Transforming the Outreach Strategy
Dear Friends,
October 29, 2020
We are finishing up a great month of ministries! Our in-person attendance at our worship services has reached 95% pre-COVID numbers and our youth ministry is actually larger than it was before.
As I mentioned in my last report, our traveling evangelistic team has had to completely transform its strategy of outreach. Our public schools continue to remain closed to in-person classes, which was/is our principal venue for taking the gospel to the unreached. Brazil’s school year begins in February and ends in December, so most likely, there will be no return to classes until next year. We did discover other means and locations to minister, though.
This month we worked in partnership with a ministry that feeds the homeless. Because of the virus quarantine, many people lost their jobs. Some of those were people who were already struggling to make ends meet and, especially, to pay their rent. Many of those were forced to move out of their homes and ended up on the streets or under bypasses. Through the homeless population grapevine, these folks hear of where they can get a hot meal and some shoes, clothing and blankets. We have been going out regularly to some strategic points to meet, speak with and help as many of these people as we can. In every situation, our teams seek to share the love of Christ and the message of the gospel. The Lord has blessed by bringing many to Christ as Lord and Savior. Also, those members of our teams who minister the word are greatly blessed to see God use them and they come away even more grateful for the blessings that the Lord has poured out on them.
For many years we have had teams come from churches in the USA to partner with us in evangelism. In all of these opportunities I have sought to locate local English speakers to assist in translating for these non-Portuguese speaking volunteers. Two former volunteers had moved to the state of São Paulo, about a 6 hours’ drive from our city. They had asked their pastor if he would allow them to begin a worship service in English at their church following their regular Portuguese speaking service. He agreed and they began right around the beginning of the COVID outbreak. They continued the services, but were required to do everything through a live-feed video and not with a congregation present. The two volunteers who had met with and worked with me a few years back contacted me to invite me to go to their town and preach in English for one of their live broadcasts. It has been quite some time since I last preached in English, but I am always open to the opportunity to preach God’s word, whatever the occasion. Charlene and I drove there on a Saturday, spent the night, I preached on Sunday around noon and we immediately returned to our own church in time for the evening service. It was a neat adventure and we heard that that broadcast service reaches an audience of over 1000 people in several different countries. We are thankful to the Lord for this privilege to preach His word and share His love.
We pray that He’ll continue to use us for His glory and to give us wisdom and insight on ways to be faithful despite the strange times we are living in. We thank you for your faithful prayers and support for us.
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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Provision for a Real Need
October 21, 2020
Dear friends,
It was 2:00 pm on Monday when I heard the doorbell ring. I was not expecting anyone. Our four kids were studying at their desks. Raquel had gone out to take care of some things. Before I could get a glimpse of who was outside, Melissa said, “Who is it, Dad?” “I don’t know. Going to find out,” I responded. “Stay in your room while I check.” I looked through the window but did not recognize the person. I opened the door to speak to him, as he stood behind the main gate of our house (almost all houses in Sao Paulo are walled, gated, have barbed wire or an electric fence around the property perimeter wall, and often have multiple security cameras). He greeted me with a hopeful smile, “Good afternoon, sir. I am trying to find a way to feed my family. Do you have any yard work I could do for you? Any debris, or trash I can remove? Any aluminum cans or other recyclables? If you want me to, I can sweep your sidewalk and street. I can make it look really nice.” He was wearing a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and flip-flops. He was pushing a shopping cart. Inside the cart were a broken tube TV, two bags of rice, and a bag of pinto beans.
My heart breaks every time I see someone in this situation at our door. (What if this was me in such extreme poverty? And how would Jesus respond?) It is a tough call to give food out of our home door because word gets around quickly and people from all over come asking for assistance. A few months ago, a man rang the doorbell at 10:00 pm asking for a bus pass, or a subway ticket with the explanation of a recently deceased aunt and that he needed to identify the body at the hospital morgue. (I assisted the first time, but the following week he came by again at 10 pm, with the same story). I still have mixed feelings when I am laying in bed, it is midnight, and I hear someone rummaging through our trash bags outside looking for food, or recyclables. Unfortunately, this happens all too often, and it has intensified since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. My prayer is always, “Lord, what can we do? Give me wisdom, to provide for a real need, not be scammed, protect my family, and still give people the opportunity to drink of the Living Water and eat of Your Bread so they may know You personally, and find fulfillment in Your sovereign provision for this life and for eternity.
I looked at the man as he held on to his cart and said, “I don’t have any money on me.” (We never keep money at home, or on us, for security reasons.) Before I could continue he replied, “Could you give me rice or milk if I pull out the weeds from this sidewalk gutter? I said, “Sure, go ahead.” I responded, ” I will be right back with something for your family.” I returned with a 2.2lb of canned black beans and meat stew we often serve at our table. “This is from my family to yours. I have something else… Would you mind listening to something important my family can share with you?” I proceeded to share the Gospel. He listened. When I finished talking about the resurrection, he glared through me and said, “Thank you,” and walked away with the items in his cart.
I pray the message will take hold in his heart.
Pray for us serve better, love more generously, for abundant provision, and wisdom from above.
Grateful always,
Judson and Raquel
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@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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Fishing for Fish—and Fishing for Men
October 19, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings from the Barros family! We pray and hope that all is well with each church and each family. Things are well with us and the work here. Things are getting back to normal, but at the same time, taking care of our health and those around us. There have been several cases in the last few weeks of people with COVID around our community. Some from our church. Thank God none have been very serious.
This time of year is a specialty time for fishing. I have been able to take several men to fish and to have some fellowship and to also witness to men that are not saved. This is a way to reach many men around here. God has provided us with a boat and a motor. Also, we have been able to give fish to those who need it and also to pastors and some of their people in need. Last week we took fish to a group that works with Indians, Venezuelans, and an orphanage. This has been a great blessing. Last night I preached at one of these churches we have helped with fish. We were able to take some fish to them yesterday. Thank God for these opportunities! Continue to pray as we serve in this way.
Thank God the work at Iranduba is doing great. A pastor and his family have taken over the work and they are being blessed. The kids program is growing and adults are being reached. They live in the city there which is great for having more contact with the people.
Iranduba 
Iranduba
The work in the community of Ubim is back to normal. The number of kids is back to normal with an average of 55-60. Last year we had some tee-shirts made for the kids to use. We would like to make some new ones. If you would like to help, Kathy would be thankful! The cost is 5 dollars per shirt.
That mother church “Pedras Vivas” is doing well. Pretty much back to normal. The special work we are doing on Sunday morning is going great. The studies are great and the music classes are really wonderful. The Lord willing, soon there will be several people ready to play and help in the worship. Since everything here is so far away it is hard for people to have music classes. That is why we try to provide this through the church ministry!
This last week was Children’s Day here in Brasil so today we are going to have a pizza day at Ubim and give the kids some gifts. They are looking forward to today.
Ubim Children’s Day Pizza Party
Pray for these communities! They don’t have much going on for them to do but the drug dealers are everywhere. Our prayers are that we show them Christ and His love and sacrifice for us! That is the chance they will have for a different life!
God bless each of you! Thanks for your prayers and support!
Love in Christ,
Odali and Kathy
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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Positives in the Midst of a Pandemic
October 19, 2020
Dear Brethren,
Greetings from gradually opening Cruzeiro do Sul.
Last month we started having a Sunday morning service. These meetings have been limited to one hour. The state will not allow us to have childrens classes yet. In mid September we started having our Wednesday service again. Now in October we have added back our Sunday evening service. For all of September and half of October these meetings have been at 50% of what they were up to March 18th when we had our last service before the pandemic.
Even though the attendance has not been as good as I would like, we still have had some surprising results. We have had 3 professions of faith, 5 requests for baptism, 4 requests to become member by letter, 1 by statement and 5 members coming back into fellowship after being out in the world. Besides these, we have presented 2 babies in the last 2 weeks. It is no surprise that these babies are pretty big kids already!
Then last Sunday we had a 27% increase in attendance in both services. We had 346 in the morning and 350 at night. That was encouraging. I am praying that we will continue to increase.
This period has been beneficial in sorting out some things in our church. We have been able to find out who is courageous and committed. We have also found out who is timid. These have been quite a letdown. As things were before they were involved and seemed to be audacious, but now they are still home cowering because of the virus. These are the ones who don’t hesitate to run a red light, but now are shaking in their boots because there is a 0.05% chance they may die of covid-19. A couple of these have received a sizeable investment in their ministries by the church. Needless to say, I am not too happy about the situation of this rather small group. They are His children though and we will do our best to get them moving again.
There are some positive things going on in our work overall. We just put the trusses on the building at Centrinho. The pastor there resigned recently, but we have already found 2 good men to take over. We also started building an annex at Miritizal. They are needing classroom space and a nursery. I drew up the plans a while ago and now we are building. This week we started paving the second half of our parking lot at church, too. Even though the economy took a hit, still many things are in short supply because of the high demand. Building supplies are really hard to get.
Today I stepped out of my office as I heard a jet going over nearby. It was the first flight after over 6 months of isolation. The news reports say that we will have 4 flights a week. We used to have daily commercial flights. That went away overnight back in March. Now they are back and hopefully the isolation is over.
We are starting to have rain now and then. Hopefully the rainy season will kick in and the pandemic subside so I can get back out on the rivers. Can’t wait!
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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A Challenging Month Prepping for Classes
Dear friends and family,
Some months are what we consider more productive than others. This is one that has been a challenge. Limited mobility (broken ankle) and the China virus, of which our country and all the world is being challenged. So, we are working to establish another virtual class for our seminary group in São Paulo. This is the group that is closer to completing the 12 classes for a degree or a certification in Pastoral Ministries. These students, Pastors, missionaries, and church workers are also challenged as we are challenged. We, trying to get the class set up, and they, trying to be able to have the funds and the time to participate.
We are now permitted to have a certain number of virtual classes because of the China virus. So our proposal is to have five classes set up by the end of the 2021 summer. We have completed one class: Systematic Theology, book by Wayne Grudem. The professor was Dr. Coleman and the class was given in São Paulo and in Africa. The virtual classes are going to increase our outreach immensely. How AWESOME is our Lord, taking bad things and converting them into something good. We cannot brag on Him enough! Even though we have a few problems to overcome, all things are possible. Here is a good time to interject a particular prayer request: pray for the setting up, organization, and preparation by our pastors and other technologies we will encounter for these classes.
We are somewhat hesitant to purchase our tickets for Brasil as of yet since we are in doubt as to when we can travel in-country. We were hoping for the end of the year; however, that has been delayed until April 2021 now. Our plans now are to purchase our tickets for the spring of 2021 and praying that we do not have to cancel and reschedule again. We are still waiting to get reimbursed for the tickets in March. Please make this one of your prayer requests.
As I am traveling in Brasil it gives me opportunities to reacquaint myself with the Pastors and to know the problems that they are encountering and the struggles they have to overcome. Before and after classes and during our break time I am discussing all these things and getting their ideas as to how we can overcome these problems. I also use this time to encourage them and to pray with them. I don’t have all the answers but I can work with them in these areas. So I am asking you for your prayers for the Brasilian pastors and church workers to keep on keeping on in the vocation they have been called to accomplish: His mission —Go—Teach—Reach. This is going to be and is accomplished because of you. Your prayerful support and financial help is more than AWESOME!!!!
Continue to pray for us as we were chomping at the bits to get back to Brasil to carry on with God’s work there.
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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The Bigger Picture
October 12, 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We would like to encourage you today as we review a speck of what God is doing. The bigger picture is beyond our ability to comprehend in the present and the future. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) Who, a year ago, would have predicted that we would now be in a Covid pandemic? But, God knew and is greater than all.
The Tournefeuille church meeting yesterday was a blessing. We have been examining the encounters of of Jesus with individuals. This Sunday we looked at the seaside interchange between Jesus and Simon Peter concluding with “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (Luke 5:1-11). Early in the morning, in the middle of his net washing after a tiring night of failed fishing, Peter obeyed in pushing back the boat from the edge and later by casting once more the nets. Awed by the miraculous power of Jesus, Peter “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord”. Jesus, instead, took Simon Peter with Him.
Do you, like Peter, feel tired and overwhelmed by the circumstances? Jesus, our friend, Savior, almighty God, has entered our boat. He is still telling us to “Fear not.” He is in control. He will never leave you or forsake you and along the way you will experience His joy as He touches others through you.
One of the Tournefeuille church members (and our second oldest granddaughter) is beginning her last month of serving God by serving refugees who are being held in Austria. Among these are followers of Jesus who have been persecuted for their faith and others who need to know Christ who overcame everything that is against them. What a delight to see how God is using Nathalie and working in her life as she follows Him. Your prayers for her are much appreciated.
You may remember the August letter about Suzie (which I wrongly spelled Susie). Judy and I thought you might like to see the latest sign that surprised us a few days ago. So, here it is.
May the Lord bless each of you,
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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Questioning God
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ,
Have you ever questioned God’s character? Have you ever questioned his goodness? Have you ever questioned his justice? Have you ever asked him, “Hey, God, why are you doing this”? or “Why did you allow that to happen”?
You say: “Roger, good Christians and good followers of God don’t ask those kinds of questions” (At least, good missionaries don’t, right?). And I suppose you are right.
But I have been asking God some of these questions lately. “God, why won’t you let anything I do in your name succeed”? “God, why do you allow false teachers, false prophets and false pastors to thrive with seemingly no effort”? “God, why do I not have any energy or strength to do your work”? “God, why do you allow things to start well only to allow them to die a slow death”?
I am especially asking God about that last question, especially concerning the Chapel. Things were going so well at the Chapel to the point that I had begun to teach and preach about what constitutes a church and what is a church and what does it mean to organize and start a church. I was thinking the people of the Chapel were ready to hear these things and maybe we were ready to proceed to organize into a church. However, since we shut things down in March as a result of Covid the whole ministry has (in my estimation) imploded. Only three or four people show up to our services each week, some of those an hour late. Those that come have an apathetic spirit about worship and service. Others offer lame excuses for not coming. I can’t even seem to get electricity and water at our new venue.
I so much want this ministry to grow and thrive. I so much want the Kingdom of Jesus to grow in this place. I so much want Jesus to be loved and followed by those here who are called by his name. But every time it seems like we are heading in this direction it also seems like everything eventually falls apart.
So, yea, I’ve been asking God some of those kinds of questions, even though I know I am the problem and not him. But I am not alone in asking these kinds of questions. Various psalmists asked these kinds of questions. And most recently I noticed how Habakkuk asked these questions about God’s justice. Habakkuk looked around at his nation, Israel, and cried “ah, violence, iniquity, strife and wickedness everywhere. God, why won’t you do anything”? So God said, “I will send the unrighteous Babylonians to judge and destroy Israel”. Habakkuk responded, “Hey, wait a minute, God. That doesn’t sound right either. What are you thinking”?
See, others question God’s goodness sometimes too. So, starting this Sunday we will embark upon a study of Habakkuk at the Chapel – to see what God has to say to Habakkuk and to see what Habakkuk learns and how he responds to God. This study isn’t mainly for the three or four people who are attending the weekly service, but is mainly for me. If you haven’t read Habakkuk in a while, go check it out. It’s only three chapters long and has some good insight that you (and especially I) might need.
Blessings to you all,
Roger, Julie, Amy, Josiah & Chloe
CONTACT INFO
Roger & Julie Tate
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta@gmail.com
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Good News about the Good News!
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
Good news about the Good News! I truly love when someone under my leadership calls or writes to share with me that the Lord used them to win a lost friend or relative to Christ. I got that privilege again this week from Priscilla, one of the young ladies from my church. She told me that for several weeks she had been seeking to demonstrate the love of Christ to a coworker of hers who did not know the Lord. She wanted me to know that she had listened to the teaching from the pulpit about letting our light shine to those around us in order to open a door for sharing the message of the gospel. She had been seeking to do that with her friend from work and that friend finally asked what she must do to be saved. Priscilla showed her from the Bible how to surrender her life to Christ as Lord and Savior and her friend did just that. She brought her friend to the very next appointed church meeting and they both were overjoyed by God’s mercy and grace. God’s good news is still good news and He is still transforming lives through it.
Because of the COVID restrictions since early in the year, we had not attempted any of our special yearly church events that involve close proximity one to another. Finally, in September, those restrictions were somewhat lifted and we were able to put on our first married couples’ meetings of the year. It was a wonderful success. Many of our church members were so excited about being able to get involved in planning and executing a special event that they went over and above in the quality of the preparations. As a result, some of our couples were motivated to work on improving their marriage relationships. Some wives shared with Charlene that their husbands took the teachings to heart and made some clear efforts to be more romantic and considerate. I am grateful that we are getting the privilege of being able to meet and fellowship more freely, as well.
Our outreach team, Projeto Vida, has used the pause in public school classes to find other ways of getting the gospel out to people who don’t go to church, even by invitation. We discovered that many people who lost their jobs during the pandemic have also lost their homes. Our homeless population has increased exponentially this year. The majority of them struggle to find enough to eat, so our team prepares hot meals and takes them to strategic locations where many homeless people gather. While serving their food, and afterward, we offer to pray for their needs and to sit down and talk about the issues that they want to share. We know that we can’t “fix” all their problems, but we do share the message of the grace and mercy of Christ and the power of God to change even the direst of situations. Almost all of them accept the food graciously. My hope is that our efforts have a double (or more) impact: 1) That those who receive our gift of a hot meal can see the love of Christ in us and behind our efforts and, 2) That our own members will be touched by the plight of those whose situations are worse than their own and will be grateful for God’s blessings and share them for the increase of His glory.
Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry here in southern Brazil.
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
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
Read more
