Why I Set Sail

Yes all my titles will be nautical themed...

As most of you may know, I, Christopher Jacob Benjamin am currently residing in San Jose Costa Rica. Some of you however might not know why I am here. I am here with a group called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). This group basically trains youths and equips them to go out and spread God's love to all the nations. I have no idea at the time why I chose now in my life or even YWAM to attend. Before I came here I was in no place to go out and spread the Love of God with others. I was was making bad choices and in the wrong places. I was mad at God. He took everything that I valued and found meaning in. I felt abandoned and forsaken. I was living for myself. Well God has plans for me. I had on a few occasions almost left for different DTS's before I chose San Jose. I felt then that was what God wanted me to do. I however changed my mind and allowed my self to surrender to the world. I chose to be distracted from his plans and walked away from him rather than towards him. Well I guess God really wanted me cause he took all those distractions away. I felt after he was done I had nothing so I decided to go on a DTS to escape all the shit and pain removing distractions brings. Haha.

So I get to San Jose Costa Rica no clue what im doing here, but knowing some changes had to take place. I came to San Jose for selfish reasons, but found out that it was not really my reasons that mattered because God wanted me to go. I wanted to Go to San Jose to run away. I wanted to go backpacking and escape from all the pain and monotony back in the CO. So I thought hey a DTS will get me out of the country away from everyone. A small part of me was like well I will be able to actually find time to see what place God will take in my life, I found out this was the real reason God wanted me here. I came here believing there is a God, and at the very least I will leave here KNOWING there IS a GOD. I can not deny what I have seen, what he has done in my life, and what I know without a doubt he will do. By the way this is only week four.

My favorite parts of this so far is discovering the Love of God, the christian community and friends I have always desired., The mentoring and being able to help other people. I came in feeling God was distant and not really being able to feel love or trust anyone. God has showed me personally and through others how much He loves me and cares for me. I had no direction no paths I felt confident in now I feel like I have purpose and the directions I could go are endless.

So this is a very brief and detail lacking summary of what has happened here in San Jose (pretty much 1/100 of the story of why/how I got here and even less on what I have learned/done here) There is bad grammar, I did not even tell stories or jokes. So pretty much this first excursion into blogging sucks. My purpose at this very moment in time is to start writing about specific events and things I learn. So we will see....