Encouraging Opportunities as Addictive Activities are on the Rise in Kenya
The Tates have served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is church planting.
February 11, 2021
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
I get to report some small encouragements from the last month.
First, we have had a couple of new visitors to the Chapel this past month. It has been a while since I could say that. One of the new visitors is a lady that lives in the area and was invited to come from one of my “regular” attendees (the “regular” here is in quotes because she does come regularly – misses three weeks – attends – misses three weeks – attends – misses three weeks – attends). I don’t know a lot about this new visitor, but she seemed to enjoy our worship service and I hope she continues to attend so that we can get to know her better. The other new visitor is a young man that I have known for quite some time. I didn’t expect him to visit the Chapel and, in fact, didn’t think he would come to our services. I had started to counsel him on a weekly basis because of some major issues in his life. One of the issues that has been causing him problems recently is gambling. Oh, folks, this problem is growing in Kenya and I grieve over this for Kenyans, especially younger Kenyans. With the increase of technology, specifically smart phones, comes a wave of addictive activities, especially pornography and gambling. Everyone in Kenya has a smart phone now and with these devices always in their pockets or their hands these mentioned vices are also readily available, with little cultural safeguards against them. More and more people are into gambling, convinced they will win. And I am convinced the gambling organizations do let them win at first, knowing they will eventually get all the gambler’s money. With a few clicks on my phone screen I can load my entire paycheck onto it electronically. Then, with a few more easy clicks, I can quickly and easily load a gambling app, pick my sports team that I’m sure will win, and away we go. And from what I’ve heard, most people win pretty big at first, convincing them that winning is easy and consistent, and also tempting them into betting bigger and more. However, the winning doesn’t last while the addiction does. Then they got you. And this is what happened to my young friend. His gambling then led to lying, stealing, and manipulating. So, we are meeting to try and help him with his unwise decisions and to deal with his heart. And when I invited him to our services at the Chapel I didn’t think he would come. But he HAS been coming, every week for the past month. I pray he continues to come, that his heart and life may be transformed, and that his heart’s desire is to glorify Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.
Second, I am encouraged that we finally have power and water restored to the Chapel. We had been without power for about three months and without water for about two. Now we have both again. I don’t know how long these blessings will last but we will be thankful for them while we have them.
Did you know that there are things I never really thought about before I left the United States? Well, obviously there are. But one of those things hit me earlier this month. Did you know there are not a lot of non-white pictures of Jesus out there? That’s right, they are hard to find. You and I both know that Jesus came from an ancient Jewish heritage making him, I’m sure, darker skinned than me. This past month I wanted to hang some prints at the Chapel with some Bible verses on them. My Kenyan printer did a really good job designing some prints with some of Jesus’ “I am” sayings with pictures in the background. Some of his designs had pictures of Jesus on them – Jesus as a shepherd with a flock of sheep, Jesus praying, etc. I don’t really have a big problem with pictures of Jesus but I noticed all the pictures on the prints had a white Jesus on them. I already have a big enough problem being a white, westerner trying to minister in an African nation. I don’t want anybody here thinking I’m pushing a white, western Jesus on them. I DO want them to know the real, Biblical Jesus – Our Savior, Redeemer, Messiah and King of Jewish descent. I had to tell my printer to redesign the prints without any pictures of Jesus. Funny the things you get to think about when you minister in a different culture.
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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Fellowship with Family
February 10, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
You are a source of encouragement and joy and to Judy and me. We are presently in the home of Paul and Wanda enjoying fellowship with them and Dad. David, our brother from Manaus, surprised us by arriving just a few hours after us earlier this week. The time together, so rare, is a blessing.
These have been trying times. A number of people we know in Manaus have died from Covid-19. The church that David pastors has been losing about 2 people each day as they pass from this world into the presence of the Lord. The church has been active in acquiring and distributing oxygen to the sick and supplying needs for the ill and families that are left with no living wage earner.
(David, John Mark, Paul, and John A.)
Judy and I have been working hard to wrap up things in the Evansville concerning Peggy’s estate so that we can return to France. There have been many complications, but God supplies abundantly and has displayed His love and grace in marvelous ways. Our spiritual and physical families have helped enormously in this process. All of our children have come to help for several days and we have enjoyed fellowship with them in the midst of intense activity.
We met twice physically with Resurgence church in January. It is very encouraging to witness the desires of this relatively young Baptist church. They want to reach the lost and help the saints. As with all of you, the meeting numbers are limited and many participate by means of the internet. It is a great blessing to have this medium available which also enables us to participate actively with our assembly in France.
Though there are many restrictions in France due the effort to minimize the spread of the Corona Virus, it appears that we can meet the requirements to return in the near future. Thank you for your prayers and support in every way. May God bless each of you as you seek His will in serving Him during these difficult times.
Your fellow servants,
John and Judy
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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Refining Missions Presentation on Furlough
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.
February 4, 2021
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
1126 Smith Street
Milton, WV 25541
naterad@yahoo.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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Benefits of Reading God’s Word
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
February 2, 2021
Dear Friends,
There is one good habit that I stumbled upon shortly after my surrender to Christ 43 years ago and that was to read the Bible through from cover to cover. I don’t remember that I set out to read it through even the first time back then, but a thirst to know more about the God who loved me enough to give His Son to save me motivated me to read on. After that first time, I felt that I knew Him better and that led me to establish the goal of reading it through yearly. There have been a few years that I fell short of that, but nonetheless, I learned more about my God and Savior and I find more to praise and worship Him for each time.
One of the greatest benefits to me of reading the Bible through often is that the reader (in this case, I) discovers just how much God is in control of everything that is going on in the affairs of this world. This is true even when the events and circumstances for believers are drastic and horrible. I share this to say that I am greatly encouraged and excited about what is going on all around us, though a casual observer who doesn’t read God’s word, and isn’t aware of His sovereign power, might tend to despair and lose hope.
Certainly not all the events and circumstances are pleasant, in and of themselves. We have lost some wonderful people to COVID-19. My wife and I both suffered the discomfort of it ourselves. The political and spiritual climate of both Brazil and the United States is appalling. The apparent lack of justice and goodness in the highest places and the increase of violence and hatred on the streets of our cities pain me. But, because I have seen in God’s word how He governs all the affairs of mankind, using even evil to accomplish His good purposes, I rejoice in the midst of it all, because I am loved and cared for by Him. His word also gives me the message of hope and salvation to take to those people that He has put in the scope of my influence. I, and those I train, can offer true peace to them when all around they see despair. I thank God for the Bible, which is His means of communicating what He’s up to, both now and in, what seems to be, the daunting future. I am excited about what’s coming next because “I know Who holds the future, and I know He holds my hand.”
A young couple just recently joined our outreach traveling team, Projeto Vida. Vitor just finished law school and his friends expected him to go into practice and make a bundle of money, but the Lord put it in his heart to go into fulltime evangelism. His wife, Loren, is nearly finished with college, but she is equally convicted that the Lord wants them to serve Him in this ministry. This weekend will be their first trip to minister with our team. They come to us from one of our sister churches where they served for several years in evangelism as parttime volunteers. We are so thrilled that they love and trust the Lord so much that they would walk away from a possibly lucrative profession to make God’s love known to many who have never heard. Please pray for them as we seek to support and encourage them in this vocation.
I hope that you are finding God’s word to be your delight and source of encouragement in this new year. It certainly is to us.
Yours 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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First Mission Trip of 2021
January 27, 2021
Dear Brethren,
Things are far from normal. Yet the rainy season has started and the rivers are coming up. We are enjoying pretty good health. The church continues to meet, albeit with much lower than normal attendance. People have been saved in almost every service. Fear and panic is still widespread. We have lost many friends and brothers. Many more are still coming down with the virus. Vaccinations have started here in Brazil. So it is a mixed bag.
Pastor Ezi and I went on our first mission trip last week. We went up the Moa River to visit 2 of our works. We were in the open boat with smaller outboard. I was not sure how I would do manually starting and running the engine as my strength is still not where I was. On top of that we got rained on big time going and coming. Rain always presents a big challenge and even bigger on a small, winding river. All went very well though. God continues to give me strength and He is a great pilot.
Pastor Ezi and me with new motor on the river 
The new building 
Sunday morning service in the new building 
Baptism
We dedicated the new building at Serra do Moa (Mountains on the Moa River). We held 4 services with them. Missionary Rivaldo is doing great. He worked there when we first started the congregation. Later he took care of 2 other fields. Now he is back where he started his ministry 24 years ago. This is he fourth building that we have put up. The first three were tiny wood frame structures that didn’t last that long. This time they put in a concrete foundation and partial brick walls. The rest is wood, but this one should last much longer. The last building is still in good shape and is used for Sunday School.
There were over 200 people present. Most of these were from 5 of our other congregations downriver. There 4 professions of faith. I baptized 8 on Sunday morning. This was squeezed in between rainstorms. The rains hardly ever stopped. In fact, we were scheduled to be with our mission at República (Nukini Indian reservation), but the missionary and his family were not able to return because of the rain. We plan to visit them in a few more days.
One thing that was sad was seeing the reach of the panic over the virus reach all the way up river. They were handing out masks and spraying gel at the door of the new church building. Now, I am not against masks at the right place and time, but this was very disheartening to see. Many of them had their masks on upside down! The reach of tyranny seems to have no limit.
The new 25HP 4 stroke outboard worked very well. Thanks to all who have helped me purchase and maintain my boats and motors.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike Creiglow
CONTACT INFO
Mike & Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
69980 Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre
Brasil, SA
mdcreig@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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Praising God for His Protective Hand
Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
January 25, 2021
Dear Friends,
This was a roller coaster month for us.
I started the month participating in an ordination council of two qualified men for pastoral ordination. Due to COVID-19, the council met via Zoom conference. It was a real joy to hear how the Lord worked in the life of these men and their families in their ministerial journey.Two baptism candidates began orientation and discipleship and will be baptized soon. It is always exciting to see people surrendering to the Lord and following in believer’s baptism. Read more
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A Visit from Family
Odali and Kathy Barros served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together from 1987-2013. In late 2013, they transitioned to Manaus in Northern Brazil to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
January 15, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sister,
It’s hard to believe that a new year has begun. With so many changes we have had to make in our way of living and ministering, we are thankful to God for His protection in our family and those around us in the churches. Things had gotten better but after Christmas and New Year’s, things have gotten bad again. The cities have closed down most of the stores and malls. They only allowed what are major necessities to be open. So once again we are taking precautions with the services.
God has given us the opportunity to have our son Joshua Odali here with his family. Since we live in the middle of the jungle the grandkids can have fun even though everything is closed in town. We have had a wonderful time together.
One of the things that we have started helping with small communities that are in the middle of the jungle is making wells. Now a friend of our son has joined in this ministry. He donated money to drill a well. The cost of a well is $3,000, which includes the labor, the materials, and the pump. He will be coming to help. There are many communities that have no running water. So, this is a great opportunity to reach out to them with drinking water and Living Water. If anyone would like to help, make the donation to “well drilling”.
We want to thank each one of you for your constant prayers and your faithful support.
Please continue to pray for us as we deal with the difficult moments, that God will give us wisdom to work through this time.
Odali and Kathy Barros
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
Another Delay
The Hensleys have served the Lord in Brazil, South America since 1996. They have worked with orphanages, started mission points, established churches, and are presently conducting a seminary to train Brazilian pastors.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Friends and family,
Well, in the prospect of not sounding like a broken record—plans have been made, ticket have been purchased, COVID tests have been scheduled (72 hours before take-off). Then we got a notice from Brazil!! The two cities where we are planning classes had been put on lock-down. What that means is ANOTHER delay!!
Plans changed, classes cancelled, letting our professors know and calling the pastors in Brazil. This is the first step in the cancelling of these classes that were in place for the Spring. We had to call our Brazilian brothers, the IT people, the translator, and all others that had their plans to attend the Seminary classes.
So now the Spring classes will become classes in the Summer and the Summer classes will move to the Fall and the Fall classes move to the Winter. Do we need your prayers? Yes, yes, yes, now more than ever. Please pray for us and our Brazilian students and helpers.
Here is where I ask myself, “Am I doing something wrong and do I need to change something?” Well, one thing I know is I need more patience; however, in light of praying for more patience, I will be praying for wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and remember that we are not in this alone. And when I fail to remember ALL that I get, reminders to me from me: remember—Pastors, Congregations, and how easy it is to displace them when you are keeping the main thing the main thing. We were going there to help them in understanding the Bible better and how to pass that knowledge on to the Brazilian people.
All the changes that have had to be made are disturbing to us and the budget, but we need to remember Who is in charge. And He has our best interest at heart. So, I know that we serve an AWESOME God and it is all in His plans.
Thank you for your continued prayer support and financial support. And thanks to BFM for their continued belief in our work to train our Brazilian brothers.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.com
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