Coordinating Foster Care in São Paulo
April 25, 2023
Dear friends,
I’m excited to write this letter because God has done great things. We arrived in São Paulo, Brazil, a week before Christmas. Being with my parents’ family for the holidays was so special after all we went through the last 18 months in the US. Everyone was amazed by how much our kids had grown.
On January 16, I returned to my role as coordinator in a Foster Care Program, but this time, in a new location and with a new team:
- A psychologist
- A social worker
- A social worker intern
- A social worker volunteer
We have worked very hard to organize and structure the program. Our inauguration was on April 4. We met with our jurisdiction judge and her foster care team to align procedures and receive instructions. We were glad the judge was very welcoming and open to foster care; she prefers placing babies, children, and teens in families. This positive attitude towards foster care is not typical among judges in Brazil, resulting in 96% of children and teenagers who are removed from their homes being placed in institutions and only 4% being placed in families. We want to change this sad reality by educating, recruiting, training, and supporting families in our communities to step out of their comfort zone and become foster care families. Most of our presentations are done in churches, but we also present in universities, maternities, business meetings, and others. Currently, we have two families ready to receive a child and one family finishing training. Our goal is to recruit ten families by the end of the year.
The two-bedroom townhouse we rented to serve as our office, where biological families will come for supervised visits, where foster care families will meet with us, and where adoptive families will meet their children for the first time, needs many things. We need sofas, lamps, rugs, decorations, stoves, children’s books, toys, crayons, colored pencils, and many newborn supplies, like clothes, bottles, baby towels, pacifiers, and everything else babies need. We give those items to the foster care families when they receive a baby since they are volunteers and only receive 264 dollars per month to help with medications (children come with many needs, physically, mentally, and psychologically) and other urgent needs the child may have. If you can help with a one-time offer, or if you would like to support this ministry monthly, please, specify your offering to Raquel Foster Care.
I’m also training professionals and foster care families in TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention), a Trauma-Informed Approach. I got licensed to train while we were in the USA. TBRI was developed at Texas Christian University by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross. If you would like to learn more about it, many TBRI videos are on YouTube. God has blessed us tremendously with many opportunities to serve Him through serving others. Our family is doing well. Jud is extremely busy with our church planting and training he does with pastors and church leaders. My oldest sister Valéria married on April 22; it was a beautiful celebration.
Lastly, Through World Without Orphans Brasil, we (WWO) are bringing Jodi Tucker to São Paulo on April 27. She is the mother of 9 children, some biological and many adopted. She wrote the devotional “Second Mothers.” She will be speaking to mothers by adoption and foster mothers. I will be the master of the ceremony (MC) for the event. We hope to bless those women who dedicate their lives to give hope to those without it.
I want to thank all of you for praying for us, loving us, and helping us financially. We could never do what we do without you. Thank you so, so much! My WhatsApp number is +(5511)99416-4149, if you would like to call me to get more information about our ministry. God bless you!
Love,
Raquel Hatcher
Forum at the International Foster Care Symposium at the University of Campinas 
Foster Care Presentation 
Inauguration of second Foster Care Program Center 
Jud & Raquel at her sister’s wedding 
Lecturing at the International Foster Care Symposium at the University of Campinas, São Paulo 
Meeting with the pastor of a Baptist Church 
Meeting with district court judge and and her child welfare team 
Raquel’s sister’s wedding celebration 
Raquel’s sister’s wedding 
Second Mothers Conference 
TBRI Training 
TBRI Training 
TBRI Training 
TBRI Training 
TBRI training with professionals who work at a residential care facility
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
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
Developing Leaders to Equip Churches
March 23, 2023
Dear friends,
We thank you for supporting us through prayer and financial giving. THANK YOU. Please, continue reading to know how your fervent prayers and investment impact the Kingdom of God in Brazil.
A Swiss Chalet & 98 Leaders
“Rede Convivência” (Life Together Network) had its first DayCamp on March 18th with pastors and their leadership teams to equip churches and inspire leaders. There were 98 participants from three different states. It was a memorable day of leadership development and exchange of ideas. “Rede Convivência” is a network of pastors and churches I started a few years ago that seeks to 1) Promote connectedness between pastors, pastors’ wives, and leaders amongst churches and within the church to make disciples, inspire and develop new leaders and pastors for the local church ministries. 2) Recruit, train, place, and network leaders and pastors to plant new churches and expand the Kingdom of God.
Hearting it Together from Chicago to São Paulo
On April 27, 28 & 29, we are hosting the “Heart of the Matter” seminar with Pastor Hanibal Rodriguez from Wheaton Bible Church, Illinois. Pastor Hanibal ministered to my heart and our family when I underwent cancer treatment a year ago. On May 1st (a Brazilian holiday), he will also speak at a conference in Marília, São Paulo, with churches from several cities coming together.
Intentional Expansion Strategy (IES)
The Life Together Network provides monthly gatherings for pastors, leaders, and team members to nurture a healthy context for the leaders to engage in metacognition in meeting local community needs with the Gospel and disciple-making. Healthy and intentional local churches need to develop a Biblically grounded and culturally relevant vehicle for people to hear the Gospel and to mature spiritually. Scripture is foundational, and the Gospel must always remain crystal clear. Additionally, understanding the culture (local context) and using the culture to reach the culture is vital to developing effective ministry strategies to connect with people. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” He was intentional about the way he engaged with people in the context they were in and in a way they could understand. Five core values are: 1) Communication – precise, efficient, and frequent communication. 2) Consistency – all decisions need to be consistent with Scripture and the direction established by the church. 3) Creativity – there is a creative solution for almost everything. 4) Commitment – A commitment made is a promise kept. 5) Recruitment – recruit the right people to mobilize and work strategically. We must recruit for the Kingdom and the local church to inspire new leaders and expand the Kingdom of God.
An Evangelistic (Mexican Food) Picnic
This next Sunday, we are having an Evangelistic picnic with friends (this is an initiative through our current church plant). Over forty non-believer friends are confirmed to join us for an afternoon of Mexican food, activities, and lots of fun as we connect more closely with our friends. We have invited our next-door neighbors, the auto mechanic, the restaurant owner down the street, and friends we have met over the last few months.
International Foster Care Symposium & Center Inauguration
Raquel participated in the IV International Foster Care Symposium at the University of Campinas this week. She was one of the guest lecturers and spoke on “Trust-Based Relational Intervention.” A new foster care center for intake and foster parent training will inaugurate on April 4th. Raquel actively recruits new foster care parents and develops teams to assist orphans and at-risk children and parents.
Family Time
Overall, everyone in the family is in good health. Sarah sprained her left ankle but is recuperating quickly. Our kids are doing well academically and are heavily involved in school sports. Sarah is a starter for the varsity volleyball team. Benjamin is a starter for the jr. varsity volleyball team. Laura saved up money while working at Culver’s Restaurant in the States for horseback riding lessons in Brazil. Melissa is practicing basketball, soccer, and jiu-jitsu in the after-school program for elementary students. We love to hear our kids pray, are blessed to see how the Lord is growing them spiritually, and have a deep desire to see their unsaved friends surrender to Christ. Raquel has a constant smile in her heart – the joy of the Lord is her strength. I am progressing well in my doctoral studies and am currently in chapter three of my dissertation.
Investing
As you pray with and for us, please consider investing financially in our ministry fund – please designate for church planting, pastoral leadership training, the church network, or foster care.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Benjamin with Kaká (world famous Braziian soccer player and a Christian) 
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522
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
