A truck has been parked on the street leading to the clinic for months now. It is a disabled dump truck parked with its box in an elevated position. Since it is a convenient distance from a concrete wall, an enterprising fellow stretched some tarps across the intervening space and turned the truck into a dwelling, complete with a refrigerator. To make it feel a bit more like home, he also painted various parts of the truck in brighter colors: purple, yellow, green. I say “he”, but I’m pretty sure there were multiple people living there. A family?
Well, someone evidently persuaded them to move out, for the truck is now no longer inhabited. It’s not running either. But that doesn’t mean its usefulness has been exhausted. Behold, what Pinoy ingenuity has devised:
Yes, that is a basketball hoop. And it is at a pretty good height, with what can only be called a very expansive backboard. You could hit all kinds of interesting bankshots off that box.
God has blessed us greatly with your friendship, prayers and support.THANK YOU.This has been a busy year past and will be a busy year ahead.God has blessed us with a retirement from Heaven.
Polly is ever more involved with the local community.Apart from volunteering at the local thrift shop, primary school and our Church ministry, she now chairs the “Friends” of the local library.When the ground is not covered with snow, she is busy in the garden. Winter provides lots of time to cook, read and write while I am traveling.We minister together at the healing services at the Spiritual Life Center of the Diocese of Albany.
Last August, Polly was the featured speaker for Mothers’ Union of the Women of the Diocese of Toliara, Madagascar, where she ministered with the Rt. Rev. Todd and the Rev. Patsy MacGregor. She did really well, using a hands-on booklet of felt squares for evangelism andwitness.
The climax of 2014 was a gala event to celebrate my 70th birthday.Family came from England, California, Ohio, Maryland and New York.What fun.I do not feel that old, and someone said that 70 is the new 50.We shall see.
In October I was surprised to be invited by Bishop Bill Love of Albany to be the interim priest in Cambridge, NY, which is only 8 miles from the diocesan Spiritual Life Center where Polly and I are members of the healing ministry.What a joy it is to serve St. Luke’s, Cambridge, on a part time basis.They are a small congregation and yet very much alive and spiritually energetic.They were thrilled to balance this ministry with my travel for SAMS and SOMA.Indeed one of the wardens, and family, was with us on a visit to Peru a few years ago.We are there forSundays and then later in the mid week.
I have continued my ministry with SOMA and with SAMS.SOMA sent me to Myanmar and Kenya.With SAMS I was in Madagascar, Peru twice and spent some personal ministry time in Kenya with my old Diocese.While in Myanmar I was able to spend a morning (just short ride from Mandalay where I was speaking) discovering where my mother was born a hundred years before – very moving to visit the church and see the font where she was baptized in January 1915.I continue to serve on the board of SOMA-USA which is a delight.
This coming year looks busy.The SOMA board meets in early February, then Polly and I will spend St. Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland as representatives of the Diocese of Albany. We then go on to a family wedding in England at the end of March.May and June will hold two trips to Peru, the first for preparation for the June visit, and then mission work with the team from New Grace Anglican Church, Jacksonville, FL.In July, Polly and I return to Madagascar where SOMA will lead a men’s conference, and I have been asked to lead that team.We will probably combine Madagascar with a mission to Kenya so as to make sense of an expensive airfare.
We have our health and strength – God is so good.Thank you and bless you for your being so much a part of this exciting and fruitful time in our lives.
To those of you who have given financially, and I know sacrificially – a special thank you.The need continues as these trips to the far side of the world are getting expensive.SAMS handles all our ministry funding, including SOMA ministry. I have now led three SOMA teams, each on a different continent and with team members from different cultures.It is challenging and exhilarating as we seek to listen to God and minister accordingly.Without your support, daily prayers and passion for this ministry, God’s Kingdom would be diminished.THANK YOU and BLESS YOU.
Big news in the Benton household! We are thrilled to announce the arrival of a new one in the coming months. sorry we have not been active on our blog, a few things including this have been occupying our time. But we are BACK!!! more updates to come. meanwhile, please pray for Summer and baby’s health and wellbeing.
Hey Family. We have regretfully been very slow on our blog and newsletter over the past few months.
We have been under the pump since our house flooded 4 times in 1 week! Cambodia has an annual festival called Pchum Ben which is in the thick of rainy season and this year was particularly bad. It rained so hard that even when it wasn’t raining the water was coming up through the ground. We weren’t the only ones hit hard, the open sewer running through the city flooded twice and reports say over 100 cambodians lost their lives.
We are now through having major reconstruction on our house to raise the bottom floor up about 2 feet in an attempt to avoid future flooding. We thought that we would share some of our journey with everyone so you can see what it was like.
Here are some pictures of what we went through over the last couple of months.
Dr. Glenn Petta (national director of SOMA-USA) invited me to join a SOMA team to Honduras.
Bishop Lloyd Allen
On October 23rd, I headed down to San Pedro Sula in Honduras. The other team members joining me were Edwina Thomas, our leader, and Mary Anne Weisinger. Both are from Texas. We prepared for an Episcopal clergy conference for the Diocese of Honduras at the invitation of Bishop Lloyd Allen.
After a week with the clergy, we moved on to the Cathedral for a day and a half of renewal meetings with clergy and laity.
Clergy Conference
With (left to right) Mary Anne, Bishop Allen and Edwina
I gave four expositions – one each morning. 1 Peter 2:1-12. We began with the focus on being living stones being built into God’s Temple, a royal nation and a holy priesthood – once no people but now God’s people.
Bishop Allen interpreted for me – while my Spanish was OK for all else, I wanted to be sure that the talks were not hindered by my lack of skill.
1 Cor. 2:4 and 5. “My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” The title was, “The power of the Spirit and the humility of the servant.”
Bishop Lloyd Allen has been Bishop for over twelve years. He loves his clergy and is loved and respected by them.
Luke 3:21-22. The question was why Jesus needed a special anointing of the Holy Spirit.
The exposition then continued to the end of the gospels where Jesus says wait for the promised Holy Spirit. We looked at John 20:21 and 22. “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
We continued into Acts 1 and 2– the great commission then followed by Pentecost Day.
Luke 6:17-26. The focus was Luke 6:19 “And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” The critical words being “power came out from Him.”
Worship was lively and energetic
Most of the Honduras clergy
Cathedral renewal meetings.
Catedral Buen Pastor, San Pedro Sula
At the Cathedral we had three sessions – two of these were led by Honduran seminarians under our coaching. Edwina presented the last talk. The talks were (in order) – Salvation and God’s love, the Anointing of the Holy Spirit and, Living the Transformed Life.
Worship at the Cathedral
I preached on Sunday was based upon Luke 6:19 – power came out from him and healed them all – which is the verse that precedes the All Saints Gospel reading.
After the sermon on Sunday
The time in Honduras was hugely energizing for me. My Spanish returned sufficiently, for which I was most grateful. I asked Bishop Allen to interpret the talks as I wanted to be sure that the people heard exactly what I was saying. We got into a great rhythm. He is such a Godly man and a superb leader.
The clergy arrived at the conference tired and in need of rest and affirmation. By the time the conference was over they were transformed and renewed. Some asked for confession and some, spiritual direction. We were able to train some to give presentations that are part of the “Life in the Spirit” weekends. We had a number of group sessions – affirmation, silent prayers of blessing, and prayer ministry.
Thank you for the prayers and financial support that made it possible for me to participate in this trip.
I have been praying about how to be supportive of clergy and missionaries. Working with SOMA is a means to do so as well as a way to serve the larger Anglican community.
