Frustrated with Delays
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
June 28, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Folks, life and ministry is just NOT going according to MY plans. I just can’t get a handle on things and it is frustrating me to no end. I have ministry alterations I would like to make and I can’t seem to move forward on them. My plans keep on being delayed and I can’t implement them or even move onward. I thought I would have much to write about this month and I can really only think of one word to write: Stymied. Or maybe, obstructed; blockaded; hindered; impeded. OK, that’s more like five words. But the idea is the same…I am frustrated over the delays. I want to move forward, I want to follow through with the plans I believe are from God, I want to write to you about some of the changes I wish to make and I want to see what God will do. Unfortunately, I think God is the main person I am wrestling with. It’s not that I don’t think the new direction isn’t from God. I do believe He is the one directing me. It’s just that He is not moving forward at the pace I want Him to or according to my timeframe.
You see, the main thing I want to do absolutely, positively cannot be done in my own strength or in my own power. My own ability will get me practically nowhere. Oh, I suppose that by utilizing my own severely limited abilities I might be able to build some kind of temporary human structure. But without the empowering Spirit of God demonstrating His power in this future ministry, it is simply a house of cards waiting to be blown over by the slightest wind or tremor. If there is one thing I’ve learned (I hope), it’s that without the moving of God in a ministry all my human efforts are futile. And I’m tired of starting futile endeavors, building futile ministries and trusting in the futile work of my own hands. And until God allows me to move forward I cannot outline what I think He wants me to do. That makes for a short, uninteresting, frustrating newsletter. But that’s where I’m at.
Afterward: Beloved, I have just read over my newsletter and, while I haven’t changed anything, I realize it sounds angry. I am NOT angry. Just impatient is all. I will be seeking advice from trusted counselors and friends. Grace and peace to you all.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Amy, Josiah & Chloe)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
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Full Month of Remodeling; Pray for Bus Ministry
The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.
June 20, 2017
Friends and family,
This month has been very, very full. We have been working on the house, remodeling and cleaning it for the visitors. I guess all of you know how amazing it is the STUFF you can accumulate over 20 years. Well we have removed several years and have some more to go.
Speaking of the house, we have taken out our wooded windows and replaced them with new ones. What a mess!! We are not talking about wooden walls, etc., but masonry. Can you imagine the mess when the windows you bought are not the same size as those you are taking out? What a mess I have created!! After the replacement, I have created much more work—patch, sand and paint. I painted around the windows and, guess what, need to paint the house. Now the walls are beautiful but the soffit is ugly, so I put vinyl siding around the soffit. It is amazing how things snowball when you get into remodeling. There seems to be no end. But the house now looks great and the outside is beautiful. AWESOME!!!
As most of you know, when there is a transition of pastors some of the people do not stay. We are now in the rebuilding phase and things are going good. We are having visitors each service and many of them are looking for a home church. God is AWESOME.
My health is holding its own. Good days and some days not so good; however, the AWESOME thing is that God is in control and I have a good prognosis. My treatments will continue until February 2018 so continue to pray for my health and for all those that are in a battle with cancer.
Seminary is an AWESOME endeavor. The last class we had 28 people and 18 of them were active pastors. Continue to pray for the Seminary as we endeavor to expand the reach of the present work. We have had the blessing of being taken under the wing of New Orleans Baptist Seminary so that we can offer a greater range of classes here in Brasil. As of this year we are working on offering a Master’s program. We are also working on offering classes in Manaus and Sao Paulo, and returning to Orlandia.
Last month we told you of the many things that had to be fixed on the bus—this month is much better. It only needs 2 new tires. This bus is a necessary tool for us here in Caraguatatuba. Pray for our bus ministry because part of it is children. These children come to Sunday School and this is where they learn of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is an AWESOME ministry. We are reaching the children to be able to reach the parents. We have various examples of children that we have worked with who are now teenagers and are faithful in church now.
It is always great to hear that people are praying for you. So Barb and I request your prayers. And we thank you soooo much for your financial support—without you our work could not happen.
We are looking forward to the visits that we will have here in Brasil this year. You are always welcome!!!!! The lights are on and the bed is turned down, so come on down.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
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Two Native Missionary Families Sent Out as First Baptist Cruzeiro do Sul Celebrates 88th Anniversary
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together since 1971. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
June 8, 2017
Dear Brethren,
First Baptist Church turned 88 on May 12. The church was organized on May 12, 1929 by missionary Joe Brandon with 13 members. God has blessed her and brought growth in many areas. For many years we held our missions conference during the last week of July. This was mostly due to the weather! That is our dry season and made it easier for our workers to get to town. The roads have improved (a little) so we decided to make our conference coincide with the church’s anniversary. For the past three years we have held our annual missions conference in mid-May. This year it was May 12 through 14.
The Sunday morning service was a red-letter day. We started out by adding 26 new members by baptism followed by the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. We also had reports from more of our missionaries. The big deal though was the approval of 2 new missionaries. One is a Brazilian who will be taking care of the field at Foz do Breu on the upper Juruá River at the Peruvian border. José Costa and wife are already installed and will be taking care of the congregation there and the preaching points down stream as far as São João. The other new missionary is Freddy and Felicinda. They are Peruvian and also of the Kaxinauá people. They are now in Tipisca, Peru. They have 2 major tasks: working to win people from the several ethnic groups in Tipisca and to continue to reach the 5 Kaxinauá villages on the Breu River. We already had inroads into 3 of the villages through Cosma and Damiana’s family. Now we are in all 5 villages.
As you may recall, we already have a Brazilian couple working in Tipisca: José Maia and Silvânia. The work is really tough there. The town is only a thousand or so people. There is a Peruvian army outpost there. The soldiers make very meager salaries. Most of them spend their money on drinking and prostitutes. None of them come to church. They are isolated and hard to reach. There is a handful of native Peruvians who work mostly in government jobs. These, too, stay closed away. Then there are the folks from the tribes. There are Ashaninka, Jaminauas, Kaxinaua, Amauaca and Arara. The Ashaninka have one linguistic line. The other 4 tribes speak different dialects of a completely different language strain. You walk just a few feet in the town and hear Spanish and the indian languages. What a mess. These different tribal groups are open to the Gospel, but how to communicate? Progress is being made, but very slowly.
It had been some time since I checked on the works on the lower Juruá River. Pastor Rondisson went with me to visit Ipixuna. This town is in the state of Amazonas and is over 150 miles downstream. The river is still pretty high, so we had an easy 5-hour trip. There is a Baptist convention church there, but it is Pentecostal. The pastor is from the Assembly of God! We don’t have any contact or involvement with them. There is also an evangelical church that is identical to us in every way except it just isn’t Baptist. They are mission-minded and we have encouraged them and got them going on several mission projects. We started 3 congregations that they visit regularly. We don’t have a missionary to send there, so we do what we can to help. There is a large village called Pernanbuco a few miles further down the river that has over 100 families. We plan to take our medical team there soon as a first step to getting a work started in the village.
Thanks for all your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike Creiglow
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Following Jesus: Dynamic, Not Static
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
June 5, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
News from France continues to be encouraging. We just spoke to Philip and his family who gave good reports of this weekend: full house Sunday; 17 teens at the Saturday night meeting; and 5 girls at the college students Bible Study. There are a number of other favorable developments as well.
Though most of us like being in our groove, following Jesus is dynamic not static. I thank God for the present circumstances because it has had a beneficial effect on my personal relationship with Him, has encouraged others to step up to the plate as the Lord works through them and opened doors of opportunity to display Jesus Christ.
Thanks to each of you who have prayed for Peggy, Judy and me as I try to be helpful. Judy’s doctor declared the kneecap completely healed and she no longer is restrained by the leg immobilizer. She continues to have therapy to regain good use of her leg after two months of restraint.
I am planning to visit churches as soon as is possible. If you would like to have us speak at your church please contact me at the email below. I will make note and contact you to confirm a date.
Thanks again for your prayers and faithful support not only in the present but for the many years that you have done so.
Joyfully in Christ,
John and Judy
Stateside Address
John and Judy Hatcher
1901 Shepherd Dr.
Evansville, IN 47715
jmhatcher@aol.com
Field Address
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Financial Struggles in Brazil but God Provides
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
June 4, 2017
Dear Friends,
Next week Projeto Vida will begin its 18th Missions Training School. There will be around 30 new students coming to study the biblical theology of missions in the classroom first. Then they will travel with our veteran missionary teams into some interior towns and villages to carry out practical evangelism and church planting. We have seen God use this type of training to lead many young men and women into vocational mission careers and, at the same time, many people have been led to Christ through their outreach efforts. Please pray for our teachers and for the teams as they head out with the Gospel.
As I mentioned in my last letter, a young lady from Brandon, Florida will be going to work with Projeto Vida during the summer break before she goes off to college. She will be participating in the Missions Training School herself almost immediately upon her arrival in Brazil. She will have the added difficulty of the language barrier. All the classes will be in Portuguese and Zoe (the young lady) has only a beginner’s level of the language. Charlene and I remember vividly how challenging those first few weeks and months are, but we also know that God used us, even with our limitations, and we know that He’ll use Zoe too.
Many of our Brazilian brothers and sisters in Christ are struggling financially as a result of the political and economic mess in Brazil right now. The jobless rate is very high and that is making it difficult for some of the churches to meet their financial obligations; some as simple as paying their utility bills. Please remember your brothers and sisters in Christ in Brazil as you pray.
Despite the financial struggles, the Lord provided enough for one of our teams to get out into the interior of the state of Paraná throughout the month of May. They had the opportunity to be in more than 9 public schools where they shared the gospel with over 8000 students. Many students and school staff members made public professions of faith in Christ at these outreach events. We are thankful that God’s grace is not completely held back by material shortfalls.
Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and financial support.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Stateside Address:
3912 Casaba Loop
Valrico, FL 33596
Field Address:
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
Phone: (813) 481-7007
Cell Phone: (813) 727-6405
Email: bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
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Praying for a Peaceful Election in Kenya
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
June 1, 2017
Dear praying friends,
We are now halfway through the year 2017, and time is going so quickly. We appreciate each one of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement to us. Each of you are a blessing and we thank God for you.
Earlier this month, our daughters finished the school year at Calvary Baptist Academy. This was a great year for them, as they had to learn time management, how to get along with others, studying hard for exams that they had, playing on the playground at recreation, gym classes, etc. We are so thankful that they had this experience and it was a great blessing. Please pray for them as they transition back to life on the mission field, as there are different challenges that they will face there. My wife is looking forward to homeschooling them again, but this was certainly a great year for them and we are very grateful and thankful for it.
Now, just to update you on our return to Kenya. Our original plan was to return to Kenya in June. However, Kenya has a presidential election in August and there is always the possibility of unrest, etc. The last election passed fairly peacefully, but the one before and others have not gone as well. After discussing with a missionary in Kenya, as well as our mission board and the pastor of our sending church, we have all decided it is best to wait out the election and go back after it. This decision was made after much prayer and seeking the Lord’s will in the situation. The election could pass totally fine, or it could be problematic. We just don’t know.
Please be in prayer for this, both for the people of Kenya and the election process itself. Please pray that there would be no unrest and things would continue along peacefully. Please pray for those that will be in the country at the time of the election, for their safety and well-being. God is in control of all things and we trust Him with the outcome. Psalm 34:14 says “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” John 14:27 says “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
A good quote that I read recently with all this said, “When I trust God, I trust the outcome.” How true. Trusting God involves trusting the outcome, knowing He is in control of all things. We will keep you updated. God bless each of you so much.
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Furlough Address:
56 Lobo Lane
Culloden, WV 25510
For ministry donations:
Pastor George Sledd, Treasurer of BFM
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280
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News & Reports – June 2017 [Online Edition]
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Mothers Honored, Men Helping, Training Musicians
Odali and Kathy Barros served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together from 1987-2013. In late 2013, they transitioned to Manaus in Northern Brazil to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
May 26, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Well this past month was May, “Mother’s Day Month”. Maybe to most of you it is just a normal day. To me, it is a very special day and I like to celebrate this day with the mothers and their children in our church. I grew up never seeing my mother. She died when I was two years old. I did not have a mother to teach me everyday things, about God, or how to pray. Most of you did have your mother present in your life. So many times we take it for granted. For me it is great to have a special day for the mothers and their children, and this year was not different. How many of you have a special dish that only your mother can fix in a special way? And maybe in a special way only for you?
We planned a day with the mothers on a boat ride. We asked the mothers if they would like that and they all agreed. The mothers could take all their children. We had mothers that had the opportunity to take their children that had not even been to church before. That was great. All the fathers and children helped get the food ready. All the mothers had to do was enjoy themselves and relax. God gave us a beautiful great day.
We have been blessed with men who have started helping with the preaching. That really helps us because Kathy and I only have one day of the week free. We have so many communities that need to be reached, but we cannot do it alone. We have four men who have been helping. Please pray for them: Francisco, Raimundo, Divino, and Ivan. We are planning an evangelistic service in a community nearby. The mother church and the two other mission points are working together to make it a great evening. Pray for us as we reach out to this community of Lake Limao (lemon).
The works are going well and we have had people who have made decisions. We need to get a place in the community of Ubim as soon as possible. The land at this place is not expensive. Ten thousand dollars would get what we need. The work is really growing. We don’t even do visitation to bring more people because the space we use is small. The family that graciously lets us use their porch are not even saved.
The church that I pastor is growing and we are adding on to the building to have classrooms and an area for fellowship. We also have a group of ten learning how to play piano. We can use more musicians–that’s for sure. We are excited! The oldest one learning is 50 years old and the youngest is 5 years old.
We want to thank each of you that pray and support our ministry. May God richly bless each of you and your lives.
In Christ,
Odali and Kathy
Odali & Kathy Barros
Caixa Postal 1
Iranduba, Amazonas 69.415.000
Brasil, S.A.
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
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