Amazed at God’s Miracles
February 20, 2023
Dear friends and family,
Being in the ministry and seeing all that God can do, I am still amazed when I see a special need that the Lord is working on. Either I have forgotten the last time, or I think that I can take care of it, BUT He says, “AJ, it is under control,” and He makes a miracle again. Sometimes I let my human side think too much, worry too much, and all the time, He’s got it. Thank you, Lord, for taking care of the need and once again showing me my smallness. How great and AWESOME is the One we serve!
As we are planning for the class in April, we ask you to pray that we are reaching the Pastors and Churches that need the seminary training. Also, please pray that they will reach those who need to hear that gospel for saving grace.
Allow me to digress for just a moment. During the last three classes in São Paulo City, we had a gentleman who sat on the first row in the class, and we soon discovered that he was blind. He used a recorder for his notes and when it came time for his test, I read the questions for him. He passed all the exams with flying colors by the way. This is just an example for us to remember that even the blind man sees the need for the gospel! Once more we see how AWESOME our God is!!!
I want to tell you about one more miracle. Our Brazilian son (of the heart), a child of the street, will be starting his veterinarian practice and his ambition is to use his knowledge to serve the Lord in India or Africa. Pray for him to be able to get a visa to visit us and then go to one of these countries to spread the gospel. From street kid to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine! God will and does make a difference in lives! AWESOME!!!
Continue to pray for the seminary and us as we are going to be starting classes via Zoom. We are and will be purchasing some computers for our Brazilian partners. They will be helping translate and guiding in finding other Churches and communities for the Seminary to reach for God.
Thanks to ALL who support BFM— partners, friends, neighbors, churches, pastors. Without you, it would be impossible for us to be on the field. THANK YOU!
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
A blind man participating in the seminary class
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.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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Edson Graduates from Veterinary School
January 29, 2023
It has been a very busy month. To say it has been a blessing would be an understatement. We have had a house full of visitors: our children, their spouses, and our GRANDchildren. Mary Katherine and Walmir, and their two daughters Chelsea and Ashley; Bryan Keith and Jill, and their daughter Briley. All our children and grandchildren at one time! Oh, how blessed we have been. Oh, how AWESOME is the Lord and SAVIOR we serve.
I had forgotten how busy things can get when you are trying to keep up with three young children (ages 12, 14 and 15) and all the places they want to see together. Bryan and family only got to be with us for one week, but Mary and family were able to stay for three weeks. After their departure, the house seemed so lonely.
So, we left for our trip to Brazil. It was a twofold trip. We were to visit some of the pastors there about the seminary and attend the graduation of Edson Martins. We were on nonstop appointments with five pastors, explaining the new ways that we will be teaching at the Seminary and the use of the internet. Our time in Brazil also included around 3,000 miles of travel into four different cities and two states: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
The highlight of our trip has been the graduation of Edson, that we, as his adopted parents, were to be there. He came to the orphanage at the age of eight or nine. We have been able to see what God can do in the lives of those who will accept Him and put Him first in their lives. This young man went from a street kid to now being called a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Again, the word to describe this can only be AWESOME.
So, thank You, Lord, for putting Edson in our lives. And thank You for walking with him through all these years while in school.
Thanks to BFM for sending missionaries to the mission fields to carry the good news to the people in other countries so we can see the miracles that God can do there and everywhere. God is AWESOME every time.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.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.
Read more
A Special Visit to Garça
November 21, 2022
Dear friends and family,
While in Brazil for the Seminary graduation we took a few days off just to go back to Garça to visit old friends, pastors, and churches there. This was where our ministry in Brazil started with Pastor Odali and Kathy Barros in the Alpha and Omega Children’s Home.
We spent time with Pastor Serjio and he took us to visit Pastor Epitacio in the old Orphanage property where he pastors the church Igreja Batista da Fe. During this visit we found out that Pr. Epitosio and Fatima will be going back to the northern region in January to start another mission. Then Pr. Serjio will assume the pulpit there. Pr. Serjio was the pastor in the Church where we held the Seminary in Garça and we discussed having our next seminary class for them there.
While in Garça, we met with some of the children who were in the orphanage from the time we were there. Luiz, one of the young men, now lives in the orphanage building and he is now a lawyer. He helps in the buildings and takes care of their legal business. Another young man, Edson, will be graduating in January as a veterinarian. He still lives in Garça where he goes to Veterinary school. How AWESOME is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They call Barb and I mom and dad and we are very proud for them to have been afforded the opportunity to study and advance themselves. Some of you have helped in their educations as you have given to BFM and that was passed on to them.
The Seminary classes are now being planned for the year 2023. We are planning trips in January, March, July, and September. Some of those trips will be classes and others will be meeting new Pastors and churches where interest has been expressed for new classes.
We are planning our holidays a little different this year. We are living in Florida between trips to Brazil so we are bringing our two families to spend Christmas with us here. Our Brazil family is excited but sad because there is no SNOW. But the Kentucky Family is looking forward to coming to the warm weather in Florida. What is the saying? “You cannot please all the people all the time”? But Barbara and I will be pleased because this will be the first time in many years that we can spend the Christmas holiday together.
Speaking of the Holidays it would be remiss of me to not thank all our donors at Baptist Faith Missions for your support all year long. Your prayers and donations are what keep us going in Brazil.
There are no words big enough to show our gratitude so I will just use my favorite one – you are AWESOME!!!!
Continue praying for us and God’s ministry that He called us to do.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara
Edson, Barb, Luiz, & AJ 
AJ & Barbara 
Igreja Batista da Fé
CONTACT INFO
AJ & Barbara Hensley
30524 Mimi St
Sebring, FL 33870-0530
AJ: 859-539-2302 | Barbara: 859-539-1424
ajcaragua@gmail.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.
Read more
Missionary Update: Odali & Kathy Barros in Brazil [October 2013]
Odali and Kathy Barros have served the Lord in Sao Paulo, Brazil together since 1987. They are currently in the process of transitioning to Manaus to start sharing the Gospel and planting churches in villages along the river.
October 4, 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Time goes by so fast that it is hard to believe that it is already October. It seems like–with all our moving plans and getting things in order here–there is just not enough time. It is a good thing that the day only has 24 hours. Things are coming along pretty well. We have a truck almost ready to go. The trip is a 10-days trip if all goes well. Kathy has bought her plane tickets for the end of November. So if all goes well, our next new letter will be from Manaus. I will be going on the next truck, which will be taking most of our furniture. I plan on getting there a little before Kathy so I can get the house painted and ready for us to move in. Pray for us as we get our moving done. We thank God for His protection till now.
The things here in the church are doing great. The folks are adapting well to the new pastor and his co-worker who will be involved with the Sunday school department. He has been working with us since Bro. John Hatcher was in Garca. He also plans on continuing with the seminary. One of his great qualities is that he loves starting churches. We have a great relationship with the pastor so he is already coming even before we leave. We pray that that will help the people to create a relationship with him before we leave.
Even though we have lived in Manaus before, it has been many years ago. But probably the biggest change of all is going from living with hundreds to living with our family. We will always help people, because that is part of our work. But having a children’s home is definitely a different thing. I always want to do for others what God once did for me through other people.
Odali with his brother Edson who is suffering from leprosy. Please pray for his salvation.
I would appreciate your prayers for one of my brothers. His name is Edson. He is not saved and has leprosy. At this moment he is doing well with his treatment. But the illness has left him with some difficulties with the nerves in his legs. Please pray for his salvation. God has been wonderful to my family. I came from a very Catholic family. In fact, all of my brothers and my sister and several relatives studied to be priest and a nuns. I was the first to get saved. Thanks to a faithful BFM missionary, today there are many saved in our family. Praise God!
Thanks for all your prayers and your support. God bless each of you.
Odali and Kathy Barros
Tito, Jonas and Gabriel
Odali & Kathy Barros
odali_kathy[at]hotmail.com
Blog
Av. Victor Hugo Boaretto S/N
Garca, Sao Paulo 17.400,000
Brasil, SA
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