The Hensleys have spent nearly 20 years serving in Brazil. They have established a church in Caraguatatuba and mission points throughout the city. They have also recently started a seminary to train pastors.

June 14, 2018

Dear friends and family,

Sometimes you think you don’t have a lot of things happening and then you turn around and see all the things that have happened. We have finally gotten all the results of the two classes mailed out. It takes some time to translate and grade these tests and then get them to the students. The professors of these two classes were AWESOME. We can tell because the test scores were high.

Now we pray for the students (pastors and church workers) as they start putting their training into practice. I have already heard from three pastors and they are very appreciative of the class and are asking if they may help us find more locations for more classes. They want to help us find more locations in larger cities so that we can reach more pastors and church workers. I think this is AWESOME. The more help we receive the faster we can have established seminary sites in regional locations and this will help facilitate our class schedules. We have already been in São Paulo two times this year and have two more planned.

There are times when in spite of all of your planning, praying, and doing schedules—things happen. That is the case for this month. I had my plane reservations to go to Brasil to do some research for locations for the next year’s classes, but I got a call from my daughter Mary Katherine to inform me that the truckers had gone on a strike. So, all the plans I had made went up in smoke because without the truckers there is no gas and no food being delivered. So within days, there was no transportation, food or cooking gas in Caraguatatuba and many other religions of Brasil. They advised me not to come because the traveling I was planning could not happen.

In the church there in Caraguatatuba we had families helping other families. So God was glorified in all. During this time people rode bikes and those who did not have a bike walked, but the Caragua Baptist Church did not close its doors. The strike ended in two-and-a-half weeks and things are slowly getting back to normal, so please pray for Brasil and its people. Also pray for the planning session that I missed as I do not have another date to go do this.

We are praying and planning for two more regional locations for the Seminary in 2019. Pray with us for God to give us the places where He wants us to go.

This year’s class schedule is full to overflowing because we had to cancel one class last year and are scrambling to put them into this year.

So please pray for the Seminary locations as this means more pastors reaching Brasilians with the gospel. And as you well know, praying is so important but so is your financial commitment to missions. So please pray for BFM and the missionaries that are on the field reaching people for our Lord and Savior.

Just a reminder why we started Caragua Baptist Seminary: I saw that there were many Pastors that did not have Bible training. So with this seminary, we are filling that gap. This way we can help these pastors to become more biblically trained and to be able to “preach the Word”. And for those who have had seminary training to add to their Bible knowledge. As you know we pick one of the students and help him with his expenses and one year in his starting a new church. So with that in mind, we at Gardenside Baptist Church are planning a Singspiration and silent auction on Saturday, August 4^th. If you are close, come over and enjoy the singing and some Brasilian appetizers and bid on some unique items.

I have been to the doctors this past month and have another appointment in August. I am anxious for this appointment as I am praying that the exams will give a positive result and MAYBE I will get a vacation from the meds for a short time.

Our God is an AWESOME God!! So all we have to do is look around, count our blessings, and say, “Thank you God!”

In His service,
Aj and Barbara

Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
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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