ASA MARK & LUCIA BRATCHER

I served as a missionary in partnership with BFM for 22 years, but I have practically associated with BFM since I was 3 years old. That’s when I arrived in the Amazon Valley with my godly parents on July 15, 1959.

I was ordained in May, 1977, and served as pastor of the 14th of December Baptist Church, Manaus Brasil, for the next 19 months. Then I served the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Manaus, for the next 7 months while missionaries Paul and Wanda Hatcher were in the States on furlough. Then for the next 3 years, I served as pastor of the Peniel Baptist Church, also in Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil. Then returned to the 14th of December Baptist Church for the next 18 ½ years, until December of 2000. In January 2001, I organized the Comunhão Baptist Church in Manaus, and remained as pastor for the next 12 years, until December of 2012.

On the last day of 2012, I arrived in Lexington KY to care for my Dad in his retirement after 53 ½ years in Brazil serving with BFM. I had the indescribable privilege of caring for him for the next 5 years and 3 months, until his glorious promotion to Heaven on March 23rd, 2018, just 6 hours short of his 91st Birthday. While we were making plans for a small birthday party, his Lord and Savior whom he served so faithfully for so long, had better plans. He had his 91st Birthday party in Heaven, organized by our Lord Jesus himself.

From April 2018 to March 2020, I continued to do mission work, spending 2 months in Manaus, and one here in Lexington. Since being stranded because of the Pandemic, both my wife and I have been working for the past year at the BAF Fan Company here in Lexington. This year Lucia and I will celebrate 41 years of marriage.

During these over 40 years of ministry in Brazil, Dad and I had the privilege and honor to organize or assist over 40 churches in 5 states. I also taught at the Amazonas Baptist Theological College and the Good News Bible College in Manaus and was a visiting professor at the Equatorial Baptist College in Belém in the state of Para.

Presently we reside in in Lexington KY. We appreciate all of BFM’s support during this time, and even today, as we have been receiving the missionary’s pension since January 2021. We thank God for every remembrance of you, and to God be all glory, great things He has done!

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Update, 2023:

Lucia and I would like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date on recent happenings. Two years ago, I had to have cataract surgery on my left eye. I haven’t had vision in my right eye since 2013, due to a botched surgery for retina dislocation in Brazil. The cataract surgery went well, but 2 weeks later the retina dislocated. After immediate surgery, I was able to begin a slow but complete recovery. But I no longer was able to work at the Big Fans Company in Lexington, where I had worked for about a year. Since then I have been unofficially retired. Lucia is presently working at the Preston Greens Senior Living center here in Lexington as a CNA (Senior Living Assistant).

I have not been able to return to Manaus yet to check on the churches but hopefully will be able to do so in July, our Lord willing and permitting.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the Directors and each supporter of BFM, for your daily prayers and continued support to the Veterans Missionaries Pensioners Fund and the Founders Day Offering. We faithfully receive a portion of those funds each month. Also in December we received a blessed Christmas gift, for which we were surprised and eternally grateful.

May our Lord and Savior continue to bless each one of you as we all strive to be faithful!

Still in His Service,
Asa and Lucia Bratcher

Asa Mark & Lucia Bratcher
1950 Falling Leaves Ln
Lexington KY 40509-8013
859-806-9827 / cell phone
ambratcher56@yahoo.com

When you designate your offerings for ‘Veteran Missionaries Pension’ or for ‘Founder’s Month Offering’ [they are the same], they will be applied toward the continuing and on-going financial honor and support of these faithful life-long servants of Christ.

Click here to give now or you can mail your offering to:
BFM, c/o George Sledd
P.O. Box 471280
Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1280