The month of October has flown by. Some of my Retirement Home Assignment (RHA) visits have taken place in my new home, and I was able to travel to Bothwell and Welland, completing the last of the trips away from home. I still have RHA visits to arrange for the rest of the year, but for those remaining visits in Ontario, you can email me at brenda@teamven.org or call (226) 887-2909 to let me know when we could visit—and whether you’d like me to come to your place or you’d prefer to come to mine in Brantford.
I’m happy to report that Willy and his family have returned safely to La Paz, and that all the ministries are up and running again at El Faro Church. Please pray especially for the ladies’, small group, and youth ministries, as well as for the impact of the Sunday services. And please continue praying for resolution of the property issue.
As I near the end of my career in active missionary service, I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped prepare me to serve the Lord in this way and who has supported me from the beginning right through to the end. My parents were part of that preparation long before I was born, but in this report I’d like to highlight the special role of St. George Baptist Church (SGBC).
If I remember correctly, I was five when our family moved to the village of St. George and began attending SGBC. I’m so thankful for my Sunday School teachers, pastors, and leaders of Pioneer Girls, choir, and youth group—as well as my friends and church family. Each one contributed to my spiritual and personal growth in understanding the Bible, prayer, and God’s plan for my life. Church life also gave me opportunities to develop teaching, leadership, administrative, and musical skills—as well as to grow in character.
I accepted God’s gracious gift of salvation when I was seven and was baptized and welcomed into membership at SGBC when I was thirteen. I moved from being a recipient to being actively involved in ministry in and through the church. The church’s emphasis on missions also played a key role in shaping my life and calling.
SGBC encouraged my desire to attend Prairie Bible College and later serve as a missionary with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM). The church prayed for me and nurtured that calling from my childhood, and in 1983, when I was accepted as a TEAM appointee, SGBC joyfully became a faithful prayer and financial supporter.
The Lord provided the necessary funds for my first term of service in 1984, which began with two semesters of Spanish study at Rio Grande Language School in Texas. The plan was to return home for Christmas break for my commissioning service before finishing the second semester and then proceeding to the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Those plans changed when TEAM withdrew from Mexico a month or two before my return. Instead, SGBC commissioned me to serve in Venezuela on January 6, 1985.
The Morehouses (highlighted last month) and the Bezansons represented TEAM, and Rev. Don Collar of SGBC officiated at the service and the fellowship time that followed. Don provided the local portion of my missionary internship training leading up to that point. He and his wife continue to support me, along with Gerry Morehouse and Uda Bezanson (both now widowed).
SGBC has faithfully provided prayer and financial support through 26 years in Venezuela, 5 years in Peru, and the last 10 years in the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. I was deeply saddened to learn early last year that, after 200 years of ministry in St. George, the church would be closing in December 2024. Part of that sadness came from realizing I might not be able to say that SGBC had supported me from beginning to end in my missionary career. I was overjoyed, however, when SGBC shared that they would continue their support through 2025—from beginning to end!—and that they also wanted to help with my transition into retirement at the end of this year. An unforeseen blessing!
This seems like a good place to answer a question several people have asked about finances in retirement. TEAM explains it this way:
“We invite you to continue your partnership with Brenda in her retirement through TEAM’s retirement supplement program. As long as funds are available, TEAM provides quarterly financial assistance to supplement Brenda’s income. To continue giving after she retires, you can send contributions in the usual way and will receive a tax-deductible receipt as always… If you have any questions regarding your contributions to TEAM or would like to modify your recurring donation in any way, feel free to contact our Donor Relations department in Canada at donorinfo@teamcanada.org or 1-800-295-4160, and in the U.S. at donors@team.org or (800) 343-3144.”
I’m truly grateful to SGBC for all they’ve contributed to my life and ministry—and now into my retirement. I praise God for His faithfulness in supplying every need, often in unexpected ways.
Grateful for your prayers and support,
Brenda
