Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Walking with the Lord is an adventure, and my heart is full of gratitude. As this is my last report, please indulge me as I reminisce..
I was privileged to be born to Christian parents on a Wednesday and to be in church the following Sunday. The Lord used my parents, pastor, Sunday School teachers, and family friends to teach and guide me, leading me to understand and accept the gift of salvation as a seven-year-old child. Added to that were the influences of my youth leaders, Pioneer Girl leaders, choir director, Camp Oneida, church involvement, Christian publications, personal friendships, prayer, and Bible study. All of these were catalysts in helping me hear and understand God’s call to missions as I entered my teen years. Moving from participation into leadership in church, camp, and school—along with reading, hearing, and watching the testimonies of past and present missionaries and Christian leaders (and meeting some of them)—further deepened my faith. In high school, sensing a need for greater Christian maturity, the Lord led me from Ontario to Prairie Bible College in Alberta. There, I learned much more about God, His Word, the Christian life, and missions, and I formed friendships that have endured over time. During those years, the Lord led me to TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission). Although I was originally appointed to Mexico, He first sent me to Barquisimeto and Caracas, Venezuela, for 26 years, then to Piura, Peru, for five years, before finally bringing me to La Paz, Mexico, where I served for the final ten years of my missionary career. Including initial training and support-raising with TEAM, I can gratefully say that I have completed 42 years of active missionary service.
Along this adventure, I had the privilege of meeting many incredible people—including you! I am deeply grateful for the prayer and financial supporters the Lord provided, making it possible for me to serve on the mission field. I was also privileged to meet countless wonderful people in the countries where I served, and I am encouraged by those who made professions of faith and continue to serve our Lord faithfully. During my years in Venezuela, I met well-known individuals from the worlds of sports, politics, and entertainment, but the people who truly matter to me are the missionaries, national believers, and you—my fellow co-servants in God’s kingdom. I am thankful for every person the Lord has brought into my life and for the role each has played. I am especially grateful for the privilege of seeing spiritual fruit. As a church planter, it brings me great joy that the churches I helped to establish or nurture continue to minister and reach people who need to know Jesus personally. I also had the joy of leading individuals to the Lord, watching them grow in their faith, and seeing them, in turn, lead others to Christ. You can rejoice with me in this, because you were an essential part of it. Please pray that the Lord’s work continue in each church and individual and that seeds that were sown would spring to life.
Throughout this adventure, I was privileged to see many places of great beauty across North and South America. Now back in Brantford, I miss the majestic Rocky and Andes Mountains, as well as the warm-water tropical beaches. I can’t honestly say I enjoy the cold, snow, and ice, but I do appreciate the beauty of nature and the changes seen throughout the four seasons. What I miss most are friends who now live at a distance, though I am thankful for friends close by. I am especially grateful for modern technology that helps keep us connected.
On this adventure, I was stretched to grow personally and to help others on their journeys toward maturity. I experienced the joy of using my spiritual gifts and natural abilities to honour the Lord and bless others. I was also challenged to learn new technologies, such as computers when I transitioned into an administrative role at the TEAM Venezuela Caracas office, and later cell phones—introduced to me when a Venezuelan couple who asked me to plan their wedding finally gave me one because they could never reach me! That definitely dates me, doesn’t it? I also learned to prepare visuals and create videos for church services, ministries, and prayer letters—skills that became especially valuable during the COVID shutdown. Looking back, I can see a pattern of the Lord teaching me something in one phase of ministry that was needed in the next. God truly is always in control and faithfully working out His purposes.
This adventure included both highs and lows, but the Lord has been faithful through it all and will continue to demonstrate His faithfulness in retirement. Just as He has led me in the past, I trust that He will continue to lead me in the future. While preparing my Home Assignment presentation this year, I realized how consistently the Lord has called me to trust and rest in Him throughout the adventures of my life. I invite you to pray with me that I will continue learning this lesson so that I may keep serving Him in retirement—which is really just a re-treading into new areas of service. After signing off, I will share several of my favourite verses that were included in my presentations, varying depending on the audience and time available. My prayer is that these verses will edify and encourage you.
I am also thankful for good health, as I have not experienced colds, flu, COVID, or any unusual illnesses. However, my back and hips have been a bit of an adventure. A few days after my last doctor’s appointment, I spent over a week hobbling after something shifted first in one hip and then the other—thankfully not both at the same time! Please pray for wisdom regarding the timing of further testing and guidance on what steps to take next.
Several months ago, I mentioned that I would make my Home Assignment photos available. I apologize for the delay, but I wanted to follow through on my promise. I completed this project just a day ago, and due to limited time and learning a new program, there are a few caveats:
- I couldn’t figure out how to QUICKLY adjust the mirrored photos in some of the photos with friends/supporters — sorry about that.
- I apologize to those I visited but forgot to take a photo with. I did fairly well while travelling, but not as well once back in Ontario. Again, I’m sorry about that.
- I didn’t have time to check with everyone for permission to include photos. If you would prefer not to be included, please contact me promptly and I will remove or blur your image, as I have already done for some.
- I didn’t have time to sort or identify nature and bird photos, so you’ll see several similar images and some lower-quality shots—I chose “all” rather than “none.”
- You can thank me for removing all the zoo photos except one with my friend. I also included a few photos of photos she shared with me from our time serving together in Caracas, along with a screenshot of one of our administrative staff whom I wasn’t able to visit in person.
- Due to unfamiliarity with the program and time constraints, I couldn’t rearrange the photos once the order was lost during upload. I grouped them in albums to follow the visit sequence as close as possible.
- The program selected the thumbnails and made the highlights. They aren’t my fault!
- Feel free to download photos, but please don’t delete any. I hope you don’t have that option!
Nova Scotia – https://photos.app.goo.gl/QZPRytqgnGM71fj86
Prince Edward Island – https://photos.app.goo.gl/6BBhgDj1dNGpMdw79
Alberta – https://photos.app.goo.gl/UVQ932X4BWkD4jw47
Oregon – https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hhm1Fu6Y3u8NNWK69
Michigan – https://photos.app.goo.gl/oNEBah7QoDt28iKV6
Illinois – https://photos.app.goo.gl/jZanu53LtuS5yxWt6
Wisconsin – https://photos.app.goo.gl/TWqxnrwYGbmYy8dEA
Indiana – https://photos.app.goo.gl/o1B97K2pn3G8KmWV8
New York and “northeastern Ontario” – https://photos.app.goo.gl/sRS5rtzBeQPeakhb7
Ontario – https://photos.app.goo.gl/vMzV5i7MDTHYhw6R8
Thank you to each one who hosted me, and to all of you who have prayed and/or given financially, as well as to those who continue to do so. I pray that the Lord will abound in His care and provision in your lives. I feel truly blessed to transition into retirement with a home, a home church, and a car, and to be surrounded by family and friends. All of these are clear answers to our prayers. As we enter this new year, I pray that you will see many answers to your own prayers and that you will experience abundant joy, peace, good health, and continued growth in your adventure with the Lord.
With a grateful heart as I embark on this new adventure!
The mind of a person plans his way,
Proverbs 16:9 (NASB)
But the Lord directs his steps.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
Jeremiah 1:5 (NASB)
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Psalm 37:5 (NASB)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Proverbs 3:5, 6 (NASB)
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6, 7 (NASB)
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 (NASB)
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
Psalm 34:8 (NASB)
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Philippians 4:4 (NASB)
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
Matthew 9:37, 38 (NASB)
Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
Psalm 71:18 (NLT)
Brenda
