Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [April 2013]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
I want to start with some really great news! Next Sunday we will be baptizing 4 new converts. The Lord is blessing our efforts as we seek to share the gospel in our new community. We have seen a steady increase in attendance in our services and we hear great testimonies to what God is doing in the lives of those who are applying the messages from God’s Word in their lives. We have nearly completed the construction on the building, needing only to place the final one third of the ceiling tiles by the end of this week.
The group of teens from Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, Florida came last month and worked diligently sharing the gospel through skits and personal testimony. There were 55 of them, including their adult sponsors and we were privileged to have our daughter, Jessie, come with them as our translator coordinator. Our translators here in Brazil also did a wonderful job of voluntary service for nearly a week. The Lord used all the effort and dedication to bring many people to Christ in the public schools and parks. During the week, the group as a whole was able to share the gospel with over 4000 individuals. Projeto Vida, our outreach partners, served as an essential element in transporting the teams, providing the public address system and also prepared the meals for over 100 people twice daily. The service of hosting this group of young people each year has yielded marvelous results. Several of the teens who have come in the past years have since accepted the missionary call for overseas service. Also, many of those who have received Christ as Lord of their lives through their gospel presentations are now faithfully involved in local church ministries. We have another group of youth coming in August of this year from the Houston, Texas area. We are looking forward to seeing how God will use this group also for the glory of His name and for the salvation of many lost ones.
We had a mountaintop experience around the middle of the March, literally. As often as possible we schedule a mountain climb with those who’ll accept the challenge. Our purposes for these excursions are: 1) to provide an opportunity to establish a deeper friendship with folks who aren’t yet attending church, 2) seek to display our relationship with Christ in an “outside the church building” environment, 3) motivate both our church members and prospective converts to take care of their bodies through strenuous exercise, 4) teach all the participants to appreciate and praise the Lord for the beauty of His creation; the lovely mountains, rivers and forest around us. We have discovered that these mountain excursions serve as a good way to invite non-church goers to a church event that doesn’t seem threatening or “churchy.” Once they have participated with us on one of these climbs, they almost always follow up by coming to our church services.
Our American Football training camp is coming up in early June. We are still hammering out the details so that we might make the best use of the personnel who’ll be involved. We have the participation of at least one former NFL player (Johnny Mitchell – former Dallas Cowboys, and New York Jets), his brother, Gregg Booth – former Arena Football. We still have opportunities available for high school and college coaches and players to teach and execute the skills of the sport. Please pray that the Lord would give me wisdom on how to best administer this training camp for the spread of the gospel among the Brazilian athletes and their families and staff.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
In Christ’s love,
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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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [April 2013]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
Dear Brethren and Friends,
It is a joy to greet you once more from Brazil. In spite of the changes that take place in old age, Alta and I have had a good month. We praise the Lord for all of His goodness and benefits.
ASSAI—Sunday was our last Sunday for the work in Assai. Praise the Lord for providing a wonderful family from the city of Manaus who was sent to Assai by the Chapada Baptist Church. Daniel, his wife, Leticia, and their nine year-old daughter, Milena, arrived in Assai on March 18. They have worked successfully in other congregations and came with a desire to see the work develop. Please make their ministry in Assai a constant matter of prayer, and that God will have mercy on that city of twenty thousand.
PHYSICAL NEEDS—There are two prayer requests for two of God’s servants. The first is Sonia dos Santos, the wife of Valdir, the pastor in Cornelio Procopio. She had her left breast removed because of cancer and she is having a difficult experience with the chemical treatments. Secondly, we ask you to pray for Silvio Pfhal, pastor of two churches and father of four children. He was painting and the ladder he was on slipped and one vertebra was cracked in his lower back. He is recovering well, but will be practically stopped for about three months. Pray for Kelly, his wife, as she cares for him and the children.
Maria, our daughter by adoption, is needing cataract surgery on both eyes. Please pray for this marvelous servant of God. Her sister, Helena, had this surgery on both eyes a month ago and is perfectly recovered.
URAI—The work of Urai church is doing well. The mission congregations at Rancho Alegre, Sussumo, and other mission activities are doing well under the leadership of Marco Moraes.
We feel a certain emotion in leaving Assai, but we praise the Lord for His provision. Our work in visitation and evangelizing will continue, as well as our financial help to pastors, seminary teachers and students. Our job is not finished, just adjusting to our abilities. We are grateful to all who have been our constant partners through our many years in Brazil. God bless you. We love you.
In the Name of our Lord Jesus,
John A. and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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Missionary Update: Odali & Kathy Barros [March 2013]
Odali and Kathy Barros have served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil for many years. In addition to leading their newest church, they also run “Alpha Omega Family Development,” which provides a home and stability for needy people, many of whom are recovering drug addicts, etc.
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Hope this finds each of you doing well. We are doing great. The Lord has blessed us with many great things in our lives and ministry. As we have mentioned in other letters, we are still having our Saturday night get-together with the people from church. This has brought great results! We encourage each one to bring some one new to the get-together. Through this, several people that came are now coming to church. Some have been coming on Sunday and also to our mid-week service. It is great to see more people each week bringing others.
They have been having fellowships on Saturday nights with people from church where they encourage their church members to bring someone new. They have seen great results with new people attending their services!
Sunday morning we have several kids that come faithfully. There are some that you can tell probably come to eat a good meal. There is one specific family that even brought their mom. She came several times and then quit. Last week she came again. While we were singing a specific song about having faith and trusting the Lord, she started crying and got up to go outside. One of the ladies in the church followed her outside. She said, “I want to believe and trust the Lord, but it is hard when you don’t even have salt in your house.” How would you feel if that were you? Would you have faith? Sunday in service I asked if some one would like to go visit the lady. Kathy, Lizene and Marcio, a newly saved young man offered to go. They set a time and went. Sure enough–they had nothing to eat. After they came back we decided how we could better help them. First of all, Kathy told her that it was very important that she understand that God loved her and wanted to give her much more that just food, He wanted to give her eternal life. Marcio, the newly saved young many gave his testimony. What a wonderful time!!!!! We believe that by helping them solve their physical hunger, they can then listen to how to satisfy their spiritual hunger and needs. It is probably hard to get someone to listen about God when you have no food, 3 light bills, and 3 water bills to be paid. So we helped them with some food and started by paying one light bill and one water bill. The mother said she wanted to keep coming to church. I talked to the kids and asked them to pray with us so that we can get their father to go to church. When you don’t have God in your life, it is not always easy to understand why you have problems and have nothing to feed your kids.
As you can see, they have many children who faithfully come on Sundays.
While I was writing this letter, I had to get up and run to the emergency room to take a mother and her 3 year-old son. They live here with us. The son had fainted. Pray for them.
Serving people and helping them to understand God’s love is a tremendous feeling. Actually, that is what Jesus did in His ministry on earth. We are privileged to be able to do some of what He did. Continue to pray for these people, for us, and for the ministry. Thanks to all of you who have been faithful in your prayers and your financial support. God bless all of you.
In Christ,
Odali & Kathy
Odali & Kathy Barros
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
Blog
Av. Victor Hugo Boaretto S/N
Garca, Sao Paulo 17.400,000
Brasil, SA
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Missionary Update: Jud & Raquel Hatcher in Brazil [March 2013]
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in Manaus, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
Dear Friends,
The Lord has opened several new opportunities for sharing the Gospel. Within this last week, I have shared the Gospel with four couples. Each one of these couples expressed their personal resistance of stepping inside any kind of church. All four of them confirmed they’d be present this coming Sunday. I am grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit in softening people’s hearts and opening their spiritual eyes. It is great to see their interest and willingness to participate and ask if they can invite others to come with them.
This month two new home small groups were started. We have a goal of 15 small groups by the end of the year. Our small groups work with a four week cycle. On the first week we meet for spiritual accountability, prayer and planning. Men and women meet separately for the accountability. On the second week we have a Bible study and share testimonies of faith at work. On the third week we share blessings, prayer requests, have Scripture reading and pray. On the fourth week, we have an Evangelistic dinner or outing with invited guests. This format has proven to be very effective in encouraging spiritual growth, accountability, connecting with new friends, Gospel witnessing and prayer.
Last week the women had their monthly get together. The men met two weeks ago as well. The relationship bonds are deepening and the new converts enjoy being a part of something they have never had before.
In March we celebrated one year since we held our first service. Albeit the first few services were not open to public and were mostly a time of prayer, Scripture study, and sharing among our small church planting team. God has truly blessed. On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Christ with a special supper and will include all of our new friends. We expect well over 100 people to join us for Easter.
I plan to visit Goiania regarding the new church plant. I have not scheduled the flight, but plan to be there sometime in April. We have been talking by phone over the last several weeks. Two families are currently meeting weekly for a home Bible study. Pray that all goes well as we survey the city, plan and pray. Please, invest time praying for this new work.
Raquel is about to finish her doctorate. She will defend her dissertation by the end of this month. This is truly a highlight with many years of study invested and now she is finally reaching completion. We are excited and I am especially proud of her. The children are all doing well. Sarah, Laura and Benjamin all enjoying going to school. Melissa is like wildfire whenever she is not asleep. She manages to get into everything. I am sure thankful to the Lord for having a healthy family.
Thank you for your consistent support in prayer and through financial giving. Your investment in missions is greatly appreciated. We are grateful. Please, continue to give and encourage others to invest too. Please, be our state-side missions promoters.
Grateful,
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
judsonhatcher@hotmail.com
Website | Twitter | Ativa
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Missionary Update: AJ & Barbara Hensley in Brazil [March 2013]
The Hensleys have spent nearly 15 years serving in Brazil. They run a vocational school and orphanage in Caraguatatuba and have also established a church and mission points throughout the city.
March 7, 2013
Dear friends and family,
Needless to say this has been a very busy month! The building we have rented is in need of a general makeover and we have started the work of repair. We have a concrete roof and it has about 3-4 areas where, when it rains, you can take a shower. We have re-done the roof and now will need to put a sealer down in a few weeks (giving a little time for the concrete to cure). We have also started installing additional electrical outlets and repairing the existing electricity. We also have installed 3 fans (need 2 more). It has been very hot and this additional circulation is very needed. I have been preaching and carrying a towel to keep the sweat wiped away. There is lots more work to be done.
The Sunday School group in the new church building. God is good!
Our attendance is steadily increasing. Sunday School is just an AWESOME blessing. The young children are just totally a blessing and are so open. We already have 2 mothers now coming with their children. We have increased so much now we are going to need to separate our classes. So already we are starting to need space. God is AWESOME!! Our Sunday night services have grown also and are on an average we have 30–plus or minus–adults in attendance.
When we get back to Brasil, we have at least 2 weddings to perform and several baptisms. We are looking forward to many more souls to be added to Gods kingdom through this new work.
We are working in the prison with our vocational training. We have a member who is teaching the young men a heating and air class. And I have been enjoying giving “English Classes” using the Bible as the manual. God sometimes uses unusual ways to get His work where it is needed, because here, our Church was not invited to come in, but our English classes were. Just another way we see our Lord getting things accomplished.
The road in front of our home has been worked on and is now a wonderful street. However the last 2-1/2 months in preparation has been terrible. They tore up the road in preparation and the rain started. We almost needed a four wheel drive to get in and out. We are planning 2 conferences this year. The first is to the Jewish community in Sao Paulo and the second is for the Pastors here in Brasil (September and October-November). These are two big prayer requests. The Pastors will be coming from different areas of Brasil and this will be a financial challenge for them.
We told you of the need for chairs for the new work last month–THANKS to the people who sent money to purchase 4 of our needed 50. As you can see, there is still an opportunity for you to be a part of this blessing to the new work.
We are in the States until March 25 for medical exams and to visit with Barbara’s mother. Pray for us as we return to Brasil. There is still much work to be done for God’s Kingdom and our desire is to be used in this work.
Well I know from personal experience that it is cold here in the States so if you want to get some sunshine just come on down to Caraguatatuba and enjoy the heat. We can offer you a great time in the Lord and some great fellowship with some great Brazilians. Your bed is ready and the beans and rice is on the stove.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
Give to Baptist Faith Missions.
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Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [March 2013]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
In just 2 days (March 9th) I will have one of the greatest pleasures that I can imagine – to have my wife and 2 kids working together with me side-by-side sharing the gospel with the community of people the Lord has placed me in. My daughter, Jessie, will be arriving with a group of 55 youth and their leaders from Brandon, Florida to minister in our community for one week. Jessie serves as the coordinator of my group of translators. My son, Brennen, is only 15, but has been helping as a translator for over 9 years. He has been getting more excited by the day as we await this group of dedicated youth. I can’t even begin to describe how much of a joy it is to work together with my wife, Charlene. For you who have met her personally, it is easy to understand my feelings. Her sweet disposition and tireless work ethic keep me motivated even when I feel like I can hardly keep going. I never cease to be amazed at how the Lord takes the humble and meek to display His greatness and power, and not our own. We will have three of the Project Life teams working in and around our community for a week trying to reach every house and individual with the love of Christ. Our New Church will seek to follow up on the results of this week of outreach ministry by the visiting group from Bell Shoals Baptist Church.
I am still praying and hoping to be able place a competent leader at the head of a new mission point at Corbélia, a newly established community on the outskirts of our city. The man and his wife, whom I had hoped would accept this challenge, have declined stating that they didn’t think they were quite ready for this level of responsibility. I have another young man and his wife in mind for a more distant future leadership role, but they are key parts of my team at the new church and I wouldn’t like to see that workforce depleted at this stage. Please pray that the Lord would give me wisdom about who and when I need to really invest into planting a church in that community.
The progress of the plans to evangelize and disciple through American football is moving forward steadily. Once again I would like to encourage anyone with experience in football and would like to use that experience for sharing the love of Christ to contact me as soon as possible. Also, the team who will be coming to donate their time, expertise and spend the funds for travel and lodging need football equipment to bring with them. If you have good used equipment, or know where we can get some donated for this purpose, I would also appreciate your contacting me. With the date of this ministry coming up soon, I must ask you to act soon.
Today the material needed to put the ceiling in our new church will arrive. Also, the painter of the sign on the front of our building is working as I write and that job should be finished in two days. The Lord has greatly blessed. We are completing the finishing touches on this building and we’ve been blessed to reach this point without incurring debt, except the debt of love to God and to those who gave sacrificially to make Christ’s name known and praised by many.
We are grateful.
In Christ’s love,
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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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher [March 2013]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
March 4, 2013
Dear Friends,
Greetings, the new year is well on its way. It has been great with many exciting things happening.
During the month of January, it was great to see the new believers who were saved during the Christmas program and end-of-year activities beginning discipleship classes. I am always thrilled to see their joy as they come to realize all that Christ has provided for them – forgiveness of sin, the indwelling of the Spirit to help them in their daily walk of faith in Christ, loving like Christ loved them and the hope of resurrection. Their joy is contagious even to those who have been saved for many years.
I have heard from the pastors of the churches organized last year; and the Lord continues to give them increase in the number of Christians and their growth in Christ. Pray that the Lord will continue opening doors and raise and send laborers to the fields white unto harvest. We would encourage you to pray for this always.
Even in very difficult situations, it has been good to see how God’s people have responded in a joyful way. One of the young families in the Manaus church had gone through a difficult bout with breast cancer; their peacefulness was notorious as she went through surgery and subsequent therapy. Just as she was finishing her treatment, their oldest child, Juliana – 15 years old now, who was studying in our Christian school, had a seizure and was hospitalized. Through exams and brain scans, doctors discovered she had a very deeply-located brain tumor. There are many small details that showed God’s goodness and constant care. She was eventually flown to Sao Paulo, about 1500 miles from here. There were many delays; but eventually, God brought together a fantastic group of six neurosurgeons to perform the surgery. She came through the surgery with no side effects. Testing revealed the tumor to be malignant. She has begun chemotherapy and other treatments which should last about six months. Juliana and her entire family have had such great peace and very evident joy through all their trials and suffering, which they recognize and attribute to God. Juliana, on the phone said, “I understand and know God is answering prayer. Thank the church for praying for me.”
All of our family, children and grandchildren are well and serving the Lord. We thank you for your prayers. Pray for us when you think of us, and think of us often.
Your missionaries from north and northeast Brazil,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher [March 2013]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
February 25, 2013
Dear Brethren and Fellow-Workers:
Here in Urai the sun is shining brightly and it is a beautiful summer day. You may remember that when it is winter in the States it is summer for us here. It has been a hot summer with sufficient rain for the crops. The fields are very beautiful and harvest of the soy bean crop has begun.
PERSONAL–Alta and I are doing well for two oldies. Her eyes continue in perfect condition after the two cataract surgeries. My physical condition is going down slowly. We have been able to go to the city of Assai each Sunday.
ASSAI–Praise the Lord for His blessing for the work in Assai. This month a family from the Chapada Church is being sent to take care of the work here. The family is a young couple with two children. Please pray for them.
URAI–The church in Urai, under the leadership of Marcio Moraes, is doing well in the home church and in the three congregations. There is a wonderful group of young people, both men and women, who are dedicated to serving the Lord. The Seminary Classes begin again this month. Please pray for the teachers and eight to ten students.
PHYSICAL NEED–Sonha dos Santos, wife of Valdir dos Santos, pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cornelio Procopio, had her left breast removed because of cancer. She is going through much suffering with the chemical treatment. Please remember to pray for this wonderful saint of the Lord.
WORK IN BRAZIL–Remember, the country of Brazil is larger in territory than the 48 continental United States. The works that have been started by missionaries of BFM or that are being started are going very well and some have grown to thousands in attendance. You who have given for this mission work can be proud of the families you have supported and the result that God has given. Alta and I count it a great privilege to have served the Lord in this country for over 58 years.
Your servants in Christ,
John A. and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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