Scenes from São Paulo
Here are some recent snapshots from their ministry.
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First Meeting at New Mission Point
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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A Remarkable End to the Year
December 29, 2023
Dear friends,
What a remarkable end to the year for us here in São Paulo. Please, read and see (through the pictures) how God is working.
Pastors Gathering on Building Ministry Teams
This month our pastor’s gathering focused on training leadership through building ministry teams. Wilson went with me on this trip to Alvaro de Carvalho, where regional pastors and wives came to Pastor Elieser’s home for our time together.
35 Salvation Decisions at Soccer Camp
The incredible hand of God was observed at our student camp through the soccer school as 35 of the 57 campers surrendered to Christ. Our hearts overflowed and rejoiced in the Lord for each student who confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Family
Our family is doing well. Sarah was part of the worship team during the camp. She was invited to sing in a Christmas musical at the Chinese Baptist Church in São Paulo. All four of our kids are progressing well in their studies at school and are in good health. I ask that you pray for my left knee, as physical therapy is underway to recover from a minuscule tear. Raquel is doing well and is doing an incredible job in equipping and mobilizing couples for foster care.
From Raquel
Hello friends. I’m here to share we received our first child on November 23. It’s sad a baby has to go into foster care; all babies and children deserve to grow up in a loving and nurturing family, however, when their parents can’t protect or care for them, it’s better when a loving Christian family receives them into their home, than when they have to go to an institution. The child we are caring for is 1 year and four months old. He was hospitalized for 20 days, and when he was released from the hospital, CPS referred him to us. Today I accompanied his foster parents and baby “S” to the outpatient clinic so he could get treatment for a skin condition that is making him miserable. Please pray he will heal fast. He is a sweet one-year and four-month-old little boy. If God touches your heart and you decide you want to help, specify your offering to baby “S” and I will buy him diapers, clothes, special milk, and medicine the doctor prescribed him, and some baby books so his foster parents can read to him. By the way, the foster parents are a retired couple, who raised three children. They love Jesus and are doing everything they can, even staying awake at night, so they can be Jesus for this child. Thank you for your support and prayers. Your sister in Christ, Raquel.
Request
We humbly reach out to you, our faithful supporters, with pressing fundraising needs:
a) 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.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522For 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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Back in Cruzeiro do Sul!
December 18, 2023
Dear Brethren,
Home at last! Bev and I are back in Cruzeiro do Sul after almost 2 more months in the States. Our return trip went very smoothly. It took us 6 days, but all went very well. Thanks for all the prayers. I finished all 14 doctor visits and procedures. They have agreed to have me back in just once a year. So, our next visit should not be until September next year, by His grace. I won’t mention names but a special “Thank you” to the family who took care of our housing while in Lexington. Another special “Thanks” to the very special sister who provided our wheels again.
After one of the driest seasons of our life we are now having a burst of rain to start the rainy season. We like it. Warm and wet. Saturday, we had another wedding here at the Creiglow place. It started raining Friday night and all day Saturday right up to time for the ceremony to start. Just after the couple kissed the rain started up again. The rain cuts into our attendance at church, but still we are grateful for the rain. Last night we had 600 some folks that came out. I taught in the morning and preached last night.
Since returning I have had a few meetings with our leadership. Things are moving along quite well. During the week I was able to get some things repaired and organized. There is still much to do to get back into the routine, but I will try to pace myself and things should start to fall in place soon.
During this first week I was able to buy the little generator. I went straight to the manager, who is a personal friend. He was able to give me a much better price than the folks in sales. Thanks to my long-time friend and brother who made this happen. You know who you are, and the Lord knows what to do next! Thank you.
As soon as the Christmas musical and new year’s services are over, I hope to get back to my trips along the rivers and roads. The health issues and 8 months away have put a major dent in my missions trips. Pray that the Lord will cure me so that I can get back out there.
Thanks for all 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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Continuing Remodel & Fellowship in Homes
December 16, 2023
Dear brothers and sisters,
We pray and hope that all of you are well. This year has been wonderful after so many hard years with the virus. This year, we were able to do much more amongst the people in our communities.
The work on the building of Cacau is coming along. We covered the building, which will help to be able to work inside and get more things done since this is rainy season. Soon the building will be ready so we can reach out to the people in that town. There are so many children there and we want to do special work with the children to reach out and bring them to church, which is a wonderful ministry. The children really need help because there are tons of drugs around but very few ministries. Pray that God will help us to reach out and have more people to join us from the church in this ministry. Thank you for your support and prayer.
Working on the camp is harder since it’s raining right now, but we are getting things ready when there’s a little bit more sun to be able to work there too.
At the mother church, Pedras Vivas, we’ve had many new people coming in and it looks like we’re going to be having more people to help with the ministry. One of the things that we’ve been doing to help people meet each other is that on Sundays, we have been having get-together dinners and lunches, which has really been exciting.
This week we will be starting a new group of visitation to bring people to the church and if they need transportation, we will be using the bus to bring them to church. The area we will be reaching is around 30 miles, most of which is on the highway. The bus will be coming by the village of Ubim also and those from there can come on the bus if they want to.
Thanks for your prayers and support! God bless each of you!
Love in 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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Scenes from São Paulo
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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Visiting Church in Rodrigues Alves 51 Years Later
September 26, 2023
Dear Brethren,
Grace and peace to all from the Creiglow duo. Well my calloused and stained hands are back. One of my friends once said, “If you want to find Mike Creiglow in a crowd just call for a raising of hands.” Besides being back into all the preaching, teaching, meeting and counselling, I have accelerated the construction and repair part of my work. I have felt good and am recovering my strength to some degree. Most days I get back to the house around 7:00PM. I am so grateful to our Lord for being back into my home setting and routine.
A couple of weeks ago we held a baptism and Lord’s supper service. I performed the baptism of 7 new members. We have had folks saved most weekends. There have been folks coming for membership from other Baptist churches both here and other cities. We have had more requests for baptism, including several from other denominations. Our attendance continues to nudge upward. Our Sunday school attendance is now above pre pandemic levels. The evening services are still just shy of where they were before COVID.
Bev and I went to visit our church in the city of Rodrigues Alves. This town of 15 thousand people was just a village of a couple hundred when Dad first held services there in the 60’s. They now have paved streets, two paved roads from Cruzeiro do Sul, banks, stores, schools and many churches. When Dad held services there on our trips up the Juruá River, it would take the better part of a day to get there in our houseboat. When Bev and I started going there weekly in the early 70’s, we could only get there by boat. Bev mentioned the high river back that had to be climbed hauling our baby (Adam) and gear. We slept in a tent, used an outhouse, and took our dip baths by a shallow well. On our recent visit Bev and I left the house at 6:00PM in her little Chevy SUV and an hour later stepped out on a sidewalk and right into the big church building.
It took many years to establish the church there. It has now been 51 years since that small and slow beginning. They were celebrating 30 years of official church status. The building was full. The music was exceptional. The pastors are Edson Lopes and Raimundo. We sent Edson about 20 years ago. Raimundo is much younger and trained by Edson.
Next month Bev and I will be returning to the States for more medical procedures. I will be seeing my dermatologist, my surgeon and my oncologist for routine follow up visits that they required. Also, I have a retina repair surgery and cataract surgery on both eyes (3 separate procedures). We are scheduled to leave home on October 14 and return on December 6. Please continue to pray. Thanks to all who pray and give toward my health expenses.
I have one unusual request to make. Many of the places I have projects out in the bush, I need a portable generator. The local Honda dealer has a 1000W generator for just over $1,500.00. The same thing costs only $1,000.00 in the US, but I can’t bring one from there. The freight and taxes would more than double the price. So if you can help me out, please do!
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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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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