July 11, 2003

Dear Friend,

The impact of the June 13 - July 7 trip was tremendous! There were total of 209 students registered for the two weeks, 30 hour modular. This youth ministry leadership course was truly awesome. Classes were in high gear as we had a lot of reading and tons of interaction. We had three text books for the class and a couple of other articles. Each student completed the field research project, which opened a lot of eyes as to how to better reach the youth of Brazil. The final exam was given unannounced as a means to test what they had actually retained (As opposed announcing the exam and having them study for it). It was a two page exam and the average grade was 94%! I received a lot of positive feedback from participants and pastors from churches who had their leaders in the course.

While in Brazil I had the opportunity to speak at Tabernacle Baptist Church and at a few other daughter churches. I also had the opportunity to invest plenty of one-on-one time with leaders who I had previously trained and with others who were currently taking the training class. I was very excited to see and hear what Pr. José Castro and his wife Rosa are doing. They work in a tough section of the barrio of Petropólis in Manaus. They minister mostly to gangsters as most youth in the neighborhood are members of gangs. José himself before becoming a Christian was a gangster and has several scars to prove it. He has a great ministry team working with him, most of whom took the class I taught. José shared a lot about what was going on in Petropolis, including when a gang leader came into their church building with a loaded gun looking for someone all the way to his vision for working with young couples in the neighborhood and opening new meeting places so more people could be reached and more leaders could be trained to do ministry. José and Rosa certainly have a heart for reaching people and making spiritually reproductive disciples. José and Rosa worked and trained under me when I was in Brazil in 1998 for period of 8 months. Dad continued to mentor them after I left and no doubt the impact is great!

After the 2 week modular was over Tabernacle began its 55th Anniversary Conference. My grandfather was the keynote speaker. It was truly a blessing to see him and my grandmother again. I asked my grandfather to give a 30 minute presentation on the importance of fully integrating each person into the local church.

My father and I had a lot of interaction, brainstorming opportunities, and moments of prayer together and with other leaders and pastors. While I was in Manaus Pastor Dishon who pastors a daughter church of Tabernacle's in Porto Velho (capitol city of the state of Rondônia) called my father & me to extend an invitation for me to teach this same course there at the church in Porto Velho. So, on the next trip I'll go there to teach the 1st course, then to Manaus to teach the 2nd course of ten of the youth ministry training program.

Blessings in Christ,

Judson & Raquel Hatcher

5996 Jake Sears Cir. #202
Virginia Beach, VA