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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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News & Reports – January 2023
The Online Edition of the January 2023 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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Welcoming 2023
December 31, 2022
Dear Friends,
I’m writing letter this on the last day of 2022. Throughout the past year I was baffled at how often I heard people, even some professing to be Christians, murmuring about how bad 2020, 2021, and 2022 were. For two main reasons I could not and would not join in with them: 1- No matter what the circumstances, we know that our great and good God is in control and is orchestrating them all for our benefit and His glory, and 2- When we looked back at those three years, we noticed that all of our ministries and most of our personal experiences were greater than or as great as any in our lives. So, if 2023 is anything like the last three, we welcome it with welcome arms.
I just received news from our missionaries in Portugal, Yago and Manoela. They are very excited about the opportunities they are having to share the love of Christ. They pray daily for wisdom and discernment from the Lord so that they will recognize the best timing and ways to gain a hearing from their Portuguese neighbors and acquaintances. They have already had several chances to do that and continue to look for more. Our church members pray for them and keep in touch through social media. We trust that in God’s perfect timing He will use them to win many lost Portuguese people to salvation in Christ.
Two weeks ago we closed a contract on the new and larger building where we are moving our church services. We will be able to have the whole congregation together at one time and we’ll be able to host larger events for evangelism. Our members seem to be enthusiastic and voted almost unanimously to make the move. Early this month we’ll be moving our equipment and in the first week of February we should have our first service at the new location. There will be some big challenges in the remodeling process, but the Lord has given us a peaceful assurance that this the right direction for us.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. May the Lord bless you in this new year.
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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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
