May 3, 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Blessed Savior:

This Mission Sheets month began April 5th and finished May 2nd. During April I preached in Manaus seven sermons, six at the 24th of March Baptist Church and one at the home of Irmã Asanete, a faithful member who celebrated her 40th birthday. We heard 5 sermons here in Manaus. On April 5th, we celebrated Marie´s 79th birthday. May the Lord grant you health and happiness for many years here on this earth, Marie.

On the 7th, Ozeno Goes Cunha arrived from Olinda where he is the evangelist of the Olinda Baptist Mission. He is 47 years old and he and his wife are the parents of 9 children. He stayed in our home and left to return home on the 10th. On the 14th, we received the notice by telephone of the death of Irmã Mercedes Ramos de Souza Costa, 73 years old, a member of the church. She was blind and bedfast for many years. We are comforted knowing that she is with the Lord. May the Lord bless her survivors.

Now return with us to the 27th of March when we received the telephone call from Dr. Dwight Moody, Dean of the Chapel of Georgetown, Kentucky College, confirming our expenses paid trip to the States to receive an award. At around 10am, on the 21st of April, Marie and I left the house for the airport. There the three of us checked in and at 12:20pm we began our flight on Lloyd Bolivian Airlines. We arrived in Miami at 5:20pm and went through customs, having discovered that two of our bags had stayed in Manaus. We spent the night in a hotel in Miami. We left Miami at 9am on Saturday the 22nd, and arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina at 10:50am. Stephen met us there, having arrived from Jacksonville, Florida on an earlier flight. We four left Charlotte at 12:45 and arrived in Lexington, Kentucky at 2pm. There we were met by Wes, Charles and Reva Bratcher, Pastor Mickey Hyder and Pastor Dave Parks. After an early supper, we moved in the two rooms provided for us by the college, at the Fairfield Inn in Georgetown.

Sunday morning, the 23rd, Asa Mark drove us in Wes Bratcher’s car to Richmond where we attended and Asa Mark spoke then prayed, Stephen sang, and I preached at the Clarksville Baptist Church where Bradley Johns is the pastor. Brother Johns paid for eight of us to eat at the “Cracker Barrel” restaurant in Richmond. Besides the four of us, Sister Ella J. Casey, Mrs. Deane Cruse, Mrs. Nora Elizabeth Chappell and Mrs. Engracia Dias Cardoso, ate with us. After dinner the four of us visited Clyde and Ruthie Cole, faithful members of the Clarksville Baptist Church. Brother Clyde is battling cancer. That night we attended the David´s Fork Baptist Church, where Brother Mickey Hyder is pastor. Asa Mark and I spoke, and then heard home missionary John Boss.

We attended most of the program of the Ministry Reunion at Georgetown College Monday thru Wednesday. On Tuesday night I was honored with four others by receiving the Ken Chafin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Ministry for my work with Baptist Faith Missions for 47 years in Brasil. We pray the Lord’s blessings upon Georgetown College, and its president, Dr. William H. Crouch, Jr.

Wednesday morning we bade Stephen farewell. We appreciated him making the trip and being a blessing to us during those days. On Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Joy Arnold, a sister of Mary Ann Fox, picked the three of us up and took us to visit our dear friend and helper of many years, Brother Grant Fox who had celebrated his 80th birthday the day before. He is also battling cancer. We Bratchers will continue to pray for the Lord to heal you, dear brother. We pray the Lord’s hand to help you, Sister Mary Ann. Both of you have been a blessing to the Bratchers through the years.

On Wednesday night the three of us attended prayer meeting at the Heritage BC. On Thursday morning three dear friends from Glen´s Creek Baptist Church met us for a brunch and time of fellowship which we enjoyed very much, with Don, Shirley and Rose. That night we along with Charles and Reva, and Wes and Winnie Bratcher ate supper at the Georgetown home of Dr. Horace and Mary Beth Hambrick. We all enjoyed the meal and thank you cousin Mary Beth for your gifts to us through BFM.

Friday morning Wes drove us to the Lexington Airport where Charles and Reva met us and said good bye. Dave Parks arrived and wished us well. We had a safe trip, three flights, and finally arrived in Manaus at 3am, Saturday the 29th. Our three pieces of luggage did not arrive! We laid down at 5:30am and slept a few hours. Sunday morning I preached at the 24th of March Baptist Church.

Again to all of you in Kentucky who blessed us and to any of you to whom we were a blessing. May the Lord bless you all. Thus we have shared with you readers of the Mission Sheets what happened to us during the month of April, 2006. We ask you to continue to contribute to BFM.

Yours in the Service of the Savior,

Harold and Marie Bratcher

Some that Brother Bratcher ministered to.