Missionary Update: Harold Bratcher on Permanent Furlough from Brazil [July 2013]

Harold Bratcher served the Lord in the Amazon Valley for 52 years from July 15, 1959 through December 29, 2012. His dear wife, Marie, faithfully served with him for 51 years until her death in February 2011. The Bratchers organized over 20 Baptist churches and many other missions in Brazil. He is now on permanent furlough in Kentucky, still in the service of the Savior.

July 10, 2013

Dear Brothers of the Blessed Lord and Sisters of the Savior:

Once again we (Asa Mark and I) greet you not from the Amazon Valley of Brazil, South America, but from our temporary warm and rainy Kentucky home where the sun is not shining bright right now.

This Mission Sheets month began June 8 and finishes today. During this period I heard 7 sermons, or Bible studies. I also had the privilege of preaching three times. The first time at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Oldtown, Ky where Bro. John Lybrook is pastor, the weekend of the 16th. I also heard Stephen preach, as Asa Mark was in Brazil, taking care of the house sale. The second time was Sunday morning the 23rd of June, at the Berry Baptist Church of Berry, Ky, where Bro. Carl Morton is pastor. During the Sunday School hour, Asa Mark spoke and Stephen sang as we enjoyed a time of great food, preaching and fellowship. The third time was the following Sunday at the Calvary Baptist Church in Richmond, Ky, where Bro. Bobby Greene is the pastor. I preached at the morning service there while Asa Mark preached at the Clarksville Baptist Church, Bro. Bradley Johns, pastor. Then we all enjoyed a great meal, and Asa Mark spoke at the afternoon service. We appreciate my sister in law, Deane Cruise and my niece, Donna Lynn, attending that service. Then Bro. Bobby and Sis. Sandra took us to visit our dear friends, Carroll and Bessie Sowers. Also during this MS period, we attended several services at the David’s Fork BC, our home church in Lexington.

I hope to continue to be a blessing to many of you, during this first year of my permanent furlough. I would like to report and thank each of you that have supported us during these past 53 years. We appreciate the invitations we have already for this month, and look forward to seeing many of you soon. We hope to be in Western Kentucky soon. Do pray for us, as this week, we have started earnestly looking again for the house the Lord would have us have. Also continue to pray that the Lord will heal Asa Mark’s eye, as both doctors in Lexington and Manaus, have done all they can. He is certainly able, and may He receive all the glory. The Lord permitting, until next month.

Yours in the Service of the Savior,
Harold Bratcher

1012 Balsam Drive
Lexington, KY 40504
(859) 277-3716
(859) 806-9827 cell
harold_bratcher[at]yahoo.com

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