A Move Further South & Seminary Plans
January 17, 2022
Dear friends and family,
Well January is turning into a really busy month. Starting with health issues, our son’s wife Jill was in the hospital for a health issue and contracted COVID-19 and was there for 3 or 4 days. She is home now, better with COVID, but still under the doctor’s care. Continuing with family health problems, Mary Katherine and her family in Brazil are also ill with COVID-19. Mary and her husband Walmir and their youngest Ashley are ill with COVID-19, but their oldest Chelsea is not. Keep both families in your prayers please. Mary’s family had the milder symptoms and are doing well.
Barbara and I are down with the flu, running eyes and nose, and have gone through 3 boxes of tissues. We are now in Florida, and we may have some allergies thrown in the mix.
Barb and I have decided to make Florida our permanent residence. Seems quite a challenge with the move and these health issues. This move will help us with our mission of reaching Brazil with the Seminary. This will make all our back and forth to Brazil less costly. Please pray for us in this transition.
Our plans for the Seminary these next few months are to begin in the last of February and the first of March with in-person classes. Dr. Edge pastor of First Baptist Church of Bastrop, Texas, will be the professor for these two classes (Survey of the Old Testament and Old Testament Elective). How AWESOME is the God we serve.
With the health issues here and in Brazil, please pray for these classes. We together with all of you praying, these classes will be under the blanket of prayer. And with this, everything will be protected by God.
About the Guarani Bible project, there are two Churches in Brazil, and those of you who have sent money, so we are in contact with the publisher to help get the Bibles in the Guarani language. Thanks for your giving and praying for this project.
Please continue praying for us and the ministry as it becomes somewhat more challenging to “keep on keeping on”. Through it all, God is AWESOME!!! Also remember to pray for BFM and all the Churches and Pastors supporting our ministry and others throughout the world.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
P.S. – A special prayer for Barbara as we fall in and over boxes and things in this transition.
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
592 Emery Court
Lexington, KY 40505
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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Seeking & Seeing the Lost Sheep as Jesus Did
January 17, 2022
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
What would you write about your last month? Most of the things that we communicate are similar to what is happening “in your neck of the woods”.
A member of our congregation just had a mastectomy. It’s been raining and frosting a lot. I just had a birthday. The holidays are past, and we are in a new year. The nation is trying to handle the Covid crisis.
However, the most important message I can transmit is that our Savior is right here with us. He is keeping His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” His abiding presence encourages me daily not only by what I feel in myself but by what I observe in the lives of other believers. They are becoming more like Jesus.
Yesterday, a lady who recently became a believer and is now a part of our congregation expressed evidence of God’s work in her life. She expressed joy in the way following Jesus as He works in us is so different from being religious. For a good period of time before she came to Christ, she worked hard at being a good convert to Judaism. The member of our congregation that God used to touch her life and introduce her to Jesus was right beside her.
That’s how it works. Jesus in us helping us to see the lost sheep… like Lazarus, wealthy and still seeking satisfaction; the Samaritan woman at the well who had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband; Nicodemus who was religious but empty; the man laying by the pool of Bethesda hoping someone would help him get to the water … The questions I must ask myself are, “Do they see Jesus in me?” “Do I seek and see them as Jesus did?”
We are very grateful for your faithful support and prayers. The love of God works through you to enable us to be in Southern France as His witnesses. Pray that God will use each of us to be His witnesses in Bible studies, English learning meetings, children’s meetings, youth meetings and daily encounters.
May God bless each of you where you are.
Your fellow disciples,
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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Waiting…waiting…waiting…
January 8, 2022
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
Here is a shout out to all of our supporting churches out there. Bless you all for partnering with us in our missionary ministry here in Kenya. May all Kenyans know and follow the Lord Jesus Christ!
To all of our supporting churches out there we apologize that we have not seen you face-to-face in so long. Julie and I have not been able to take a furlough to the United States since 2013. That means it has been over 8 years since you all have seen us. That is too long. Paul left us a good example in the book of Acts when he returned to his sending church and reported on his work. We wish we could do this too but right now we cannot. When God brought Chloe into our lives, we really thought that the adoption process would work out in a couple of years. Now, after 7 years there has been no change or progress in the process because of the restrictions placed upon ex-patriot adoption. With no changes projected in the near future, we have been trying to get a passport for her so that she can at least travel outside the country. The right to a passport has been granted her by the courts. However, we still have not been able to even apply for it. Let me do my best to describe what I’ve gone through to try and APPLY (just apply) for her passport.
18 months ago to 9 months ago: Drive to Eldoret. Visit Immigration department. Show documents. Told by Immigration that they will review documents. Wait. Call Immigration. No response. Call again. Call many times. Finally reach someone. Told by Immigration to wait. I wait. And wait. And wait. Call Immigration. Call many times. Finally reach someone. Told by Immigration that the documents look OK and to be patient. I wait. And wait. Call Immigration. Call many times. No response. Can’t reach anyone. Drive to Eldoret. Visit Immigration department. No one there. Drive back home. I wait. Drive back to Eldoret. Visit Immigration department. Told by immigration that the person reviewing my documents is on sick leave. I ask Immigration if someone else can work on my case. Told by Immigration that this person is the only one who can work on my case. I ask Immigration what happens if this person dies. Silence. Drive back home. I wait. And wait. Call Immigration. Call many times. Finally reach someone. Told by Immigration that the documents have been reviewed and to come see them. Drive to Eldoret. Visit Immigration department. Told by Immigration that 1 date on 1 of my documents is wrong and that I can’t apply for Chloe’s passport. Told by Immigration that I need the Kitale courts to correct the document and then I can begin the document review process again. I groan.
9 months ago to the present: I go to my lawyer in Kitale and show him the document. Lawyer tells me to give him two weeks to get the document corrected. I wait 2 weeks. I wait another 2 weeks. I call the Lawyer. No response. I call many times. I text the lawyer. I text many times. Finally reach lawyer. Told by lawyer that there is no problem, but I just need to wait. I wait. And wait. I repeat this process MANY times: call-text-call-text-wait-wait-told to wait-call-text and so on and so on. I get frustrated. Visit the lawyer’s office to speak to Bwana Mkubwa (the Big Dog, who happens to be the lawyer’s father). The Big Dog tells me he will take care of it, give him one week. I wait a week. And another week. And another. Call Big Dog. No response. Call many times. Finally reach Big Dog. Told by Big Dog to wait. I wait. Call Big Dog. Told by Big Dog that the courts can’t find my original document. Told by Big Dog to wait. I wait…wait…wait…wait…wait.
(In an attempt at brevity, I have not included everything in my preceding account. I have actually left many things out.)
What is my current status? I have a call in to Big Dog. He hasn’t responded. I’m waiting.
I’ve been waiting a year and a half just to APPLY for Chloe’s passport.
For those of you who have endured to this point in my newsletter, bless you. I went through this exasperating description to try and give you some idea of what we are facing and why you haven’t seen our bright and shining faces for so long. We want to see you. We want to report on our work in person. Until then, enjoy the newsletters!
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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Rough Trip Back to Kenya
January 5, 2022
Dear praying friends,
We hope this update finds each of you all doing well. We wish you each a Happy New Year. It is hard to believe that it is already 2022. Time passes so fast.
As I type this prayer letter, I (Nathan) am currently in a guest house in Nairobi with the family. We had a rough trip back to Kenya and unfortunately, our luggage for the whole upcoming term did not make it on our flight. So, we had to wait a few extra days in Nairobi for the luggage. We praise the Lord that our luggage did finally make it this morning, so we are planning to return to Kitale tomorrow morning, Lord willing. We thank the Lord that we have all our items with us.
What made this past trip so challenging was all the Covid protocols at all the airports and the various flights. We had to show all our documentation at each airport, and had to have a negative Covid test for all our family within 72 hours of traveling. Europe is also stricter now and has had a recent breakout of Covid cases, so it was challenging traveling there as well.
All in all, we praise the Lord that we have made it safely back to Kenya and we are looking forward to getting back to our familiar surroundings in Kitale. Please pray with us for this upcoming term, that all we do would bring honor and glory to God. We desire to please Him and serve where He leads.
There are many things that we need to get accomplished in the upcoming days, to resume ministry and life in Kitale. Please pray for us as we readjust and get set up again. We look forward to sharing more in next month’s update. We appreciate each of you so much and your heart for missions.
I will leave you with 1 Peter 5:7, which says “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” May we cast all our cares upon Him this upcoming year, trusting Him for all the results.
Blessings,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Contact Info:
Nathan and Carrie Radford
naterad[at]yahoo.com
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya 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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Important Announcement: 2022 Winter Conference
PLEASE NOTE!
THE BFM WINTER CONFERENCE HAS BEEN CALLED OFF UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
Pastor Ben Glover and the Park Ridge Baptist Church have regrettably and reluctantly called off until further notice the BFM Winter Conference scheduled for January 16-19.
This is due to outbreaks of the Omicron Virus both in the greater-Orlando area and also among the members of their church.
They didn’t want to do this, and especially at this late date, but they believe it is the wisest, safest, and most prudent course of action at this time. They would still like to hold open the possibility of re-scheduling for some time soon, maybe even within the next couple of months. We’ll see how all the circumstances develop. Stay tuned…
But, for now – THE BFM WINTER CONFERENCE HAS BEEN CALLED OFF until further notice.
They also regret and apologize if this causes complications to anyone who may have already made or booked travel/accommodation plans. But this decision is made with prayerful consideration of everyone’s best interests.
We do want to thank and commend the Park Ridge church for hosting the Winter Conference for going on four decades. They have been faithful and diligent supporters and advocates for our missionaries. Pray for them.
Stay tuned to our Facebook page (facebook.com/BFMnow) and our FaithWorks Blog (www.bfmnow.org/faithworks-blog/) for further information and details.
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News & Reports – January 2022
The Online Edition of the January 2022 BFM News & Reports is available at the link below. Read how God is working through the lives of our faithful missionaries and continue to pray for them.
*Remember you can click on any headline to view the post/story on our website.
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Mission-Minded Churches & the Guarani Indians
December 22, 2021
Friends and family,
It is Barb and my wish is for all of you to have had a wonderful Christmas and to have an AWESOME 2022.
Continuing with our trip to Brazil in October, we were able to visit the missionaries to the Guarani Indians, Pastor Valdival and his wife Rose. On this visit we saw some needs in their ministry and for their personal lives. They have bought some property for them to get out from under the expenditure of rent so they could have more money to put into their ministry. Now this purchase is not a recent one, but they have had it for some years. As a matter of fact, some of you here in the States have been a part of the renovation of this property. When we showed our friends the house, some said they thought it should be torn down and started all over. But they started and little by little they renovated the house and are now living in it and are very thankful for their home. One of the reasons for the location of the home is to be closer to the tribe that they work with. As with many of the Pastors in Brazil, they can use some help. The home is needing some work on the front of the house because the lean to over their outdoor cooking area and laundry room is just about like it has no cover over it, even though it does have a covering. I got to examining it closer and it had been covered with clay roof tiles, but they were of various sizes, so when it rained, it rained inside as well as outside. When we got back to Caragua, I was able to talk to the Pastors of two of the Churches that we worked with, and they agreed to help with this project. The labor and workers to do the work were ready, now the money for the material was needed. In our estimate we would need around 2,000.00 and so Barbara and I gave some seed money and in the last month, these two Churches have raised the rest. I am elated to say that this month the work has been completed because these two Churches are mission-minded and saw a need and sacrificed to help a missionary. It is AWESOME when you can look back and see the Churches you have worked with living the truths you taught them.
Guarani Indians 
The two churches working on the missionary’s home 
Guarani Indians
Pastor Valdival’s ministry with the Indians is in need of Bibles in the native language of the Guarani. The cost for these Bibles will be around $1,500.00 for 40 because they have to be ordered and shipped. But when we went to visit them (the Indians), the wife of one of the leaders told of having three Bibles, but she now only has one because everyone who visits her asks for her Bible to keep. So, if we can get more printed, we can get more of God’s Word out to more people. Please be praying for this need and if God puts it on your mind to help, send donations to BFM designated for Bibles.
We want to take this time to express our deepest gratitude to each and every one who so faithfully supports Baptist Faith Missions and to Baptist Faith Missions for supporting us. Continue praying for our health and opportunities to serve the Lord in Brazil.
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
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
The Lord Used it for Good
December 16, 2021
Dear Friends,
The apostle, Paul, wrote from prison telling his readers to “rejoice always”. If he could say that honestly from a Roman prison cell, then we should certainly be able to rejoice in every situation in which we find ourselves today. We can and do.
We rejoice mainly because we are certain of our eternal salvation through the grace of God and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We also rejoice because He not only saved us, but also sustains us every single day. These are facts that we can reflect on in any circumstance and find peace and comfort. I don’t want to lessen in any way the value of the knowledge of these truths because, to be honest, I often need to feed my heart and mind on them.
An amazing thing is that the Lord doesn’t stop there! Beyond His saving and sustaining grace, He has been pouring out large and small blessings on us and our ministries. Charlene is celebrating her 60th birthday tomorrow and I’m a little bit older than she, yet we both enjoy wonderful health due to God’s love and care. Our ministries are steadily increasing in the number of people involved and impacted. Certainly, the enemy attempted to hamper or destroy our evangelistic outreach with this horrible COVID pandemic, but the Lord used it for good, just as He promised. Some of our brothers and sisters in Christ were called home to heaven, yes, but that was to their benefit. The Lord even used the quarantines and lockdowns to teach us new ways to minister and touch people’s lives for good.
Our traveling evangelistic team, Projeto Vida, has just returned from their last trip of the 2021 year, and it was very fruitful. The team traveled to the nation’s capital, Brasilia, and was able to evangelize in the public schools in one of the most ungodly regions of the country. Many youth and several teachers/administrators surrendered their lives to Christ because of these efforts. The president himself asked our team to pray for him at one of his public appearances while they met with him and some other evangelical political leaders.
Early in January we will be hosting our first missions volunteer training seminar. We expect to have college-aged kids from several different states participating in this two-week training program. We will spend the first week teaching the biblical basis for missions/evangelism and then the next week we’ll be taking them to a city in the southernmost state of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. That region of Brazil has the reputation for being the most Satan-worshipping part of the country and we know that that is where the greatest need for the glorious, good news of Christ is. Please pray for our workers and the volunteers as they seek to win the lost for God’s glory.
Charlene and I are so grateful for your faithful prayers, concern, and support of our ministries. Thank you.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Enjoying blessed health! 
Worship Service in Curitiba 
Worship Service in Curitiba
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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