Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [April 2013]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Life is hard. There are tears. There is pain.
I wasn’t planning on writing like this, this month. It seemed depressing (although I don’t intend it to be depressing). However, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like God was confirming in my mind to write these things this month. Life is hard.
There is pain.
As I write this I am experiencing pain myself. Yesterday a car pulled out in front of me while I was riding home on my motorcycle. I hit the car and ended up rolling on the pavement. Now my neck hurts, my shoulder hurts, my back hurts, my knee hurts and my shin hurts. I have no major damage, just some aches and pains. The Kenyan people live with pain too. Malaria, typhoid, other debilitating diseases. Some even live with the pain of hunger or thirst. Others live with pain because they have no means with which to see a doctor.
There is grief and loss.
Who among us hasn’t lost a dear friend or loved one to our great enemy – Death? How long does that grief last? Often, a long time. Death is so prevalent in Kenya. The infant mortality rate is so much higher here. Young children die because of infectious diseases or lack of medical care. Parents leave children orphans because they both perish from AIDS. This month, a lady that lives next door to us nearly died because her husband wouldn’t spend the 2000 shillings (about $23) to take her to see the doctor. I gave him the money and she still lives today, but I seriously think he would have let her die. Funerals here bring me back to a stark reality too. It’s not sanitized like in the States. While you stand there the coffin is dropped into the ground and men refill the hole with dirt until it is all once again recovered and the mound stomped on to pack the dirt down.
There is betrayal.
I wish it wasn’t the case but there is much betrayal in Kenya. You can work with a person for years and then when he realizes he is not going to get from you what he wants, he turns on you and says all kinds of slander and lies about you. Yes, we are currently experiencing this as well. The closer the betrayer is to you, the more it hurts.
There is famine, drought, substance abuse, homeless children, murderous rioters, political scandals, and much more.
What can we say to all these things? Yes, life is hard everywhere, not just here, but also where you live. Does it not make us long for when Jesus returns? Does it not make us long for his presence? Revelation 21:3-4 says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Today I am mindful that Jesus is returning and that day may be soon. I am looking forward to the day when “Death is swallowed up in victory.” I will pray for the coming of that day. Until then I will work for the salvation of American and Kenyan people.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, & Josiah)
P.O. Box 96
Kitale, Kenya 30200
rojuta[at]gmail.com
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Missionary Update: The Creiglows in Brazil [April 2013]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. 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.
Dear Brethren,
Hudson and I made two major trips this past month. The first was up the Moa River. Even though the rivers are up this time of year, I decided to take a smaller boat and motor. The Moa can be out of its banks at the mouth, but be shallow up in the mountains. We ended up having pretty good water for the whole trip, but the 20HP outboard saved us on gas. We visited the congregations at the mountains and the congregation at the Nukini reservation.
The congregation at the mountains is actually in a national park. It was “created” in Brasília way back in 1989. It just exists on paper. Nevertheless the government has been pressuring the people who live there to get out. When I first preached the Gospel there in 1967, the state had a policeman stationed there. That family stayed there until last month. The last of the boys moved out the day I arrived for this visit. We still have about 40 believers there, but the group and population is shrinking. There is a humorous side to this tale. The Assembly of God has been jealous of our work there (as everywhere) and now they have announced that they are going to put up a building and start a work there! What vision these folks have! We won’t pull out until the last believers and settlers leave, but the handwriting is on the wall.
The congregation at the Nukini reservation is doing great. The population is more stable there. Our worker there is Aldenísio. He is in his 20’s, still single, but very dedicated young man. He just did house-to-house evangelism on the whole stretch of river from the reservation to the mountains. He also made a trip preaching house-to-house on the Zumira River. This is more of a creek than a river and not many folks live there, but they have all heard the gospel multiple times.
My last trip was along the Transamazon highway (highway = joke) to the city of Manoel Urbano. This town of 10,000 people is on the banks of the Purús River just about 3 miles downstream from the road. We have a team from our church that takes the Gospel and all kinds of activities to cities across our state and the state of Amazonas. Our team was 74 people strong. Besides the dozens of activities open to the public, the message of Christ was shared door to door in every house in the town.
Besides the souls that were saved, the most exciting thing about this trip was that all of the doctors, dentists and nurses were saved in our church. This was the first time that we did not have to fly a doctor or dentist from other cities of Brazil for this clinic. We had 2 doctors, 2 dentists and 3 nurses. One of the doctors and one of the dentists were born to church members and were later saved and actually grew up in First Baptist. We even have one more doctor in our church that was not able to make the trip. This has been in my prayers since we started these medical mission trips in 1996. When I stop and think about it, the answer to this prayer has been pretty swift.
Here is something most of you don’t know. When I was a teenager I had some very nasty health issues. I had some pretty close scrapes with death. At 15 I decided to become a doctor. Back then there were times that there weren’t any doctors at all in Cruzeiro do Sul. The Lord changed that plan when He called me to be his missionary. I was 17. Two things that I always wanted to do, be a doctor and work with the Indian tribes, are now a reality…through the others that He has called. I get to be there and see it all unfold, His way.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [April 2013]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and there are many things to update you about. We praise the Lord for health, strength, His protection, and the opportunities He gives us to serve Him. This update will give a current ministry update as well as prayer requests.
As I write this letter, we are now in the final stages of our move. Praise the Lord! It has been a long, difficult three months since we found we had to move out, but the Lord has been so faithful and provided another place nearby to live. We also met with the caretaker, who was very friendly, and we are pleased. We have still not unpacked everything, as there are still some boxes around, but we are getting there step by step. Isn’t it wonderful to know that throughout the seasons of life, God is so faithful and will care for us each step of the way? I am thankful for His guidance and provisions. Psalm 48:14 says “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” Thanks so much for each one who has prayed for us during this transition. We are now getting settled and appreciate your prayers for us during this time.
Concerning the election, it has been very interesting. The election was originally held on March 4th. One of the presidential candidates was declared the president elect, yet the other challenger has taken the matter to the Kenya Supreme Court. It has been in the court for a few days now, and we are awaiting the final decision. I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of unrest. It seems things are calmer this time than last election. However, there is still very much the potential for unrest when the final decision is made. Please continue to pray for us, the other missionaries, and the country and people of Kenya. We desire to see this spirit of peace continue. Ultimately, God is in control, no matter what happens. He is always on the throne and we can trust Him with everything. There are many good verses regarding God’s sovereignty, but one of my favorites is Psalm 115:3, which says “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” What a blessing to know we serve the sovereign God of the universe, and He is always completely, absolutely in control.
The church in Shangalamwe is continuing along. My good friend Roger Tate and I are now in the stage of observing the elder as he leads the church. This stage is very important, to ensure that the elder has grasped the teaching and follows the Scripture as he leads and guides the church to follow the Lord. Please pray for the elder as he has taken on this role, and for us also, as we seek to help him any way that we can. We are also continuing to work with a national to plant churches, and this is going along well. Out of one group many other groups have started, and many of these groups desire to be churches. Please pray for him, and also for us, as we instruct and teach him weekly to plant these churches, Lord willing.
My wife is continuing along in the hospital ministry. We thank the Lord for the opportunities He has given her to serve there over the years. There are so many there who are suffering and we thank the Lord for the doors He has opened for her to serve there. Thanks to each one who prays for this ministry or sends supplies for the mothers and children. Psalm 68:5 says “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.” God cares about these children and the conditions they face, and we are honored to have a small part to minister and care for them.
Thanks so much to each one who sends us notes, emails, or letters of encouragement. It means so much. Many days here we face the typical challenges of missionary life, and certainly homesickness, loneliness, and other issues can come. Your letters and emails brighten our days. God bless each of you for your prayers, sacrificial giving, and encouragement. We will keep you updated.
In Kenya,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [April 2013]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
April 1, 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Thank you for your participation in the ministry here. Judy and I pray for you daily and thanking God for your faithfulness. Four weeks ago we celebrated 40 years of marriage. We enjoyed a quiet evening meal in a restaurant and reviewed God’s blessings on our lives. Little did we know, when we started our life together, what our Savior had in store for us. We are grateful for what He has done and is doing in the lives of children and grandchildren. Serving our Lord together has been a great joy as we have seen many come to new life in Christ. When Judy and I married, she had not been out of Kentucky too many times, but six weeks after committing ourselves to each other in the Lord we moved to Brazil. The Lord has enabled us to be witnesses on three different continents. The journey has truly been an adventure.
So, presently we are in France, a very different culture from Brazil or the United States of America. Our Creator and Redeemer, however, is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” God has chosen us, His redeemed children, to be His witnesses in the sea of humanity so desperately in need of the eternal life that He offers.
A view of John Mark & Judy’s neighborhood from their front window.
Here are a few tidbits from our adventure this month. Early in the month, we were invited to dinner in the home of a couple who live just around the corner from us. They have been our neighbors for about a year and wanted to show their appreciation to us because we watched their house and watered their plants while they were away on vacation. During the evening we talked to them and another neighbor couple about faith in God. Neither of these couples have any religious practice.
About the same time, I had a lengthy discussion with a neighbor just across the street about God, homosexual marriages and abortion. This family, with three children, drive some distance on Sundays to go to a church that has mass in Latin, because, according to him, “it is the Universal language.” To our knowledge this family is the only one in our large neighborhood that goes to church anywhere. We pray that they will understand that they need Christ instead of a religion.
Yesterday, as we were heading home on a typical Sunday afternoon walk with our family here, I had the chance to spend some time talking to a young couple who live on a street parallel to ours. She recently began singing in the choir in which I sing. Yesterday, I met her husband for the first time and had a lengthy conversation with them. He was born in Israel and is a non-practicing Jew. His grandparents moved from Poland to France after the second World War. They left France to establish themselves in Israel in 1951. His father was born in Israel just a few months later. A few weeks ago, as we were waiting for choir practice to start, this lady asked me why we were in France. As I began to tell her, another lady, to whom I have witnessed on several occasions said, “Be careful, or he will convert you!”
There are countless other stories that could be told. There are multitudes of individuals who are lost and in need of a Savior. We have the Good News. I wish they were all saved. We keep sowing the seed and waiting for the Harvest. Thanks again for your participation in this endeavor.
Sowing the Good seed in France,
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
Click here to donate to BFM.
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [April 2013]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
Dear Brethren and Friends,
It is a joy to greet you once more from Brazil. In spite of the changes that take place in old age, Alta and I have had a good month. We praise the Lord for all of His goodness and benefits.
ASSAI—Sunday was our last Sunday for the work in Assai. Praise the Lord for providing a wonderful family from the city of Manaus who was sent to Assai by the Chapada Baptist Church. Daniel, his wife, Leticia, and their nine year-old daughter, Milena, arrived in Assai on March 18. They have worked successfully in other congregations and came with a desire to see the work develop. Please make their ministry in Assai a constant matter of prayer, and that God will have mercy on that city of twenty thousand.
PHYSICAL NEEDS—There are two prayer requests for two of God’s servants. The first is Sonia dos Santos, the wife of Valdir, the pastor in Cornelio Procopio. She had her left breast removed because of cancer and she is having a difficult experience with the chemical treatments. Secondly, we ask you to pray for Silvio Pfhal, pastor of two churches and father of four children. He was painting and the ladder he was on slipped and one vertebra was cracked in his lower back. He is recovering well, but will be practically stopped for about three months. Pray for Kelly, his wife, as she cares for him and the children.
Maria, our daughter by adoption, is needing cataract surgery on both eyes. Please pray for this marvelous servant of God. Her sister, Helena, had this surgery on both eyes a month ago and is perfectly recovered.
URAI—The work of Urai church is doing well. The mission congregations at Rancho Alegre, Sussumo, and other mission activities are doing well under the leadership of Marco Moraes.
We feel a certain emotion in leaving Assai, but we praise the Lord for His provision. Our work in visitation and evangelizing will continue, as well as our financial help to pastors, seminary teachers and students. Our job is not finished, just adjusting to our abilities. We are grateful to all who have been our constant partners through our many years in Brazil. God bless you. We love you.
In the Name of our Lord Jesus,
John A. and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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Missionary Update: The Creiglows in Brazil [March 2013]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. 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.
March 7, 2013
Dear Brethren,
We were not able to have our monthly baptism services in December and January. We even had to postpone our homecoming service until February. We scheduled the baptism to coincide with the homecoming service. There were 862 present. We baptized 75 new members. This time we decided to let all the ladies go first. I baptized the 37 women and my son-in-law, Dauro, baptized the 38 men. A couple of the women I baptized used to be Presbyterians. One of these is a judge.
Most of the people this time are adults. The Lord’s Supper followed the baptism. At the close we fed the whole crowd up on the third story terrace of the annex. I managed to get the tile down and the bathrooms far enough along to use. There is still a lot of work to do, but at each of these events we have the building in better shape.
The newest members of First Baptist Church, Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil. 75 were baptized on Sunday morning.
A few days ago we had a get-together for all of our couple’s small groups. This meeting was also held up on the third floor. We had 110 couples present. This was a lively meeting with plenty of fellowship and food (of course). Our couples groups have tripled over the past year. The number of groups has increased and the size of the each group is really growing. Since I returned from our visit to the States in 2011 we have gotten these age/interest groups better organized and done much more training. Anyone can attend our small groups as long as the whole group approves.
We have several lost people attending. Many of these would be averse to going to church…at first. One such couple that started coming to our group a few months ago are doctors. Their marriage was on the brink. The group has nursed them along. They invited us to have our last meeting at their house. We had 18 of our 21 couples present. By the way, these groups are supposed to have only 7 couples maximum, then multiply (start a new group). Anyway, at this last meeting the husband came to me and said that they are going to go to church for the first time on Sunday. They invited themselves!
This week I met the new commander of the Military Police and his wife (similar to a local police force, but run by the state). Our small group approved my inviting them to attend our next meeting.
The elders of our church held a weekend retreat at our camp. There were 55 men present. I didn’t get to go as I was holding service at the penitentiary that weekend.
Already this year I have taught our membership class to 5 big groups of new members and some older ones, too. The course is 8 hours. So far over 200 people have completed the course. The last round was a day-long marathon to get the last bunch through by the end of the month. We started classes at 3:00PM. It was raining one of those Amazon Valley rains. I got soaked just getting from the house to the jeep; even with an umbrella! Even so, I had 50 students! Years ago we couldn’t even get out a single soul for Sunday services if it was raining. Now they come out by the dozens under torrential rain on a workday to study. We finished up in the early hours of the next day. It took us about 10 hours straight through. The students were pretty much spent, but still had enough energy to break into applause at the close of the marathon. The teacher was just plain dead, so the Holy Spirit had to drive the jeep back to the house.
Our seminary classes started last Sunday. We have about 350 students enrolled for Bible Survey, Life Principles and Study Methods. People really do want to study. More about this later.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [March 2013]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
March 1, 2013
Dear praying friends,
It is now March 2013, and we are now just 3 days from the election here in Kenya which is to be held on March 4, Lord willing. We have many prayer requests for this prayer letter, as well as ministry updates. May God bless each of you for your heart for missions and interest in the Lord’s work in Kenya, East Africa.
One of our main prayer requests is for the very near election which is to be held soon here in Kenya. Please pray that throughout the electoral process, that there would be peace, no unrest, and fairness in this election. During the last election, in the year 2007, we were not in the country, as we were home for furlough. This time, however, will be different, as we will be here in the country. We don’t know how things will go, and have bought a few extra supplies, so we can lay low for a few days to see how things will go. We trust the Lord in this situation, and at this time, as we know He is fully in control. I love Isaiah 26:3, which says “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Please pray for this election, and the safety of the country of Kenya and its people. We do not want to see any danger, and we trust the Lord through it.
These past few weeks have been very busy, as we have recently moved. We lived in our last place for seven years, but were told we needed to move, as the family of the owner moved back to Kitale and took our previous place. What a job moving was! We had much help from friends and others, and we are so thankful. There is no way we could have made the progress we did without their help. We have been busy trying to get our things situated to a new place, as well as repairing and adjusting in accordance with our needs for our family. As you know, this can take quite a while. We are thankful for the progress that we have seen to this point, and we ask you to pray for us as a family, as we adjust to a new place. God is faithful, and we are thankful for your prayers for us at this time.
The church in the village of Shangalamwe has now reached the point where it will soon be turned over to national leadership. My good friend Roger Tate and I have done our best to teach, model, advise, and assist in any way that we can, and now we have reached the point where the national church leader will be taking over his duties. Please pray for him this upcoming Sunday, as this will be the first Sunday of officially leading the service. At this point, we will observe to make sure that he is following the Scriptures and leading in accordance with the Scriptures. We hope and pray that he will follow what he has been taught for the past several months and set a good example of what a church elder should be. We will keep you updated of this ministry.
We also praise the Lord for the progress we have seen working with a national separately through the week. This national has been faithful to go, teach, and Lord willing, to start more churches in the Kitale area. He also has several other men interested in expanding the teachings in church planting to their areas and villages, for which we thank the Lord. We feel this is a good Biblical model to follow. 2 Timothy 2:2 states “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
The Annex prison is continuing along well, for which I thank the Lord. We are progressing well through the T4T teachings, and the men seem to be growing spiritually and excited about what they are learning. It is wonderful to see these men grow and respond well to the Biblical teachings, as they have little interactions with their families or community from the outside. Many times they feel forgotten, and have difficulty adjusting to regular life upon their release. Please pray for these men and the continued teachings from the T4T course. We appreciate your prayers for this ministry.
In personal news, our daughter Camille turned two years old on the day that we moved. We did not have time to celebrate her birthday on the day we moved, but were recently able to celebrate it together. What a blessing she is to our family. Please pray for her, and also for her sister McKenna, who will turn five in April this year, Lord willing.
May we dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord and His service this year. The Lord has great things for us, if we will just seek His will, study His Word, and obey His leading. I will leave you with a challenging verse from Jeremiah 33:3, which says “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” May the Lord bless each of you, and thanks again so much for your interest in missions.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher [March 2013]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
February 25, 2013
Dear Brethren and Fellow-Workers:
Here in Urai the sun is shining brightly and it is a beautiful summer day. You may remember that when it is winter in the States it is summer for us here. It has been a hot summer with sufficient rain for the crops. The fields are very beautiful and harvest of the soy bean crop has begun.
PERSONAL–Alta and I are doing well for two oldies. Her eyes continue in perfect condition after the two cataract surgeries. My physical condition is going down slowly. We have been able to go to the city of Assai each Sunday.
ASSAI–Praise the Lord for His blessing for the work in Assai. This month a family from the Chapada Church is being sent to take care of the work here. The family is a young couple with two children. Please pray for them.
URAI–The church in Urai, under the leadership of Marcio Moraes, is doing well in the home church and in the three congregations. There is a wonderful group of young people, both men and women, who are dedicated to serving the Lord. The Seminary Classes begin again this month. Please pray for the teachers and eight to ten students.
PHYSICAL NEED–Sonha dos Santos, wife of Valdir dos Santos, pastor of the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cornelio Procopio, had her left breast removed because of cancer. She is going through much suffering with the chemical treatment. Please remember to pray for this wonderful saint of the Lord.
WORK IN BRAZIL–Remember, the country of Brazil is larger in territory than the 48 continental United States. The works that have been started by missionaries of BFM or that are being started are going very well and some have grown to thousands in attendance. You who have given for this mission work can be proud of the families you have supported and the result that God has given. Alta and I count it a great privilege to have served the Lord in this country for over 58 years.
Your servants in Christ,
John A. and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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