Settling Back in Brazil
February 1, 2023
Wow! It has been a joyfully exhausting time since we arrived in São Paulo. Long days and short nights, but plenty of energy and grace from the Lord.
Struggles of settling back in
It has been a crazy season for us as a family. We needed to remodel the house before we arrived, but contractors kept delaying and didn’t finish before we returned. We arrived at the house with over half of the work still needing completion. Fortunately (even after weeks of delays and endless hours on the phone), the remodeling is coming to completion, the dust is settling down, and we began unpacking our bags. Additionally, the car on loan to us ended up with multiple issues and left us stranded too many times – overheating, losing power due to the fuel injector, and other issues. Praise the Lord, we purchased a vehicle, but the loaned car is still in the shop.
Exciting times for the ministry
During all things crazy (of settling back into life in São Paulo), we managed to visit all the people who are part of the Imagine church plant in São Paulo. We plan to have our first evangelistic gathering in February— a one-day camp/picnic with plenty of food, games, competitions, and a Gospel message. This occasion will also serve as a team regroup strategy. Word is getting out among friends of friends, and it should be a great event. The post-event follow-up with families and those who make life-changing decisions is crucial in moments like this one. Please, pray with us as we prepare.
I traveled to the interior of São Paulo and Paraná this last weekend to visit the churches my grandfather (John Hatcher) started. In Garça, I had breakfast with pastors on Saturday morning, where I proposed they join the network I lead, “Rede Convivência” (Life Together Network). All who attended came on board the network. In the afternoon, we (Pastors Gilberto, Epitácio, and I) drove an hour to Pompéia, where a church needs to be replanted/vitalized. We dreamed together at the building location and looked for houses for rent. Pastor Epitácio (Odali Barros’ brother) is considering leading the endeavor at Pompéia. I drove an hour and a half to Lupércio for their church anniversary on Saturday evening. The building was packed, and we had a marvelous celebration! Early Sunday morning, I drove an additional 2 hours to Cornélio Procópio, Paraná, to visit churches and Pastors Valdir and Silvio. We celebrated with them during the morning worship gatherings and had lunch together. We are discussing the possibility of starting a church in Londrina (the second-largest city in Paraná state). Please, pray with us as we mobilize churches and pastors to develop new leaders for church planting and kingdom expansion.
Our kids started school this week. We are grateful to finally begin a normal routine with the family and work. Grateful for your prayers and support. We are blessed by you.
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
The Seed Factory Church Plant Initiative
November 19, 2022
Dear friends,
Thank you for supporting and praying for us. We return to Brazil on December 19, 2022. Pray for us as the country is living through a season of unrest due to the recent presidential election and freedom of speech infringement by the supreme court. I often get asked by dear friends who pray and support us, “What do you plan to do once you return to São Paulo?” We are part of “The Seed Factory Church Plant Initiative.” Our vision is to have a church planting church in the capitol of every state. From the state capital, expand into other cities by sending church planting teams to make disciples and plant church planting churches where each church has its Seed Factory Training Center & Bible Institute/Seminary. A constant cycle of reproducing churches, leadership multiplication, team building, and Christ’s Kingdom expansion. Our purpose in Brazil is to recruit, train, place, and network pastors and leaders globally. Globally? Yes, we pray for Brazilian missionaries with the same vision and purpose to go to neighboring countries and other parts of the world.
Pastoral & Team Training
Pastoral leadership provides vision, Scriptural direction, and acceleration during church planting phases. A church planting team delivers the required synergy to plant and develop a multigenerational strategy.
Equipping & Sending Church Planting Teams to Every State
Theoretical & practical formation through mentorship nurtures the necessary framework for teams to function creatively and cohesively. Churches planting churches, each one with a Seed Factory Training Center to reach other cities.
National Leadership Network
Pastors train pastors & leaders train leaders. Developing a leadership pipeline within the local church that values theological integrity, spiritual accountability, formative mentorship, and metacognition / critical thinking skills under a steward leadership construct that delivers the necessary foundation for a continual leadership formation cycle, multiplication, & succession.
Foster Care Coordination
Foster care in São Paulo remains a novel concept. Through a divine appointment, Raquel engaged in foster care mobilization and coordination, and serves as a strong advocate for at-risk children. Metro São Paulo has 28 million inhabitants and has a large amount of vulnerable & at-risk kids.
Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) Training
Earning and developing a child’s trust often comes with complex challenges and must be overcome relationally. TBRI is a trauma-informed care & empirical intervention approach developed at Texas Christian University. Raquel is a practitioner for TBRI training nationwide.
Salvation Decisions in the Northeast
Last weekend I received news from Pastor Raimundo Pinto and his team in Aracajú, northeastern Brazil. They had a Saturday night youth rally with 40 teenagers and eight salvation decisions. Pray for them as we have embarked on a building project that costs $35,000. If you’d like to assist with resources, please designate your contribution through BFM to “Jud Hatcher – Aracaju Church Plant.”
Leadership Pipeline Training Series
Our current leadership pipeline series (recorded on Zoom and posted on YouTube) was kicked off by two guest speakers: Jason Estes and Bill Repke. We are discussing the need to nurture a strong Biblical Leadership Culture within the local church’s leadership pipeline. The recordings are available on YouTube for pastors to use as a resource and have several hundred views.
Grateful always,
Jud 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
Building a Leadership Team
October 21, 2022
Dear friends,
Thank you for your financial and prayer support. We could not make it without you holding the ropes and encouraging us to keep pressing forward in the calling God has placed in our lives.
Family News
Laura completes her cochlear hearing therapy in November and is currently able to hear clearly through the cochlear implant in her left ear. I underwent a three-hour surgery on my right shoulder last week to address four issues on my rotator cuff and will be in an arm sling for 6 weeks. Next week I will undergo surgery on my nose to correct a breathing concern. Everyone is doing well in school as we plan to transition back to Brazil in the middle of the academic year. We are excited to return.
Ministry Testimony
Over a year ago, the Lord placed Pastor Sílvio in my heart as I noticed how the pandemic crippled his ministry and church. He was saved under my grandfather John Hatcher’s work in Paraná, called by God into the Gospel ministry, and mentored under him. He has always been resilient in ministry, but the struggle was more challenging than ever before. We sponsored his family (wife and three young adult sons) to participate in the church ministries conference at Nova Baptist Church in Manaus that occurred last August (a travel distance of 3k miles by plane). They returned home revitalized and with a renewed passion for ministry. The Lord has opened the doors for a weekly 15-minute radio spot on three different regional radio stations and various new bridging opportunities. Please, see the pictures of Pastor Sílvio and Kelly at the radio station and Kelly sharing the Gospel message at a school. Even while Stateside, we continue to encourage and mentor fellow laborers in Brazil. Through your financial giving and prayers, we can assist leaders and their churches in reenergizing and mobilizing strategically for the Gospel.
Kelly sharing the Gospel message at a school. 
Jud’s surgery 
Casa da Familia Baptist Church 
Pastor Sílvio & Casa da Familia Baptist Church 
Pastor Sílvio and Kelly at the radio station.
Considering our ministry strategy, I desire to share (and inspire you) how we go about building teams for church planting. We aim to recruit, train, place, and network leaders for church planting and disciple-making in Brazil. This is part of the training framework I use:
Building a Leadership Team
When building a team, a Christian leader must rely on Divine wisdom, trust in the sovereignty of God and be passionately committed to the vision and mission. Notice the instructions given to Jeremiah in the Old Testament, where God provides a visual aid for the prophet to understand His sovereignty in how He chooses to change the world through His chosen people, the Israelites: “So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel (Jeremiah 18:3-6).
Furthermore, in the New Testament, we read about clay and its usage in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 where the Apostle Paul writes: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” God is in control.
Thankfully, in all circumstances, including team building, leaders can have the same confidence in God’s choice and plan for His people. Notice where Paul expounds on God’s lesson to him “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-11). It is not about the power that a team or a leader has, but rather the power He retains yet chooses to dispense through ordinary people. Once understood that all things reside in the hands of God, a leader can begin to build a solid team. Trust in God and proceed with the vision He has given you.
Building a solid team is a foundational step to moving forward with the vision God has given a leader. First and foremost, the criteria for selecting a team member requires a personal relationship with the Savior and personal integrity – this is paramount at the beginning and throughout any endeavor!
I have always seen the importance of having a variety of personalities and team member profiles as part of the leadership team, which included extravert personalities, such as sanguine (i.e., Peter) and choleric (i.e., Paul) and introverts, such as phlegmatic (i.e., Luke) and melancholic (Moses). After reading Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” (2002), I narrowed it down even further. So, what are the necessary people for a core leadership team? Gladwell posits that team composition is foundational for developing teams and proposes that a successful team must have a connector, a maven, and a salesman. Connectors are the individuals in a community who have befriended or know vast amounts of people and make it their habit to make introductions and feel comfortable building connections with people. Mavens are information specialists; the team relies upon this person to connect them with new information and insights. Mavens are an excellent source of knowledge because they love to stay current on various subjects and are typically well-versed in numerous fields. Salesmen are persuaders, highly charismatic individuals with incredible communication skills. They have a way about them that draws people in beyond mere words, which inspires others to want to follow and agree with them. Salesmen are typically very likable individuals. (PS. None of these individuals substitute the work of the Holy Spirit in making disciples, each one is simply a jar of clay in the hands of the almighty God.)
Once the core leadership team is assembled, the following steps are: 1) getting to know one another and continually developing trust as a team. 2) Define short, mid, and long-range goals based on the mission. 3) Establish team values and personal conduct principles 4) Establish and agree on individual roles. 5) Develop an accountability framework and plan. 6) Agree upon and commit to a team contract.
When building a team, a leader must rely on Divine wisdom, trust in the sovereignty of God, be passionately committed to the vision and mobilize a solid team to accomplish the mission at hand. I will continue in next month’s publication.
Grateful always,
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
God’s Providence Shown Stateside
September 20, 2022
Dear friends,
Last year as our family prepared to come to the US for the one-year Stateside assignment for 2021-2022, the Lord opened the door for Raquel to gain experience and expertise in foster care in suburban Chicago. In May 2021, it was confirmed she would begin an internship in August 2021. Consequently, we searched for housing. I signed a lease agreement on a home and placed a deposit. In the following weeks, significant policy changes were made in foster care services, and several people resigned from this organization, including the supervisor who hired my wife. The new supervisor informed Raquel she had to begin in mid-June or lose the opportunity. Logistically, she couldn’t begin before the initially agreed date. So, now we had two alternatives: (a) cancel the housing lease and go to another opportunity in a different state (but lose the deposit), or (b) move to suburban Chicago and see what the Lord had planned. Our decision-making involves this main principle: What is decided through much prayer and confirmed by the Holy Spirit should not be canceled haphazardly. So, we moved to Chicagoland, not knowing what the Lord had for us during this next season in the States.
A month after arriving in Wheaton, IL (September 2021), I was diagnosed with cancer and would need chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This shocked us as a family, but we rejoiced in the Lord to be in an excellent location for treatment. My wife found an opportunity to serve as a clinical therapist at a local clinic and participate in several equipping seminars to equip her to work better with orphans in Brazil. Our second child (who lost her hearing in the left ear two years prior) had a cochlear implant installed in December 2021 by one of the nation’s best cochlear implant surgeons and has regained hearing. I began my doctoral study at Columbia International University in January 2022 (began studying during my cancer treatment). This last month I was diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel syndrome on both hands. I underwent the surgical procedure and can now sleep at night uninterrupted by pain. It is impressive to see the hand of God at work in unique ways. I could write endlessly about God’s marvelous care for us during this season of life.
Our reaction to this turn of events was to trust in God and rest in His sovereign hand and providence. Matthew 6:25-27 often came to mind as we navigated these uncertain waters: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”
The outcome is that I am now cancer-free, can sleep throughout the night without waking up from the pain in my hands, my wife has grown in her expertise as a professional, our daughter can hear again, and I have begun my doctoral studies. Praise the Lord!
Another unique event over the last month is that our three older children – Sarah, Laura, and Benjamin – expressed a desire to be part of the “ministry team” and do more than just “help.” Raquel and I were elated to learn of their desire. We began equipping them with the same approach we use for training leaders for church planting. We are studying the philosophy of ministry, strategy planning, and having in-depth theological discussions. We love working with this great team!
Thank you for partnering with us through prayer and financial giving. We are grateful.
Always grateful,
Jud Hatcher
Hiking with the family at Starved Rock State Park, IL 
Jud’s carpal tunnel release surgery 
Benjamin’s cross-country school competition 
Celebrating Brazil’s Independence Day
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
Sarah Returns from Mission Trip + A Look at Steward Leadership
August 20, 2022
Dear friends,
Thank you for your faithful financial support & prayer. Please, pray for me as I will undergo several surgical procedures in the coming weeks. 1) The removal of the port catheter from my chest (cancer-free & no longer needed). 2) Surgery on my hands/wrists due to severe carpal tunnel (I am looking forward to the pain relief). Also, pray for 3) Laura as she continues her cochlear implant hearing therapy. 4) Our return to São Paulo at the end of this year. 5) The church ministries conference at Nova Baptist Church in Manaus, where several pastors and leaders from across the country are flying in for the occasion.
Sarah returned from her two-month mission trip in the Amazon. The Lord used her mightily, and she learned so much while there. Our four children started back to school this week. In September, Raquel will attend a foster care/orphan care conference in Georgia. She is looking forward to this special event.
I have trained leaders with the “servant leadership” framework for the longest time. Within the last year, conviction has grown in my heart for the “steward leadership” framework instead. Let me share a little about “steward leadership.” One of the most outstanding steward leaders in Scripture is Joseph. What a leader and administrator! According to author Kent Wilson (2016), “A steward is someone who manages resources belonging to another person in order to achieve the owner’s objectives.” Wilson discusses the role and responsibilities of the steward. Particularly important for the steward are work ethic, personal virtues, absence of personal vices, training and experience, loyalty to the accountability structure and relationships, wise use of resources, and practical management skills.
In his book, Rodin (2010), addresses the age-old debate “nature-versus-nurture” and posits that leaders are “freed to lead”. As his primary thesis, this freedom fosters holistic transformation and renders an obedient response from born-again believers. This obedient response establishes the person’s work effectiveness. He continues, “Our call to be stewards is based on our acceptance of each as a gracious gift and our rejection of the lure to play the owner.” We are freed from self, equipped by God according to each calling. In addition, “We were created as caretakers of creation, and in Christ, we have been restored to that high and holy calling.”
Steward Leadership is a worldview mindset where a called individual is a learner who leads as a proctor administrator, free of second intentions, where with high integrity and character serves another and is responsible for resources (or an organization) with full-fledged decision-making authority and is accountable for those responsibilities, the use of power and the strategies implemented (Rodin, 2010; Simmons, 2019; and Wilson, 2016).
The steward leader is a servant at heart, but not every servant is a steward leader. This leadership lifestyle involves self-denial but not lacking confidence to influence people and outcomes. A steward leader is deeply accountable, trustworthy, and empowered to mobilize and delegate to successfully lead within all levels of an organization, selflessly empowering and encouraging people within his sphere (Simmons, 2019).
If you love to read and acquire new insights. Check out these resources:
* Rodin, S. (2010). The Steward Leader. Downer’s Grove, Intervarsity Press.
* Simmons, B. (2019). LDR 9610 Unit 1 Lecture HD. Online Studies, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOv8eyIeKSg&list=PLHAVnCRu3fmg6wLpFmZFrP80dOhf04GEs&index=12
* Wilson, K. R. (2016). Steward Leadership in the Nonprofit Organization. Intervarsity Press.
Thank you for your love!
Jud 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
Life On Mission
July 16, 2022
Dear friends,
We are grateful for your prayers and financial support.
Sarah is halfway thru her two-month mission trip in the Amazon with Jonatas and Charis. She is actively engaged in the daily ministry activities in four different locations on the outskirts of Manaus. There are Evangelism and discipleship opportunities during the home visits and church gatherings throughout the week. It has been a fantastic experience for her. We are delighted by her heart’s willingness to serve and learn under the leadership of godly friends and the ministry team. Jonatas and Charis are part of the leadership team in Brazil. I invited them to come to the States this last January for a month of mentorship and exposure—a customized training trip to 3 destinations, 3 universities, and 3 churches.
Laura is on a 7-day mission trip to Cleveland, OH, with a group of 54 high school students and 18 adult leaders from Wheaton Bible Church. The team will:
- Run a children’s day camp at a local Baptist church.
- Package medical supplies for overseas shipping.
- Separate donated clothing for distribution in the inner city.
- Assist at a homeless shelter.
- Paint an elderly couple’s home.
- Engage in sharing their personal salvation testimony at every opportunity.
Benjamin recently returned from a 5-day mission trip to Harvey, IL, with a group of middle school students. They served at a non-profit organization that provides hope and life-changing opportunities to recovering addicts, at-risk youth, families, and seniors struggling in poverty. They assisted in running programs for elementary-age children, helped in the thrift store and food pantry, met some of the men and women in their recovery programs, and worked in the neighborhood garden. It was an intense week of ministry with spiritual growth for Benjamin. He made new friends and made some critical decisions. We are excited to see how the Lord will continue to use Him for His glory.
In August, Nova Baptist Church (where David Hatcher is pastor) is hosting the largest church ministry conference within our Brazilian fellowship of churches/ church plants. Through your financial contributions, we are sponsoring 8 pastors, 3 pastor’s wives, and 4 church leaders from 5 different states to fly from their cities into Manaus. (Most will be in the airplane for 8 hours or more just to get there!) This conference happens every two years, but COVID caused it to be postponed twice. I prayed the Lord would allow as many pastors and leaders from our churches & church plants to attend this unique gathering. If you desire to sponsor a Brazilian pastor or church planter in any amount (costs $350 per person), please make a financial contribution thru Baptist Faith Missions and designate “Jud Hatcher – Conference training.” Please visit https://portals.icheckgateway.com/BFMNow/ to give online.
In August, Raquel is attending the CAFO Summit at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, GA. This conference is on adoption, foster care, and global orphan care. She recently completed training and was certified in Trust Based Relation Intervention (TBRI) and EMDR (for traumatic memories processing). With these tools, Raquel can assist children and adults in working through traumatic experiences. I (Jud) am currently undergoing my first year of doctoral studies at Columbia International University. I will graduate in May 2024 with a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. My dissertation is a qualitative study on Steward Leadership influences on succession planning amongst Baptist pastors in Brazil.
We aim to recruit, train, place, and network pastors, church planters, and leaders to serve in Brazil. This additional education for us and our team brings practical knowledge for application in Brazil. We are grateful for personal growth.
Our prayer requests:
1. Sarah (17yo) has one more month on her mission trip in the Amazon. Pray for her learning, spiritual growth, and impact as she serves.
2. Laura (15yo) is part of WBC’s mission trip to Cleveland, OH. Pray for her learning, spiritual growth, and impact as she serves.
3. Jud & Ben (14yo) are attending a 2-day leadership conference in Aug. Pray for a great learning experience.
4. Jud & Raquel’s studies.
5. Upcoming trips to Ottawa, IL, Teays Valley, WV, and Findley, OH.
Thank you for your love, the care you demonstrate to us, your financial investment, and your regular prayers. We are thankful and are deeply encouraged by you.
Grateful always, Jud Hatcher
Sending Laura on mission trip 
4th of July in Chicago 
Nova Conference 
Sarah with ministry leaders 
Sarah in Manaus
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
Travel for Church & Family Visits, Good Reports
June 17, 2022
Hello Friends!
Summer is fully on board! Here is the latest from us. Please, read on.
My grandfather John Albert Hatcher passed on May 14th. He and my grandmother went to Brazil after WWI and served faithfully as missionaries for 60 years. The Lord allowed me to fly to Florida to participate in the funeral services. This may have been one of the last extended Hatcher family gatherings, but it was great to be with so many of my aunts, uncles & cousins. I am grateful to my parents who took care of him for the last 8 years (along with his wife, my Grandma Alta Hatcher, and Grannie Willa McGary, from my mother’s side of the family). I was blessed to see my parents’ faithfulness and commitment to their parents in their later years. They truly exemplified what it means to “honor your parents”. We scheduled to be with my parents in Kentucky for one week. I pray our time together will be an encouragement to them.
Laura (15) was awarded a scholarship to attend Summit Ministries in Colorado at the beginning of this month. It was a two-week Christian worldview & current hot topics intensive designed for high school and college students. She had an incredible experience and highly recommended it. Sarah left for Manaus this past Monday for a two-month mission trip in the Amazon with Jonatas and Charis. Pray with us as the Lord uses her during this time and that the Lord will move mightily in her heart.
Laura’s last visit to the audiologist was yesterday. She continues to progress well as she adjusts to the cochlear implant and learns to hear through it. I had my oncologist visit this morning. Everything looks good, and the port catheter should be removed within the next few months. Everyone else is in good health.
Last week I spoke at the Ignited Sunday School class at Wheaton Bible Church, this weekend we plan to be at Durbin Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, KY, and soon in Calvary Baptist Church, Teays Valley, WV. This last month there were several decisions in São Paulo with new opportunities for discipleship. I continue to mentor leaders through Zoom. We are currently finalizing arrangements for eleven pastors and wives (from four different states) to fly to Manaus to attend the church ministries & pastors conference organized by Nova Baptist Church, where my uncle David Hatcher is pastor.
Our hearts are ready to return to Brazil, but we must wait. Our current plans are to remain in the States until the end of the year to complete health treatments and follow-ups.
Attached is my article on disciple-making “The Zaccheaus Approach” and photos.
Grateful always,
Judson & 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
Faith Strengthened Through Cancer Journey
Wheaton, April 24, 2022
Dear friends,
It is with joy I write to all of you. I hope this letter finds you well.
Life in Chicago has been full of adventures. When God led us here last August 2021, we didn’t quite understand, nor did we know what was coming ahead. But our God is an omniscient God, He knows each one of our days, He knows our past and our future. Just a few weeks after we were settled in one of 24 missionaries’ apartments, Jud received the news of having lymphoma. I confess, it caught us by surprise. The days ahead were difficult, as Jud and I tried to swim in the waters of the unknown. We didn’t say much during those days, but we could almost read each other’s thoughts, one of them being: “It’s our turn to glorify God through pain and sorrow, and to continue to trust and love Him in the valley as on the mountain.” We didn’t question God. We chose to live one day at a time, without speculating into the future, or falling into the “what if” trap.
The most emotional time was when we shared it with our children. To see their tears and their eyes and their confused/sad faces broke our hearts, and we all cried together. But it wasn’t a cry of desperation, it was a cry of submission. During our journey, my faith was strengthened. Not because I had everything under control, quite the opposite, I had no idea what our future would be like, but I had someone, Jud, who modeled to our family what it means to be thankful in all situations. He showed us daily, what it means to trust God without asking “Why me?” or “Why now?” or “Why this way?”. He demonstrated to us what it means to have joy despite pain and uncertainties. In the middle of it all, Jud’s example helped me to have the same attitude. As Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” This verse has a personal meaning to me now.
Raquel & Jud 
Jud & Raquel
We, Christians, are called to glorify God with our lives in everything we do, and, as we do, we elevate Jesus Christ high for everyone to see. When people see Jesus, they can’t help it but give Him glory also. That is why faith without works is dead. How will people see Jesus if we don’t show Him with our actions? James 2:16 –17 “If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
More than ever, I understand it now. Before, I thought Paul could ask people to follow him as he followed Christ, because he was the chosen of God, he was special. But, we all, if we are Christians (disciples of Christ), we ought to do and say the same thing. We need each other on this journey. God knew we couldn’t make it without one another. We need to see in each other’s lives, what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Jud is cancer free now; God chose to heal him. We don’t have enough words to describe how thankful we are to have received the gift of life on this earth, but we are even more thankful to have received eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I want to say thank you for your prayers, your supportive messages, your cards of encouragement, your gifts, and your financial assistance. Everything you did for us; you did it for Jesus. We’re forever grateful for Baptist Faith Missions, and all our brothers and sisters who live this journey with us during sad and joyful times.
Love,
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
