What’s a Missionary Wife’s Life Like?
April 22, 2022
Dear readers,
When I’m asked what a missionary wife’s life is like, I guess I have to say that it is as varied as there are missionary wives. This is true because every missionary wife has her own personality and her own set of skills and struggles that shape her. I’m certain that there are many circumstances and experiences that we missionary wives have in common just by the nature of our calling to leave our families, our home culture and language. But how we adjust to all of these is different in many ways because we are different in many ways.
Before anything else, though, I want you to know that I do not consider my life on the foreign mission field a sacrifice or a burden. I am thankful to the Lord for the life He has given me. Yes, I have my struggles and hardships, but I know that each and every one of you do too. Some of mine are completely different because of my calling, but many are very similar to yours. I am both happy and fulfilled in what the Lord is using me to do here in Brazil. I thank Him for the privilege to serve Him where I am.
Charlene 
Charlene & Bobby 
Charlene with some of their church ladies for Children’s Day 
Charlene
It is hard for me to put a title on my role, so I will just share some of the things that I do and not worry about titles. I help our couples’ ministry team leaders prepare for our outreach events. We usually hold 4 to 5 of these events per year. They are basically two-hour banquets, each with a different décor theme and different marital issues in focus. My husband, Bobby, usually brings a message addressing the marital principle in focus and always shares the gospel with the lost guests. My part is to help plan the décor and set up the auditorium for those who attend.
I also work with our children’s teaching ministry. We have put together a great team of volunteers who are gifted teachers and I assist them now. Through the course of our ministry and with each new church plant, I am usually the first and main children’s teacher as we begin to discover and develop new teachers from among our new converts.
Maybe one of my most important roles, though, is to assist Bobby in whatever he needs me to do. When he has to counsel women, he always has me with him, both for my female input and for ministerial integrity.
Our home life is one of the strongest illustrations of what we teach and of what he preaches, so I realize that I must give great attention to making it both pleasant and solid. We have raised our children and we now have an “empty nest,” but I want it to still be full of joy and love.
The hardest part for me as a woman is the absence of our children and our grandson. But I would rather be 5,000 miles away from them doing what the Lord wants me to do than to be in the same city with them when that’s not His will for me.
My prayer request is that Bobby and I will always be attentive to the Lord’s leading. We want to be in fellowship with Him so intimately that we will know when and where He is leading us to new opportunities to share the gospel and plant new churches.
I am really grateful to all of you who pray for us and for the faithful support to maintain our ministries.
Yours in the love of Jesus,
Charlene Wacaser
Contact Info:
Bobby & Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
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
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Seeing God’s Hand at Work in the Lives of Others
July 14, 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today is Bastille Day in France. It is similar to the 4th of July in the USA. This celebrates the overthrow of the monarchy in France. At this moment all is quite and at 11 o’clock in the morning it is 61 degrees Fahrenheit. While the western part of America has had extreme heat this summer, we have had unusually cool and rainy weather here.
The Lord has blessed the church meetings during the past month. It is good to see God at work in the lives of the members. There have also been some special moments that exemplify God’s continual work in our lives and the opportunities that He gives us to be His witnesses where He has placed us.
Last Sunday we had a surprise contact with Amelia, the first lady to make a profession of faith here. She has lived south of Barcelona, Spain for quite a while and it had been about 10 years since we had last seen her. We enjoyed having her in our home for dinner and having a time of fellowship with her. I am including the a “selfie” she took with us on her way out.
Earlier this week, we were at our local grocery store when a young lady in store worker clothing ran up to us (all wearing masks) and excitedly told us how great it was to see us and how she wanted to spend time with us and tell us about what is happening in her life. This girl was a school mate of our oldest granddaughter, Abigail, and for many years came to youth meetings. Judy invited her for dinner this past week and she poured our her heart. She needs Christ and the Lord has reopened this door. Please pray for I..s and our witness to her. The Lord will know for whom you are praying.
Judy and I just finished listening to a recent message by Brian Nussmeier. He and his wife Sherri became a part of our congregation in Evansville in the late 70s three weeks after he had trusted the Lord in the state of Washington. He had just completed service in the Navy and God led them along with two very small children to the church in Evansville, his hometown. What a blessing it was to hear his message on discipleship to the church where he is now an elder.
Our Heavenly Father has and is good to us beyond our imagination. My reading this morning in Romans included chapter five where Paul tells of God pouring His love into our hearts. May it overflow to those who are so needy around us.
We are inexpressibly grateful to God for placing you in our lives!
From Tournefeuille, France,
Judy and John Hatcher
Contact Info:
John & Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher@aol.com
Present USA phone 1-812-416-1033
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.
Read more
New Discipleship Group in Wiyeta
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.
October 4, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and gone, and we are now into the month of October. October is a big month for our family as I (Nathan) celebrate a birthday later this month, and my wife and I celebrate our anniversary together. God has blessed me with a wife who truly loves Him, sacrifices daily, and is a great mother to our daughters. I think of Proverbs 31:10, which says “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” This update will share current ministry progress, as well as prayer requests.
I (Nathan) have recently started a new discipleship group in a village called Wiyeta, which is about 30-40 minutes away. God has blessed and provided around 3-4 men that I meet with regularly. I desire to teach them the Scriptures, so they in turn will go out and teach others. Wiyeta is a big area in need of teachings and eventually churches, so please pray with me that God would continue to work in the hearts of these men as I teach them. So far they have been receptive to the teachings and welcoming. My desire is to put them through the whole course, Lord willing. Please pray the men would be faithful to not only come, but to go out and reach those in their respective areas. I go by public transportation, as the road is narrow and there are many potholes on the road, so I would appreciate prayers for safety as I travel. God is faithful and helps each step of the way.
Please continue to pray for Emmanuel, the younger Kenyan man that I am discipling in Milimani, where we live. He has been a good student and showing progress. He and his wife recently welcomed a baby boy into their family, so please pray for them during this time, and for the days ahead. I will keep you informed of this ministry as well.
The Annex prison is continuing along well. We recently studied about Moses and the burning bush. We saw that although Moses felt he was not adequate, God called and used Him to do His work. Exodus 3:14 says ” And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” The great “I Am” was with Moses throughout everything. All things were created by Him, and all things are under His control. He is truly greater than all, and how we need to worship and praise Him. Please pray for the prisoners and their continued spiritual growth.
Please pray for the new Christian school in Kitale. My wife volunteers several days a week, teaching classes and helping with administrative duties which keeps her busy. She is very thankful for the opportunities she has to serve. Our daughters also both enjoy the school and the new friends they are making. This has given them the socialization they have needed for so long. Please pray for new students to come as well, so the school can expand and grow over time.
That is all the current news from here. We appreciate each of you so much and thank God for you. We will keep you updated.
In Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
Read more
Making New Friends, Introducing them to the Very Best Friend
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in São Paulo, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
August 21, 2019
Dear friends,
Here are a few key phrases to encourage you to keep reading and find out more: “Did she break her ankle?”, Darkness falls in the metropolis, Ministry explanation
I have been fighting a throat infection for the last few days. The strong antibiotic is taking a toll on my stomach. Sarah (8th grade) was invited to play in the Sr. Varsity basketball team this school year. She was surprised by the coach’s invitation. Even more surprised when he put her in to play twice during the first game of the season. Her coach is impressed by her development and drive. Unfortunately, she sprained her ankle this week. One of the coach’s first questions once we returned from the hospital was “Did she break her ankle?”. Thankfully, it was just the ligament. So, she may not get to play in the next game at the end of this week. We are thankful for no broken bones. Sarah & Laura adapted well with using braces. Melissa will be using special braces as some of her baby teeth fell out too early and the spaces for the teeth need to remain open until the new teeth drop. Benjamin is loving school and soccer – he is one happy dude. Raquel is doing well, whilst staying busy.
The last couple of weeks we’ve had very hot days followed by very cold days. The weather gets extremely melancholic during this time of the year. The day before yesterday was an even more bizarre day. Due to all the fires in another part of the country, the wind brought in a dark smog and by 4 pm it was dark as night.
Over the last month there was a lot of discipleship with new believers and planning with leadership. We had an evangelistic event this last Sunday. We had a “Friends Barbeque” at the church in Jardim Maria Virginia. We had an icebreaker before lunch began where people used a whole two minutes to talk about themselves to another person (some found it easier than others). Then, the person who listened had 30 seconds to introduce their new friend to another. It is interesting to see you people interact with having to talk about themselves and then listen to their introduction, yet they loved it. Making new friends is important, but meeting Jesus – hey, He is the best friend anyone can have. Almost 100 people turned out to the event. There were 6 decisions in all – 4 salvations, 1 reconciliation and 1 for baptism. I love interacting with the unchurched. They often don’t know what to expect and don’t know how to do the “church thing”. After we finished the altar call, one lady raised her hand and blurted out “Hey, I surrendered to Jesus several years ago but was never baptized. What do I need to do to get baptized?” I gave a brief explanation so that all could hear, and we scheduled a follow-up meeting to talk about baptism and what we believe.
This next Sunday we begin a new children’s ministry campaign to reach young children and their families. Raquel did the curriculum training and planning for the kick-off day (this coming Sunday). We are inviting families with children left and right, through social media and face-to-face. The team is excited, and the parents are encouraged that people want to invest in their children.
Grateful always,
Judson Hatcher
Judson & Raquel Hatcher
(859) 544-9040
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Click here to give now.
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Teaching in the Annex Prison
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.
August 3, 2019
Dear praying friends,
We hope this finds each of you doing well and staying busy in the service of our Lord. Hard to believe that it is already August. Time goes so fast. This update will share current prayer requests, as well as ministry updates.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple a younger Kenyan man in Milimani, near where we live. Emmanuel has been a very good student and seems to really have a hunger for the Word of God. We recently studied a lesson entitled “Other Christians.” This lesson gave us a good understanding of how we are to relate to fellow believers. What are some things we are to do? We are to pray for each other. We are to serve each other. We are to love each other. We are to forgive each other. Colossians 3:13 says “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” Also, John 13:35, which says “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Please continue to pray for Emmanuel and his spiritual growth. I have seen much progress in his life since beginning the teachings, and I pray that he goes out to teach others.
I also am continuing to teach at the Annex prison. I am very thankful for the prison officials for being welcoming and allowing this ministry to continue. We recently studied about the Tower of Babel, and how God humbled the people there. Ultimately, their plan of building a big Tower was defeated by God, as He caused them to speak different languages and they could no longer understand each other. God is sovereign, rules over all things, and He alone is the mighty God. I think of Isaiah 42:8, which says “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
What a lesson from the Tower of Babel. May we live humbly, walking with God, and giving Him the praise the belongs only to Him. Please pray for the prisoners that come, that they would continue to grow spiritually.
Please continue to pray for the new Christian school here in Milimani, where my wife serves and volunteers. Please pray for God’s leading in all that is done, that there would be many students who have a desire to follow Him, and for possibly even more international students to come. We leave this all in His hands, and trust Him for the results.
We appreciate each of you so much. Thanks so much for your encouragement to us. You are all such a blessing to us.
Until next month,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
Read more
Studying about Daily Devotions with Emmanuel
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.
July 4, 2019
Dear praying friends,
We wish you each a great day of celebrating independence in America. This is such a special time to be with friends and family. May we be a nation that honors God and desires to please Him. I am reminded of Proverbs 14:34, which says “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” May we be a people with the desire to please God and serve Him.
It’s hard to believe we are already into the month of July. Time passes so fast. This update will share current prayer requests, as well as ministry updates.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple a younger Kenyan man named Emmanuel here in Kitale. I am pleased with the progress he is making and the spiritual growth that I have seen in him. He has much potential, so please pray for him, that he would take these teachings out to reach his own people. We recently considered about “Daily Devotions,” or taking time out of each day to be alone with God and hear from Him. There were so many important teachings in the lesson, such as finding a good time of day (preferably morning before the activities of the day), a good place (a place where you will not be disturbed), and taking a pen and notebook to record what God is saying to you. There are also questions to be asked of each passage, questions that dig deeper in the Scriptures and help one to understand it better. Please continue to pray for Emmanuel and his spiritual growth and development.
I am also continuing to teach at the Annex prison. I recently taught on Noah and the Ark. There were many things to consider from this lesson, but I wanted to point out that the people of Noah’s day were given a very long time to repent and agree with God. Because of their hard heart, they refused to heed God’s warnings and were punished in the end. I am reminded of 2 Peter 3:9, which says “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” May we be aware of the dangers of having a hard heart, and hear the warnings that God gives us. This is a wise way to live. Please pray for this ministry and the prisoners who come to hear and be taught the Word of God.
We are thankful that the hospital ministry is continuing along well. My wife has a servant spirit and has reached many mothers and babies with much needed clothing and supplies, as well as Gospel tracts. Please pray that many would be reached and much glory would go to God. He deserves all glory and praise.
We appreciate each of you so much. Thanks for your notes, cards of encouragement, sacrificial giving, and prayer support. You are such a blessing to us. We will keep you updated.
In Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
Read more
Studying Genesis in the Annex Prison
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.
June 4, 2019
Dear praying friends,
Another month has come and passed, and we are now halfway through 2019. Where has the time gone? Time passes so quickly, and may we be mindful of the opportunities that the Lord gives us to serve each day. This update will share current ministries as well as prayer requests.
One of our current prayer requests is for the health of our daughters, the teachers, and the other students at the new school in Kitale. This past week was a rough one, with our daughter McKenna missing several days and Camille also missing a few days. Several teachers were also struggling with sickness, so please pray that everyone will get back to good health soon. We are so thankful for the school and the many activities it provides for children in the Kitale area. Today they had their field trip, to the Saiwa Swamp. The girls were so excited, wanting to find the Sitatungas (small antelope like creatures), as well as looking at the monkeys and variety of birds. There are a few field trips during the year, and both our daughters were so excited for this one. Please pray that the school would get new students as well, and that God would provide the teachers and staff that are needed.
I (Nathan) am continuing to disciple a younger Kenyan man named Emmanuel. Emmanuel has been such a good student and has a good attitude. He is currently taking the teachings I have been teaching him and going out to teach others. We recently considered the lesson “The will of God.” There were many good teachings in this lesson, and multiple verse references. One of my favorite verses in the lesson is Psalm 37:4, which says “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Also, the Lord Jesus Christ laid down a principle that should govern all our life. In Matthew 6:33, we read “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Please pray for these teachings to seek deep into Emmanuel’s heart and life, and for him to go out and reach others. What a blessing he has been.
I also am continuing at the Annex prison. I am thankful for the chaplains and the head officer for allowing this ministry to continue. We are currently in Genesis, and we recently studied about creation, as well as God creating Eve from the rib of Adam. Lord willing, next week we will consider the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and the terrible consequences. From there we will proceed to Cain and Abel, the Tower of Babel, Abraham and Isaac, etc. Please pray for the prisoners and for me as I teach them weekly. Thanks to each one who sacrificially gives or prays for this ministry.
My wife is staying busy volunteering at the school and also enjoys the hospital ministry. She has been much busier and much happier this term, and we are so thankful for the opportunities that God has given her to serve here in Kitale.
The road near us has finally been tarmacked, so we are thankful for this. There are big speed bumps along it to discourage any speeding. This is a huge blessing and help, and now my wife can finally drive again.
God bless you and thanks to each of you for your interest in what God is doing in this corner of the world.
May God bless you for your heart for missions.
In Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
Read more
Teaching in the Annex Prison, Praying for Rain
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.
April 2, 2019
Dear praying friends,
It is now the month of April, and we have many things to update you on. Thanks again so much for your prayers, encouragement, and sacrificial giving. We appreciate each of you so much.
April is a big month for birthdays in our family, as my wife (Carrie) has hers in the middle of the month, and our daughter McKenna has hers towards the end of the month. What a blessing they both are to our family and I thank the Lord for them.
This month is a break from school. Last week was the final week of school until the end of April. The students put on a very nice end of term program. Both of our daughters are enrolled in the school and doing very well. It was amazing to watch our daughter McKenna speaking French for five minutes with her friend. Both our daughters are learning basic greetings, etc. and doing very well. Their teacher is fluent in French, so we hope they can continue to develop, grow, and learn in the language. They are also studying Swahili, the language of Kenya, so two languages at once is challenging. My wife has stayed very busy with teaching 3 days a week at the school and helping with administrative duties. We are so thankful for this new Christian school and ask that you would pray for the directors, teachers, and students alike.
I (Nathan) am continuing to teach Emmanuel through our discipleship course. He is doing very well as a student and is taking it seriously and growing spiritually. He has a good attitude and wants to take these teachings to go teach others. We recently studied “God is our Heavenly Father.” In this lesson, we saw that God loves us with an everlasting love, (Jeremiah 31:3), He protects us, and we are not to worry, but to trust Him to provide and care for us. We are to seek His kingdom first, and trust Him to lead and guide us through life. One of the key verses in the lesson is Matthew 6:33, which says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” What a great verse to claim throughout our lives. Please continue to pray for Emmanuel, his spiritual growth, and those that he plans to teach in the future.
I (Nathan) thank the Lord that the Annex prison ministry is continuing along well. I have been doing ministry in this prison for the past several years, and am thankful that the opportunity is still there to teach the men who desire the teachings. I recently taught them on “God Alone.” This lesson had many teachings, with the idea that God is eternal, needs nothing, knows everything, is everywhere all the time, and greater than all. One of my favorite verses from the lesson is Psalm 147:5, which says “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Please pray for me and the students, as we continue along in our study of the Word of God.
One final prayer request we currently have is for rain. It has been so hot and dry lately, and many of the crops, etc. are suffering. We are usually in rainy season at this time, but this year has been unusually hot and dry and the rain would be a much needed welcome. We hope and pray that the rains will start soon, and we know God is in control.
May God bless each of you. We will keep you updated.
In Kitale,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200
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.
Read more
