‘What our children needed’

CARACAS, Venezuela – Mike Bennett sat calmly in the parents’ assembly, facing a battle he knew he might not win.

Bennett, an International Mission Board missionary in Caracas, had been hosting talks in local high schools on values. Each talk included a Gospel presentation, and the mother sitting across from him wasn’t happy about it.

“My family is very devoted to the Virgin [Mary],” she said. “I know that you people are evangelicals, and you’re coming to this school to try and convert my kid. I’m pretty suspicious about you.”

“I understand what you’re saying,” Bennett responded. “All I’m asking you to do is give me one shot, and you can come and listen. If you think that it’s inappropriate or we’ve done something to damage your child, I won’t ask to come back again.”

The mother agreed.

The following week, a visiting volunteer working with Bennett gave a talk on self-esteem for the students. The discussion focused on one’s identity in Christ, and the speaker clearly laid out the plan of salvation. Afterward, Bennett braced himself for the mother’s anger.

He was surprised when she hugged him instead.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said. “This is one of the best things I’ve ever heard, and that’s exactly what our children needed to hear. You’re welcome here any time you want to come.”

PHOTO: “Venezuelan students walk to class in Caracas.” 

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Seizing the Moment

Check out this sweet story from Caracas. 

I love the reminder that our faithfulness in small actions can have an eternal impact!

Seizing The Moment

by Emily Pearson on December 13, 2011

What began as a simple gesture became the moment that changed one man’s eternity.

José is the maintenance man at the apartment building where International Mission Board missionaries Mike and Jan Bennett live in Caracas, Venezuela. Mike had talked with him a few times about spiritual things, but José had never made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

But God was working in José’s life. One day José repaired the water tank at the home of IMB missionary Susanne Arnold. While he was there, Susanne gave him a Bible. Soon after, José’s father became ill, and José left for several weeks to care for him.

When José returned, Mike offered him a ride to a different missionary’s home to repair another water tank.

“He [José] told me about receiving the Bible,” said Mike. “He said that while he was sitting at his father’s side, he had a lot of time to read it. He said that the book of Romans says we are all sinners. As he read that, he realized he was a sinner and had not been following God’s path, and he needed to get his life in order.”

Mike explained the plan of salvation to José, who accepted Christ there in the car.

“All this because Susanne took the initiative to give him a Bible, and God did the rest through His Spirit,” Mike said.

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PHOTO: IMB missionary, Susanne Arnold, looks for any opportunity to share the Gospel with the people of Caracas, whether that be giving a repairman a Bible, working with students, or teaching free English classes in the community. (Photo by Rebecca Springer.)

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One Shot

This is my favorite photo from Caracas. I don't know that it's visually the best photo of the trip, but I love it because of the moment it captured.

We spent a morning walking around a poor barrio with a couple of women who are doing great work in the neighborhood where they live. Their two young sons ran along with us for much of the time. They were adorable and jabbered at me in rapid Spanish that I did my best to understand. At the end of our time we returned to one woman's home to record prayers for the video we were working on. The women prayed for their community and then we prayed for them and their ministries. As we packed up to leave, one of the boys tugged on his mother's arm. "He wants to pray too," she told us. We paused as he stood in the middle of the room, folded his hands and bowed his head. And then he prayed one of the most eloquent and sincere prayers I've ever heard a 7-year-old pray.  I wish I could quote it for you, but it was in Spanish, so I could only paraphrase. But how precious to hear the heart of a little boy growing up in a difficult place as he interceded for his friends, neighbors and the church. That just does your heart good! I pray this young man continues to grow in his relationship with Christ to become a strong Christian leader.

You, too, can pray for the people of Venezuela and for the work being done there. Pray that Venezuelans will catch a vision for sending missionaries into the rest of the world and will also have a passion for reaching their own countrymen with the Good News of Christ!