Update...

I haven't done this in a while and I appoligize for that.  But there hasn't been to many exciting things going on yet.  I'm wraping up language study, tomorrow is my last day, and after a month; I know enough to get by.  Today was my last day teaching English class at the dorm.  It was a good experience.  Probably one of the harder things I've ever done was try to work one-on-one with a student that doesn't speak English well...

I spent a few days up in a beautiful town of Seim Reip.  It was much smaller than Phnom Penh.  But there were much more tourists.  From there I went up to Poi Pet to cross the border into Thailand. Only to turn around and come right back into Cambodia.  I needed a new visa, and it was much easier to cross the border than to try and get my current one renewed.

Later this week things start to get a little crazy.  The teams from the States and Canada will come starting Thursday; then Monday English Camp starts.  From then on I will be busy the wole week teaching and  helping students learn English.  But more importantly I will be sharing the Love of Jesus with them.

Contuine to pray for me.  Pray that He will provide me with energy and excitment throughout the Enghish Camps.  Also pray that many students will turn to Him.  Pray for my future after I get home as I'm still unsure what God has in store for me when I return home.  Thank you for all your support and prayers! God Bless.

Update!

Hello once again from Cambodia! I've been in Cambodia for about a week now.  And God has shown me so much.  It feels really good to get out of the States and come here to see how God is working.  Its a real nice change of pace from the busy life that I have back home.  I have started studying the language here.  They language isn't really all that hard.  There are not different tones in the words.

I've signed up to run a 10k here in a few weeks with one of the guys in the dorm.  So now I got to start running for real so I don't look like a foolish American.  I have been staying at the dorm a lot with the guys this week.  I got a good feel of what it is like to be a student here.  Tomorrow I will be going to a Cambodian wedding, its an all day affair; it will really give me a great view of the culture.

I've gotten to meet several other international workers here.  The Manfreds, are one of them.  Now before I go any further I have to explain something.  When came here I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with my education major.  Now with that said; the other day I was talking to Mrs Manfred, I was telling her about my indecision about my education.  Without hesitation she said:  "There are several international schools here that would hire a guy like you in a second."

Now less than ten minutes before I talked to her I was in having a language lesson.  My teacher told me that she prays that I come back because I was picking up on the language really well.  That same day another missionary said:  "This country could really use some good Elementary school teachers."  You think God might be trying to tell me something...?  Pray that God will give me clarity and show me what it is He has planned for me.

Settling In

This is day number three here in Cambodia.  I've seen most of the city.  Met some cool people!  I'm staying here at the guest house with a missionary that works in the norther part of Cambodia.  I've also met the Manfreads at church yesterday morning.  Bill and his family have really taking me in as one of their own.

Sunday morning I was up and ready to go to church.  I was taken there by Sean (its really pronounced Se-in).  He is a local living on the dorms that they have here in the capital city of Phenom Penn.  He took me there on the back of his moped.  Mopeds and motorbikes are the main source of transportation here in Cambodia.  The church service was much like church back in the US.  Worship, announcment, and a teaching. 

After church on sunday Bill took me back to his house for a bit and I got to spend some time with my new best friend Toby.  Toby is the Lobbezoo family dog, hes still a puppy only 8 months old; so hes full of energy!  The rest of the day was spent with the family.  Today I got my first full night of rest.  I'm finnally catching up to the jetleg. 

I did a little shopping this morning.  Picked up some food.  Its going to be quite the experience cooking everything on my own.  But I do enjoy cooking and baking so I'm looking forward to it!  Later today I will go to the dorms and sit in on some classes and meet the students there.  Contine to pray that I will help me pick up on the language, I start with a toutor tomorrow.  Also pray for my friends going to Gabon that they will be able to get Visas to enter the country.  Pray that God will use all of us in a mighty way, and help us to love His people because He first loved us.

At Long Last

Well folks I made it.  I'm in Cambodia.  It took a long time and a lot of work to get here but I made it! After we finished up our time in Mexico we packed up the vans once again and made our way to LA.  Some of us stayed overnight in LA, but me and a few others left that same night.  Myself and three other students flew China Airlines overnight.  14 hours later we found ourselves in Taipei. 

We left LAX at 2:00am and 14 hours later arrived in Taipei at 6:00am.  When we got to Taipei I parted ways with the friends that I had made.  Making my way to the otherside of the Airport, for my flight to Cambodia.  Another three and a half hours later and I found myself in Cambodia. 

As soon as I stepped off the plain the first thing I noticed was the heat and humidity.  After that I had to do what I could to fill out my visa.  $27.00, and a thumb print later I had a visa.  Knowing that I was looking for a man with a mullet I walked out of the airport.  I did my best to make it look like I knew what I was doing.

Meeting up with Bill he brought me here to the Guest house.  After a quick tour of the place, Bill told me he would be back at noon for lunch.  I unloaded my stuff, and before I knew it He was back ready to take me to lunch!  He took me around town showing me all the cool stuff and told me all he could about the culture.  And after a long day and a lot of information its time for me to go to bed!

Day 2/3 (Mexico)

Its Wednesday here! And we have already done so much work here in Mexico.  This is our last day here tomorrow we head out to LA.  From there we fly out to our perspective sites all around the world.  Its so cool to meet new people from all over the U.S.  We created a facebook page that we can all post on to share how God is working in the country we are in; and in us as well.

Our day here starts at 8:00am with a wonderful breakfast with fresh cut fruits and other breakfast items.  After that we all get together for some worship and a few words by some Envision leaders.  We talked about resolving conflict, and adjusting to new culture.  For a little more in depth discussion we break into small groups.

After we finish all that, its about time for lunch.  For lunch we go to this AMAZING taco stand.  I'm talking about some great food here! (sorry mom but the tacos here are much better).  Right after lunch we broke up again and went to a build site and went to go play with kids in the area.  So far God has done some awesome stuff here in Mexico.

Some stuff you can pray about!  The group here going to Gabon Africa doesn't have their visas to get into the country yet.  The government there isn't allowing any visitors in the country.  Pray that it could get sorted quickly.  Pray for me in my travel.  Tomorrow morning after breakfast we will drive up to LA and I will fly out to Cambodia at 1:15am.  So pray for rest and energy to make the 20 hours to Cambodia.  Thank you for your support and prayers! I hope you continue to follow up on my blog!

Day 1

Its been a long day but at long last I'm in Mexico.  I was up at 2am to be ready to go to the airport to fly out.  I flew out of Milwaukee to Denver. Stayed onflight to San Diego.  It was hard saying goodbye to my friends and family.  But I know this is where God wants me to be.

Once in San Diego I had to find my bags and find the people that was to take me to Ensenada Mexico for a few days of traning.  So to start looking for these people I looked at my email.  One email said to go to Terminal One.  So I lugged my 100 pounds of bags all the way over to the other side of the airport.  Only to find no one...

So I sat down and looked at my email once more and a different email said to go to Terminal Two... The same one that I flew into.  So with one last effort I made my way back.  At long last I was where I needed to be!

It has been a good trip this far! I've met new people from all over the States.  None of them are from the Mid West so no one knows what a bubbler is...  Tonight we ate our first meal here.  It was great! We met the people hosting us here for the time being.  It is clear that God has big plans for all of us here.  I can't wait to here from the other 20 some people going all over the world.

GAH!!!!

One more week!  The money is in! A huge thank you to all of you that gave; I could not do this without all of you!  At this time next week I will be in Mexico for a few days of training and then on Thursday the 24th I will be on my way to Cambodia.

Its really hard to describe how I feel.  Its like a bucket of excitement filled with doubts worries and, "who knows whats going to happen?!"  But under this bucket is solid ground.  I have faith, I trust that God will work out the details.  The author of Psalm 62:8 puts it better then I ever could.  "Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

Honestly, I don't know where I'm going. I really don't know details of what work I will be doing there.  I don't know if there will be someone to pick me up from the airport when I arrive in Cambodia; I don't even know what the person I'm meeting looks like!  But this trip is all about going outside of my comfort zone.  And knowing that God is my refuge.

So I want to leave you with a challenge.  I will be gone for three months, in a country I know nothing about; doing work for the Kingdom; way out of my comfort zone.  My challenge for you is to do the same.  Get out of your little bubble and reach out to people!  You don't have to leave for three months to a distant country to go way out of your comfort zone.  Do work for Jesus here.  There is so much that needs to be done.  Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few..."  Go out of your comfort zone and share the love to the harvest.

HELP!!!

   I am just over seven weeks away and about $2,000 short of what I need to go on this trip!  All of the funds I need to raise have to be in by April 30th.  That day is coming, but there is still time for you to help!  Please give!  If you are still unsure of who I am, or what I am doing let; me help you out a little bit.

   If you don't know, my name is Eric Benti.  I have reached a point in my life where I have no clue what to do with myself.  The Fire I once had in my heart is gone.  I had been going to school to become a teacher.  But my heart grew restless and I wanted to move on.  The desire to travel grew on me.  I wanted to go out and see the world outside of the small town of Plymouth WI.  So when the opportunity arose to travel overseas I jumped at it.  I will be going to the country of Cambodia.  On this trip that I hope to rediscover that Fire I once had.

   Over 14 million people live in Cambodia, and it is a very poor country.  Because of this poverty many people are forced to sell their children into slavery; to be used for sexual pleasures of rich men. Cambodia is a source and transit country for human trafficking. Young woman are trafficked for the purpose of commercial sex exploitation and forced labor. Girls are transportaed to the surrounding countries to be used as domestic works and forced in to prostitution. I will be working in English Camps.  These camps are set up to teach kids English.  If the children know English the chance of them getting a job and providing for their family is increased 100 times. 

  Please donate!  I need your help!  If you would like to give support you can write out a check payable to The Christian and Missionary Alliance/Envision Office and designate my name either on the check or on a note enclosed with the check. You can send the check to: The C&MA/Envision Office Attn: Becky Gorton The Christian and Missionary Alliance PO Box 35000 Colorado Springs CO 80935-3500.  Or look me up on Facebook!

  Now your probably asking yourself; "Why should I give money to this punk?" "I don't even know you kid.."  If you don't donate that totaly fine!  And if you are still unsure please read my past blogs and maybe get to know me a little better.  But time is short!  Thank you for your time.  I hope that you will consider a donation.

The Calm Before The Storm?

You know the expression; "the calm before the storm". Before a storm hits everything gets real calm. All the birds stop chirping and the squirrels are all up the trees. And for once everything is real still. But in the storm of life there's no calm... In less than ten weeks I leave for Cambodia. And it feels like everything is crashing down around me. So much for the calm before the storm.

This week my car sprung a radiator leek. A rash broke out on my arms, and I'm freaking out about not being able to raise enough money for my trip. My car needs an oil change. And gas is $3.90 a gallon. I don't have the money for all this!! I'm freaking out! Oh, and the breaks on my car are scrapping (maybe I just need a new car...). I can't sleep well at night, and I'm freaking out about leaving the country! To sum it all up; I'm freaking out.

The storms of life are unavoidable.  Its how we react when storm arises that can, and will change our lives.  We can curl up under the blankets and hide praying for the storm to pass.  We can choose to ignore it, and hope others don't notice our pain.  Or we can take shelter in the Love of Jesus.  Psalm 89:2 says, "I will declare that Your love stands firm forever..."  And when we fall in to the slimy pit of life, He will set our feet on solid ground. (Psalm 40:2).

So, as these Storms keep pounding me, and the stresses of life press in around me.  I will take shelter in the one who can calm the storm, tell the birds to pack up for the winter, and give new life to earth.  I pray, as the time for me to leave draws ever closer, that these storms will pass and all will be calm.  That His plan for me will be so clear, that I will run to do His will.

The warm up

All good athletes know that doing a warm up before your event is critical.  A good warm up will keep your muscles loose, and wake them up getting your body ready to go.   But you can't just start five minutes before your run and hope it all works out.  No, a good athlete knows that they should start warming up 20-30 minutes before hand.  In spending that time warming up it will allow them to perform at their best; casting aside their tight muscles and other things that might slow them down.  I may no longer be an athlete in real life but I am still running a race.  "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1

For months I have been planning on running where God has called me, Cambodia.  In a few short months I will be spending my entire summer in a culture I know nothing about.  I won't be going with anyone, I have never met any of the people that I will be meeting there.  So I too will warm up for my race.  I have done my research, and now I am starting to raise funds to help offset the cost.  But much like the athlete that runs the race, I will be nervous until the end result.

Questions and doubts keep flashing through my mind. "How will they find me at the airport?"  "What if I can't raise the funds?" And many other questions.  However I have faith that Jesus will give me the strength to make it through these, and I will press on with perseverance.  Proverbs 3:5-6 tells me:  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight."  With this verse in mind I know that He will have my back even as I travel alone into land unknown to me.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11  He knows what is planned for me.  I will put my trust in Him and lean on His understanding.  I will run the race he has marked out for me.  I would call that a pretty good warm up.  I can't wait to see the end result.