June 26, 2013
Dear partners and friends of the ministry,
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” This verse has helped me recently as we have had many different physical, emotional, and ministerial changes in the past several weeks.
In March, we returned to the States for thirteen weeks for various reasons. The main reason was that our children, Nathan and Anna, would be graduating from high school through the A Beka Academy home-school program. There was a good number of graduating home-schoolers from around the world that descended upon Pensacola, Florida for those two days, and we congratulate our children for their hard work and accomplishment.
Second, we were also in a number of new churches to present our ministry, and to try and raise some additional needed support. We are grateful that three churches took us on for financial support in South Carolina, Texas, and Iowa.
Finally, since this would be the first time for Nathan and Anna to be out “on their own”, we felt it necessary to be with them in this transitional phase of their lives as they said goodbye to the family. All four of our oldest children are involved in summer ministry at the present time. Joseph (age 20) is traveling with Neighborhood Bible Time, a good organization with which I served when I was in Bible college. Rachel (age 22) and Anna (age 17) are serving with a Summer Jewish Ministry Outreach in Miami, FL, and Nathan (age 18) is doing the same thing in Downer’s Grove, IL. Leaving four of our children in the States was a very difficult thing to do, but we praise the Lord that they are serving Him, and they have a heart for ministry.
On June 21 we returned to Brazil with our three youngest children. We were anxious to get back here and back into the ministry. On June 23, our very first Sunday back, the Brazilian pastor informed the church that he is leaving the ministry, and will no longer be pastor of the church. It took a while for this announcement to sink in since he has been there for 17 years. He said that Pastor Daniel (me) would stay there to continue the work. While we knew this was coming, we didn’t expect it to be so soon. Over the years, there has been a dramatic decline in the attendance, and I would like to see an increase in the church again, as a thriving, growing church.
We appreciate so much our faithful prayer and financial supporters. While we are thankful for the three new churches that took us on for support, we don’t take for granted those of you that have stood with us through “thick and thin” over many years of ministry. You all are a vital part of our ministry, and we know that we would not be in Brazil without you. The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few here in Brazil. Keep praying that we could see more fruit harvested for our Lord, and fruit that may abound to your account.
That all may hear,
Dan & Becky Bennett