April Prayer Letter

April 2026

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

I am still surprised and a bit shocked. After an almost two year long struggle to renew our permanent visas, our paperwork was finally approved and we are now waiting to receive the cards in the mail! Why did this finally happen? Because you prayed without ceasing for this vital prayer request!

 

We are so humbled and thankful for you, our prayer warriors, who bring us before the Lord in your daily prayers! So many of you just kept on praying in spite of the hopeless looking situation! In our modern culture of instant gratification, you fought against that current and kept on praying with us for this important renewal in spite of how long it took! THANK YOU!!

 

Thinking of you dear friends, I am reminded of James 5:16b “...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Your unceasing prayers in spite of the spiritual opposition and lack of visible progress availed MUCH! It is truly our honor to represent you here in southern Portugal. May God richly bless you for your faithful ministry in prayer!

 

So thankful for your prayers,

 

Mark Hale

March Prayer Letter

March 2026

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

In 41 years as missionaries, we have never had this happen. Almost two years ago, we began what we thought would be a normal renewal of our “permanent visas” but this has been anything but “normal”. The new government agency now in charge of this has been backlogged with over one million people waiting for documents. After months of fruitless attempts, we finally got an appointment and went with all the required documents. Then, we waited and waited, but most importantly, asked you to pray.

 

After months of silence, the government website showed that Michele’s application was approved but mine was still being “analyzed”. Yesterday, my application status was finally approved as well!! Hopefully, we will soon receive the new permanent visa cards in the mail.

 

THANK YOU for praying for this impossible situation!!! Only God could make this happen and we are so grateful to you for faithfully remembering this in prayer! Your prayers made all the difference!!

 

Thanking God for answered prayers,

 

Mark Hale

February Prayer Letter

February 2026

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

“Oh, brother Mark, I am just too busy to read the Bible every day.” “Oh pastor, I have difficulty reading, the Bible is just too hard.” Trust me when I say, I have heard most of the excuses for not reading God’s word. None of them are valid, but people try to convince themselves they are.

 

She is 61 years old and cannot read. Because of poverty, she went to work instead of school. She has survived all her life but has been severely limited in the kind of work she does. We had the privilege to lead this precious lady to Christ last year and the first thing she wanted to know, was “how to read the Bible” with her inability to read. 

 

Michele helped her download an app onto her phone that allows her to listen while the Bible is read. Every morning, she listens to the Word of God while she drinks her coffee and eats her breakfast. She didn’t try to make an excuse, even though she had a valid reason for not reading the Bible, but instead, her hunger for God and His word led her to a modern solution to her difficult problem. Praise the Lord for a new Christian who instead of making excuses, found a solution to have God’s word daily in her life!

 

Praising God for His word,

 

Mark Hale

January Prayer Letter

January 2025

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

At times I wonder if anyone is really paying attention. I study, I pray, I practice and I preach, but sometimes weeks go by and little happens. I begin to question myself, to examine my heart, to ask God if the problem is me. I have preached for over 48 years and the responsibility is always heavy on me. I used to deal with a gripping terror of public speaking, now my fear is that I will waste the opportunity God has given me to preach His word.

 

When Covid came and our church was not allowed to meet in person, we began a video ministry for our homebound church folk. Soon, others heard of our videos and requested we do them in English as well as in Portuguese. We now have almost 1500 videos on our church website and we continue this ministry to this day. People in 15 countries watch our videos and we are amazed at how God has grown this ongoing evangelistic tool.

 

Recently, a church in Brazil asked if we could send them the sermon links so they could watch our videos when their pastor cannot be there to preach to them. I was encouraged at how God is using this technology for us to minister across oceans and on different continents! Only God knows how He will use the teaching and preaching of His word to reach our world for Him. Thank you for making it possible for us to minister here in Portugal and in 15 countries across our world!

 

Amazed at our God,

 

Mark Hale

December Prayer Letter

December 2025

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

The pain woke me at 4 that morning and within a few hours had grown to burning agony in my lower back and abdomen. I recognized it, kidney stones. I have had these twice before (a genetic family “blessing”). In spite of seven years of avoiding foods and beverages which can cause these types of stones, I was suffering a third attack. We finally were able to see my doctor and he prescribed a CT scan which revealed a large stone blocking my left kidney. Surgery was scheduled and the stone was removed, praise the Lord.

 

My recovery has been frustratingly slow but I am making progress. Even more changes in diet and beverages, Lord willing, will keep me from suffering a fourth attack of kidney stones. I have a second surgery scheduled in February to remove the stent left in for a couple of months to help recovery of the

affected kidney.

 

We have two important prayer requests:

1. Please pray with us that my kidneys will recover and function properly. I just had blood work done but it will be a week before the results are in so that we can know whether or not my kidney function is recovering.

2. Michele’s permanent visa was approved but mine is still rejected. We have turned in all additional paperwork they demanded, but it has been months of silence.

 

Thank you so very much for your prayers!!!

 

Mark Hale

November Prayer Letter

November 2025

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

I was 17 and in my first semester of Bible college when my pastor announced, “Mark, next Sunday evening, you’re going to preach.” The cold fingers of fear squeezed my heart and lungs as I squeaked out, “Me?” My pastor nodded his head and said, “God has called you to preach, it’s time you got started.”

 

All that week as I prepared my sermon, I prayed for the rapture or death. Either one was fine by me. But God didn’t answer my prayers and Sunday arrived. I stood with trembling hands and legs and crammed a 30-minute message into 17 minutes. But I survived!

 

Now, 48 years later, I just preached my 9,000th message. I have had the privilege of preaching the gospel on four continents in four languages and had hundreds and hundreds saved. Has this been because of me? NO! Only because of Christ!! I know that when I am carnal, He is holy! When I am impatient, He is longsuffering! When I am cruel, He is merciful! When I am weak, He is strong! When I am afraid, He is peace! I am still that terrified teenager as every time I preach, I have the same struggle with fear. The only

way that I can preach is by reminding myself of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

 

So thankful for HIS strength,

 

Mark Hale

October Prayer Letter

October 2025

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

The first time I asked him to pray during a church service, his eyes widened and he looked like he would die of a heart attack. Over time, he has grown and matured in Christ and now prays earnestly when I ask him to without the wide eyes and fear choked words.

 

Recently after a Sunday service, he stood nervously nearby, looking like a school boy waiting at the door of the principal’s office. “Pastor, I have something I have to tell you.” I nodded and gave him my full attention. “I know God is calling me to preach and I would like to know if we can begin studying together to help me prepare for this.” I knew his fear of public speaking, I have that same fear, so I asked, “Is this something you want to do?” He looked at me with those same terror filled eyes and simply shook his head, too frightened to even speak.

 

As we study together, he is always prepared and knows the material well. He loves the Lord, loves studying the Bible and is anxious to grow and mature in Christ. His precious wife is right by his side, supporting his studies and his calling. She understands the responsibilities of being a pastor’s wife and is willing to obey the Lord. Please pray for J and A and their three children. They have already been responsible for J’s 61-year-old mother, L, coming to Christ and continue to be a witness to their lost families. J is the seventh man God has called to preach here in our ministry in Lagos, praise the Lord!!!

 

Joyfully training those God calls,

 

Mark Hale