New Facility, Discipleship, Family Camp, Mentorship, & More
April 2, 2025
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Greetings from Brazil! We are excited to share how God has moved in our ministry over the past few months. Your prayers and support have been instrumental in these blessings, and we are grateful for your partnership in the Gospel.
Christmas Evangelistic Production
December was an incredible month. We hosted a Christmas evangelistic production that was attended by 406 people in two presentations. We rejoiced to see 16 individuals make decisions for Christ! Praise God for the work He is doing, and please continue praying for these new believers as they take their first steps of faith.
New Church Facility and First Wedding
In January, we had the joy of moving into our newly leased church facility! This was a milestone moment for our people and has already been a tremendous blessing. We celebrated our very first wedding in the new location—what a wonderful way to maximize the usage of this space!—we received extended family members and friends of the couple with the opportunity to share the Gospel message during the ceremony.
Discipleship Class for New Believers
After the big Christmas production, we continue to focus on spiritual growth and launched a discipleship class for those who have recently come to Christ. This has been a great time of grounding them in biblical truths and preparing them to walk faithfully with the Lord. Please pray for these new believers as they grow in their faith.
“Zeal” Family Camp
We had an amazing two-day youth camp called “Zeal,” which was filled with fun, fellowship, and most importantly, a deep dive into God’s Word. The energy and enthusiasm of these families was contagious, and we are encouraged by their desire to live boldly for Christ.
Soccer Evangelism and Discipleship
Our evangelism and discipleship efforts through soccer continue to thrive. The outreach is growing, and we are seeing lives transformed through the relationships built on and off the field. Please pray for endurance, wisdom, and continued fruit in this ministry.
The Togetherness Network
Pastors and churches part of the Togetherness Network continue to grow and collaborate with each other on building projects and other evangelist and discipleship efforts. Pastoral mentorship and fostering relationships are a significant component of my ministry to these pastors. The church plant in Marilia is growing steadily and has partnered with Heritage Baptist Church in Lexington, KY for prayer, support and mission trips.
Family Update
On the home front, we have much to celebrate! Our daughter Laura is preparing to graduate high school in June and will be heading to Liberty University in August. We are incredibly proud of her and excited to see what God has in store for her next chapter. We also had two birthdays recently, Sarah turned 20 and Benjamin 17. We thank the Lord for the blessings of family and the joy they bring to our lives. Melissa is in 7th grade and has grown tremendously in her academics and has become a key player in the sports competitions against other schools in São Paulo.
Raquel is actively training foster care parents, social workers, and childcare givers through online and in-person training modules and seminars. She also leads the fantastic children’s team leaders as we work with kids through our current church plant.
Thank you for praying for and supporting us. We are grateful for your faithfulness and encouragement as we continue the work God has called us to do here in Brazil. May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Prayer requests
1) Judson is recovering from left knee surgery and may have to operate on the right knee.
2) Laura twisted her ankle during volleyball practice at school, the MRI shows two torn ligaments.
3) Church growth, evangelism and discipleship.
4) Meetings with the Rawlings Foundation regarding camps in Brazil, networking and local church discipleship of kids who accept Christ during a camp.
5) Assisting with the translation of materials for the first Masters in Youth Ministry in Brazil that begins in August 2025.
Always grateful,
Judson & Raquel
Missionaries to Brazil
JUD & RAQUEL 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.
Read more
Joy in Ordaining One Who Came to Christ through Soccer Ministry
July 30, 2024
Dear Friends,
Through the years of our lives and ministry, the good Lord has blessed us with varied and numerous blessings. Among them I can’t think of a single one that brought us more joy and satisfaction than the one we experienced last Sunday. I was invited to preach the challenge at the ordination to the Gospel Ministry of Valter Correa, a true man of God and a servant-leader. I came to know Valter first when he was a 12-year-old kid through a soccer school that my church offered to the neighborhood. He had no father and didn’t attend any church. Through the influence of our soccer coach, a friend of his who also attended our church, Valter started attending our Sunday School program. In the course of a year or two, he came know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. It has always been evident that he had a strong desire to serve the Lord who saved him. Valter has served in many different capacities in the church and also on our travel mission team. When it came time to marry, he sought the Lord’s guidance and found a godly and gracious wife, Evelize. Together they continue to teach and serve faithfully. The Lord blessed them with a wonderful little girl (now nine years old) who has surrendered to Christ as well. To see how the Lord has blessed and used Valter and his family, my cup of joy overflows! And to participate in his ordination to ministry was an honor and a privilege. May the Lord use him greatly and grant that we get to see many others follow his example.
Charlene and I are in Curitiba, Brazil, awaiting the arrival of our friends and Christian brothers and sisters from the Hope Valley Church in Virginia. There are 18 members of youth and their leaders coming to minister with us and our Projeto Vida evangelistic team in the public schools and parks here. During the course of a week, we will have the opportunity to share the gospel to over 3000 people. This will be with many who have never stepped inside of a church building. Some will be hearing the gospel for the first time in their lives. It is our hope and prayer that many of those who hear the message will be convicted and surrender their lives to Christ. We also hope that those youths who come to serve will be touched by the Lord to commit themselves more fully even upon their return to their homes in the USA.
We are grateful to you who graciously pray for and give to our ministry.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Contact Info:
Bobby & Charlene Wacaser
Currently Stateside on Furlough from Brazil
Phone: (813) 501-9328
E-mail: bobbymichael_1@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
Read more
Students Surrender to Christ in São Paulo
4 students surrendered to Christ!
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.
Read more
SCENES FROM SÃO PAULO
Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord with their family in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, at least 43 churches have been started in 5 states. Pray for their ministry and influence in Brazil.
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.
Read more
