Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [December 2013]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
December 12, 2013
Dear Friends,
We thank the Lord for a great 2013. It seems to have gone by rapidly. We also thank Him for all the things He has accomplished in our life and in the ministries here in Brazil. We praise God to see His people strengthened and growing in the likeness of Christ.
Two thousand thirteen has brought about some interesting changes. As you know, for many years we have been involved in the administration and maintenance of a Christian Preschool, Elementary and High School. This school was started by my father, John Hatcher, in 1962, mainly to respond to the need of hundreds of illiterate children in our part of town. After fifty-two years, we felt led to end this phase of ministry. On Thanksgiving evening we had a great celebration of those years with the presence of hundreds of alumni and students. There were many great testimonies witnessing to God’s blessings. Our final graduation was December 3. Thousands of lives were touched throughout those years. This frees our time now to be devoted to evangelism, discipleship and church planting.
Thanksgiving Day, Wanda arrived with her mom, Willa McGary, to spend the winter months in Brazil. December 2, Wanda’s brother, Elton “Ross” McGary, age 61, went to be with the Lord after a massive stroke. We celebrate his life. He spent his life mentoring others and working with people who have special needs (a ministry called “Stone Soup” that he and his deceased wife, my sister Lynn, started many years ago).
As we write, Wanda and I are in Western Kentucky moving her mom to Brazil. We will be flying back December 19. Pray for Miss Willa as she adjusts to the heat of northern Brazil and a new way of life.
We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, happy new year. Thank you for your prayers and support.
God Bless,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [December 2012]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
Dear friends,
We send you greetings from the north and northeast of Brazil. Brazilian school begins mid-January and ends the first of December. Seminary and Bible classes had finals and end-of-year parties the last week of November. The Christian school also finished the year. Preparation for the upcoming year and enrollment is at full throttle. This is most important for the success of the coming year. Teacher and staff recruiting and training are also underway.
Leigh Samples, our daughter, is principal of the Christian day school and Pastor Michael Samples, our son-in-law, is Dean of the Bible Institute and Leadership Training. We had a good year and are very thankful for the impact the Word of God is having on all the student body. Pray that many laborers be prepared and sent out to harvest ready fields.
The new churches are doing very well, and the Lord is adding the saved to the churches. The paper work necessary to incorporate with the government and the transfer of facilities is taking about one year to complete. The everyday business and running time seems to fly; often it’s so easy to get caught up in the details and problem solving that we forget the great things God is doing. It was refreshing to be reminded by one of the pastors that twenty-three churches were organized, incorporated to meet government requirements, and properties transferred over the last twelve months.
This caused a swelling emotion of joy and gratitude to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in heaven. The Lord has done great things. It’s precious to know Him, to trust Him, and to be filled with His love for Jesus Christ and His children.
We ask that you pray for us that God will encourage and embolden us in the coming year. All the family, Wanda, the children and grandchildren are doing well.
Thanks for your prayers and faithful support,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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