MARACAY MESSENGER 

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM MIKE AND JAN BENNETT

06/19/08

MS Word file for printing       News letter Index

 TALK ON SELF-ESTEEM DRAWS BIGGEST CROWD YET

 Dr. Dan Taylor, an ethics professor from Mobile, Al. presented a talk at the Chamber of Commerce on June 11 in regard to self-esteem. Over 120 people were in attendance, the largest number to attend an activity in Maracay since moving here two years ago.                                          

Though it may seem strange, many professionals suffer from low self-esteem and try to prove their worth by working constantly to improve their productivity. Pray that many who attended the talk will attend one of our weekly small groups.

 While in Maracay, Dr. Taylor also addressed a group of doctors and nurses at a private hospital in the area about the need for holistic medicine, focusing not only on the physical needs of the patient but their emotional and spiritual needs as well. 

Pray that the good job that he did there will serve as opening for us to continue to share and interact with these professionals in the health care area. 

PRAYER LAYS GROUNDWORK                

One reason that the talk of Dr. Taylor was so successful is the effort of a prayer walk team from Somerset Hills Baptist Church in Basking Ridge, NJ.  A team of three people came to Maracay two weeks before the conference and bathed the activities in prayer.  They went to the Chamber of Commerce and prayed over every seat in the theatre that it would be occupied the night of the conference; they went to the private hospital to pray for the conference; and they met with our small groups to encourage them and show them that they are part of a greater family of faith. 

While the prayer walk team was going from site to site here, their fellow church members in the US were praying alongside them though a virtual prayer walk on our website, www.maracaymessenger.com

 Jeremiah 33:3 says: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

We invite you to come on a prayer walk to Maracay or join us for a virtual prayer walk on the internet, and then we will see great and mighty things in our ministry.

 VISAS RENEWED

 We praise God for allowing our visas to be renewed for another year by the government here. 

 Please pray for individuals in the appointment process that they will be able to obtain their visas without any problem in order to help us in the ministry here.

FIRST CELEBRATION SERVICE

 April 20 we invited all of the members of our three small groups to attend a celebration service.  One person in each group was invited to share a testimony, a bible study addressed how to pray more effectively, and there was singing as well as some video clips.  7 new believers and our team of 5 attended this initial service which we hope to duplicate every three months. 

Pray that the new believers will be baptized and make worship a priority in their life.

ESL CLASS

 Mike facilitates a conversational English class for businessmen in Maracay who want to keep their English fresh. The group meets twice a week for 6 weeks, and then takes a break.  There are 12 people enrolled, and attendance has been good each week.  This provides a meaningful forum in which to talk about spiritual beliefs and to establish relationships among professionals. 

 Pray that the contacts will endure, and that these businessmen will have interest in attending one of our small groups to get orientation in reference to their spiritual life.  Also pray for a social time with the group in our apartment on July 1.        

MARRIAGE RETREATS PROVE EFFECTIVE

Marriage retreats continue to be a good way to reach out to professionals who, although they may not have much interest in spiritual things, want to improve their family life.  After attending the retreat, they realize that it is difficult to have a successful marriage without having Christ in the center. 

 The last week of May Mike and Jan, who celebrate their 36^th anniversary in July, conducted a three night retreat in Punto Fijo, where 14 couples attended. Later in Maracay where 4 couples attended.  The theme was the Four Seasons of Marriage, based on Gary Chapman’s book by the same title. 

Pray for these couples, many of whom are experiencing problems in their relationship that God would heal their marriage and help them to be an example of how couples can overcome their problems with God’s help.

OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS

• A Volunteer team from Red Lane Baptist Church that comes to work with us the last week of July.
• For harmony and cooperation among the members of The Love of God Church in Coro and The Community Walking With God in Punto Fijo.