A Vision Trip to Brazil
September 26, 2024
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Greetings in the name of our Lord! We hope this newsletter finds you well and filled with the joy of serving Christ. We are excited to have received Daniel Akers, Shamma Lorredan, and Glenn Tolson from Heritage Baptist Church, Lexington, KY. They were here on a vision trip to Brazil, which took place from September 3 to 17. The purpose of the trip was to map out future plans for yearly church mission trips to Brazil.
Together, we embarked on this journey with a heart full of anticipation and a desire to strengthen our partnerships in the field. The bulk of our trip was spent in São Paulo, where we visited our church planting framework for evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. It was inspiring to see these men engage with Brazilian people and witness their dedication and passion for missions and our partnership to spread the Gospel in this vibrant city.
One of the key highlights was our visit to Raquel’s foster care ministry. This impactful initiative not only provides a safe haven for at-risk children but also serves as a platform for sharing the love of Christ with families in need. I was grateful for the opportunity to share Raquel’s passion for foster care, connect with those involved in this ministry, and explore ways to support those efforts.
The three men also joined us for a day at the soccer school and ministered to young athletes. While in São Paulo, they also learned of other sports evangelism opportunities in basketball and volleyball as potential opportunities for future sports mission trips. They received an invitation to speak at our kids’ school – PACA. Shamma shared his powerful testimony of salvation, how he became a professional musician, his survival of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and how the Lord equipped him to serve as a pastor in Lexington, KY.
Additionally, we traveled to the Marília and Cornélio Procópio regions to connect with the pastors and churches of the Togetherness Network. In Cornélio, we gathered with pastors, pastors in training, and spouses to discuss a bilateral partnership in ministry. This meeting inspired everyone, and the repercussions will produce a lingering positive impact. Daniel and Shamma spoke at the Pastors’ Symposium in Duartina, where they preached on “The Legacy of Faithful Preaching in Pastoral Ministry” and “The Legacy of Integrity in Pastoral Ministry”. It was a significant symposium full of enthusiasm and encouragement for pastors, aspiring pastors, and spouses. Everyone’s dedication to the Gospel inspired us, and it was a time of mutual edification.
During the second weekend of our trip, we joined Bobby and Charlene Wacaser in Curitiba. Here, we learned about Projeto Vida and the church’s ongoing efforts to reach the community through evangelism and discipleship. Together, we were able to have a firsthand experience of the depth and scope of the Wacaser’s ministry in Curitiba. The significance of the church’s Bible training for adults and the children’s ministry is self-evident.
As we reflect on this trip, we are grateful for Heritage Baptist Church. We are also thankful for your continued support and prayers. Your partnership enables us to engage in this vital work, and we are excited about the future opportunities that lie ahead. Please offer prayers for the ongoing ministries in Brazil so that they may bear fruit for the Kingdom and that more people will experience the love of Christ.
On another note, the soccer school continues to be a powerful tool for evangelism in São Paulo. This last month, we had two friendly games with other soccer teams, during which I was able to openly share about Christ. Through this program, we can connect with athletes and their families, sharing the Gospel and fostering relationships that lead to discipleship. The soccer school not only opens doors for sharing the Good News but also provides us an opportunity for discipling new Christians and developing leadership within the sport. We have seen firsthand how the Lord uses this initiative to minister to numerous families in their homes, creating a ripple effect of faith and transformation.
Thank you for standing with us in this mission. We look forward to sharing more updates and stories of God’s faithfulness in the coming months.
Always grateful,
Jud & Raquel
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
Encouraging Brazilian Pastors, Evangelizing Students, & Youth Camp
July 15, 2024
Family News
Everyone successfully completed their school year and was promoted to the next grade. Sarah graduated from high school and two weeks later was accepted into ESPM, a Brazilian university. She plans to study communications and publicity. I (Judson) celebrated my birthday with dengue fever. The fever lasted for almost a month. Thankfully, the cold sweats, brain fog, and constant itching are over! Raquel is in excellent health and is actively engaged in serving others.
Evangelism, Five Decisions at Camp, and Ministry At Large.
The soccer school allows us to evangelize students every week and build bridges with the parents. Our teams participated in a one-day tournament, winning half of the matches against other teams.
Through Rede Convivencia (Togetherness Network), under the leadership of Pastor Eliezer, we had a youth camp with 40 students, which rendered five salvation decisions. Benjamin (my son) traveled 6 hours to join the camp and also made important decisions during the camp.
Last week, I visited several pastors and their families in our Rede Convivencia. We made stops in São Paulo state in Pompeia, Marilia, Vera Cruz, Alvaro de Carvalho, Fernão. In Paraná state, we visited pastors in Cornélio Procópio, Assaí, and Urai. Pastor Elieser joined me on this journey to minister to pastors and their families.
The one-year-old church plant in Marilia, which meets in Américo and Paula Pinotti’s garage, celebrated three baptisms and their first Lord’s supper last week. Américo was mentored by Pastor Gilberto Steffano during his formative years. Recently, Américo requested my mentorship for pastoral ordination and guidance in organizing the new work.
Pastor Raimundo Pinto, the lead pastor for the church plant in Aracajú (Northeastern Brazil), inaugurates the new building at the beginning of August.
Our student ministry evangelism gathering drew several new students and made new connections. We played volleyball, indoor soccer, and foot-volleyball.
Foster Care
Raquel actively works in recruiting, training, equipping, and networking couples and families to serve as foster care parents to attend to the immense need of at-risk children in São Paulo city. She is a strong advocate and voice in one of the world’s largest metropolises – São Paulo city is still learning what foster care means and how it benefits children and society. The court system recently inspected Raquel’s foster care intake facilities and received high marks from the city officials. We are grateful to Jason and Nikki Estes for their encouragement, mobilization, and partnership in significantly impacting the lives of precious children in foster care.
Prayer Requests
1) The purchase of a car.
2) Finances for Sarah’s first year in a Brazilian university.
3) The new school year is starting soon for Laura (12th), Benjamin (10th), and Melissa (7th).
4) Family health.
5) Evangelism and church growth
6) Judson’s doctoral studies and dissertation on pastoral succession in Brazilian churches.
Grateful always,
Judson and Raquel Hatcher
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
Students Surrender to Christ in São Paulo
4 students surrendered to Christ!
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
Scenes from São Paulo
Here are some recent snapshots from their ministry.
Read more
English Immersion VBS + Upcoming Conferences
January 31, 2024
Dear friends,
Thank you for praying and holding the ropes as we minister to people in Brazil. Please, read how your participation is impacting the Kingdom.
English Immersion a Success
In January we experimented with an English immersion modular for teens: a type of Vacation Bible School for youth who desire to learn English through Biblical content—a lot of singing and activities, all done in English, with the purpose of teaching language and presenting the Gospel. Even an individual who has no experience with the language can learn a lot in a week. Our daughters Sarah and Laura helped me with this project. It was well received by the local community and several parents asked if there would be one for adults too. English immersion modules are intense, but by the end of the week, both the teens and their parents (just from listening to their kids) were singing in English.
Soccer Athletes & Families
Soccer practice with middle and high school students is in full throttle. Pray for us as we disciple students who recently became believers and for those who still need to surrender to Jesus. The Lord is opening several opportunities to engage with the parents of the student-athletes. In February we plan to have several families over to the house for dinner and engage them with home hospitality.
25th Wedding Anniversary
On January 8th, Raquel and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. As is our family tradition, we celebrate our anniversary with our kids. We had a special time together when we went hiking in the woods and went to the beach, enjoyed time with each other, and made incredible memories.
Pastors & Leaders Conference in São Paulo
On March 9th, there will be a DayCamp conference for pastors, church leaders, and their families at a small campground near Marília, São Paulo. It will be a unique time of prayer, preaching, and playing together. The place has a pool and a synthetic soccer field. Our “Togetherness Network” (Rede Convivencia, in Portuguese) purpose is to foster fellowship among pastors and leaders to recruit, train, place, and network a new generation of pastors and leaders for local churches.
Church Conference in Paraná
On March 29th (Easter weekend), will have a Church Conference near Londrina, Paraná. Churches from São Paulo and Paraná will come together for a day of preaching, singing, and eating together. The purpose of this conference is to embolden churches to reach new people for Christ through Evangelism strategies and to inspire churches and their leaders to invest in training the next generation by providing ministry and service opportunities to challenge them to live out an audacious life in Christ, within their church and community.
Request
We humbly reach out to you, our faithful supporters, with a pressing fundraising need: purchase a car. Would you be willing to give for this urgent need?
Due to the increasing demand and rising expenditure on transportation, we urgently need to acquire this vehicle. The estimated cost for this much-needed resource is $10K.
As we step into the new month, we ask for your continued prayers and support. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Let’s continue partnering in this Kingdom work.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
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
A Remarkable End to the Year
December 29, 2023
Dear friends,
What a remarkable end to the year for us here in São Paulo. Please, read and see (through the pictures) how God is working.
Pastors Gathering on Building Ministry Teams
This month our pastor’s gathering focused on training leadership through building ministry teams. Wilson went with me on this trip to Alvaro de Carvalho, where regional pastors and wives came to Pastor Elieser’s home for our time together.
35 Salvation Decisions at Soccer Camp
The incredible hand of God was observed at our student camp through the soccer school as 35 of the 57 campers surrendered to Christ. Our hearts overflowed and rejoiced in the Lord for each student who confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Family
Our family is doing well. Sarah was part of the worship team during the camp. She was invited to sing in a Christmas musical at the Chinese Baptist Church in São Paulo. All four of our kids are progressing well in their studies at school and are in good health. I ask that you pray for my left knee, as physical therapy is underway to recover from a minuscule tear. Raquel is doing well and is doing an incredible job in equipping and mobilizing couples for foster care.
From Raquel
Hello friends. I’m here to share we received our first child on November 23. It’s sad a baby has to go into foster care; all babies and children deserve to grow up in a loving and nurturing family, however, when their parents can’t protect or care for them, it’s better when a loving Christian family receives them into their home, than when they have to go to an institution. The child we are caring for is 1 year and four months old. He was hospitalized for 20 days, and when he was released from the hospital, CPS referred him to us. Today I accompanied his foster parents and baby “S” to the outpatient clinic so he could get treatment for a skin condition that is making him miserable. Please pray he will heal fast. He is a sweet one-year and four-month-old little boy. If God touches your heart and you decide you want to help, specify your offering to baby “S” and I will buy him diapers, clothes, special milk, and medicine the doctor prescribed him, and some baby books so his foster parents can read to him. By the way, the foster parents are a retired couple, who raised three children. They love Jesus and are doing everything they can, even staying awake at night, so they can be Jesus for this child. Thank you for your support and prayers. Your sister in Christ, Raquel.
Request
We humbly reach out to you, our faithful supporters, with pressing fundraising needs:
a) Car Purchase:
Due to the increasing demand and rising expenditure on transportation, we urgently need to acquire a second vehicle. The estimated cost for this much-needed resource is also 10,000 US dollars.
As we step into the new month, we ask for your continued prayers and support. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Let’s continue partnering in this Kingdom work.
Always grateful,
Judson Hatcher
Contact Info:
Jud & Raquel Hatcher
São Paulo, Brazil
judsonhatcher@gmail.com
(872) 400-6522For 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
SCENES FROM SÃO PAULO
Jud and Raquel Hatcher are third generation missionaries serving the Lord with their family 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, at least 43 churches have been started in 5 states. Pray for their ministry and influence in Brazil.
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
Scenes from São Paulo
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
