The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
November 3, 2019
Dear Friends,
Let me tell you about the good, the bad and the ugly. We are so blessed of the Lord in more ways than I can fully share, but one of them is that almost all of our evangelistic efforts in the public venues are very well received by civic leaders. This past month we were ministering in several neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro. All of the schools received our team with open arms, except one. They did allow us to come in and to talk in front of the student body about avoiding illegal drugs, about suicide and depression, etc., but they warned us not to teach “religion” or to mention Jesus while using the microphone. That was the bad, but we were allowed to do our dramatic skits, which are done in mime, where Jesus was clearly portrayed as coming from the Father and giving his life as a sacrifice for man’s sin and resurrecting again. So, we still got to “preach” the gospel publicly and after the presentation ended, we were able to speak one-on-one with those who came to us privately to know more about what was presented in the dramas. That situation also helped to remind us that we are truly ministering in a world that is hostile to the Lord, but ultimately under His command. On the human level it is always a little disheartening to confront this type of resistance, but the Lord strengthened our faith by touching hearts even where our enemy sought to close the doors.
Two weeks ago, we launched a Jiu-Jitsu class at our church facilities on two days of the week. We have a very dedicated church member who is a black-belt instructor of Jiu-Jitsu and he has been asking me if we could provide these classes as a way to draw people from the neighborhood to the classes where the martial art is taught, but also to share Christ with the students. I thought it would be a great opportunity and we have 16 students already participating. We begin the classes with a time of devotional teaching and prayer, and we end with a reminder of the lesson taught. I joined the class myself, hoping to stay better fit and also to encourage others to participate.
Charlene is working with several of our volunteer ladies getting ready for our final couples’ event of the year. She always works hard and does a great job of preparing the environment for a meeting where the couples can enjoy themselves, relax and focus on listening to biblical marriage counseling and an evangelistic message. We are expecting a good crowd this month and we hope to leave the couples with a strong desire to be better mates and better fitted for serving the Lord as families.
Thank you for praying for us and for your faithful support. We know that God’s blessings will rest on you who seek to serve Him. Please know that He is using you beyond your own sphere of influence.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1[at]hotmail.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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PalavraFest, Sharing in Schools & Parks, Headed to Rio
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
October 1, 2019
Dear Friends,
You may remember that I wrote how Charlene and I teach English as a second language in order to gain an opportunity to reach people who wouldn’t ordinarily come to a church service. We continue to do that and we are truly getting those opportunities. She and I teach different age levels and we both have English students who now come to our church services as a result. One of my students, a twelve-year-old girl, has also started bringing her entire family of six to church on Sundays. Our art teacher has also been able to draw several of her students to our worship services. This ministry is time consuming and requires effort, but the results that we are seeing make it worthwhile.
In our discipleship efforts at our base church we engaged in what we call, “PalavraFest,” translated, “WordFest.” This three week long event is pretty challenging for anyone, but especially for new believers. To complete the challenge, each person must read the Bible books of 1st Samuel, 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings, 2nd Kings and 2nd Chronicles completely. Also, they must memorize the 4th and 5th chapters of James and, additionally, they must study and fill out a prepared Bible study guide that requires approximately 30 minutes of study per day. We are in the middle of our third week of “WordFest” right now and I am very thrilled that around 60 percent of the congregation has kept up with all the challenge’s requirements. One of the greatest joys to me is to see how excited everyone is at our meetings as each one recites the verses they memorized to one another and discuss the details of the Bible texts that they read during the week! Our aim, above all, is to encourage our church members to study and practice God’s word so that they will be better equipped to love and serve Him.
Bobby Wacaser shared his testimony in a public school in Tatuí, São Paulo.
This past week I traveled to the interior of the state of São Paulo to meet together and minister with our team of evangelists. We shared the gospel in several public schools as well as in two city parks. I can’t think of any activity in life that gives me a greater joy than to share the gospel in a venue like a public school or park. In the town of Tatuí, I spoke to a group of around 300 high school students and shared my testimony of how I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. As I spoke, I looked around the crowd and could see many who were crying as God used me to communicate His love and mercy. I believe that several of those who heard the gospel also surrendered their hearts to Christ. In the schools, we aren’t permitted to ask the students to come forward to proclaim publicly their faith, but very often, some of the students come to talk to us individually to share how they felt God speaking to them through us. Like I said, I can’t think of any greater joy than that!
Bobby Wacaser shared his testimony in a public school in Tatuí, São Paulo.
In a week, our team will be packing up to head out again to 2 different states of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul. Both locations offer some daunting challenges. In Rio de Janeiro, the drug use and crime rate are very high and our team is at constant risk. We are confident that God is sending them and that He will protect and use them. In Rio Grande do Sul, there is a very high percentage of demon worship and ritualistic sacrifices of animals, grains and alcoholic beverages in nearly every public square. It is sad to see how blind the people in this state are to the grace of God. They are desperately in need of the gospel and we are praying that the Lord will use our efforts there for the salvation of many. Please remember to pray for our ministries.
Thank you for your faithful prayer and support.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1[at]hotmail.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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Two Students Trust Christ in Minas Gerais
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
November 29, 2018
Dear Friends,
We followed through with our plans to have a Thanksgiving service with our Brazilian brothers and sisters this month and it was wonderful! That was a first for all of them, but they want it to be annual now. Charlene and I had a great time preparing several of the traditional American Thanksgiving recipes and, by the lack of leftovers, they were appreciated by all. The Lord has greatly blessed us and our ministries this year. We had an increase of 220% in our attendance and we were privileged to have our baptismal pool used again.
The English classes and tutoring that we offer for free continue to bring people from our neighborhood into contact with us during the weekdays and several people come to our Sunday services as a result as well. We are expecting to see quite a few attend our Christmas presentation where we will present the gospel through music, drama and preaching.
Our Project Life evangelistic team was in two states this month: Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. The workers had the opportunity to share the gospel with over 3000 students and their families in the schools and town squares. There were many professions of faith in Christ, so I can’t share them all. I do want to tell you about two students in Minas Gerais, though. As our drama teams were presenting the gospel through a skit, these students were able to identify themselves in the characters of the drama and the Holy Spirit opened their eyes to see their great need of Christ. They saw how much sin had ravished their families and their own lives and they wanted a new life in Christ. They had been living in hopelessness for too long and saw that Jesus bought them salvation and purpose through his blood. One of these was a young lady who had begun to slash her wrists regularly and was constantly depressed. She had been sexually abused by her stepfather and felt like she was worthless. Our evangelist showed her through the Scriptures the Heavenly Father’s love and care for her and she was thrilled to surrender her life to Him. She asked the Lord to forgive her for her hatred and bitterness. The other youth had begun using drugs and alcohol to numb his mind to the sense of despair and lack of purpose. Instead of taking away his depression, it only increased. Another one of our volunteers sat down with him for quite a while to present the gospel of Christ and to point out how meaningful one’s life is when it is surrendered to the Lord. That young man also repented and trusted in Jesus.
We are getting ready for our long-anticipated Christmas presentation in a couple of weeks where we hope to see several people come to know Christ personally. Our church members have been hard at work for a couple of months now practicing dramas and music. We ask that you pray with us that God will bless and save souls through this event. Charlene and I are grateful to you for your prayers, concern and generous support for our ministries here in southern Brazil.
Merry Christmas and may God bless you.
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279
Sobrado 1, Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR. Brasil
Phone: 55-41-99899-2333
bobbymichael_1[at]hotmail.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
Preparing to Return to Brazil
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
November 7, 2017
Dear Friends,
Charlene and I are preparing to return to Brazil on January 8, 2018. We have purchased our airline ticket and we’re trying to put together all the equipment and household items that we’ll need when we arrive. We have maintained regular contact with many of our friends there and they have helped us know which items are much less expensive in the USA and which ones can be bought in Brazil for about the same price. This information is very helpful as we start packing our bags because the airlines have reduced the amount of free bags that each passenger can take. Since we’ll have reduced baggage, we need to be very selective in what we purchase before we leave.
I have been corresponding with our Brazilian ministry partners and they are very excited about the news of our return. We are really looking forward to getting to be with them again and for the opportunities to meet and share the gospel with new acquaintances.
One of my most exciting expectations is the Missions Training Seminar that will begin less than one week after our arrival in Curitiba, Brazil. It will be quite motivating to have the chance to pour into a group of passionate godly young men and women who want their lives to count for Christ’s kingdom almost immediately upon our return. I am also excited about traveling with our Projeto Vida outreach teams quite often. Presently, two teams are in the extremely poor and dangerous slums of Rio de Janeiro sharing the gospel. The leader of the teams messaged me to ask for prayer and protection as they minister in those neighborhoods. He did make it quite clear, though, that all the team members feel the Lord’s arms of protection around them and they are emboldened to take the love of Jesus to these dear lost ones.
We are expecting the birth of our first grandson, Jayce Wacaser, any day now. We are looking forward to getting and giving as much “sugar” to him as we can before we leave. Please pray for his parents to be guided by the Lord to raise him to love and serve our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Also, pray that we will keep our eyes on the prize of serving the Lord with our whole hearts.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby & Charlene Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Stateside Address:
3912 Casaba Loop
Valrico, FL 33596
Field Address:
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
Phone: (813) 481-7007
Cell Phone: (813) 727-6405
Email: bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
Give: Click here to give.
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Projeto Vida Travels 6,000 Miles to Share the Gospel with Different People Groups
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
October 11, 2016
Dear Friends,
We had hoped that Projeto Vida would be able to purchase an 18 passenger travel van before our scheduled mission trip to the Lower Amazon River basin, but the Lord had other plans. Instead, 25 of our dedicated followers of Christ set out in an old travel bus on a 6000 mile trip to take the gospel to many different people groups. The first stop was in the slums of Rio de Janeiro shortly after the Olympic Games. The teams shared God’s word in public schools and parks.
Leaving Rio, the bus then set out for Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, over 1000 miles away. Again, the teams were allowed to go into the schools with Gospel skits and testimonies. Many students heard the gospel for the first time in their lives. After a few days in Brasilia, the bus began the next leg of their journey to northeastern Brazil, in the desert region. Along the way the old bus began to have a few problems. First, two of the large tires blew out at the same time. After repairing them, which was not cheap, the differential gear box tore up and the bus had to be towed to a repair garage and be repaired. The original price would have been above our ability to pay, but the garage owner felt led of the Lord to give a deep discount and with the offerings of some of you, we were able to pay for the new price and get the bus back on the road.
The journey continued northward toward Maranhão where our teams had the privilege of taking the gospel to some Indian tribes. There were quite a few who surrendered to Christ during that stop. All of the team members had to learn how to adapt to the culture somewhat to gain and entrance into the people group. The different foods and unfiltered water left several of the workers ill for a few days.
Next, the group went on to the mouth of the Amazon River where it spills out into the Atlantic. They left the old bus in the last town and got on board an old river boat to travel up river for 4 days. There were over 50 people aboard that boat and everyone had to sleep in hammocks crisscrossed in every available space. The teams stopped at many small villages along the river banks to share the gospel with folks, many who had never heard the Gospel of Christ clearly presented. There were dozens saved in these visits. Our team was traveling with some missionaries who lived in the region and who would be taking note of the villages with multiple conversions to return to begin routine Bible studies and new church plants when possible.
On this journey there was a young American man named Christian Wertz from my church here in Florida. He engaged in a game of “football/soccer” with some villagers on an improvised court that was made of roughly planed boards covered with dirt and sawdust. He got a large splinter in his bare foot which got badly infected and he had to be taken to the nearest health outpost to treat him. He recovered quickly and returned to help the team evangelize in more villages on the return trip to where they left the travel bus.
On the return trip to their headquarters in southern Brazil, Projeto Vida didn’t experience any mishaps. The team arrived after a 34-day trip and having seen hundreds of people profess Christ as Savior and Lord. One of the side benefits of the trip was that while they were helping a local church in northern Brazil, two of the members felt led of the Lord to contribute enough funds for Projeto Vida to purchase their first 18 passenger travel van. Now they will be able to make more trips similar to this one at a much reduced cost and much quicker. Praise the Lord with us!
In Christ’s love,
Bobby Wacaser
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Furlough Address:
3912 Casaba Loop
Valrico, FL 33596
Field Address:
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
Phone: (813) 481-7007
Cell Phone: (813) 727-6405
Email: bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
Give: Click here to give.
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