The Pitmans – Ministry Trip to Brazil
David & Kym Pitman traveled to Brazil during the month of September to represent BFM.
By the Numbers
- 2055 miles traveled in 3 states
- 24 churches visited/influenced
- 20 pastors & their families received personal visit / ministered/prayed with
- 21 cities
- 1 foster care center
- 9 speaking engagements (David)
- 2 debate panels
- 4 speaking engagements (Kym Pitman)
- 1 pastors & leaders breakfast with 43 participants
- 5 Sunday services and 320 people total
- Saturday Churches Gathering in Paraná with 130 present
- Conference with 250 people present
- 40 – 50 decisions (salvation, baptism, reconciliation, ministry)
Kym Pitman’s Synopsis
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
It was my honor to speak to the ladies of Brazil several times during our visit, concluding with a devotion
on fruitfulness at the September 7th event using the deep-rooted tree of Psalm 1 as my text. The ladies
were very attentive and patient while my translator, Carol, and I did our best to communicate the same
thoughts.
Also, the homes that we visited were very hospitable. And the bond we have in Christ overcame many
language barriers. It was truly a foretaste of Heaven being there with brothers and sisters with whom
we will spend eternity worshiping our Lord.
It was also a trip full of wonder as we saw places that we had only heard about when missionaries were
on furlough, or that we had read about in the Mission Sheets. I am so thankful for the goodness of God
that allowed me to meet in person those ministering in Brazil who still faithfully honor their Lord and
their mentors, to see the places in which they now minister, and to have the opportunity to hear their
prayer requests so that I can understand better how to pray for their specific needs. These are
memories and friendships that I will always treasure. Many thanks to Jud and Raquel Hatcher for their
invitation and their hospitality.
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Sharing Christ at School + Another Baptismal Candidate in Portugal
September 23, 2023
Almost immediately after our return from Brazil, I began teaching at a high school near Tampa, Florida. The school is operated out of a local Baptist church and is administrated by Christian faculty and staff. I found out very quickly, though, that that doesn’t mean that all the students are Christians. I am very grateful and thankful to the Lord for the privilege of being able to share the gospel and biblical precepts with the students in each of the 6 subjects that I teach. Almost every day I find a situation where I can share the gospel or apply the Word of God in practical ways to my students. I have come to love them, and I pray that the Lord will use me to win as many of them as will surrender to Christ this school year.
Our missionary couple to Portugal, Yago and Manoela, report that their little group is growing weekly. There is another baptismal candidate, Beatriz, whom we are praying for. She professed faith in Christ some time back but was not baptized then. After she told Manoela and Yago that she was ready to be baptized, several issues arose that have caused her to waver. I ask you to pray with us for Beatriz, that she may be firm in her decision to follow Christ boldly in the waters of baptism. We know that she is enduring demonic attacks and our prayers will be used of the Lord for her victory. She and her sister, Bruna, had never gotten along well until Beatriz fully committed to Christ. Since then, they have both been serving joyfully in outreach ministries at the fledgling church. That’s when the attacks on Beatriz’s faith began. We know the enemy seeks to cause damage to anything that speaks of Christ’s love and forgiveness, but we also know that “greater is He who is in them than he who is in the world.”
Our mobile evangelistic team, Projeto Vida, had a very fruitful month of outreach. The Lord blessed and each of the 14 volunteers had the privilege of leading some to repent and surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior. Of course, where there is faithfulness, there is testing. Our van’s tires went as far as they could, but two of them wore out this month. We are grateful to some of you readers who, when you heard of the need, gave funds to help replace them. The team only had to stop long enough to purchase new ones, change them, and continue their mission journeys. They are already in another town this week sharing the gospel, thanks to your willingness to help. May the Lord bless your generosity.
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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Special Events & Sharing About Our Savior
September 21, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope all are doing well. We are doing well thanks to our Lord. Things are going well with our building and remodeling. The work at the camp is coming along, and the remodeling of the church building at Cacau is coming along. We are taking advantage of the dry season.
The special day we had with the couples fishing was great. Everyone had a great time and we had safety on the river. The day we had a special dinner to bring lost friends or friends that needed to find a church to go to also went well. It was a great dinner. We had a short devotion about salvation before the dinner. It was great!
Now we are working on getting more people involved in the church with the children and teens. It has been great to see several getting interested. They are planning a special day for the teens. Pray that God will help them see how important it is to help these teens. The world offers so many things that turn them from God. We need to help them live in this world and focus on our Savior.
The work in Ubim is growing. The couple that works there with Kathy are teaching the kids different instruments and to sing. Soon we plan on starting regular services. The couple that is helping lives close to the village.
Thanks for your prayers and support. May God give each of us wisdom and strength to do His will!
Love in our Lord Jesus 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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Unexpected Gifts from the God Who Never Changes
September 17, 2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are thankful for the many different ways God showers us with blessings. Some can be put in the category of “never changing” and others in the category of “surprise, surprise, surprise”. Don’t you like them both; the reliability of our eternal Father who never changes and the unexpected gifts of His amazing creativity?
About three days ago my phone rang and I was surprised to see the name of a pastor friend on the screen. We had not spoken to each directly by phone in a long time. That was a surprise, but the best was yet to come. He proceeded to tell me that he had been contacted by a couple who had seen his church’s service on the internet. They wanted to get involved in a Bible study. Vincent, the pastor friend, thought that they would profit from a Bible study with us. He knows several people who have grown in the Lord through the Bible studies we lead. He wanted to contact me before putting them in contact with us.
The couple, longtime “Jehovah’s Witnesses”, had recently concluded that the JW religion was not biblical. We got in contact with them and are beginning to have weekly interactive online Bible studies. Our first meeting lasted three hours. Over the years they had begun to have questions about the “Watch Tower Society” and its teachings. When they could not go to the meetings because of COVID, they began searching the Bible on their own and the Holy Spirit certainly used the Word of God to speak to their hearts. They live nearly two hours by car from us. We hope to be able to meet them face to face soon. Your prayers for this couple (S and T) and their two children would be greatly appreciated.
Here is a glimpse at our schedule this week. Sunday: weekly church service; Monday: internet Bible study of Jeremiah; Tuesday: Bible study with believers in the city of Mazere (about 1 ½ hours from our home); Wednesday: meeting to speak English with folks with whom we have been able to share the Gospel; Thursday: Judy and I meet with a disciple for family and spiritual growth counseling; Friday: Bible study with new couple mentioned about; Saturday: Bible study and children’s Bible class in Campagne sur Arize (about 1 ½ from our home); and Youth meeting back in our town. We are delighted for the opportunities the Lord gives us to serve Him and those who serve with us. Above all, we are grateful for the wisdom and strength He gives us to do so.
And, we are very thankful that you are “in the ship with us”!
May God’s richest blessings be evident to each of you,
John and Judy
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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Influencing Pastors & Churches through Seminary
September 15, 2023
Dear friends and family,
I am rejoicing in the Seminary classes that have been taught. We are in the planning stage for next year’s classes while our final semester is beginning this week.
This November will be extremely busy for us as the Seminary, Pastor Derek and myself, and many others will be involved in a Missionary/Pastor Conference with around 200 Pastors and families in attendance. We will be presenting the Seminary, the classes that have been accomplished, our accreditation through the Masters Program and what will be added this coming year: an accredited PhD Program! How AWESOME is the God we serve.
As of now the Seminary has graduated 23 to the Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and Masters of Arts in Pastoral Ministries.
However, we have also completed several classes in Pastoral Ministries where the students received a certificate of completion. These students just wanted to be better trained and informed Biblically.
This week I heard from one of these students. He is now the pastor of one of the mission points that we started. At the time, this man was just a member of that mission point in Natividade da Serra. And wanted to learn more about God’s Word. This mission point has since been organized into a church. Israel was voted to be the pastor and his wife Joyce is making a wonderful pastor’s wife. The letter I received this week from them was thanking us for the influence and the encouragement given to him. You never know how your words impact those you speak to. I am including pictures of the church there in Natividade da Serra. This type of letter helps to keep me in focus the objective for the seminary to take basic evangelical seminary training to the underserved pastors and church leaders in Brazil. God is moving and opening doors for the seminary. We are looking to open more locations in the coming years. Please keep Bluegrass Baptist Seminary in your prayers. Also pray for Baptist Faith Missions because if it were not for them, we would not be in Brazil doing God’s work. Keep us in your prayers also as we will be traveling a lot in the next months.
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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Teaching Students to Be Better Ministers of Jesus
September 9, 2023
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
If you are reading this report, thank you. Thank you for taking an interest in what we are doing for the Lord in Kenya and for partnering with us for the glory of Jesus and for the spread of His kingdom. I really do appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and support and do not take it for granted, especially today as I not only am struggling with what to write in my report but I’m also struggling in my spirit. There is an anxiousness and strain in my spirit that I cannot explain and a very heavy spiritual and emotional weight that I am carrying today. Because of the inexplicable heaviness in my spirit today, I will remind myself what I am teaching my students in my Pentateuch class and see if it helps me. (An aside here: I had a number of students come to me before classes opened and told me that they were very excited to be in my Pentateuch class. Then they said, “What is the Pentateuch, anyway?” I had to laugh). I have been teaching my students that the Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament and that it is difficult to comprehend what the New Testament is teaching without the revelation of the Old Testament. The Pentateuch is the foundation of the Old Testament and without it you would have a hard time understanding the rest of the Old Testament. Genesis is the foundation of the Pentateuch and gives us the origins and beginnings of the world, humanity, and God’s relations with humanity. Without Genesis you would have a hard time making sense of the Bible. The Abrahamic Covenant is the engine that drives the book of Genesis and thus, in turn, the Pentateuch, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. And the Abrahamic Covenant reveals the beginning of God’s plan to redeem the nations, to fix the universal problem of sin and rebellion, and to bring eternal blessings to his people. God has a plan – to redeem the nations. God has inaugurated his plan – in the Abrahamic Covenant. God has brought his plan to fruition – through his Messiah and Son, Jesus Christ. God has made his plan effectual in the lives of His people – you, me, and my beloved Kenyan students. Now, I have finished reviewing my initial lessons that I taught my students in my Pentateuch class, but I still am carrying the heavy spiritual weight in my soul. I must now try and have a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude today, in spite of the weight and struggle in my spirit. I know I must not be the only one with such a weight today and so I encourage each of you to also strive for a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude in all the struggles you also are facing today.
The new school year opened last week, and it was good to have all our returning students back on campus. It was also good to see a large batch of fresh, new faces on the brand-new students. Some were fearful, being so young and away from home for the first time in their lives. Others were older, experienced and married, and not as anxious and nervous about their new surroundings. But all are eager to learn the Bible and to love Jesus. In my orientation session for new students, I stressed that while academics is important, gaining knowledge is vital, and they all want good grades, that the real reason they are at our school is to grow in their love and service of Jesus and to learn to become better ministers for God’s people. I told them that our goal at Moffat was that at the end of their tenure at our school that they would be better ministers of Jesus: better at ministering God’s Word, better at serving and loving God’s people, better at pointing people to Jesus, and better at ministering to people’s souls through the Word of God and love of Jesus.
Please be in prayer for the Kenyan people. I don’t really know what the economic situation for all the nations around the world is, but I do know that in Kenya the situation is not good right now. Many people are striving financially, and many families are struggling. I know this is a common and repeated prayer request that I include in my newsletters, and you may be tired of hearing it. But the situation is still one of constant struggle for many families, and I wish that you would fervently pray for the people of Kenya, not just that economic struggles would be relieved but especially that they would know and love Jesus as their Savior.
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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Encouraging Pastors & Seizing Opportunities for Gospel Connections
August 22, 2023
Dear friends and partners in the Gospel,
Greetings from sunny Brazil! As we draw closer to the end of summer, we reflect upon the multifaceted experiences we’ve had and the many blessings we’ve seen. Here are some highlights:
1. An Italian Cuisine Evangelist Sunday
We were delighted to receive friends and neighbors for a Sunday gathering where the flavors of Italy met the fervor of Brazilian connectivity. The fusion of Italian flavors served with the Gospel message (that not even Ancient Romans could contain), pointed people to a relationship with Jesus.
2. Pastors and Soup
Our monthly pastors’ gathering in São Paulo state happened in Alvaro de Carvalho on a Friday night with delicious soups, great conversations, and the boldness of the Gospel to keep us on track in leading our teams to stay focused on the cross. It started at 7:00 pm and finished at midnight. Intense, deep, spontaneous, funny, and inspiring.
3. Uraí, PR Pastors’ Meetup
The next morning, we drove three hours for our monthly pastors’ meeting in Uraí, SP. Our journey continued to a meetup of pastors & leaders gathered to share, learn, and pray together. I was humbled by the stories of resilience and commitment these pastors have in leading their local churches.
4. Community Event for Men
On a Thursday night some of our church leaders in São Paulo City attended a special event for men, centered on eating ribs. This was a locally organized community event. We went to establish new connections and make new friends. It was inspiring to see men come together to eat ribs, our team of guys prayed throughout the whole night as we laughed and talked with the guys. We met a ton of men!
5. Foster Care Awareness Day at the Park
An event coming up is one organized by Raquel and her foster care leadership team. We expect several families to join us at a local public park to raise awareness for at-risk children, orphans and to share the Gospel. In bringing together families, children, and the community, emphasizing the importance of foster care. Pray for us as we set up the games, face paint the kids, serve popcorn and cotton candy, and jump rope, that each child will find the Father.
6. Celebrating Joseph Brandon’s Legacy
A century ago, Joseph Brandon stepped onto Brazilian soil through “Amazon Valley Baptist Faith Missions, carrying with him the message of the Gospel. This month, we celebrate his legacy with a grand conference. Our guest speakers for this centennial celebration include Pastor’s David Pitman and Jonathan Turner, both directors of Baptist Faith Missions and faithful local church pastors.
7. Family Time and Back to School
As the school break simmered down, Sarah, Laura, Benjamin, and Melissa geared up for the new school year. I have never seen them so enthusiastic, disciplined, and focused as I am seeing them now. All four of them are part of the after-school athletics and the tournament between schools is in full throttle.
8. Kayaking Adventures
I recently took Melissa on a kayaking adventure. We had an incredible time exploring the island we went to visit, and it was a refreshing experience amidst nature, reminding us of God’s majestic creation.
9. A Birthday Celebration
Raquel’s aunt turned a graceful 78 this month, and it was a joyous occasion filled with stories, laughter, and memories with her extended family – some drove six hours to celebrate this moment.
10. David & Kym Pitman’s & Jonathan Turner’s Trip to Brazil
In just a few days we will receive David and Kym Pitman. They will be with us from August 26 through September 8. What an honor of hosting David & Kym Pitman. Their trip is filled with meaningful visits with pastors and their families, leadership gatherings, discussions, prayer, and culminating at the September 7 conference in Lupercio City. Jonathan Turner will join us on September 6 until the 8th. We look forward to every ministry opportunity with them.
11. One-on-One Evangelism Opportunities
We’ve been blessed with numerous opportunities for one-on-one evangelism, where personal stories and testimonies have paved the way for deeper connections and spiritual growth.
12. Gospel Partnerships
For two months I have prayed for the Lord to open an opportunity for us to partner with a soccer school. Just last week, the Lord opened the doors wide open. This week I had the privilege of meeting most of the young athletes. We will now have access to minister to 80 new families on a weekly basis!
13. Fundraising & Prayer Requests
We humbly reach out to you, our faithful supporters, with two pressing fundraising needs:
a) Sound System, Stage, and Tent:
To enhance our church planting and network gatherings, we require a sound system, stage, and tent. The estimated cost for this essential equipment is 10,000 US dollars, considering the higher expenses for such equipment in Brazil.
b) Second 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.
Grateful always,
Judson Hatcher
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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The Awesome God of Miracles
August 15, 2023
Dear friends and families,
This semester of the Seminary is going great. We are having smaller numbers, but God is in control. There have been 15 in the classes and the interest in the advanced degree is growing. One of Dr. Derek’s classes had a Pastor whose wife was pregnant; the baby came but there were complications, and the baby did not make it, but the Pastor came to class anyway. The Pastor said, “I just need this class”. But I can tell you the class was not only good for him, but the students were blessed with encouragement from each other.
Our time in Brazil was well spent visiting different churches and seeing people from our past. But there was a miracle that happened while were there. Our youngest granddaughter Ashley has been suffering from food intolerances. There were two or three pages of food that she could not eat because she would vomit. So just before we got to Brazil, there was a birthday celebration at church and Ashley begged to eat one of the foods that she had not eaten for two and a half years, so her mom permitted it. We were just waiting for the normal reaction from eating non-permitted food, but the normal reaction did not come. So, she began eating everything she had been missing for so long. You know, we had been asking God for a miracle and He sent us one. So next, we started waiting for her to get sick again. You know…why do we ask for something then doubt when He gives it to us?
God is the AWESOME God of miracles, and we were able to witness one this trip.
Continue to pray for the Seminary and for our traveling to Brazil.
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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