Sharing the Gospel in Festivals, Schools, Public Squares, & More
July 5, 2022
Dear Friends,
Recently we hosted a group of 7 American Christian brothers and sisters who were led of the Lord to come work with us for a few days. They ministered together with our traveling evangelistic team, Projeto Vida. We traveled with them to a town about 2 hours from our home base to share the gospel in public schools and parks. During the week of their time with us we shared the gospel in school gymnasiums and auditoriums to over 1,500 students and faculty. In these public-school presentations, we are not allowed to give an invitation to come forward publicly professing Christ, but we were able to speak one-on-one with dozens of students and faculty members after each presentation and many of these shared that the Lord had spoken to them through the gospel message that was shared through testimonies, skits, and the preached word.
June is the first month of winter in southern Brazil and is also culturally a time of winter festivals. Our church takes advantage of this practice and puts on a gospel centered Winter Festival. This year was our most attended to date. We had a packed house for two consecutive services. One of the great benefits of this event is to engage almost all our church members in serving the visitors from the community with refreshments, games, and activities. Even greater is that the festival serves as an attraction for unchurched neighbors to attend. At each service the gospel was preached, and we have two new families attending regular Sunday services since that festival.
Another “most attended to date” event we had in June was our second married couples meeting of 2022. We put on 4 of these meetings per year with a two-fold focus: Present biblical principles for healthy and happy marriages and evangelize lost couples who attend. June 12th is Brazil’s closest thing to “Valentine’s Day” in the USA. So, on Saturday, June 11th we put on our Couple’s Night banquet, and we had 57 married couples present, our greatest number present for this type of meeting to date. Our own church members are encouraged to invite their unsaved friends, relatives, and co-workers and several of these were in attendance. Though there was no “invitation” to commit one’s life to Christ on the spot, I preached the gospel in my “marriage message”.
In the past few weeks our traveling evangelistic team ministered the gospel in 6 states and the Federal District of Brazil. In these locations, the main venue was public schools and public squares. The gospel was presented to 4,915 persons and we were able to hear a public profession of faith from 63 adults who also began a “next steps” Bible study course with a local church. There were many (hundreds) of students who prayed orally a “confession prayer” at our rallies, but we do not enter these numbers in our records since we are not able to converse with most of these individually because of time and institutional restraints. The Lord has blessed greatly, and we are thankful to you, our fellow-laborers, for your prayers and support of our ministries. May the Lord richly bless.
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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Teaching Men in Taito about Prayer
July 5, 2022
Dear praying friends,
We hope this finds each of you doing well. We thank the Lord for each one of you, and your heart for missions. We could not do the work here in Kenya without you. This update will share current updates as well as prayer requests.
There has been much going on in the missionary community in Kitale since we have returned to Kenya. Several families have moved from Kitale to different parts of Kenya. While this is not easy, and these families were our good friends, we wish each of them well in this transitionary period. The westerners are few in Kitale now, so it is difficult, but we are trusting the Lord to provide other families in His timing and plan.
We have heard of interest from other missionaries coming to Kitale later in the year, and we are praying and trusting the Lord for His will during these transitionary times. Psalm 28:7 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.” Please pray with us as we trust the Lord to provide families here in Kitale.
Another big prayer request now is for the presidential election scheduled for August 9th. Lord willing, we are going to be stocking up and buying extra supplies in case of any problems. The last few elections have gone peacefully, and we are trusting the Lord for the election this year. Kitale has a good safety record, as there are multiple tribes in this area and violence is rare. However, we are still taking precautions and seeking to stay as safe as we can. We will let you know how it is going in the coming weeks. Psalm 9:9 says “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Amen. May we trust Him in the coming days and weeks, as He will protect us.
The family is doing well. Our daughters are continuing along well in their homeschooling studies, and my wife is doing a great job teaching them faithfully. Please pray for her, as she has a big responsibility with educating our children. Please also pray for us as parents, as we have a big responsibility as we raise them.
I (Nathan) am continuing in the discipleship studies in the village of Taito. I have recently been teaching on prayer and we have learned much about the subject. In Psalm 55:16-17, David says “As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.” I challenged the men to begin to commit to prayer, and showed them many verses from the Word of God that show the importance of prayer in our daily lives. Please pray with me that the Lord would raise up men who would be discipled, trained, and then sent out to start churches in their respective villages. God is in control.
We again thank you so much for your heart for missions. Each of you are such a blessing 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 – July 2022
The Online Edition of the July 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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A Crazy, Busy Life
June 28, 2022
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
The first thing I need to do in this newsletter is to apologize to all you partners in our ministry in Kenya. I have failed to write a newsletter update in a couple of months and have been very bad at communicating with you all what is going on in our lives and in our ministry. I offer only a crazy, busy life and a crazy, mixed-up mind as the only excuses for my laxity in reporting. These are not valid excuses and, again, I apologize for not writing. I will have to do better.
A crazy, busy life? For sure!
Last month Julie and I celebrated with our daughter, Amy, as she married her husband, Matthew Earl. So, Amy is now Amy Earl, and our family continues to grow. This obviously means that Julie and I made a trip to the United States for the ceremony. We made it a quick two-week trip because Chloe could not make the trip with us, and we did not want to leave her in Kenya without us for too long. It took a lot of planning to make this trip happen and for Chloe to be cared for properly. We worried a lot about leaving Chloe in Kenya for two weeks without us because 1) she needs special care and attention and 2) she is very attached to us and experiences attachment issues. But Julie and I have not been to the United States together at the same time in over six years and Amy’s wedding was a crucial event we needed to attend. So, the planning leading up to us leaving was crazy busy, the travel was crazy busy, and our time in the United States was crazy busy. But, at the end of the trip when we were back in Kenya, we could praise God for the two big things we had prayed for: 1) Amy was married and happy and somewhere in Costa Rica with her new husband and 2) Chloe did well in Kenya with her caretakers while we were away. She also did well transitioning back to us being there again. She was definitely a trooper.
So that was last month. Has this month been any different? Not really. If you recall from a previous newsletter, Julie, Chloe and I have been temporarily living in a place called Kijabe so that Chloe could receive some necessary therapy at the Kijabe Mission Hospital, the only place we know of in Kenya where she can receive some of the various therapy she needs. Now that we have been here for a couple of months, we have decided to move our Kenyan ministry from Kitale to Kijabe. This is a major change for us. We have lived in Kitale for fifteen years, the entire length of our ministry work in Kenya. All of our lives and work was poured out in Kitale, on the people there and into the churches we have had a hand in starting. It is hard to leave a place where you have spent so much of your life ministering and used up so much energy in mission work. What is probably harder, though, is to look back and realize you are not leaving behind nearly as much as you wished you were. I couldn’t care less about leaving behind a legacy or a name or anything like that. I do wish I was leaving behind more lives changed in the name of Jesus, more churches started and organized, and more workers trained to carry on the mission. I would have liked to have seen more of the expansion of the Kingdom of Christ, not for the pat on the back or the acknowledgment of men, but for the glory of our Savior. We will leave what we have done in Kitale in the hands of God. And our last work we will also leave in the hands of Elphas Ochila, a Kitale pastor I trust to continue the work of Upper Room Baptist Chapel.
And now, we really have left Kitale, which is why I said this month has been so crazy busy. Julie stayed in Kijabe with Chloe and I spent the last nearly three weeks in Kitale packing things up and shipping them to Kijabe. We moved into our house in Kijabe just four days ago and are trying to get all unpacked, except all three of us (Julie, Chloe and me) are all currently sick from something I picked up and brought back from Kitale. It could be Covid or it could just be the flu, we don’t really know.
Crazy, busy life has led to a bit of a crazy, mixed up mind for me. But now, after we can get over this sickness we all currently have, we can settle into living and ministering for Jesus in Kijabe. I hope to write more about this next month.
Blessings to you all,
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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Back from Brazil
June 18, 2022
Dear friends and family,
Since returning home from Brazil in April we have made plans for the next trip back to Brazil multiple times, only to have them cancelled multiple times. So here we are with the plans for a trip in September and October for classes and possibly our first graduation for our Masters class. The location is still being sought for availability. The Seminary is still being sought after and classes are still being prepared even though the in-person classes have been on hold for some time now. Continue praying for the Pastors there in Brazil as students, and the Pastors here in the States as Professors, that the desire to study and teach God’s Word never fades.
The Conference we were to attend in July has been cancelled for the third time and so we will wait for the class in September and October. Along with the classes, we will be in contact with some Pastors and prospective students preparing for the semester to start next year.
Sometimes it is easy to get ahead of our Lord and Savior. What we need to do first is pray and plan, then wait on the Lord. We MUST wait on the Lord’s will always. When we do that, we will accomplish what His plans are for His ministry.
In our March/April, visit we were able to participate in the celebration of the 8-year Anniversary of Caragua Baptist Church. It was such an honor to preach for them and to celebrate with old friends. It was AWESOME to see how God is growing His kingdom in that church. They are growing back as COVID is slowed down. It is a continuing work in process. How AWESOME is the God we serve.
While in Caragua, we were able to connect with the missionaries to two groups in Rio. The Guarani Indians and the Qulambo tribe of descendants of the slaves of Brazil. The missionaries are supported by the Caragua Baptist Church, so we also help them in their ministry.
Our church here in Florida has a sewing group that sews dresses for missions and we were able to take 100 dresses to these girls in Rio. These ladies are doing an AWESOME project and now several churches have joined with them, and they are also making shorts for the boys. They decided that the girls should not reap all the goodies so now the boys will receive some of the handiwork also. The pictures are of the dresses, and you can see the joy on their faces and see that it is not just the children who are happy to receive the dresses, but the adult women were also wearing the dresses too.
Thank each and every one of you for your prayers and your financial support. It would be difficult to do all that we do without you. We are always thankful for you that God has put in our lives.
In His service,
AJ and Barbara
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.
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Travel for Church & Family Visits, Good Reports
June 17, 2022
Hello Friends!
Summer is fully on board! Here is the latest from us. Please, read on.
My grandfather John Albert Hatcher passed on May 14th. He and my grandmother went to Brazil after WWI and served faithfully as missionaries for 60 years. The Lord allowed me to fly to Florida to participate in the funeral services. This may have been one of the last extended Hatcher family gatherings, but it was great to be with so many of my aunts, uncles & cousins. I am grateful to my parents who took care of him for the last 8 years (along with his wife, my Grandma Alta Hatcher, and Grannie Willa McGary, from my mother’s side of the family). I was blessed to see my parents’ faithfulness and commitment to their parents in their later years. They truly exemplified what it means to “honor your parents”. We scheduled to be with my parents in Kentucky for one week. I pray our time together will be an encouragement to them.
Laura (15) was awarded a scholarship to attend Summit Ministries in Colorado at the beginning of this month. It was a two-week Christian worldview & current hot topics intensive designed for high school and college students. She had an incredible experience and highly recommended it. Sarah left for Manaus this past Monday for a two-month mission trip in the Amazon with Jonatas and Charis. Pray with us as the Lord uses her during this time and that the Lord will move mightily in her heart.
Laura’s last visit to the audiologist was yesterday. She continues to progress well as she adjusts to the cochlear implant and learns to hear through it. I had my oncologist visit this morning. Everything looks good, and the port catheter should be removed within the next few months. Everyone else is in good health.
Last week I spoke at the Ignited Sunday School class at Wheaton Bible Church, this weekend we plan to be at Durbin Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, KY, and soon in Calvary Baptist Church, Teays Valley, WV. This last month there were several decisions in São Paulo with new opportunities for discipleship. I continue to mentor leaders through Zoom. We are currently finalizing arrangements for eleven pastors and wives (from four different states) to fly to Manaus to attend the church ministries & pastors conference organized by Nova Baptist Church, where my uncle David Hatcher is pastor.
Our hearts are ready to return to Brazil, but we must wait. Our current plans are to remain in the States until the end of the year to complete health treatments and follow-ups.
Attached is my article on disciple-making “The Zaccheaus Approach” and photos.
Grateful always,
Judson & Raquel
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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Wonderful Trip to Homeland
June 13, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are thankful for each one of you who are part of this ministry! All of you who give and lift us up in prayer—God bless each of you.
We had a wonderful trip to my homeland. It was great seeing family and so many of them who have gotten saved. I was the first one in my family who got saved. Thanks to Bro. Bobby Creiglow who God sent up the river to preach the gospel.
It’s great to be back home and see that things went well while we were gone. We are working on using the adults who are being trained for leadership. We want to have services in more communities. So, as we have more leaders, we can reach more people.
This next month we will be having our first festival since the pandemic. Everyone is getting excited about it. Also this month we will be having the first pizza night at the village of Ubim, where we go every Monday.
Also this year we are planning a trip to a tribe close to where I was born. This will be a wonderful experience. One of the head men in the tribe is a Baptist preacher.
Our services in the homes are doing really wonderful. Each Wednesday we are able to go into different homes. Pray with us that God will open more homes so we can preach salvation to more and more people.
Special thanks to all of you who support Baptist Faith Missions.
Love in our Savior,
|Odali and Kathy Barros
Catholic Seminary where Odali studied before the Lord saved him 
Odali preaching at his nephew’s church in Rio Branco 
Indian Tribe they plan on visiting 
Service in the home of 2 ex-drug addicts they are helping
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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Young and Old Coming to Christ
June 9, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Judy and I are thankful to be serving the Lord in teamwork with you. As reported last month my Dad John A. Hatcher went to be with the Lord exactly two weeks after his 97th birthday. Judy and I were able to be with him and care for him just a couple of months before his move to the presence of the Lord.
It was a blessing to see many of our extended family that we had not seen for years and to see the work of God in the lives of many of them. It was also a blessing to see a number of our friends including several who serve with us in association with Baptist Faith Missions.
Just after completing our trip to the US for Dad’s funeral Judy and I came down with Covid. We have begun feeling better the last couple of days but have a way to go. It was very nerve racking getting tested less than 24 hours (as required by the US rules) before our trip to care for Dad and then the funeral trip. However, the Lord, who is over all things, kept us from getting Covid when it would have kept us from helping those He wanted us to help.
This weekend, Timo, a young man who has been coming to Sunday School and church meetings since grade school is following the Lord in baptism. He has invited 14 of his friends to come. It is amazing to hear his confession of faith and see his spiritual growth.
Next month a lady who is 80 years old is getting baptized. We like to see the young and old come to Christ!
I am including the letter Judy wrote at the beginning of May that will help you see the past year from her perspective.
(Click here to read her letter.)
May God bless each of you,
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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