Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher Stateside from Brazil [October 2015]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil since 1974. Their main ministry is church planting.
October 01, 2015
Dear Friends and Co-laborers,
We greet each of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are so thankful for God’s goodness and grace. God is greatly to be praised for all His generous and gracious benevolence.
It seems that the year has flown by, October again – a great occasion to count the many blessings God has given each of us. It is great to see how God is so marvelous. September the fourteenth, mom, Alta Hatcher, celebrated her ninetieth birthday, a celebration of God’s blessing to her. We thank the Lord for the many years she has faithfully served in the mission of sharing the good news of our Lord Jesus. We thank God for the health He gives her and the joy she brings to so many. Dad and Mom were missionaries for sixty years in Brazil. Praise the Lord!
This month I was reminded of a fond memory and a great encouragement. The first church Dad established in Brazil was in a very difficult place to get to, a community controlled by the roman church. The Bible was a forbidden item – explanation for the prohibition was that the “ignorant would reap damnation for misinterpreting the Bible”. A seed was planted. This was the place I attended church as a child, had friends, and joined in the visitation for Bible School and service. The last week of September they celebrated the fifty-fifth homecoming. For many years the church struggled. God preserved it thru many difficulties; and today, they have over seven thousand in Sunday attendance and the Senior Pastor for the last few years is my youngest brother, David Hatcher, who was also part of the small church plant fifty-five years ago. Lesson – never despise the day of the small things. Blessing – God does awesome things beyond our greatest imagination. Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ!
Pray for the ministries in Brazil as they continue to take the gospel to the regions near and far. Pray to the Father of the harvest to send laborers into a very ripe field of harvest. We know that all the fields are not ready to harvest at the same time; however, it is always timely to sow the gospel abundantly, water generously, and, as we have witnessed, God gives the increase.
We thank you for your prayers and financial support. We pray that our knowledge and remembrance of our Lord, the only true God, may abundantly increase in wisdom and discernment, that our trust and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ may be steadfast always, and that the love of his Holy Spirit may fill and overflow in our every word and action, with thanksgiving to God though Jesus Christ our only Lord and Life. God bless each of you richly through Jesus Christ.
Thanks for loving us,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
rphatcher[at]gmail.com
15905 Mercott Court
Clermont, FL 34714
(239)227-6551
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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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