Numerous New Opportunities & Many Answered Prayers
January 17, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the beginning of the new calendar year. Thank you for your faithful support. Things are going well here and God has blessed us with good health.
The Lord has encouraged us during the last few months with numerous new opportunities and many answers to prayers. Here is one example: On the eve of the 29th day of December we received a lengthy text from someone we thought had brushed us off two months earlier. We had been having Bible studies with this individual and then it seemed like they were avoiding us by making excuses about not being able to schedule the next Bible study. My opinion of what had/was happening was totally wrong. We are now back to regular meetings with this lady. She has been through some trying times.
Our weeks are filled with meetings with individuals and groups. Some of these are with people who are seeking but not yet believers. Some are with people who have recently put their faith in God. Making disciples takes time. There are 9 different meetings in 7 different locations with people from 6 different cultures. Most are in person, but some are over internet. Each of these is a different study. Most of these meetings are with Judy and me. Some involve other believers. There are also other encounters that are one-time events that open new doors.
The enabling and wisdom we need come from God. Only God can give eternal life to people. However, just as our Father used many people to prepare us for the work that He has given us, He uses us to give the Good News and prepare other disciples to serve Him in the work He is doing. It is not mass production and simply ticking steps off the chart. Every individual is different and it is not a cookie cutter production. Our example is Jesus. No two encounters between Jesus and those who needed Him described in the Scriptures are the same. He sought the Father’s will and we want to do the same.
Thank you for your prayers and contribution to what God is doing here.
Serving the Savior with you,
Judy and John
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
2 T Impasse de la Picardie
31830 Plaisance du Touch
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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Ministering to Street People in Manaus
January 16, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We pray and hope that all of you have had a blessed beginning to a new year. Things are going well here. Thanks for your prayers and support.
We had a great New Year’s Day dinner at church. After the dinner, I told the church that we were going to take all the food that was leftover to the street people in a plaza in Manaus. They all agreed. I went the next day with a group and we gave out several plates of food. We plan on doing this more times.
We have several new families coming to our church. The population is growing on this side of the river. What is great is that they are getting involved in the church ministries. Our fellowship meals have been wonderful. More couples are getting involved. It makes a great time for fellowship and also to talk about ministry.
We have started the next building at the camp. With this being rainy season, things are a little slower. Also, we plan on getting back to the church of Cacau. There we need to raise the floor. We have to take quite a few truckloads of dirt, then spread it out so we can concrete it. With the rain, that slows the work down. Since the church is right on the edge of the street, we can’t put too much dirt on the sidewalk. As the dirt is being dumped, we have to have workers put it inside the church. The Lord willing, we can get that done soon.
We have had several saved. The Lord willing, we will have baptism in the new baptistry. We used to baptize at the lake. Now the church has built a baptistry.
May God bless each of you. Thanks for your prayers and support. You are an important part of the ministry God has called us to do.
Love in Christ,
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.
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A Year of Harvest + Traveling to Portugal
January 12, 2024
Dear Friends,
We are happy to report that, during the final quarter of 2023, every one of our ministries experienced growth through conversions and baptisms. The Lord has truly done great things!
Southern Brazil:
Our traveling evangelistic team, Projeto Vida, had the opportunity to minister in 3 different states in southern Brazil. The team of 12 missionaries presented gospel skits, shared their personal testimonies, and preached in 11 public schools. In each of these schools, many lives were changed eternally. It usually isn’t possible in these venues to get a precise number of decisions for Christ because it’s not permitted to give an “altar call” at the conclusion, but in the one-on-one conversations immediately following the presentations many people share how they sensed the Lord convicting them of sin and their need for Christ’s salvation.
The year 2023 was definitely a harvest year for Projeto Vida. All total, there were over 2,000 public professions of faith in Christ. There were also over 40,000 people who heard the gospel proclaimed clearly through our mission efforts. We are looking forward to even greater opportunities and results in 2024.
Portugal:
Our missionary couple to Portugal, Yago and Manoela Guedes, also experienced God’s blessings on their mission endeavors. They have now finished their first full year in Portugal. They have three Bible study groups who meet regularly. Although it is difficult to find a convenient location to hold services, the Lord blessed them with a conference center that allows them to rent by the hour on scheduled meeting days. The cost is reasonable, especially when compared to what it would cost to lease or buy a permanent location. Yago and Manoela are a highly motivated and dedicated couple. Portugal speaks the same language as their native Brazil, but the cultural and spiritual climate in Portugal is much different. In Brazil, a large majority of the population is openly receptive to gospel conversations or presentations, whereas in Portugal, the people are predominantly agnostic or apathetic toward biblical truth. Although the results are slower to come in, Yago and Manoela know that it is their calling to be faithful in sharing the love of Christ, both in word and in actions and leave the results to the Lord.
Charlene and I will be traveling to visit them at the end of January. I will be assisting by teaching at some of their meetings and Charlene will assist Manoela from her wealth of cross-cultural experience.
We are presently working on the itinerary for outreach among some native Indian tribes in Argentina and Paraguay that we plan to minister to in early March. If any of you are interested in accompanying our group, feel free to contact me as early as possible. We are excited about this unique experience and the privilege of making Christ known to these tribes.
Charlene and I are very grateful for your faithful prayers and support so that we may minister as the Lord guides us.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Contact Info:
Bobby & Charlene Wacaser
Currently Stateside on Furlough from Brazil
Phone: (813) 501-9328
E-mail: 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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News & Reports – January 2024
The Online Edition of the January 2024 BFM News & Reports is available at the link below.
*Remember you can click on any headline to view the post/letter on our website.
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First Meeting at New Mission Point
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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Nothing “Just Happens”
December 30, 2023
Dear friends and family,
With God nothing “just happens”—and so it is with our seminary. I thought I could give you some insight on how the seminary began.
I was with some Brazilian pastors at a morning meeting (breakfast). The topic of sermon preparation was being discussed and I asked them about their preparation time. I was not expecting the answer I got. The three pastors that I was talking to replied like this, “When we get to church on Sunday morning, we sit, and each of us open the Bible and read the passage where we open. Then we decide which of us has the best reading and that one is the one who will give the sermon.” Well, after I picked up my jaw from the floor and tried not to show my shock, I started to seek God and the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how to help in this situation. The pastor who I was working with and I began to hold classes in our church. We invited pastors and others who were interested in studying the Bible to better present the gospel.
Then we got a visit from a church in the States and their new pastor asked me, “What do you need here in Caraguatatuba?” My immediate response, “A seminary.”
This was the beginning of Caragua Seminary. We got pastors to come down and teach the classes, and there were four planned classes per year: Old and New Testament, Theology and Pastoral Ministries. We gave certificates of completion for each class.
After many growing pains, trial and errors, searching for pastors who could pay for their own way to Brazil, and doubts of how we could accomplish this mission, the Caragua Baptist Seminary came into existence. This provided excellent training to pastors and church leaders empowering them to boldly and effectively spread the truth of the gospel.
Then, in trying to get the Seminary certified in Brazil, we had to change the name to an American name, and thus Caragua Baptist Seminary became Bluegrass Baptist Seminary. The certificate evolved into diplomas with accreditation and all professors have Doctorates and PhD’s from the States. AWESOME!!!! Just another in the many miracles. With God all things are possible!!!
This is and has been an evolving ministry and continues to be due to the Lord. This year our plans are to go into the next phase—our PhD program! God is AWESOME!!! None of this is possible without you and your continued prayers for each of the Pastors and their continued work in the seminaries and our continued health as we go to Brazil to carry on the work for the seminary there. And we want to thank BFM for their continued faith in our work there in Brazil.
If you would like to contribute to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary just designate your offering to Bluegrass Baptist Seminary through Alex and Barbara Hensley to Baptist Faith Missions.
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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A Remarkable End to the Year
December 29, 2023
Dear friends,
What a remarkable end to the year for us here in São Paulo. Please, read and see (through the pictures) how God is working.
Pastors Gathering on Building Ministry Teams
This month our pastor’s gathering focused on training leadership through building ministry teams. Wilson went with me on this trip to Alvaro de Carvalho, where regional pastors and wives came to Pastor Elieser’s home for our time together.
35 Salvation Decisions at Soccer Camp
The incredible hand of God was observed at our student camp through the soccer school as 35 of the 57 campers surrendered to Christ. Our hearts overflowed and rejoiced in the Lord for each student who confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Family
Our family is doing well. Sarah was part of the worship team during the camp. She was invited to sing in a Christmas musical at the Chinese Baptist Church in São Paulo. All four of our kids are progressing well in their studies at school and are in good health. I ask that you pray for my left knee, as physical therapy is underway to recover from a minuscule tear. Raquel is doing well and is doing an incredible job in equipping and mobilizing couples for foster care.
From Raquel
Hello friends. I’m here to share we received our first child on November 23. It’s sad a baby has to go into foster care; all babies and children deserve to grow up in a loving and nurturing family, however, when their parents can’t protect or care for them, it’s better when a loving Christian family receives them into their home, than when they have to go to an institution. The child we are caring for is 1 year and four months old. He was hospitalized for 20 days, and when he was released from the hospital, CPS referred him to us. Today I accompanied his foster parents and baby “S” to the outpatient clinic so he could get treatment for a skin condition that is making him miserable. Please pray he will heal fast. He is a sweet one-year and four-month-old little boy. If God touches your heart and you decide you want to help, specify your offering to baby “S” and I will buy him diapers, clothes, special milk, and medicine the doctor prescribed him, and some baby books so his foster parents can read to him. By the way, the foster parents are a retired couple, who raised three children. They love Jesus and are doing everything they can, even staying awake at night, so they can be Jesus for this child. Thank you for your support and prayers. Your sister in Christ, Raquel.
Request
We humbly reach out to you, our faithful supporters, with pressing fundraising needs:
a) Car Purchase:
Due to the increasing demand and rising expenditure on transportation, we urgently need to acquire a second vehicle. The estimated cost for this much-needed resource is also 10,000 US dollars.
As we step into the new month, we ask for your continued prayers and support. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Let’s continue partnering in this Kingdom work.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522For 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 in Cruzeiro do Sul!
December 18, 2023
Dear Brethren,
Home at last! Bev and I are back in Cruzeiro do Sul after almost 2 more months in the States. Our return trip went very smoothly. It took us 6 days, but all went very well. Thanks for all the prayers. I finished all 14 doctor visits and procedures. They have agreed to have me back in just once a year. So, our next visit should not be until September next year, by His grace. I won’t mention names but a special “Thank you” to the family who took care of our housing while in Lexington. Another special “Thanks” to the very special sister who provided our wheels again.
After one of the driest seasons of our life we are now having a burst of rain to start the rainy season. We like it. Warm and wet. Saturday, we had another wedding here at the Creiglow place. It started raining Friday night and all day Saturday right up to time for the ceremony to start. Just after the couple kissed the rain started up again. The rain cuts into our attendance at church, but still we are grateful for the rain. Last night we had 600 some folks that came out. I taught in the morning and preached last night.
Since returning I have had a few meetings with our leadership. Things are moving along quite well. During the week I was able to get some things repaired and organized. There is still much to do to get back into the routine, but I will try to pace myself and things should start to fall in place soon.
During this first week I was able to buy the little generator. I went straight to the manager, who is a personal friend. He was able to give me a much better price than the folks in sales. Thanks to my long-time friend and brother who made this happen. You know who you are, and the Lord knows what to do next! Thank you.
As soon as the Christmas musical and new year’s services are over, I hope to get back to my trips along the rivers and roads. The health issues and 8 months away have put a major dent in my missions trips. Pray that the Lord will cure me so that I can get back out there.
Thanks for all 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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