August 27, 2003

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Savior,

During this Mission Sheets month, July 23rd to August 25th, I preached 4 sermons and we (my wife, Marie and I) heard 28 sermons. Our prayer is that during these next months that I will have more sermons preached to report, and I dare say that we will have heard fewer sermons preached.

We are thankful that, as always, the Lord has stood by us and promises (see Hebrews 13:5-6) to never leave us or forsake us. Also we rejoice that the Directors of Baptist Faith Missions are standing by us. Permit me to make to each one of you readers of the Mission Sheets the same request that Joseph (see Genesis 40:14) made to Pharaoh's butler: "...think on me and show kindness and make mention of me" (end of Joseph's request) in your prayers and remember that we hope and pray to receive more invitations to preach in the churches.

It was during the Summer Missions Conference hosted by Storms Creek Church, Ironton, Ohio, (Jim Orrick and Kenneth Hurst, co-pastors) that I preached one sermon and heard ten. Sunday morning and afternoon I preached at the Hill Top Baptist Church, Beattyville, Kentucky where James Dargavell is the pastor.

On Sunday morning, August 17th, after hearing the pastor, James Heard, of the Palomar Baptist Church, Lexington, Kentucky, I was given the opportunity to say a few words. I reported that on the 17th of August 1761, William Carey, Baptist missionary from England to India, was born. He died and is buried in India after having served the Lord during 40 years without a single furlough.

That night at the Thompson Road Baptist Church before hearing the report of the Mission Adventures group that visited and was a blessing to Sheridan Stanton in Peru, I reported about William Carey and also reported that my brother Charles and his wife Reva were completing that day 47 years of marriage.

It was also on the 17th of August, 1971, that Joel Harold Bratcher, our 6 year old son, died by drowning in the Amazon River as we were returning after holding a revival at the Mission on the Rio Urubu (Buzzard River). Also, August 17, 1993, Brother Secundino Alfaia Beleza, lay-pastor of the Buzzard River mission went to be with the Lord.

On Wednesday night, the 20th of August, I preached a complete sermon about the 4 happenings on the 17th of August at the Clarksville Baptist Church, Richmond, Kentucky, where Bradley Johns is the pastor. Charles and Reva were present.

We thank all of the churches and individuals that contribute to the regular fund and us personally, etc.

May the Lord bless you is our prayer.

Yours in the service of the Savior,

Harold and Marie Bratcher

P.S. We have received word from Manaus that a couple we have prayed for about three years have recently been converted. The wife, Dona Fernandas, had a strong Catholic background. So we are very pleased and thankful. One good thing is they are legally married and the church will not have the expense of getting them married. We are now praying that they will ask for baptism soon. His name is Douglas. Please pray for this young couple, that they will be faithful to the Lord's work.