May 1, 2002

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Urai. Weather here has been hot for about three months with the temperature in the nineties and very little rain. Autumn arrived March 21st but the hot weather continues.

TABERNACLE BAPTIST - MANAUS

The last four months have been full of pleasant surprises. We had not planned to spend Christmas and New Year in Manaus with Paul and Wanda and David and Pennie. Our plans were changed suddenly when Paul called and invited us to come to the organization of 12 churches and the ordination of 18 pastors. It was a heart thrilling service on New Year's eve.

Saturday night we attended the regular youth meeting with 650 youth present. On Sunday I preached at the evening service with over 1,000 present. We spent ten great days in Manaus with our family and friends.

SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY

One month later we received another surprise. Wanda called and said the school was having it forty-first anniversary and that we were invited to be there for the festivities of the school we had founded: "The Baptist School of the Americas". Thousands of students have heard the Gospel and hundreds have been saved throughout its existence. It employs teachers who are Baptists and dedicated to serving the Lord. We spent three days visiting the classes, talking with pupils and teachers, seeing former students and enjoying the nice things that were said. They dedicated the new school library in our honor. All was very lovely and we are thankful to God for His goodness.

CHAPADA BAPTIST - MANAUS

Our last five days in Manaus were spent with Pennie and David. On Sunday evening I preached to the crowd of 700 at the Chapada Baptist Church where David and Pennie work. The are doing a great job in leading the church which was the first we organized in Brazil.

There were 560 present in the morning services which consists of Sunday School classes and Seminary classes. The auditorium is on the third floor and they have just finished building a ramp for wheel chairs and persons who have difficulty climbing stairs. The church has also finished their balcony since the main auditorium has become too small. The Chapada area has become an outstanding part of the city. The six-lane avenue that goes to the international airport passes in front of the church, the largest shopping center is across the street and parking is now a problem. This is in a city of almost two million people. The church has purchased a lot for church parking which is already too small. The members are asked to park in the paid parking area of the Shopping Center. Many people are coming to the church because they have seen it as they pass by.

DUARTINA

We arrived home on March 25 and on the 30 we drove to Duartina for the ordination of the new pastor of the Duartina Baptist Church. This church was begun soon after we moved to south Brazil in 1976. This pastor is the third and as the former pastor he was saved and trained in this church. I had the privilege of preaching the ordination sermon.

URAI

The Lord willing, we will inaugurate the new baptistery in Urai. It has been built in the church yard. Several should be baptized but that will not happen since the pressures of families prevent many children from being baptized.

OUR THANKS

We are thankful to you who support us with your prayers and financial help. Without your backing our ministry would be most difficult. May God bless you. We are thankful to the directors of Baptist Faith Missions who do far more for us than we can imagine. And, for Alta and me you have been doing it for a long time.

God bless you.

In Christ's Love,

John and Alta Hatcher