SISTER BRATCHER IS NOW WITH THE LORD

We received this message from Asa Mark Bratcher on Saturday, 5 February

Dear Loved Ones, Prayer Partners, and dear brothers and sisters in Our Savior:

Yesterday evening at 10:39 pm, my dear mother, Marie Moore Bratcher, went to meet her Savior.  She took a turn for the worse yesterday morning.  She was well cared for, and went to glory very peacefully.  The funeral will be tomorrow, Sunday at 3pm.  Pray for us, certainly our temporary loss is Heaven’s permanent gain.  She was a faithful servant of her Lord, and her sufferings have ceased.  What a Savior!

Asa Mark, Lucia, Harold and Stephen

You may correspond with Brother Bratcher through these means:

physical address:  Rua Francisco Jose Furtado #2  |  Bairro de Sao Francisco  |  69.079-200 Manaus, Amazonas BRASIL

home phone number:  011 55 92 36112331

email [via Asa Mark]: harold_bratcher@yahoo.com

Any designated love offerings for Brother Bratcher will be deeply appreciated.  There are considerable expenses from her extended hospitalization and medical services and funeral expenses.  You may send them to BFM’s treasurer @ Baptist Faith Missions | c/o George Sledd | P.O. Box 471280 | Lake Monroe FL 32771.  Be sure to designate your offerings for HAROLD BRATCHER LOVE OFFERING

REPORTS AND UPDATES CONCERNING MARIE BRATCHER
12/27/2010
Dear All,
A wonderful New Year of 2011 to each of you. Please pray for Mom as last week she came down with bronchitis, and swelling of her legs. Finally convinced them yesterday to let us take her to the emergency room. She was there from 9:30pm to 4am, this morning. The doctor ran several tests, and said she had pneumonia in the beginning stages. She was medicated, put on an IV, inhalation, etc. and released. Picked up her medications, and she is better this morning, but still not out of the woods, and needs your prayers. They are celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary today. Thanks.
In His Service, Asa Mark and Lucia

1/4/2011
Dear All Loved Ones, Friends and Family:
Today on my 55th Birthday, would like as a great gift my mother’s recovery from pneumonia. She had improved a bit, with the medication and doctor’s visit. The swelling of her legs had gone down. Then early Monday morning she took a turn for the worse. We had to call the ambulance to take her to the emergency room, and then she was admitted to the hospital. They tried 3 times to insert a feeding tube without success. I am on my way to the hospital now and will keep you informed. Please continue with your prayers.
In His Service, Asa Mark and Lucia

1/5/2011
Dear Loved Ones, Family, Friends and Prayer Partners:
I just returned from the hospital where Dad and I were able to visit Mom. She is being treated very well. She looked and sounded better. It is hard for her to speak because of the feeding tube. The Doctor said she has to stay there for 7 days, and then by God’s grace she will be able to walk out. Continue to pray that his words may be truly prophetic. He also said she should have never been released 8 days ago when we took her to the emergency room. Thanks for all the prayers, and notes of encouragement that so many have sent.
Also, many thanks for the many birthday wishes.
In His Service, Asa Mark, Lucia and Harold Bratcher—

1/9/2011
Dear Loved Ones, Family, Friends, Praying Partners and all who love Marie Bratcher:
I was waiting to return from the hospital to give you an update on Mom. I just returned from there, was the only visitor this pm, and was saddened by her condition. She may be a little bit better as to the coughing, but her body is full of those red sore spots. A couple broke out on her arm, started bleeding and had to be bandaged. She doesn’t want to eat hardly at all, and just wants to sleep. I finally aroused her enough to recognize me, asked how she was and she said, Sleepy, and went back to sleep. The lady from her church staying with her, said there were a couple of big sores, on her back. I had taken an egg shell mattress the Dr. had requested, so I hope it helps. The Dr. said these conditions are normal, but it is very disheartening. I know you are, but please continue to pray for her and for my Dad, who misses her tremendously. We had lunch today and it was not the same without Mom. The Bratchers in Brasil need your continued prayers. Thank you.
Asa Mark Bratcher
PS Forgive me for not writing all of you personally who have sent so many notes of encouragement, but I will do so soon. Thanks for all of these, I am passing them on to Dad, and he is so grateful.

1/10/2011
Excerpted from Harold Bratcher’s January Mission Sheets newsletter
Dear Brothers of the Blessed and Sisters of the Savior:
Once again we greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from the land of eternal summer. By God’s grace we are able to once again greet you. The city of Manaus and the whole state of the Amazonas are hot but wet! We are now in the rainy season and almost every day it pours! This MS month began December 5th and ends today, January 10th.
Since Sunday night the 26th of December, Marie has been suffering, weak with the flu, and then pneumonia. I of course, have been sad and lonely but amazed by God’s faithfulness with friends, or more friends than we realized we had. That night, Bro. Raimundo Braz, who drives us to church in his taxicab, after the evening service when I preached, took us to 28th of August hospital. There, Marie was admitted to the emergency room. She received emergency care, but was released at 4:30am, Monday. Asa Mark took her home, bought her medication, and an inhalation machine. She has not been alone since. On Thursday, we took her, (Asa Mark, Francisco Chagas, and I) to the Prontocord Hospital, where she was given a check up by one doctor, and I by another. Both doctors prescribed many exams, which we did there, at a cost of over $1,000. Marie temporarily improved but then started to get worse. So we took her to the 28th of August Hospital where she was admitted as a patient and is still there. Asa Mark took me this afternoon to visit her, and she seemed a bit improved, but still a long way from total recovery. At this time, there is no word on when she will be released. I hope by Thursday, but still believe in Romans 8:28.
Once again, we ask you to pray for Harold and Marie Bratcher. We thank each of you who sent us Christmas cards and are praying for us. Marie’s sickness has caused us to get behind in our letter writing, but Asa Mark is constantly sending you updates by e-mail.

18 January 2011  |  Tuesday