Going Back in Time


Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together since 1971. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I came to Brazil in June of 1971. I tell everyone that I went back 50 years in time when I arrived in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. I grew up with running water, indoor bathroom, hot water from the faucet, buying almost anything needed, electricity 24 hours, etc. I came to a town with no running water, no hot water, and electricity only in the middle of town at night for a few hours. To buy most anything, it was a hassle, especially meat.

The first few years were pretty difficult, Mike traveled a lot. I knew very little Portuguese. We walked in a lot of mud those first several years! God knew I would need my first born, Adam, to occupy my time. Today much has changed. We have very nice supermarkets, 24-hour electricity (most of the time), and paved roads, even though they are full of holes! We have internet and cell phones.

When it came time for my kids to go to public school, for a while it was fine. After they started insisting that the students bring items for the saint’s holiday, that began our search for a way to home school them. Thankfully a church in Missouri bought the books for this to happen. All of my children homeschooled then went on to get their GED or equivalent and further education. Their social life was at church. Most of their friends were from church. That’s a very important detail.

Adam is an IT manager in the California court system. He has two grown daughters. Monica is manager of a law firm in Lexington and has a young daughter. Andrew started and owns a boat factory, but because of the poor economy, he is also a shop manager of a regional airline. He has two daughters and two sons. Crissy has her own English school and is married to one of our pastors. She has three sons and one daughter. Andrew and Crissy live across the street from us and I usually get visits from my grandkids once a day!

I wasn’t able to go with Mike on his river trips while our children were at home and at school. Now that they are out and on their own, I am able to go with Mike on a few trips. My arthritis limits my activities. Now on most of his longer river trips men go with him. My most important job now is supporting him and caring for his needs.

I cannot see Mike retiring. He doesn’t know how to stop! If he doesn’t retire, I guess neither do I.

Keep us in your prayers,
Beverly

Mike and Beverly Creiglow

Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] 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

Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher of Brazil [April 2014]

Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.

March 31, 2014

Dear Brethren and Friends,

Alta and I greet you from the Mission House in Lexington, KY. We arrived in the States on the 28th of March. Paul and Wanda had made arrangements for us to come to Manaus to bring Alta and I home for furlough. David came to Urai and helped us on the trip to Manaus. We were in Manaus for eight days. On our last Sunday before leaving Urai, the Church in Urai had a special service for us with pastors and people from all their missions and churches we had begun. It was an emotional experience.

The next day we flew from Londrina to Manaus. On the 28th of March, we arrived in Nashville where Paul rented a van. We arrived in Lexington with all our baggage on the 28th. We are living in the Mission House that was prepared and waiting for us. We plan to be in the Mission House for at least two months and to attend the Spring Missions Conference at Thompson Road Baptist Church on April 28, 29, 30.

On our first Sunday home, we attended the Bible School and morning service at the Thompson Road Baptist Church where Brother Dave Parks is pastor. That night we attended the services at the New Life Baptist Church where Brother Steve Wainright is pastor. We were blessed to have fellowship with the dear people of these two faithful churches.

Paul, our son, and Wanda are on furlough, also. They are caring for us. We will probably be living in Florida part of this year also.

WORK IN BRAZIL – Praise the Lord, the work in Brazil continues to grow and reach out.

Alta and I thank you for your prayers and financial support through our sixty years as missionaries in Brazil. God bless you.

In the Name of our Lord Jesus,
John and Alta Hatcher

1012 Balsam Drive
Lexington, KY 40504
859.277.3716
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br

Click here to give.


Read more

Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher [December 2013]

Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.

November 27, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings from Brazil. Here we are having summer weather and today is one of the most beautiful days you could imagine. Our day temperature runs in the upper nineties but the night temperature runs in the seventies. Alta and I are well in spite of my having some minor health problems. Yesterday, I changed an old water faucet and I spent a little time on my back with a small flashlight in my mouth. When it was time to get up I did not think I would make it–but I did. I went and bought a new faucet and, thank the Lord, I was able to install it. When done, there were no leaks and it is working perfectly. I told Alta, “Jesus was the carpenter of Nazareth and He is the plumber of Urai.” Believe me, without His help I would never have gotten the job done. I praise Him for His goodness in every phase of our lives.

MISSION WORKS GOING WELL
The church in URAI is doing well. The pastor, Marcio, is teaching a class in the Seminary on Tuesday nights. The young people are active and attendance is growing. SUSSUMO Mission is going well with a great group of primary and adolescents attending. RANCHO ALEGRE Mission is now being led by Wagner. He is married to a lovely lady and they have a beautiful family of three girls and a son.

SONIA DOS SANTOS
Please continue to pray for this dear sister, whose body had been taken over by cancer. Praise the Lord, our prayers have been answered and she has completed the treatment and is doing well. She has a year to go to finish the final treatment. Please continue to pray for the dear Sister. Amanda, the daughter of Valdir and Sonia, is expecting her first child the first of December. She is married to Clayton, a young preacher who pastors a Mission of the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cornelio Procopio.

ODALI AND KATHY
Our youngest child, Kathy, and her husband are moving to the Amazon Valley to evangelize on the rivers. She flies out tonight with her three sons and the wife and baby of a couple who are going there to work with them. This takes our closest child to a distance of  3,000 miles from us. This is the most difficult aspect of being a missionary–to be so far from your children. However, we praise God that all are serving our wonderful Lord.

SOMETHING SPECIAL
Our son, David, has planned a special trip for his mother and me. He is taking us to Manaus to spend the month of December and also, to fly to Florida to make a cruise of eight days and to visit our sisters. He knows how I love the sea and ships. I was a Merchant Marine in the Second World War. I have prepared material in three languages for evangelizing while on board.

May God’s Grace be on each of you,
John and Alta Hatcher

Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br

Click here to give.


Read more

Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [September 2013]

Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.

August 28, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Good COLD morning to you all. Two days ago the temperature was in the nineties. Today, we are shivering with the temperature in low forties. God’s system of air conditioning is unequaled in its ability to change the weather rapidly. During the night, I woke up and Alta was putting another blanket on us. She said, “I am freezing.” While I write this note, the sun is shining brightly and the temperature is rising. I went to the store about 8:30 and Alta is busy cooking some of the things I bought because we are expecting our son Paul to arrive tomorrow in a surprise visit for a few days. What a joy fills our hearts when they come.

WORK IN ASSAI—Brother Daniel is the missionary pastor in Assai. He just called to greet us and to say that two persons with whom we worked and prayed for had been baptized. They are mother, Jirlene, and daughter, Mirela. We praise the Lord and thank Him for His work of Grace in these two lives. Please make the city of Assai a special item on your prayer list. A city of 20,000 population, it is the most difficult place we have ever worked in our entire ministry.

About 15 minutes ago, John Mark called us from France. Our hearts throb with joy when we receive calls from our children. Their work is going well and last Sunday they had wonderful services.

SPECIAL VISIT—While John Mark was on the telephone, Paul was trying to call us. He had just left Sao Paulo and was advising us that he would be here in about five hours. He will visit with us for about five days; what a special treat that will be!

URAI—The work here is going well. Pastor Marcio is doing a good job with the church and the mission points. The Congregation in Sussumo is going very well with a great group of adolescents. The three young people who work there are fine dedicated Christians—Wiler, Jeferson, and Odete. Marcio also pastors the Congregation in the little city of Rancho Alegre. They have services twice weekly. Presently, there is another dedicated brother in the ministry. He is married and they have four children. This week, he and the pastor are visiting two cities to decide where we will begin another Congregation. Praise the Lord for Pastors and people that pray and work for the spreading of the Gospel.

HEALTH—Kathy took me to see the doctor in Marilia. He is a great friend. My heart exam gave everything good. A complete blood exam, also, gave everything as very good. Praise the Lord for His benefits.

Sincerely, by the Grace of God,
John and Alta Hatcher

Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br

Click here to give.


Read more

Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [August 2013]

Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.

August 1, 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We thank you and praise the Lord for your faithfulness in prayers and financial support for many years. Things have certainly changed since our arrival in Brazil in 1955. Today, there are more cars on our short street here in Urai than there were in the entire city of Manaus when we arrived. Praise the Lord, the spread of the Gospel has been widespread, also.

During the month of July we had a few days of very chilly weather; that has passed and now we are enjoying beautiful sunny weather with temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees. Alta and I are well with just a few physical and mental reminders that we are human and reaching an advanced age. We praise the Lord for His goodness to us and for the joy of serving Him here.

PRAISE THE LORD! The small mission in the suburb of Urai, Sussuma, has seven persons to be baptized at the next baptismal service. There are three young people from the Urai Church who work in this Mission: Wiler, Odete, and Jefferson. They are wonderful young people and have been faithful in this work. I am asking you to try to remember their names and bring them before the Throne of God in your prayers.

ANOTHER PRAYER REQUEST–In the Urai Church there is a large group of young people who are in the time of their lives to select a partner for life. This choice is vital for the continuation of their spiritual welfare. Please pray for them in this choice.

OUR PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER–Alta and I are eternally grateful for His blessings on our family: We have two in heaven, awaiting our coming: a baby boy born dead in Faro, and Lynn, our oldest. She left her bereaved husband, Ross, and five children. All are serving the Lord faithfully in special ministries. Paul and family faithfully serving the Lord and planting churches in many States of Brazil. John Mark and family serving Him in France with many doors recently being opened. David, who is pastor, and his wife, Pennie, work in the Chapada Baptist Church in Manaus. Kathy, our youngest, and Odali serve the Lord in Garca, Sao Paulo. We have 15 grandchildren, all of whom serve the Lord in special ministries. We have 26 great-grandchildren, seven of whom have been saved and some of these baptized.

EVANGELISTIC WALKING–Three or four days a week as weather permits I walk a few blocks for the purpose of talking to people about the Lord. The past week I was able to evangelize nine persons; Alta teaches a Bible Class for pastor’s wives the first Monday each month.

Pray for us. Thanks for your prayers and support.

John and Alta Hatcher

Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br

Click here to give.


Read more
^