July 12, 2004

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. Without your faithful help the task would be much more difficult. We still have our hands to the plow and are sowing the precious seed every moment of every day as God gives
opportunities.

Regular services are being held in the recently purchased building in Marilia and there is an average of about 50 different persons attending each week. In the sponsoring church the Sunday School had increased to 133. Every Saturday morning two persons, Willer and Alice, and I visit the homes in a housing project on the other side of town. On Sunday the bus we rent comes from the city of Rancho Alegre and passes through this housing project. Our
Sunday School has grown to about 35.

Our Seminary in Cornelio just finished the first semester with a good group of students. I had quit teaching due to the night traveling and then went back to teach. But due to age and night traveling I have resigned all responsibility
of teaching and directing the Seminary. Perhaps, we will have some seminary classes here in Urai since there are several interested. It is wonderful to see God at work in His developing and increasing the work and workers.

A few days ago a retired teacher called from the city of Nove Fatima, about 50 miles away. The pastor’s wife there had loaned her my book on the Holy Spirit. She had been in pentecostal churches for 13 years. When she read the book and saw the other side she was really jolted. She told Marcos, the pastor, “I have got to talk to the man who wrote that book.” She got our phone number and called and marked a time to come. Since then she called on more times and is attending the Wednesday night services at the Baptist church there. When she gets it all straight she will be a real witness of the truth. Pray for her.

This past week two other persons came to visit us. One of our young ladies does manicuring in people’s homes. One night last week she called and said, “Pastor, the daughter of one of my clients and her husband are visiting here from Sao Paulo and they would like to visit you.” I marked an hour and she called them. In about five minutes she called back and said they would be at our house at ten the next morning.

On Sunday night, yesterday, a young Japanese man came to our church about 30 minutes before services to know when the service started. He said, “I will be back with my girlfriend for services.” They came and are really interested in serving the Lord. Both are Japanese. They live in the Sao Paulo area but their families live here. Pray that it will be a door that God is opening to reach the Japanese people in our area.

The city of Assai is about 30 miles from Urai and we are praying to be able to open a work there soon. Please make this new work a special prayer item. We know God is able to make this possible even though we are getting old.

Alta continues to go full steam with music classes for two young ladies and preparing Sunday School lessons and teaching the new teachers.

Thank you, dear friends, and continue to pray for us,

In His love,

John and Alta Hatcher