Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher Stateside from Brazil [June 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
May 28, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends and Fellow Partners in the Mission Work in Brazil,
Needless to say, we feel deeply the absence of the work and dear friends in Brazil. God is faithful. We are receiving wonderful news about the work there. We want to share it with you.
In II John he writes, “I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth…”
We rejoice in the news from Brazil. The work continues to grow and glow!
THE FIRST PLANT 60 YEARS AGO
The Chapada Church was founded with 24 members, including Alta, four of our children, Lynn, Paul, John Mark, and David. Kathy was three years old and very present. God blessed this beginning and through its sixty years there have been some very good pastors. The present pastor is our son, David. The name of the church was changed from Chapada Baptist to Nova Igreja Batista (New Baptist Church). Every year in the month of April they observe The Word Festival. For the entire month special emphasis is given to reading and memorizing of the Scriptures. This past month the final night of this occasion there were 7,000 persons who attended in the two services. We praise God for His blessings!
WORKS IN MOST STATES
It is not my purpose to give the names of all the cities and villages where work has been realized. I have worked in several states. The Tabernacle Baptist Church where Paul was pastor until last month has started dozens of churches in Manaus and in thirteen of the twenty-six States of Brazil. Praise the Lord for the ministry of this church.
CORNELIO PROCOPIO
Valdir dos Santos, pastor of this church sent a letter telling of God’s blessings. He writes, “We are writing to give you birthday greetings on your 90th. We are thankful for what you did for us here in Brazil. The joy of our hearts is: We will be together for all eternity. Our church has increased. We have sixteen students in the Seminary this semester. We love you and Alta. Valdir and Family”
URAI–RANCHO ALEGRE
A letter from Pastor Marcio and family give good news about several places. The letter says, “Sunday, Mother’s Day, The building was full. There were thirty-four mothers. In Ranch Alegre we are building a new building. We were able to buy a lot at the entrance of the city. Until built, the church is meeting in the house of brother Claudimir. Happy 90 years, Brother John!”
Dear Fellow-Partners, we thank each of you who have prayed and given offerings to make this work possible. May you rejoice in the results and may God continue to bless each of you.
Your missionaries,
John A. and Alta Hatcher
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Changing Mission Fields [from John A. Hatcher]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
May 26, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends:
I think this is my first Mission Letter as old ninety year old. So, have a little patience, please. My ministry has changed from church planting to personal evangelism. My field is the big super markets. When Wanda or Paul go to buy things, I go to tell persons about the Gospel. There is a constant field of contacts among the employees and customers. I use a small tract called the three crosses. It is a drawing I made illustrating the message I heard when I trusted Jesus as Savior.
In places where things and food stuffs are abounding, many people are hungering for or desiring something that money cannot buy. I sow the seed. It is the seed of God’s Word. I ask Him to bless it. Sometimes I suggest to whom I am talking, “Maybe one day we will meet in Heaven, and you will say, ‘Remember the day you told me about Jesus in the Supermarket?’” Heaven will bring great joy for we will be with Jesus forever and we will see those He has saved to whom we sowed the Seed. “Lord, help us to be faithful in sowing the Seed!”
We love you in our Savior’s Name,
Alta and John A. Hatcher
This is the message of Three Crosses that I heard as a young boy that transformed my life forever. I drew this tract and use it for evangelizing the lost.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [May 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
May 5, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends:
This past month has been one of many special blessings of the Lord. To celebrate my birthday of ninety years our children planned a four day cruise. It was a marvelous four days of loving fellowship with our children and their spouses. God has given us a wonderful family and we praise Him.
GREAT SPRING BFM MISSION CONFERENCE
We thank God for the wonderful BFM Mission Conference at the Thompson Road Baptist Church. The love shown in your fellowship, the messages, and the food and hospitality made it one of the best Conferences I have ever attended. Thank you, Pastor Dave Parks and People!
TIME FOR A SMILE
The life of a missionary is not always easy, but Jesus is always with us and gives us time for a smile from time to time. Sometimes these smiles come from the differences in the languages we learn. The other day I was in the line at an Hamburger shop waiting to make my order. I was about the sixth in line. The lady behind me sneezed. I turned and said “Gazuntight”, that I thought meant, “Bless you!”
“Thank you very much,” she replied, as she moved to the front of the line. “Oh, well,” I thought, “you cannot win every time.”
Another smile was caused by a missionary who needed the toilet. The door was closed and he knocked lightly and a voice replied. “I am using the toilet. Will be out in a minute.” The missionary meant to say, “Me desculpe,” (Pardon me, I am sorry.) But he answered, “Da-licensa!” (Let me come in.) He erred slightly in his new language.
Then there was the foreigner who was learning to speak English. Doing something that he asked permission to do. (“Excuse me.”) However, he said “Exqueeze me!”
“Thank you, Lord, for the little smiles that You permit to come our way.”
Sincerely in His Name,
John and Alta Hatcher
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [May 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
March 26, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends:
We greet you in the Name of our gracious Lord Jesus. We have enjoyed a great month of His blessings that He has supplied through the love of Paul and Wanda. God has given opportunities to witness personally to persons we encountered in the stores and streets. Please pray the seed sown will bear fruit to His glory.
The outstanding event of the month was the Memorial Service of Alice Joyce Wacaser. She is the mother of missionary Bobby Wacaser. The service was held in the Ahava Baptist Church, Ahava, Florida. The service was a blessed testimony of her dedicated Christian life given by her children and friends to an audience of several hundred people.
Other than several children, she is survived by 28 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. The songs sung by her children revealed the joy, happiness and spirituality of her life and the wonderful effect on the lives of her children and their families.
The life of Alice was a spiritual blessing to her children and to all who knew her. She will be missed but she awaits all her loved ones and friends in her home in glory. It will be a joy to meet her there!
May God give us the Grace to influence others as Alice Joyce Wacaser has.
We thank you for your love and prayers in the Name of our Lord Jesus.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [April 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
March 4, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends:
We cannot say, “Greetings from Brazil” any longer since we are living in the States, but our hearts still beat with our love for the work and friends in Brazil. We do hear from some of them and the work is going, glowing and growing. Praise the Lord.
THE GROWTH OF OUR FIRST CHURCH PLANT IN BRAZIL
Our first church established in Brazil was in 1956. It was called the Chapada Baptist Church. It was begun with 24 members. It was located in the Boonies. It was difficult to get a taxi to take us. Manaus had about 70 to 80 thousands population. Today, the area is one of the principal business sections of Manaus, that now has a population of two million. The Church changed its name to Nova Igreja Batista. Here are a few facts to show God’s Blessings.
Last month they had three youth camps with a total of 1200 campers. Many were saved, along with other decisions. Seventy were baptized into the fellowship of the Church. The Sunday School had an average weekly attendance last month of five thousand eight hundred persons. There are about 550 people who work in the Sunday School. The first SS meets from 8:00-10:00 am; the second meets from 10:30-12:30.
AN EXCITING CONVERSION! Last week there was a young lady who David witnessed to after service. A week before she had been inducted into the Muslim religion. David showed her Paul’s counsel: “If anyone preach another Gospel than that you have received let him be accursed.” She heard, the Holy Spirit opened her heart and she was saved. As they were going down the aisle three persons were sitting on the next to the last pew. David asked, “Did you want to talk to me?” They replied, “No, we are friends to this lady and we have been praying for her Salvation.”
During the two night services the attendance is about 6,200. Praise God for His blessings on the Seed that is being sown! Keep praying and giving for His Work.
We love you in the Lord,
John and Alta Hatcher
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [March 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
February 9, 2015
Dear Brethren and Friends;
We thank and praise the Lord for the wonderful month He has given Alta and me. We, also, thank Paul and Wanda for all the wonderful help they give each day to these two “oldies”. Alta occupies much of her time writing letters of appreciation to those who send offerings and who pray for us.
I am still printing and binding the book, “Meet the Holy Spirit”. I try to complete eight or ten books a week.
Since we are not active on the mission field in Brazil any longer, I want to say we will be eternally grateful for all who have given and prayed for us. Since we still receive our monthly offering from the regular fund of BFM, as long as there are funds available, we would like to encourage you to send your gifts to us to the Regular BFM Fund, as that will be a continuing benefit to us as well as others.
News from Brazil tells us how the works are continuing, growing and being blessed. Personal witnessing is the constant desire of my heart and I ask the Lord each day to open opportunities. It is a real joy to tell the lost about the Savior. Every sinner has to hear the Gospel before they can be saved!
The Lord willing, we plan to attend the Spring BFM Mission Conference at Thompson Road Baptist Church, April 27,28,29. Hope we will see you there.
Please note new E-Mail address below. God bless you. Alta and I thank each of you for your faithful giving and praying.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [February 2015]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
January 23, 2015
Dear Friends and Brothers,
Greetings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus our Lord. This has been a blessed month. The special blessing of the month was the Annual BFM WINTER MISSIONS CONFERENCE. Pastor Benton Glover and his people treated royally all who attended. It was a real blessing to see many who have supported BFM for many years and whom we rarely see. Park Ridge Baptist Church deserves our most sincere “Thank You”.
The messages by all were good. The ladies did better than their best in the preparation and serving of the meals.
Bob Jones, Leroy Duncan, Myron Jackson, Dave Humphries, George Sledd, Paul Hatcher, as well as several whose names I cannot remember, preached messages that stirred our hearts.
We saw A.J. and Barbara Hensley, missionaries in Southern Brazil, whom we had not seen for a long time. God gave us traveling mercy as we traveled to and from the Conference; our son, Paul, the driver.
Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the supporters and friends that we have had for many years in Brazil and other countries. We pray You will call young men to be Your servants to take the Gospel to other countries.
Our gratitude to you dear friends and brethren who have faithfully made the job a little easier.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
jhatcher1925[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [December 2014]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
December 1, 2014
Dear Brothers and Mission Partners,
Each day as I think of how God has used our family, I thank Him for the Grace and blessings He has poured out on this unworthy person. I thank, you, dear friends for your faithful prayer and financial support through the sixty years God has used us in Brazil.
Also, Alta and I praise God for the wonderful children He given to us. We desired to have eight children, but we had only five. Like the five we have, if starting over, we would want at least eight. We praise our Lord for how He has and is using them and their dear wives and families in the Harvest of Souls.
The Annual Baptist Faith Missions Thanksgiving Conference at New Hope Baptist Church of Dearborn, Michigan was a great one. The messages were excellent, and the love and warmth of the pastor and people were wonderful. Thank you, Brother Adkins and the people of New Hope and others who helped!
On the way north to Dearborn Heights, we visited Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bellbrook, Ohio where Brother Darrel Messer is the pastor. We thank them for their love and generosity.
The work in Brazil is going well. Here we are trying to make more copies of “MEET THE HOLY SPIRIT” in book form and on CDs.
God bless each of you.
We thank you sincerely in the Name of our Lord Jesus.
John and Alta Hatcher
John A. and Alta Hatcher
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont FL 34714
229-529-8497
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