February 10, 2004

Dear Friends in Christ,

Sorry I have missed you with letters the last couple of months.  Thank you who have written or e-mailed inquiring about our well being.  We are fine and are keeping busy.  Here are a few of the activities during the past days.  We send a word of special thanks to those who have given special gifts for new work.  Here you can see how it has been invested.

ANNUAL CAMP

Our yearly camp, January 5th through 9th, directed by Pastor Valdir had 170 persons from about eight different churches.  Valdir insisted that I bring the daily morning Bible Studies.  It is a family camp with all ages.  Only the children up to six years are separated for a special program.  It is a real challenge to keep the attention of 160 people of all ages for one and one-half hours.  I thank God for His guidance and strength.  Our three-day study was the First Epistle of John.  God has changed many lives through the studies and fellowship at camp.  One 15-year-old girl asked Alta:  "Dona Alta, why is it that when Brother John preaches for almost two hours no one moves or talks and when others preach every one talks and moves around?"  "Well, maybe it is because he was a school principal for 20 years and knows how to interest young people."

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IN URAI

Eighty-one children appeared on January 27th for the first day of VBS.  On the next two days there were 84 and 72 percent.  It was the first time that our own people had the responsibility for the entire school, and they did their jobs well.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN NEW MISSION IN CIDADE OF JATOBI

The new Baptist Church in Catanduva, State of Sao Paulo, called one of the graduates from the seminary in Garca as their pastor.  The missionary responsible for the beginning of that church is Calvin Gardner.  The church invited me for a conference a few months ago.  During the time there Luis dos Santos, the pastor, and I visited a couple of other cities looking for a place to begin a new mission.  One of these cities was Jatobi.  I told Luis that our church in Urai would help them financially and pay the rent for at least one year.  They have rented a large building, built new benches, painted and repaired the auditorium and are ready to begin services.  Pray for this work as they visit, invite and evangelize.

NEW MISSION PROPERTY BOUGHT IN MARILIA

We have been looking for property to buy in Marilia for about three years.  God has given us a great location and purchase has been made.  The Faith Baptist Church was organized recently in Marilia and they have several preaching points in the city.  I made a trip to Marilia to see this property that Gilbert had found.  What a beautiful lot with two brick buildings:  one large brick building, 351 x 501 and a small brick building which can be used as a residence.  The lot has a street on the front side and the back.  The lot measures 981 x 1301.  Nothing has to be done to the building to be used.  Praise the Lord, with the New Work Fund and some personal contribution, the property has been bought and deeds transferred.  This new property is about eight miles across town from the Faith Baptist Church.

Here I will not boast of our plans, but we are looking at three new places of the thousands that have no work.  My personal need, the faith of a grain of mustard.

In Christian love,

John A. and Alta Hatcher

Alta Hatcher and friends at Fernas Dias, Brazil