Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.

December 31, 2012

Dear Brethren and Fellow-Workers,

It seems impossible that 2012 has gone by so quickly. The verse that teaches us to redeem the time certainly is one of the most important in the Scriptures. Alta and I celebrated sixty-five years of married life on December 20th. They have been marvelous years while serving the Lord and rearing our children. We now have two children in Heaven: Lynn and the little boy who was born without life in the interior village of Faro in the year of 1956.

After finishing at Georgetown College and serving as pastor for nine years in Shelbyville, Kentucky, Beattyville, Kentucky, and Alton, Illinois, we made application to come to Brazil with Baptist Faith Missions. In one month, we were on our way. We arrived in Brazil in 1955. We came to give our lives to preach the Gospel, establish churches, and train workers. Fifty-eight years have flown by. Our five children were reared in the northern tropical city of Manaus. Two of our sons, Paul and David, are pastors in this great city. Our other son, John Mark, is a missionary with BFM in France. Kathy, our youngest, is married to Odali Barros. They are missionaries with BFM in Garca, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and have six children.

God has given us fifteen grandchildren. All are serving the Lord faithfully. We now have twenty-five great grandchildren in different parts of the world. Some great grandchildren have already trusted the Lord as Savior and been baptized. God has blessed us with an untold number of blessings that will last forever. We praise Him with all our heart.

We thank God that we have been blessed to preach from the North to the South of Brazil. We are still going to Assai each Sunday morning. Please pray for this city of twenty-thousand people. It is the most difficult place we have worked in our entire ministry. We continue because we know that it is God’s will and one day the seed will produce great results to His glory.

Pray that God will be our strength, wisdom, and peace. We thank you for your support throughout many years. We love you and thank God for your faithful support.

In His Name,
John and Alta Hatcher

Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br

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