Dear co-laborers in the ministry,
As I sit in my office on the last night of the year, I can’t help but reflect on the goodness of God.
On Sunday, September 29, we had a special “Blue Sunday” to commemorate Deaf Awareness during the month of September. There were 89 people in attendance, and eight deaf people made professions of faith. It was a, “Glory, Hallelujah,” kind of day!
On October 11, I received a phone call from my oldest brother, David Bennett, telling me that it would not be long before the Home-going of our earthly father. I arrived back in Chattanooga on October 14, and me and my two brothers stood around Dad’s bedside waiting for his imminent passing. However, as his three sons stood around talking, reminiscing, and laughing, Dad seemed to have made a slight improvement. Within a week’s time, he was sitting up, watching football, and drinking buttermilk with cornbread (it’s a Southern thing). Dad was a pastor for 49 years, and he would ask me to read the Bible to him, and then read some from one of his favorite commentators, finishing off with a prayer for family and loved ones. I was able to spend some time with Dad and my two brothers while waiting for his passing, which turned out to be the most time we’ve been together since we were teenagers. Just as I was about to return to Brazil, my father, William Edward Bennett, passed away suddenly from a cardiac arrest on Tuesday evening, November 19. The two-hour funeral service was a blessed time of rejoicing, singing, testimonies, and challenges from the Word of God.
I returned to Brazil on November 25, and then on November 27 we began our prophecy conference in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the Bible Baptist Church for the Deaf. Since this was the “silver” anniversary, I had invited my brother, David, to come and preach this conference, since he is the one that planted this church 25 years ago. David preached Wednesday through Sunday, and three people made professions of faith in Jesus Christ.
December kept us busy with planning, preparing, and decorating for a Christmas dinner, and then Dan performed a wedding ceremony of a deaf couple that was saved in September.
As we start 2020, once again we want to express our sincere appreciation to all that have faithfully prayed and given financially to our ministry this past year. We are very grateful to those that sent in a special Christmas offering, and your generosity has been overwhelming. We are blessed to have you on our team, to partner with us here in Brazil, and we don’t take you for granted. May the Lord grant you a fruitful, blessed, and HAPPY NEW YEAR as you enter 2020!
That all may “hear,”
Dan & Becky Bennett