Swaziland

Dear Family and Friends,

                  I am writing this letter to you from Swaziland.  It is a country that is very small next to South Africa. Many of you are probably wondering why I’m here or at the strange circumstances surrounding how I got here.  I thought I had the next year of my life pretty well planned out, but the Lord had other plans for me.  While working at the training camp for AIM (Adventures In Missions) in September the Lord revealed the need for another female leader for the team going to Swaziland.  I spent the first day thinking of all the reasons that it would not work for me to just pick up and leave everything in three days.  The thoughts running through my head were; people are going to think I am insane, I have to quite my job, I don’t have everything I need for three months, I don’t have enough money for it right  now, and my parents are never going to understand this sudden change in plans.  After listing all of these excuses to the Lord, plus a few others, all I heard was, “Trust me”.

                  I had always told the Lord that I would follow him wherever he would lead me no matter what the cost.  I felt him asking me if that was really true.  So, my wonderful parents who were very supportive drove all night to bring me a few of my things and to say goodbye.  The next day I was off to Swaziland.  The Lord has shown himself to be very faithful as I knew He would.  I found that I don’t need as much stuff as I thought I did for three months.  My parents where great about all the last minute changes.  I am trusting that the Lord will continue to provide financial support as He has all the other details.  While I am sure that some people do think that I’m insane…that’s okay with me.  I’m at peace with Him.

                  So here I am in Swaziland helping to lead an incredible group of young people.  I am very humbled that the Lord is allowing me to be here and to be part  of their lives as he teaches them so much through this experience.  Ministering here is very difficult at times. Lately it seems as though we have been surrounded by death.  It can be difficult to face the challenge of going to the hospital when you know that there is a very real possibility that the person you have been pouring into may be dead.  This has already happened to several of us over the past months.  Yet, there are bright spots of hope that keep us going.  One girl that I had come to know at the hospital died, but before she died a nurse lead her to the Lord.  I am so joyful that she accepted the Lord that I can not be sad knowing that she has gone to be with Him.  She is so much happier now where her body is no longer consumed with AIDS.

The squatters camp (slum) is another one of our ministry sites that is very heartbreaking but we all feel called to go there.  We had heard about “The Tree Line”, a place in the squatter camp where many of the girls go to sell themselves to earn money to feed their families.  The other day while I was there I met a girl named Damu.  I believe she is around ten years old.  She was very shy at first but eventually started to open up and shyly told us that she knew where the treeline was located.  As we walked she told us about her family.  I believe all her younger sisters, except the one who is only two, goes to the treeline daily just to meet the needs of their family.  As I was talking to her my heart broke.  I don’t know what we can do about a situation that seems so huge, but I know that the Lord has placed me here for a reason. 

                  I am not able to share pictures of my trip to Swaziland at the moment. The technology available here takes too long for me to download pictures.  

                  I still have to raise $2,500. for this trip.  I came on faith that the Lord will provide the money if I would obey Him.  I am asking you to pray about supporting me financially here in Swaziland.  If you feel like the Lord is leading you to do so, please make your checks out to Adventures In Missions and put Natasha Bencke on the memo line.  AIM is a non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible.  Form enclosed. 

Send checks to:                                           

Adventures in Missions                              

6000 Wellspring Trail

Gainesville,  GA  30905

http://www.adventures.org/a/reports/r3re.asp?id=1810

What I and Swaziland truly need is your prayer support.  I know that it may sound trite but there is nothing more powerful than the church rising up in prayer together.  Thank you so much to those of you who have already supported me both financially and in prayer.  It has done more to encourage me that you know.

Trusting in Him,

Page Bencke             

    There's not much to say today.  This is a very last minuet internet time.  I didn't think that I was going to be able to get on for another couple of days.  It has been a very long day.  I got about 3 hours of sleep last night and spent all day today traveling home from Kota.  We got up at 4am to leave the orphanage in Kota to catch the 6 am train and have spent the better part of the day hopping from bus to train to taxi to train then walking then a rickshaw, and we still have to walk home from here.  It is now 8:30pm and I am exausted.  I'm sorry I don't have anything substanshall to report, but I'm haveing trouble keeping my eyes open right now.  God is good and faithfull and right I love being where I know that he wants me.

Love Page

Hi everyone,

The last few weeks have been really good for me.  I have been spending most of my time at the Asha house or house of hope for children. ( Asha means hope in hindi)  The Asha house is still in it’s beginning stage.  They have just bought a house that is very run down.  We have been spending a lot of time there sanding, painting, and yard work.  We are trying to get it ready for the first children to arrive in a few days.  It’s been a lot of long days and my hands are pretty raw but I love it.

            The Asha house is being started by an Indian couple who have had a burden placed on their hearts for the children of prostitutes.  Their vision is to take in children of prostitutes most of whom would have no choice but to become prostitutes without the Asha house.  They also hope to reach the prostitutes by caring for there children.  Pleas pray for the Asha house as they only have enough money to get it started and they are trusting God to provide the funds to keep it running.

            Thank-you for all of your prayers, please keep them coming as it seems that everyday brings a new challenge.  Please also be praying for what the Lord has in store for me after this trip.

Love Page       

Hi everyone!

Well I've been in India for almost two weeks now. There has been so much that has happened that I really don't know where to begin and I don't have very much internet time to burn.  I only get 30 min every two weeks.  So I've decided to start undating my xanga hopefully every two weeks. 

India is full of new sites and smells but for some reason it dosen't seem that strange to me to have to slame on your breaks every two seconds because theres a water buffalo in the road.  In fact I like it......usually. 

Between the slums, lepor colonies, and the orphanage sometimes I feel like my brain is on sensory over load with everything that I'm seeing.  God has been teaching me so much about falling on my face before him everyday.  I honestly don't have words for some  of the things that I've seen.  I guess some stories will just have to wait until I come home.

Please pray for me and my team and for what we are doing here.  Prayer is the most important thing that any of us can do.

Kelly is doing well, keeping us all amazed at what she can cook with, and still have it tast amazing.

I love you guys and miss you, leave me lots of comments so that I will have somthing to look forward to in  2 weeks. You can also e-mail me.

Page

Jesus never stops amazing me.  He never stops calling me closer, and every time I get a little closer he shows me that there's so much more.

This week is and will be a crazy one for me, with school and work and other things that need to get done, but right now I have joy and peace.  The God of all the ages loves me, and everything else is just.....everything else.