Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [November 2014]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
November 5, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I did something this month I never really expected to do; I made my first solo trip into the African bush. And I survived! Let me tell you, it is a lot more stressful and “weighty” to go by yourself, be the only one responsible for your life and health, and be the only one taking care of everything. It’s a lot more taxing, nerve-racking, and challenging when it’s just you and the stuff you can carry in your backpack on your back; when the mere exposure to the elements (the fierce sun and brackish water) can kill you; when you only personally know one person within a hundred mile radius (and you don’t know him very well); when no one you will be going to see speaks any English or even Swahili except that one person you know; when you don’t know what you will be eating for the next four days; when you have no idea what to expect; when your surroundings are straight out of a National Geographic magazine. But like I said, I survived, and now I can even write about it.
My main ministry has been and will continue to be our church planting ministry here in the town of Kitale. But just a couple hundred miles north of Kitale are villages of people that have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ before and where the message of the gospel has never been proclaimed. Is it worth it to put yourself through some dangers, through some risk, through some stress, and through some discomfort to be able to share the gospel message of Jesus Christ with such people? I hope our answer is “Yes!”
My trip started from Kitale by boarding a shuttle (public van for transportation) to Makutano. From there I boarded another shuttle with 7 seats in it. The driver managed to stuff 17 people into that shuttle made for 7. He drove us down the long escarpment and into the bush. From there I jumped on the back of a 125cc motorcycle for another 1½ hour drive further into the bush, through narrow paths, over rocks, past camels, and through multiple 100 foot wide river beds (some completely dried up and some that still had water). I finally arrived at Benson’s compound where I stayed for the next four days. Benson is the Pokot pastor I went to visit. His compound consisted of a small hut to sleep in, a small hut for cooking in, a small hut to store food in, and a goat corral. Every night I was there, people emerged from out of the bush to gather at Benson’s compound for a time of worship. These 2-2½ hour worship times included singing, testimonies and me preaching the Word of God. We also had a Sunday morning worship service at the church (no building, just a large tree under which we sat on wooden planks propped up off the ground with rocks). This service was 5 straight hours of singing, testimonies, Roger preaching…singing, testimonies, Roger preaching.
These are the Pokot members of the evangelistic team! (L to R: Petro, Benson, James, Christina, __, and Salome)
The highlight of the trip for me was the all-day Saturday evangelistic circuit we made. The evangelism team was made up of three Pokot men, three Pokot women and myself. We walked 5 miles through the steaming hot bush to the village Benson had chosen for us to share the gospel in. There we began “hut to hut” evangelism with each hut being about a 10 minute walk from the last. At each hut where we stopped, we sang songs, and I preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each stop probably averaged about 30 minutes. This was not a completely unreached area but none of the people we visited were Christians. I enjoyed watching one of the older Pokot men on our evangelism team. Petro (his English name) never spoke during the public evangelism and sharing of the gospel; but while others were speaking or singing, or while I was preaching, he would look for people wandering around on the paths outside of the compound, grab them by the arm, and drag them over to hear the message. If a child got up to wander off, he would track them down and bring them back to make sure they heard about Jesus. While follow-up will have to be made to ensure that the conversions are real, I was thrilled when some Pokot people at different compounds trusted in Christ as their Savior; 4 at one compound, 3 at another, and 2 more at yet another. After we were finished with our evangelism tour, we walked the 5 miles back to Benson’s compound. The fierce sun beat down upon us the whole day. By the time we returned, I was so exhausted that I fell into a chair and immediately fell fast asleep, slumped over but still sitting in the chair. When I awoke, still groggy from my slumber, I found all the other Pokot team members had found grassy, shady places to lie down and sleep. I rejoiced the next morning when two of the women who trusted in Christ had walked the five miles to Benson’s “church tree” for the Sunday morning marathon worship.
Now that I’ve returned to Kitale, I have to decide how I will proceed with this Pokot ministry. There are totally unreached villages tucked up in the hills that Benson wants him and me to visit. These people have most likely never seen a white man, never seen a book, never heard of Jesus, are probably involved in witchcraft and animistic or spirit worship, and may wear animal skins for clothes. I would love to reach these people and share the gospel of Jesus with them. But, honestly, beloved, most of the trip was physically and mentally exhausting. Was it miserable? Yes. Was it rewarding? Yes. Does God have future ministry plans for me up there? Pray with me as I seek His face and His will in this matter and see how He would have me minister to His dear lost children in Pokot.
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 Emily, Amy, & Josiah)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher [October 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
October 6, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The beginning of September in France is referred to as “la rentrée” which translates into English, “coming back into”. It refers to the fact that everyone comes home for children to start school. It is also the time of the year when we restart most things that run on a weekly schedule. We are encouraged by the what has taken place this month.
Last Sunday we had a church dinner and the time of fellowship with God’s people went very well. Individuals who normally do not come were here, as well. This makes it possible for them to get acquainted with people who are members of the church. Outsiders are more likely to return to a meeting where they know someone.
Making meaningful contact with people is an essential part of making disciples. This is a reality of our ministry that is underscored in the Scriptures: “Go ye therefore”, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Paul in Athens) “in the market daily with them that met with him.” We pray for God to give us these contacts and we try to “walk circumspectly” (looking around) for those that God brings across our path.
Last week we had dinner with a couple of our neighbor families to discuss teaching English to the young children. The dinner allowed us to become better acquainted with these neighbors and we will be teaching their children simple English one afternoon each week. When you love and serve people they listen to what you have to say.
Wendy, the single missionary who works with us, hosts “English Night”. Teenagers and adults come because they want to improve their English (and enjoy a meal). We help Wendy with this because we want tell them about Jesus. This past Saturday we had an excellent discussion with those who were there about the dysfunction of human beings without God and God’s intervention to restore our ability to love and do right. Among those there was a young man in his mid-thirties who’s father was 16 at the time of his birth, a young lady who recently failed in her studies to be an interior designer and is now working as an aide in a nursing home, and a social worker; individuals who need Christ.
Tonight our Bible study in Mazère about 45 miles South of where we live was well attended. We began a study on the Sermon on the Mount. Douceline, who hosts this study in her home, meets with two ladies on other days for regular one-on-one Bible studies. There is evidence of God’s grace in many ways in the lives of the people who participate in the Bible study including the spiritual growth of the hostess.
Your giving demonstrates your love for God, us and people who need Christ. Your giving enables us to minister in five different cities. Your prayers are answered as God empowers His Word.
Let us all not weary in well doing for in due season we will reap if we do not faint!
In France,
John and Judy Hatcher
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [July 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
July 5, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord. What a privilege we have as God’s children with continuous access to our Father and Saviour and with His Spirit united to ours. It is also a wonderful honor to represent the Eternal God, Creator of all things to the people who live around us.
Just after writing our last letter we participated in the annual outdoor dinner of our neighborhood which takes place in the street in front of our house. We made new friends and were able to reconnect with some people that we have not seen for a while.
During the past month we have spent part of our time reviewing the past year and making plans for the coming year. We discussed what we would teach in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Youth meetings. We determined changes that needed to be made in class groupings and how to effectively do what God has placed us here to do. We have also discussed ways that we can connect with the people that we are here to reach.
One of the things that Judy and I are going to be doing this coming year is an English Club to help young children in our neighborhood get started learning English. This is a result of a request made by the parents of these children. Judy and Amanda did this for several years in Tournefeuille and Judy and Wendy had an English Bible Club in the city of L’Union for several years. These have given us many long term opportunities. Several of the young people who now come to our monthly youth meetings are from families that we served in this way in the past. We follow the example of Paul who said, “I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” Judy also donated her time to teach English twice a week for several years in the past in one of our local public elementary schools.
English proficiency is required for anyone wanting to advance in white collar jobs and this is a need that opens doors for us. Parents are very interested in their children learning English to prepare them for the future. We want to serve them in this area to open the door to prepare them for eternity.
This is also a good time to remind you to pray for Philip, Amanda and their family, and Wendy who serve with us. Wendy is a single missionary who is supported by friends and churches in the US and Philip works as an engineer here to support his family while they serve with us. We thank God for your prayers and faithful support over many years.
Attendance in the services and Bible studies has been good and we see evidence of the Grace of God.
Serving with you for our Saviour in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [July 2014]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
Many of you know that Brazil is in the middle of hosting the World Cup Soccer Championship games. As I write this letter, Brazil’s national team is headed to the semi-final game against Germany where one of the finalists will be decided to play in the final for the World Championship. As you can imagine, the whole country is super excited and there are numerous venues where people meet in large groups to watch the games on huge outdoor screens.
During these events we have been able to take advantage of the gatherings to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. On four game days we took our Projeto Vida teams to distribute free bottled water and gospel tracts in several languages to these venues. We had the opportunity to share the gospel with visitors from several Muslim nations also, since their teams were playing in our city and there were thousands of fans here from those countries. We hope to have planted some seeds of faith through the sharing of God’s word in these people’s lives.
Early in the month of June we hosted a youth group from Phoenix, AZ. There were around 25 teenagers with us for a week taking the gospel to the public schools and parks around our city. On the first day they were here they helped us cook for and feed over 200 homeless people in the inner city. Before, during and after the meal we interacted with these poor folks, sharing the gospel and sharing our time with them and loving on them with the love of Christ. We are partnering with a pastor from Chile who feels called of God to minister continually with these people on a week by week basis. Also, we are organizing volunteers from our church to help with the preparation of the food and serving it to them with a word of hope.
Tomorrow our new church is celebrating its 3rd anniversary. We are extremely grateful to the Lord for how He has blessed us. We started with 8 in attendance and we now have a regular attendance between 65-85 on any given Sunday. Those that the Lord has added to us are growing spiritually and we trust that this growth will lead to more people coming to Christ and to the church.
Charlene and I want to thank you for your faithful prayers and offerings so that we may continue to use our lives to reach these folks for Christ. May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness and generosity.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)481-7007
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
Read more
Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [May 2014]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
May 9, 2014
Dear Friends,
I am constantly encouraged to invest in the lives of people around us by the way the Lord keeps raising up new kingdom warriors. Toni, a recent high school graduate shared with a couple of weeks ago that she’s certain the Lord wants her to dedicate next year to evangelism through our outreach ministry, Projeto Vida. I have been observing Toni’s spiritual growth for about 4 years and she truly has a servant’s heart and a passion for the Lord’s glory. She also demonstrates the love of Christ to everyone around her.
Projeto Vida has had a series of struggles with mechanical breakdowns recently. My friend and church member, Antonio, has offered to rebuild the engine of one of our motorhomes for practically nothing. We are also still trying to put together the resources to repair the damage on our Alpha motorhome that was sustained in a serious accident late last year. I don’t have a church member who does body work, so we’ll have to find an honest and reasonable repairman for that task. Even with two of the motorhomes out of commission, we were able to get into several cities with our evangelistic teams this past month. Many people heard the gospel and several surrendered their life to Christ.
An interesting thing happened a couple of weeks ago as we were getting prepared to put on a gospel presentation for our Easter service. Elias is an old hippie one of our friends introduced to us a few years ago. Elias likes to set up lighting and sound systems for parties and presentations. While visiting our church with a neighbor he heard that we were going to have a theatrical presentation and he offered to loan us his very expensive equipment and help us set it up. It came in very handy and opened a door for us to interact with him and his wife beyond the church’s scheduled services. We have gone out with them on a couple of friendly outings and have used the opportunities to share our relationship with Christ with them.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [May 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
May 5, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for participating in what God has called us to do here. I thought that it might be good to share with you the latest Good News buzz in our town. Perhaps, the question has arisen in your mind, “How does one go about reaching people in a place where there is not already a church?” Actually, it is not terribly different from the way you reach people where there is already a church.
From scriptures you might remember the training from the Lord, “I have come that you may have life….Go…seeking…the kingdom of heaven is like…” The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some”. About Paul in Athens, Luke writes, “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” Peter writes, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”.
In a country where 50% of the people are atheists you can invite people to “church” until you are blue in the face and you will get little if no results. In their mind, anyone who believes that God created the world is an idiot, and any intellectual arguments to the contrary will convince them that you are an idiot. Blind people to not see and deaf people to not hear. Spiritually, they are willingly blind, deaf or have been programed by their environment to think this way. They are positive that they are right. Any Christian arguments on the internet to the contrary is to them simply a display of close minded stupidity. But, God has placed us here as light and salt. We are living letters and God has chosen to use his people as an instrument through which He, the Great Physician works to remove the veil and give a hunger and thirst for living water, just as Jesus demonstrated by the well in Samaria. His love, active in us, is the primary means that the Holy Spirit uses to make people receptive to the Gospel.
So, you are saying what is the latest buzz in Tournefeuille? Please cut to the chase.
About 6 months ago new neighbors moved in across the street. To greet and befriend them, Judy took a platter of homemade blueberry muffins. They loved them and so, a new relationship started. I will not try to detail everything that the Lord has used in the last 6 months, but the latest event happened on Friday afternoon two weeks ago. The neighbor knocks on our front door and asked if I had anything they could use to cut a branch. As I went to get what I had, he said, “Come over. I want you to see why we need it.”
A bit earlier in the day, his wife was struck with terror when a large swarm of bees buzzed over her head and took up lodging in a branch of a tree in their back yard. She called the firehouse. They told her call a bee keeper. She found one in the phone book and called him. He needed the branch cutters to be able to cut and maneuver the giant swarm to his hive box.
I trusted the Lord to keep me and for the first time in my life worked among the bees with the keeper while the neighbors took pictures. A three hour interaction took place as the bee keeper urged the bees to the box and as we waited for them to all move in to their new abode. During this time we talked about the marvels of God’s creation and a number of important subjects. We forged a new friendship with the bee keeper and cultivated the friendship we already have with the neighbors. This is similar to the way we have made friendships with others who now regularly attend or have professed faith in Christ.
In summary, God placed us here and uses your support to keep us here. He brings events that open doors. We pray for God to open doors, touch the hearts of our acquaintances and enable us to see what He is doing as we open our eyes and look on the multitudes who are wandering around us like sheep without a shepherd. Through these contacts we are able to move from physical human needs to spiritual needs and the Living Water. Everyday is exciting, especially if you have thousands of bees swarming around you.
Please, pray for our neighborhood dinner which takes place on June 7th. Also, some of our new neighbors have asked us to host a regular “English Club” for their children. Friendships with the families of several of the teens now coming to youth meetings were cultivated through a similar “English Club” for young children. And, watch with eager eyes for the latest buzz from God in your area!
[And after reading, you will definitely want to see these bees in action and hear them buzz! Click the link to see the Bees in France Video!]
With you in the service of the Lord,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 1, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today is known in the USA as April fools day. It reminds me of what martyr missionary Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” This may well reflect what Matthew Henry repeated about his father who was a kind and charitable man, “He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose.” It certainly comes from the teachings of our Lord and Savior who told his disciples, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” This is what we all should be doing with the lives, time and wealth of all kinds that God gives us.
We never know exactly how God is going to use our investments. The “preacher” in Ecclesiastes concludes, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. . .In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” So, I will tell you about one of the fields where we are sowing seed and why we are encouraged by what we see.
About 10 years ago, Douceline, a young lady believer whom we had met when we first came to France called us. She had taken her first job in the town of Mazere where there was no congregation of believers of any kind. Away from other believers she was very discouraged. She was born the year her parents trusted the Lord. Both of her parents were previously atheist. Since we had some weekday evenings open, we decided that it would be a good investment into her life to have Bible study with her in her apartment one evening per week after work. After about 2 years of weekly round trip drives of 2 and ½ hours and a couple of hours in Bible study each week, Douceline seemed to have a change in outlook. She began to see herself as God’s agent in this town.
About this time she met a lady through her work at the city library who was nominally Catholic and whose oldest child was to start catechism classes. Douceline suggested that Judy could teach them about Jesus from the Bible. The lady thought that would be a good idea and dropped the kids off at the apartment an hour before our Bible study. Judy had children’s Bible classes with them for an hour each week before our adult Bible study. Douceline started inviting people she met; a few came and very few returned. But, we have continued. For several years we took a guy with us from our area who was a new believer. He now has two Bible studies in Toulouse each week and has led others to the Lord that he is discipling. He is a pastoral leader in his church.
Patricia, the mother of the two children Judy taught, never came to the Bible study but Douceline is now having evangelistic Bible studies with her. Douceline is quite a missionary and is witnessing to several other people on a regular basis who do not come to the Bible study. We have probably had 50 people come do this Bible study over the years. A widow lady in her early 70s who comes has trusted the Lord. She is the only believer in her extended family. She daily watches and witnesses to her 9 year old granddaughter whose parents are atheist. One newly married couple young believers participates, she is a school teacher and he is a carpenter. A lady about 60 comes who is a nursing assistant in a senior citizens home is the only believer in her extended family. A young man who has come is reading his Bible and seeking. Douceline’s parents participate and are reaching out to several others. This has opened the door with their older daughter and her family. The children from this family are enthusiastic participants in our Youth meetings. We are supposed to have a new participant next week at the Bible study in Mazere. There are believers, there are disciples, there are missionaries because your support enables us to be available here and because we believed God wanted us to invest part of our lives into a discouraged believer.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” The completion of this story and millions of other like it will be experienced in heaven…our Fathers house!
May God bless you. Thanks for investing in this part of the world.
Investing in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Read more
Missionary Update: John and Alta Hatcher in Brazil [February 2014]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
February 7, 2014
Dear Friends and Brethren,
About two months ago our son David and his wife, Pennie, took Alta and I on a cruise of eight days on the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. I was there during the Second World War as a seaman and it was just as beautiful as the first time I saw it.
During the cruise I had asked the Lord to open opportunities to witness of the saving Grace of Jesus Christ. One morning we were up on deck and I asked a young man what were his thoughts about Jesus the Savior.
“I am an atheist,” was his answer.
“Sir, two minutes after you die, you will not be an atheist,” was my reply. Why? Because the Bible tells of one who was an atheist or lived as one. In the sixteenth chapter of Luke, verses 16-31, we have the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. If the rich man was not an atheist, he lived like one. Lazarus died and was carried by the angels to Heaven (Abraham’s bosom). The rich man died and was buried; in hell he lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus in Heaven. When it was not possible for Lazarus to bring a drop of water for his burning tongue, he asked him to be sent back to tell his five brothers about Jesus.
I quickly told the young man about Lazarus and the rich man. I pray for his salvation each time I remember him. If God brings him to your mind, pray for him, also.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS IMPORTANT STORY
- A person must hear the Gospel of Jesus to be able to believe.
- Each person who believes that Jesus died for them will be saved.
- After Death there is no second chance to be saved.
- He who dies in Christ will have eternal Joy.
- He who dies without the Lord will have eternal suffering.
- The most important task we have as Christians is to tell people that Jesus saves.
- With Jesus in our hearts, we should have at least as much zeal to tell the lost about Jesus as the rich man had as he suffered in Hell.
Sincerely yours in Jesus’ Name,
John and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
Read more
