For about 3 years I have been praying for God to give me an opportunity to go overseas on a mission trip.  I had no specific place in mind, just wanted to use the gifts and blessings God has given me to impact those who need God but haven't had the opportunity to hear the gospel.  I have found that opportunity after joining Watermark Community Church and joining the porch team (the gathering of young adults within the church). 

The Lord has blessed me with the opportunity of getting to go overseas to the Oromo region of Ethiopia to spread the gospel to the locals in the area.  This is a trip that will center on evangelism, telling those who have not heard the gospel, the good news.  We will be partnering with a church there as well and will be able to help them in doing their work as well as encouraging the believers that are already there in the region.

My team consists of 18 young adults who have such a heart to spread the gospel, and I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of them when I say that we want everyone to hear and accept Christ, because we KNOW that everyone has a need and desire for God whether they know it or not.  We want to be vessels that God uses move in the Oromo Region of Ethiopia.  We will be doing a lot of training beforehand to get us prepared including Scripture memorization, tactics for effective evangelism, and field training among other things.  I am excited about training with my team as much as I am about the trip.  I imagine this group as an Acts 2:42-47 group.  We just do life together because of our commonality and love of Christ!  That's exciting!  

So now that I have told you a little bit about the trip itself, let me share my heart with all of y'all.  I have a life goal to do the Lord's work in as many continents and countries as possible.  I have gone to Russia twice, Peru, and Honduras, and I have a longing in my heart to see those faces from each of those trips one day when we together walk on those golden streets, where we will be able to communicate with each other without having to have someone translate.  My heart is growing for these people I will meet in Ethiopia even before I go, and I am praying that God will move in those lives that I have the pleasure of meeting.  I don't take this opportunity lightly and know that I am doing what God has commanded his people to do and that makes me excited! 

So you are probably asking how can I help you Ben?

Well there are a couple of different ways you can help me:

First you can be a prayer partner.

-Pray for the Oromo region and the people in it that they would be open and receptive to hearing and receiving the free gift of salvation that God offers.

-Pray for me and my team as we will be preparing for this trip and that God would use us in a mighty way to spread the good news to a people who need the Lord! 

-Pray that my heart would continue to break for the lost here in America, Ethiopia and everywhere.

The other way you can help me is through a financial blessing. 

This trip will cost me a little over 4,000.00, with 2500,00 due on or before March 14.  I trust God completely to provide the finances I need, and understand that some will be able to give and some will not.  But I would ask you to pray about giving to help me finance my trip no matter how big or small.  I can assure you that your donation will go to good use and that I will work as hard as possible to further the Kingdom of God.