up” mode. The college is on term break and the new school year begins at the end of this month. This is good because it gives me an opportunity to prepare and to try and figure out what I’m doing. Changing directions in ministry and in life can be (translate “can be” as “IS!”) challenging as many of you know. And I have a lot to learn. Do we ever wonder whether we’re getting too old to make major or even minor changes in life? No! C’mon, those of us over fifty! We can still do the things God calls us to do and what he calls us to do he will give us the strength and power to do. Look, I’m not saying we have all strength to do anything we want. Nor does God promise us success. But He does promise us his presence and his Spirit and what he wants us to accomplish, we can accomplish.
Among other things, I am preparing for a class I’ll be teaching starting at the end of August. I’ll be teaching Principles of Biblical Interpretation to first year Bible students. Can you believe that? I get to teach incoming students (who will know practically nothing) possibly the most important topic they will learn in college – How to read and interpret the Bible properly. I’m not saying that I know much of anything either, but what a great privilege and responsibility to teach young students, who will some day be pastors and church leaders, how to properly interpret the Scriptures. I’ve heard a lot of sermons from a lot of Kenyan pastors and, believe me, they need the training this class will offer. In most Kenyan sermons, context is ignored, grammar is butchered, allegory is employed, meaning is changed, application is stretched beyond the text, and just in general…well…it’s awful. I get the awesome privilege of helping these incoming, first-year students learn how to avoid wild and fanciful interpretations and how to seek God’s true message from His Word. The churches in Kenya desperately need this. Believers in Kenyan churches need this. Unbelievers in Kenya need this. There is a weighty responsibility that accompanies this privilege for me. May God receive glory in His Kenyan churches and in his Kenyan people.
There a couple of things I wish you all to continue praying about.
First, Julie still has not regained her strength after recovering from Covid. She came down with Covid over a month ago, struggled with the disease itself for two weeks but is now still suffering with some dramatic side effects. She still cannot eat and has no strength for any activity. She has had tests run at the hospital and was even put out under general anesthesia in the hospital theater to get a scope to her stomach. So far, nothing unusual has been found. On Monday she goes back to the hospital for a CAT scan that may or may not reveal something. Please pray that if something is wrong that the doctors would be able to discover it and if there is nothing wrong but that she just needs more time to recover her strength, that God would quickly strengthen her. Thank you, beloved.
Second, Kenya is facing major elections at all levels of government on Tuesday of next week – President and vice-president, senators, governors, and local government. These kinds of major elections have caused problems in the past. Many Kenyans don’t trust the system or the validity of the outcomes. In the past this has caused violence and tribal conflict. Tribal allegiance is still big in Kenya and certain tribes don’t always get along. Sometimes, tribal relations is like a shook up can of Coke. The outbursts can be kept under control until someone pops the lid. But when the lid is popped, the contents explode. Elections can present the opportunity for the lid to be popped. If it does, this can lead to great suffering for the Kenyan people. Please pray that the elections would be fair and honest and above all please pray for peace in Kenya. For the glory of God.
Blessings to all,
Roger, Julie, and Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
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.
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Praying for Kenyan Presidential Election
August 6, 2022
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are already moving towards the end of 2022. Time is precious, and may it be used faithfully in service to the Lord. This update will share current prayer requests as well as ministry updates.
A major prayer request we have currently is for the presidential election which is scheduled for August 9th. One of the big presidential candidates visited Kitale recently, and from my understanding, much of the town was blocked off and thousands went to the rally. We have had multiple visits here in Kitale from the presidential candidates over the past few weeks, and now Kenyans will vote on August 9th for their candidate.
Please pray for the country and any post-election violence. You never know how things will go – some years have been peaceful, and others have been with more unease and conflict. The year 2007 was one of the more unpeaceful elections, so we pray for peace and safety for this year, with no unnecessary rioting or violence. We are thankful to be in Kitale, as Kitale has a mixture of tribes and is generally very peaceful. In all these matters, we are trusting the Lord. Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” Psalm 28:7 also says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” What a faithful God we serve.
Please continue praying for our family during this time, as many families have relocated from Kitale since we returned earlier this year. It has not been easy with all the adjustments, but we are praying and trusting God to bring other families in His timing and plan. Psalm 123:2 says “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” We are praying, and trusting the Lord with this in our current situation, and we know He will provide in His timing.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple younger Kenyan men in the village of Taito. I thank the Lord for those who have been faithfully attending. Please pray for these men and their spiritual growth. As I have talked with other missionaries who have succeeded at church planting here in Kenya, this is the model – disciple (give them a strong Biblical foundation), train, and send. This is the model that I am currently following and has yielded the best results. All of this must be bathed in prayer. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” Please pray for me as I trust the Lord in church planting endeavors here in Kenya. God is faithful.
We will update you next month on the election and how things are faring in the country. We know God is in control and we trust Him with all these matters. Thank you so much for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and interest in missions around the world. You each mean so much to us.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
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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News & Reports – August 2022
The Online Edition of the August 2022 BFM News & Reports is available at the link below. Read how God is at work through our faithful missionaries and continue to lift them up in prayer.
*Remember you can click on any headline to view the post/story on our website.
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New Opportunity at Bible College in Kijabe
July 19, 2022
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
Well, it took three weeks of packing and two trips to Kitale to get all of our stuff, but we have finally brought all of our belongings and unpacked most of it into our new house in Kijabe. Unfortunately, household stuff wasn’t the only thing I brought back from Kitale. I also brought back Covid. I started feeling the symptoms during the drive down from Kitale to Kijabe. By the next morning I was pretty sick with it. The worst part of it was I couldn’t keep warm. I know we live less than 100 miles from the equator, but we do live on the side of a mountain and this is the cold season. I know you are mocking me right now for being cold while living on the equator but at this time of year it gets into the 40s at night and there is no such thing as heating in Kenya. So, yes, it was cold. Anyway, I was over the worst of it after about five days but unfortunately, Julie and Chloe both got it too. Chloe slept for literally three days straight and then was over it. Julie was really sick for about two weeks, to the point I was pretty concerned about her. She is over the virus now but some side effects remain – namely, some chronic fatigue and coughing. This Covid has really hampered us from getting into the swing of things here in our new home.
So, speaking of our new home in Kijabe, I want to let you all know what I will be doing for the immediate future. The main thing that I will be doing for now is ministering the gospel at a Bible college located about 200 meters up the hill from our house. The way that this worked out really seems like something only God could have done. Many closed doors opened all at the same time, doors that were solidly closed and that I wasn’t really even looking to open. Even my first interview with the Principal of the college happened just two days after my throat surgery back in March. On Friday, I had my surgery. On Sunday, I was sitting in a chair in my house in my pj’s, and HEAVILY drugged. The vice principal called and asked if he could come and talk to me about working at the college. I told him he could come but that I was in my pj’s, I couldn’t talk, and was HEAVILY drugged. He came and he talked for as long as I could sit upright. The next day was my interview with the Principal. And that was only part of what God was doing and would finalize over the next few weeks. And so now I am on staff at Moffat Bible College. First and foremost, I will be doing what I prefer to do most – teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to people who want to learn it. And my favorite part of doing my favorite thing is to teach the Bible to other people who will then be teaching the Bible to even other people. I love teaching future pastors and church leaders the Bible. I love it because in this way the true message of the Bible gets passed on exponentially. If I teach 20 future pastors how to properly interpret the Bible and each of these students goes to a church with another 50 people each, that equals 1000 Kenyan people who are hearing Biblical teaching about Jesus. Throw into the mix that there are also Congolese, Sudanese, and Ugandan students and this becomes a big deal. East Africa so needs good Bible teaching and this is an amazing opportunity to really propagate the gospel. I will also be mentoring students and working with them in practical ministry endeavors. I am excited to see how God will use this opportunity to work with Kenyan men and women to spread the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the gospel, even potentially for future church planting activities. It is still to be seen what God will do.
In closing my letter, however, I am reminded that we live in a really harsh, brutal, and sinful world. A dear Christian, Kenyan man and friend from Kitale is with the Lord today. Evans Barasa is a man I have known for my entire 15 years in Kenya. He actually worked with Mike and Pam Anderson before I was working with him starting 15 years ago. He was a pastor, a good Christian, and a friend. If you had ever met Evans, even if for just one minute, you would remember his amazing and catching smile and laugh. Evans had been hired onto the police force a couple of years ago. He was working last night and someone hit him in the back of the head and killed him. I don’t even know what the murderer was after. It is a shame and that makes me really sad. He leaves behind a wife and four children. Rest in peace, Evans.
Roger, Julie & Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
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.
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First Festival Since Pandemic & New Visitors
July 18, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We thank God for each one of you for your prayers and support. Missions is a joint effort of those going and those sending. Praise the Lord that He has called us to be used by Him.
We had our first festival since the pandemic. It was wonderful. We had many visitors. That was the main purpose of the event: bring new people to visit our church. Thank God! If things continue calm, we will have another one in a couple of months.
We have had to change some of our plans, but the Lord is helping us put new plans together. We had planned the pizza day in some schools but they all went on break. They will start back next week, so we will be scheduling the new dates for pizza day. We thank all those who have given for this. We will be contacting an Indian tribe to do pizza there also.
The services in the homes have been a blessing. In the home where we go on Friday, it has been wonderful. Their son has mental spiritual problems. They told us last week that he has changed a lot since we started the services in their home. Pray that God will open his mind to hearing God’s word. His name is Nelson.
A family has moved here in the other house on our land. They have four children. They are precious kids. They are always asking Kathy and I if they can help do something. They say, “If you need help just call us”. The parents have problems with drugs. Pray for them. They are going to church with us. Pray that God will strengthen them and have victory over their problem, and that if they are not saved, that they will accept the Lord as their Savior.
The other teen we help is doing well. Last Sunday he spoke in Sunday school the plan of salvation. He was nervous but did well. His name is Cleomar. He will be baptized next week.
Pray for us as we want to reach out into the communities. There are so many in the area. Pray that God will open doors for us to have services and that we can preach the gospel in as many places as He opens.
God bless each of you!
Odali and Kathy Barros
Love in our Savior,
|Odali and Kathy Barros
Love in Christ,
Odali and Kathy
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.
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Life On Mission
July 16, 2022
Dear friends,
We are grateful for your prayers and financial support.
Sarah is halfway thru her two-month mission trip in the Amazon with Jonatas and Charis. She is actively engaged in the daily ministry activities in four different locations on the outskirts of Manaus. There are Evangelism and discipleship opportunities during the home visits and church gatherings throughout the week. It has been a fantastic experience for her. We are delighted by her heart’s willingness to serve and learn under the leadership of godly friends and the ministry team. Jonatas and Charis are part of the leadership team in Brazil. I invited them to come to the States this last January for a month of mentorship and exposure—a customized training trip to 3 destinations, 3 universities, and 3 churches.
Laura is on a 7-day mission trip to Cleveland, OH, with a group of 54 high school students and 18 adult leaders from Wheaton Bible Church. The team will:
- Run a children’s day camp at a local Baptist church.
- Package medical supplies for overseas shipping.
- Separate donated clothing for distribution in the inner city.
- Assist at a homeless shelter.
- Paint an elderly couple’s home.
- Engage in sharing their personal salvation testimony at every opportunity.
Benjamin recently returned from a 5-day mission trip to Harvey, IL, with a group of middle school students. They served at a non-profit organization that provides hope and life-changing opportunities to recovering addicts, at-risk youth, families, and seniors struggling in poverty. They assisted in running programs for elementary-age children, helped in the thrift store and food pantry, met some of the men and women in their recovery programs, and worked in the neighborhood garden. It was an intense week of ministry with spiritual growth for Benjamin. He made new friends and made some critical decisions. We are excited to see how the Lord will continue to use Him for His glory.
In August, Nova Baptist Church (where David Hatcher is pastor) is hosting the largest church ministry conference within our Brazilian fellowship of churches/ church plants. Through your financial contributions, we are sponsoring 8 pastors, 3 pastor’s wives, and 4 church leaders from 5 different states to fly from their cities into Manaus. (Most will be in the airplane for 8 hours or more just to get there!) This conference happens every two years, but COVID caused it to be postponed twice. I prayed the Lord would allow as many pastors and leaders from our churches & church plants to attend this unique gathering. If you desire to sponsor a Brazilian pastor or church planter in any amount (costs $350 per person), please make a financial contribution thru Baptist Faith Missions and designate “Jud Hatcher – Conference training.” Please visit https://portals.icheckgateway.com/BFMNow/ to give online.
In August, Raquel is attending the CAFO Summit at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA. This conference is on adoption, foster care, and global orphan care. She recently completed training and was certified in Trust Based Relation Intervention (TBRI) and EMDR (for traumatic memories processing). With these tools, Raquel can assist children and adults in working through traumatic experiences. I (Jud) am currently undergoing my first year of doctoral studies at Columbia International University. I will graduate in May 2024 with a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. My dissertation is a qualitative study on Steward Leadership influences on succession planning amongst Baptist pastors in Brazil.
We aim to recruit, train, place, and network pastors, church planters, and leaders to serve in Brazil. This additional education for us and our team brings practical knowledge for application in Brazil. We are grateful for personal growth.
Our prayer requests:
1. Sarah (17yo) has one more month on her mission trip in the Amazon. Pray for her learning, spiritual growth, and impact as she serves.
2. Laura (15yo) is part of WBC’s mission trip to Cleveland, OH. Pray for her learning, spiritual growth, and impact as she serves.
3. Jud & Ben (14yo) are attending a 2-day leadership conference in Aug. Pray for a great learning experience.
4. Jud & Raquel’s studies.
5. Upcoming trips to Ottawa, IL, Teays Valley, WV, and Findley, OH.
Thank you for your love, the care you demonstrate to us, your financial investment, and your regular prayers. We are thankful and are deeply encouraged by you.
Grateful always, Jud Hatcher
Sending Laura on mission trip 
4th of July in Chicago 
Nova Conference 
Sarah with ministry leaders 
Sarah in Manaus
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.
Read more
New Opportunities to Witness & Make Disciples
July 8, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for your prayers and support. We are very grateful for your faithful commitment for many years to the making of disciples here in France. Sometimes when things seem to be going slow God opens a new door that becomes an opportunity to witness and make disciples.
Let me tell you about a couple such events this month. At the time I received a message from my brother saying Dad had passed into the presence of the Lord, Judy and I were on the road returning from the home of Laure and Henri. Laure started coming to the Bible study at Mazere about 8 or 9 years ago. Henri started coming with her after they were married, and they hosted the Bible study at their place from time to time.
About two years into their marriage, we helped them move to a little town that is quite distant from our home and Mazere. He is a cabinet maker and she an elementary school teacher. Shortly after the move, their first child was born, and she stopped teaching to become a full-time mother. We remained in touch but his working hours at a distance from their home and caring for a child made it difficult for them to drive to a Bible study an hour away. There is no church close to them. Within 5 and half years they had four children. During a good part of this time, we were in Indiana caring for Judy’s sister who is now with the Lord. When we received notice of the birth of their fourth child we were back in France and made arrangements to visit them. Their home is a bit over an hour’s drive from us. This visit was the one from which we were returning when I got the news about Dad.
They were really concerned about their inability to be in Church and their children not being in Sunday School. We suggested to them what God had laid on our heart; starting a Bible study in their home including a time of Bible teaching for the children. They were thrilled with the idea, and we had the first meeting a couple of weeks ago. They invited Henri’s aunt and her husband, and they attended and showed a great interest. Please pray for God to use this Bible study for His Glory.
We have also gotten reconnected to a couple who were our neighbors years ago. They now live about one hour north of us. When they had dinner in our home a couple of days ago, she asked question after question about God and how to have a relationship with Him. She really seems driven to know God. When we first met them, she was an atheist.
These are only two of several incidents that we are very excited about. However, I think I had better stop for now.
Thank you for your prayer. Could you take a moment now to pray for God to speak to hearts here and give us the wisdom to pursue each opportunity that He gives us?
Your sister and brother in France,
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.
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