Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [October 2013]
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.
October 2, 2013
Dear praying friends,
We are now near the end of our term here in Kitale, and the past two years have passed by so fast. When we come to the mission field after furlough, we think that two years is a long time to be away from friends, culture, family, etc. And, to be honest, it is a long time. But it never ceases to amaze me at the end of a term that I think about how quickly the time passed. I am sure that many of you at home can relate to this as well. Our days on this earth are few and fly by. It reminds me of the verse in Psalm 90:12, which says “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” May we use our time wisely in service to our Lord.
Please pray for us, as there is much to be done. Coming home to America seems like an easy process, but in reality, it is not. We have many things to be done, schedules to be arranged, schooling for children to be arranged, leaving ministries behind, etc. It can be very overwhelming, and we take one thing at a time. Soon I will need to be thinking about scheduling churches for furlough and our furlough schedule. One thing I forgot to ask prayer for is for our girls, McKenna and Camille. In all the rush and busyness that furlough brings, it is easy to overlook them and their needs. This will be a big adjustment for them also, as they are used to life here in Kitale. Please pray for my wife also, as she is now trying to arrange homeschooling around all the traveling and visits. We thank the Lord for the strength He provides each day. I begin to get overwhelmed when I look at it all at once. I am sure this is the same for my wife as well. Like the old saying goes, “His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.” How true this is, and we need to rely on Him.
We are still continuing to pray about our needs for furlough, mainly for housing in WV while we are in America. We would need the housing around mid December 2013. Any assistance in the area of housing would be greatly appreciated, even if you know of people we could talk to. Our contact is naterad[at]yahoo.com. We would appreciate your prayers for us, as we wait on Him. We seek the Lord for these things. 1 Chronicles 16:11 says “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” What a challenge for all of us, to seek the Lord throughout our lives.
By now, I am sure you have heard of the terrorist attack at Westgate Mall in Nairobi. This has been very hard to watch on the news. We have been to this mall a few times. Apparently the terrorists had been planning the attacks for a year, and possibly had a shop in the mall while they were in the planning stages. Please pray for all the families affected by this, and for those who did these acts to be brought to justice. It truly is sad what is the mind and hearts of people, and even when we do not understand, we need to continue to trust the Lord. I feel so badly for all those affected by this and would ask you to remember those affected in your prayers.
Please keep us in your prayers over the next weeks, and for us later this year, as we make changes and adjustments back to life in America for a few months. God bless each of you and thanks again so much for your interest and sacrifice to missions across the world in Kitale, Kenya.
Until Next Month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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September 2013 Mission Sheet [PDF & Flip-Through]
Your September 2013 Mission Sheet is now available in PDF format. Follow the link below to view it!
BFM Mission Sheet September 2013
You can also flip through the mission sheet at this link: Click to view the flip-through version. When flipping through, you can enlarge the pages by clicking the magnifying glass with the arrow in it. ( <–> ) Flip by clicking on the curled up page corner.
(Once you get there, click at the bottom of the page to flip through.)
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2013 BFM Thanksgiving Conference
We heartily invite you to join us for the
59th Annual Thanksgiving Missions Conference
in the interests of BAPTIST FAITH MISSIONS
November 25-27, 2013 | New Hope Baptist Church
Dearborn Heights, MI | Pastor Terry Adkins
Conference Theme: “Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It”
“Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It”
– Psalm 107:2-3 –
Sister Sue Jones will be conducting a Bible Study during each session of the conference for children ages 3-10. Please bring your children.
Everyone is invited to sing in our Conference Choir on Monday evening at 6:45.
For directions to New Hope Baptist Church and/or information on lodging please contact:
Pastor Terry Adkins | (313) 562-5579 | pastorterrynewhope[at]yahoo.com
MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 25
5:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Music
6:45 pm Singing
7:15 pm Message, Pastor George Sledd
Jordan Baptist Church, Sanford, FL
8:00 pm Singing
8:25 pm Message, Pastor Denny Herndon
Immanuel Baptist Church, Riverview, MI
TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 26
9:15 am Music
9:30 am Singing
9:45 am Message, Nathan Radford
Missionary, Kitale, Kenya, Africa
10:30 am Message, Harold Bratcher
Missionary, Brazil (retired)
11:10 am Break
11:15 am Message, Isaac Hiel
Former Missionary, Turkey
12:00 noon Lunch
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 26
1:30 pm BFM Advisory Meeting
(Everyone is invited to attend)
TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 26
5:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Music
6:45 pm Singing
7:15 pm Message, Pastor Gary Harrah
Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Wyandotte, MI
8:00 pm Singing
8:25 pm Message, Roger Tate
Missionary, Kitale, Kenya, Africa
WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 27
9:45 am Music
10:00 am Singing
10:15 am Message, Evangelist Bob Jones
Clays Mill Road Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
11:00 am Singing
11:15 am Message, Pastor Walter Jones
Warren Missionary Baptist Church, Warren, MI
12:00 noon Thanksgiving Lunch
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A Word document of the conference schedule is available for download here:
BFM 2013 Thanksgiving Conference Program
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [August 2013]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
August 1, 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We thank you and praise the Lord for your faithfulness in prayers and financial support for many years. Things have certainly changed since our arrival in Brazil in 1955. Today, there are more cars on our short street here in Urai than there were in the entire city of Manaus when we arrived. Praise the Lord, the spread of the Gospel has been widespread, also.
During the month of July we had a few days of very chilly weather; that has passed and now we are enjoying beautiful sunny weather with temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees. Alta and I are well with just a few physical and mental reminders that we are human and reaching an advanced age. We praise the Lord for His goodness to us and for the joy of serving Him here.
PRAISE THE LORD! The small mission in the suburb of Urai, Sussuma, has seven persons to be baptized at the next baptismal service. There are three young people from the Urai Church who work in this Mission: Wiler, Odete, and Jefferson. They are wonderful young people and have been faithful in this work. I am asking you to try to remember their names and bring them before the Throne of God in your prayers.
ANOTHER PRAYER REQUEST–In the Urai Church there is a large group of young people who are in the time of their lives to select a partner for life. This choice is vital for the continuation of their spiritual welfare. Please pray for them in this choice.
OUR PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER–Alta and I are eternally grateful for His blessings on our family: We have two in heaven, awaiting our coming: a baby boy born dead in Faro, and Lynn, our oldest. She left her bereaved husband, Ross, and five children. All are serving the Lord faithfully in special ministries. Paul and family faithfully serving the Lord and planting churches in many States of Brazil. John Mark and family serving Him in France with many doors recently being opened. David, who is pastor, and his wife, Pennie, work in the Chapada Baptist Church in Manaus. Kathy, our youngest, and Odali serve the Lord in Garca, Sao Paulo. We have 15 grandchildren, all of whom serve the Lord in special ministries. We have 26 great-grandchildren, seven of whom have been saved and some of these baptized.
EVANGELISTIC WALKING–Three or four days a week as weather permits I walk a few blocks for the purpose of talking to people about the Lord. The past week I was able to evangelize nine persons; Alta teaches a Bible Class for pastor’s wives the first Monday each month.
Pray for us. Thanks for your prayers and support.
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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Missionary Update: Harold Bratcher on Permanent Furlough from Brazil [June 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.
June 9, 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 Kentucky home where the sun is shining bright!
This Mission Sheets month began April 8 and finishes today. During this period I heard 19 sermons, or Bible studies. I also had the privilege of preaching twice. The first time at the Spring Conference at the Thompson Road BC in Lexington, Ky where Bro. Dave Parks is pastor. The second time was Sunday morning the 26th of May, at the High Point Baptist Church of Alexandria, Ky, where Bro. Ron Duty is pastor. During all the conference, we enjoyed a time of great food, preaching and fellowship. Also during this MS period, we attended the services at the following churches: Porter Memorial BC, Lexington Bethel BC, David’s Fork BC, all of Lexington, Ky, and Linden St. BC of Richmond, Ky, Glen’s Creek BC of Versailles, Ky, and the Lexington Baptist College Alumni Meeting at the Heritage BC, of Lexington, Ky. We also attended the funeral services of Dr. Hoge Hogensmith, Bro. Derek Gilpin, and Sis Eva Sams, 105 years old. I pastored this dear sister at the Valley View BC, over 60 years ago.
During this past weekend, we were privileged also to attend the 9th Bratcher-Porter family reunion at the General Butler State Park in Carrolton, KY. What a wonderful time we, along with Stephen, had there.
I hope 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 years. We appreciate the invitations we have already for this month, and the next one. I look forward to seeing many of you soon. I will be speaking on Saturday night, the 15th, one week from yesterday, at the Emanuel BC, of Oldtown, KY, where dear brother, John Lybrook is the pastor. 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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Founder’s Day Offering 2013
For many years, we have remembered and honored our principal founders, Hafford Overbey and Z. E. Clark, by giving special offerings for the missionaries during the month of June. We call it our FOUNDER’S DAY OFFERING.
But, the Founder’s Day Offering not only memorializes our original founders in 1942 – we are also honoring our twelve faithful missionary families who are currently serving the Lord in Brazil, Peru, France, and Kenya.
Their support needs are great – and the supplies are low. We use the Founder’s Day Offering to help supply our missionaries’ monthly essential living and ministry support. And, these offerings will also help prevent our having to reduce the monthly commitments we have made to them due to a lack of General Fund supplies.
Here’s what each of us can do:
PASTORS – we encourage you to observe a special Missions or Great Commission Emphasis Sunday and give your church the opportunity to give to the BFM General Fund. Emphasize Jesus’ command to preach His Gospel to all nations. That is what our missionaries are doing. That is the original burden and vision that inspired the founding of BFM. We are continuing to perpetuate that vision and burden. That is what we are supporting when we give to BFM’s General Fund. We will use these offerings to continue to supply our missionaries’ on-going needs.
GIVING FRIENDS – if your church is not participating in our Founder’s Day Offering, we encourage you to support your missionaries by giving a personal offering. You can visit our Donate/Support page to easily contribute through the options we have made available to you.
Of course, you can give as the Lord enables you to give, and no offering of any amount is insignificant. But what if every one of our missionaries’ Giving Friends gave at least a $70 offering in honor of the 70+ years our missionaries have been faithfully preaching the Gospel? But – please do give as the Lord impresses and enables you.
Here are a couple of PDFs that might be helpful as you promote Founder’s Day:
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – Bulletin Insert
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – General Letter
BFM Founder’s Day Offering – Letter from Our President
The image below is ideal for a PowerPoint slide. To save the image, right click and click “Save Image As.”
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Missionary Update: The Creiglows in Brazil [May 2013]
I really had no idea what I was getting into when I married Mike! Visiting another country was always something I wanted to do, but living in another one is a completely different story.
I grew up in city where there was running water, electricity, and telephone service 24 hours, paved roads, (cars, of course) and plenty of grocery stores. Even way back then there was a variety of products.
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. 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.
When I arrived in Cruzeiro do Sul in 1971, there was a huge difference. Just for starters, electricity was only from 6–10 pm and there was no running water. Drinking water had to be carried in by a man who had pole across his shoulders, balancing two 5 gallon cans of well water. Rain water was caught off the roof for baths, etc. At that time I think there were only two or three bricked roads, dust in the dry season and mud in the rainy season. Only two seasons here.
It took me a while to adjust to this very different kind of life. There were many ups and downs. Insects galore! I never knew ants or caterpillars could be so harmful. Ever touch a fuzzy caterpillar that releases its “fuzz” in to your hand? It can be so painful and then itch for days. Then there are tarantulas, roaches and stink bugs that release oil that can burn you like a third degree burn. I finally did learn (and am still learning) what is hands off!
It can be depressing when you see everyone talking with their biological families; Dad, Mom, sisters and brothers. Mine were a few thousand miles away. I only get to see them every few years. Church became my family. Thank the Lord for them! I now have many “adopted” sisters, brothers and daughters. I’ve been asked if I’d ever want to return to the USA to live. I answer; ONLY if I can take my whole church family with me!! There is no church I have ever visited that comes close to First Baptist Church of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. I love my church.
My four children were born here. I am glad I raised them here without people breathing down my neck about how I could discipline them. I home schooled all of them through high school and then they took the GED. They learned two languages and two different cultures, besides many other advantages. Mike and I “adopted” a few sons, one of them being Odali Barros. Jader and Carlos are orphaned brothers who came to live with us as teens. They spent five years in our home and became brothers to my own children. My grandchildren call all of them uncle. Today Odaliis a missionary and ran a children’s home for years. Adam is the IT manager for a court house in CA. Monica is an office manager for a law firm in KY. Andrew owns River Craft that builds aluminum canoes and boats. Crissy, besides being a pastor’s wife, manages an English school. Jader graduated from law school and Carlos is a pilot. These last four still live in Brazil. They all make their mother (and Dad) proud.
All the Creiglows’ Children
Top Row (Left to Right): Adam, Monica, Andrew, Cristina
Bottom Row (Left to Right): Odali, Carlos, Jader
I don’t know where or what I would be doing today if I had not come to Brazil. The Lord knew though and wanted me here with Mike. I do my best to support him in all he does. I’m his full-time wife and part-time secretary. Brazil is my home for now and probably will be until I die.
Thank you for your support and prayers,
Beverly Creiglow
You can visit the Creiglows’ website at www.creiglowsinbrazil.com.
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [May 2013]
As a missionary’s wife, I am having the privilege of spending Mothers’ Day in Brazil for the 25th time. For the first 5 years I celebrated this day by sending a Mothers’ Day card to my own mother in Georgia, USA, since I myself had no children. In 1992 the Lord tremendously blessed me by bringing our beautiful Brazilian daughter, Jessie, into our lives. I then was able to celebrate Mother’s Day by sending and receiving love and cards.
Five years later, the Lord blessed me again by sending us a beautiful Brazilian son, Brennen. All the joys and trials of motherhood, dealing with our children’s sicknesses, teaching them to know the Lord and love and follow Him, and watching their physical and spiritual growth are gracious gifts of God to me. My own mother who had loved me and strived to care for me passed away in 2001. My husband, Bobby, and I had had the joy of hearing her share that she had surrendered her life to Jesus Christ just a few years before and her transformed life truly indicated that her conversion was real. Jessie and Brennen both got to know their “Nanna” before she went to be with Christ.
When we came to Brazil I had no idea what the Lord had in store for me in the area of being a mother. Bobby and I had been married for 5 years, but had no children. I didn’t feel like anything was missing at first because I ministered to kids almost daily. But just as I began to feel a maternal longing for my own, the Lord brought Jessie and Brennen into our lives. Many of the children that we ministered to and discipled in the early years have now become mothers and fathers themselves and we now see their children coming to Christ and following him.
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
As this Mothers’ Day comes and goes, I do miss my own mother, but I rejoice that the Lord has blessed me beyond my greatest dreams. He has made me a mother with my own children and has given me children who have their children. Recently while visiting our new neighbors, we met a dear lady named Hilda. From the very first visit she took us into her home as if she were my mother. We visit her regularly and each visit she hugs and kisses us just as if we were her own children coming home from a trip. We have been witnessing to her and praying for her to come to know Jesus Christ just like my own mother did before she passed away. We believe that the Lord brought us here for that purpose. Just as Jesus told his disciples that whoever leaves mother or father, brothers or sisters for his sake and for the Gospel, they would receive a hundred-fold in this life, I am actually experiencing this in my own life. I am so grateful and thankful to have the privilege to serve the Lord in this field where He has called me on this Mothers’ Day, and every day.
Charlene Wacaser
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
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