Sunday, August 26, 2007

update from Peru

Well Hola Canada:

Just wanted to bring everyone up to speed as to what is happening. We are now at the ½ way mark of my Mission trip. The Canadian team headed home on Friday. It is very quiet around here now. They are missed already by everyone here.

Well it sure was a very busy 2 weeks with lots of progress and many accomplishments by all. I have mostly been working with the children and of course not enjoying that at all. Just kidding all that know me know I am in my glory working and teaching the children.

They are so very friendly and happy most of the time. There are so many individual stories for each child and they just break my heart each time I hear another or see the child knowing their situation.

Many of us set some goals and I think we all achieved them and many others that God saw we needed to reach and achieve as well.

As many of you know I was able to go and help with Hurricane Katrina after hit in Biloxi Mississippi. Well my heart is for helping frontline after a disaster to help restore lives. Ever sine the Earthquake here in Peru I have wanted to go and help. With the help from our team Leader Dana Jones, teachers from the care centre and missionaries here with Kidsalive, and myself taking on the project as the person heading it up, this going to be possible next Saturday. Through Dana’s contribution on behalf of ICF, I will go and purchase $300 dollars of food and make up food bags to take with us. The teachers will gather what they can and come and help us distribute the food and clothing we have. Kidsalive and Darcy will arrange the transportation and clothing or other donations that we can take with us to distribute. We also will be taking tracks, bears, coloring books for the children caring the message God Loves you to the people. We plan on doing a lot of ministry work while we are there.

We will be working with a couple named Jeff and Carol Morgan next weekend who work along side of an organization called food for the hungry.

The next few weeks will be very busy for me, please pray for me that I will be able to hear Gods direction and to do his will. Please pray that our team will be safe going in and out of Pisco next weekend. Please pray that over the next few weeks I will be guided and directed as to Gods will for me to stay longer or to return to Canada on the 8th of September.

Thank you in advance for all your support and prayers.

God Bless

Love

Alexis

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

earthquake

everyone is safe on the peru team. Prayers for the families of the dead and the injured would be appreciated. We'll give you more updates tommorow.
Sunday we went to the Baptist church that kidsalive goes to. It was really coo to experience church in Spanish. They gave to us headsets and a translator spoke through the headset to us all so we could understand the service. A lot of the children we had already met the day before we saw here at church.

All the children that my friends and families including myself were there. A very peaceful and relaxing time. The pastor of this church is a great supporter of kidsalive.

kidsalive then drove us back to our apartment where we all got ready and were taken out for a very nice and enjoyable chicken lunch. This place sure put Swiss Chalet to shame. A very large piece of chicken. We also had cows heart, which I had already tried with my folks at Rocotos in London Ontario.

After lunch the children played and had their faces painted. Woops I should say Mike and Diane's children and Carol and Jari's girls. They were so pretty.

After we left there we head for the famous shopping market. well let me tell you I only got 1/2 way throu and we were heading out and that 1/2 took me 2 hours. Things were cheap and let me tell you bartering was no problem for me. I think I did very well at the markets.

Then home to bed for our first full day on the job. I can not wait to see what is there for me to be involved in.

Ok I am trying hard to get caught up but I think it is going to be a very slow process, please bear with me and I hope you enjoy the photos.

God Bless you all and thank you for your support and prayers to make all of this work.

How to see my photos in Peru

wow it has been so very busy here that I have not been update you all like I had promised. I would like to try now to bring you all up to date as to what has been happening.

Unfortunatly it has been take way to much time to upload my photos into blogger for you all to see but they are posted on my facebook. So here is what ya need to do in order to see my pictures on facebook.

1) go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php?

2) create an account

3) do a seach for Alexis Bennett

4) scroll down till you see my picture then add me as your friend

5) once you add me as your friend I will recieve an email to accept you as my friend.

6) once I accept you as a friend you will be able to see y pictures.

I hope this will help you all see my pictures.

God Bless you all

Saturday, August 11, 2007

sorry folks picture will have to come tomorrow
Today was our first real full day here in Lima. Sarah who is in charge of teams when they come to Peru decided to let us have a little sleep in this morning, so on behalf of the team I thank you for this.

We were up, feed and ready for a meeting by 10 am. All the staff came to meet us and talk to us. Sarah, Connie & Dave, Shannon, Diane and Mike all shared with us what to expect over the next few weeks. We all shared a little about ourselves, made some lunches and then we headed out for a sight seeing, orientation to the area.

First stop today was at the Manchay Care Centre. Ok so many who know that by the time I left there the children I met would have broken my heart. Well we met the guard his wife and children. They had 4 children all very kind and sweet. The little girl was very helpful in giving us all a tour of the centre and her classroom.

Here are some of the photos taken at the centre

After the tour we ate in the dining room. As I ate I almost felt very guilty and ashamed to be eating as the children sat and watched us. I asked for permission to share some of the treats like cookies and chips with the children and they loved it. We took teddy bears today and handed several out. The girls and I gave out 4 or 5 at the care centre to the guard’s children. The most memorial part of this visit was that the little girl went running down to her home and came back and gave me an orange in gratitude for the candy, cookies and bears. This moved me and touched me in a very special way. A child who has very little, family barely has enough food for them all, live in two shakes, one for sleeping for the children and the other for cooking and where the parents sleep.

From the Care Centre we carried on through Manchay to see the property where the new site will be. It looks like it could have real potential. Like every place in the world paper work and following the right procedures is holding up the project. It is only about 2 yrs behind schedule.

There were some very special photos taken at this site.

Then from here we went to a place called Pachacamac which is an archeology find. You can check this out further by going to the website http://www.pachacamac.net/

Peru 2007 Team & Day 2

Here we are outside Cedar Creek Community Church waiting to say our good byes and head out to the airport.


Meet our Pilot and Stewardess on Flight 80 to Peru

Day 1

Hola!

Well we all got to Cedar Creek this morning; reweighed suitcases packed them all into the different vehicle and then a few moments of prayer and off to the airport. When we arrived we quickly unpacked and headed inside. We were then directed to group check in and then back up stairs to regular check in. The check in people was really nice to us. My suitcase was over weight and I was ready and willing to pay the overweight cost. Mona and June had kindly donated that money to me. I will spend that on the kids in Peru.
Both my hockey bags were over sided and again the man was kind to me and did not charge me for them.

Looks like the good Lord is already blessing this trip. Check in went smoothly and I was able to get two seats to myself to stretch out. I am so very lucky. I was also able to board first since I had my cane with me for days of hiking and lots of walking.

More after we arrive safely in Peru. We arrived after midnight in Lima. All went well and all are bags were there and in tack. Only one small problem that we did not find out till Saturday morning and that is Malcolm picked up a wrong suitcase which means he will be wearing womens clothes for the next two weeks. HAHAHA.

We are all in an apartment in the Miami area. It ended up being around 4:00 am by the time we all got settled in and in bed.

More later today.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

A passion for kids, a passion for prayer

Cambridge Times July 26th, 2007, by Melissa Hancock Times Staff

A local woman's dream will come true next month as she heads to Peru for four weeks of missionary work.

"I'd probably give someone the shirt off my back ...my mother always told me I'm too generous," said Cambridge resident Alexis Bennett.

Bennett said while in Peru she will help with whatever she can. In Manchay, it small village just outside Lima the country's capital - she will help at the Manchay Care Centre construction site. The centre opened in 2003 as a safe place for mothers going to work to leave their children for the play.

"I just support it 100 per cent," she said.

The centre in Manchay is expanding to include a dining hall and additional washrooms.

Bennett will leave on Aug. 10 with a team from Cedar Creek Community Church, working through Kids Alive an international organization that focuses on helping street children, abandoned children and victims of abuse, war, disease and poverty. The
care centre can currently accommodate 20 to 25 children.

"People are living in cardboard boxes," said Margaret Christy, board
member and sponsorship coordinator with Kids Alive at the Cambridge office on Fleming Drive.

Peru's population is nearly 30 million. In - Lima where about a third of the population lives - more than 10,000 children die every year.

Christy described an experience she had at a local grocery store where she overheard a woman complaining because the brand of black forest ham she prefers was not in stock and she wanted to speak with the manager.

"That's how ridiculous we can get," said Christy, who has been on numerous trips to Third World countries. "I feel that every Canadian should have the opportunity to go to a Third World country."

Every day, families in areas of Peru have to purchase clean drinking water, Bennett said, and it can cost about $15 a day for one family's supply.

"If they've got any money at all,they buy whatever they can," said Christy.

After Bennett's first two weeks conclude with the local church team she will stay an additional two weeks, still working through Kids Alive.

"I have a passion for kids," she said.

One of the goal statements of Kids Alive is to provide "Christian care for children at risk".

Bennett said she recently went through a process and said, "I gave myself back to the Lord".

She said she aims to bring hope to Peruvians through prayer. About 90 per cent of Peru's population is Roman Catholic.

Through speaking with people who have been to other countries for missionary-type work, Bennett said, "They felt God working with them."

Bennett is currently raising funds for the trip which costs more than
$3,000 per person. She will also accept donations of items, such as craft-making materials, socks and underwear for children aged four to seven years, vitamin C pills and adult vitamins, peanut butter and cake mixes.

Bennett said another one of her main goals while in Peru is to make daily journal entries of experiences and sites she sees in order to compile information to present in Canada and promote Kids Alive projects and sponsorship opportunities in Peru.

To get in touch with Bennett, send an email to peru2007@sympatico.ca or call her 622-4176.
For more information about Kids Alive, visit www.kidsalive.ca.



Wednesday, July 25, 2007

20 Days and counting

Well folks there is only 20 days left till I am off to Peru and then I will be sharing with you live as often as I can. I will share photo's, stories and what God is doing, in Peru, with the children, with the staff, with the people in and around Kids Alive organization, and what God is doing for the team and myself.

Tody I would ask for prayer for two of my family members, my cousin Chris and his wife. Chris has cancer and he has just undergone a week of very heavy kemo and is not doing very well with the after effects. Secondly my father is going to see one of his cancer doctors today and also his myiagravis disease is really effecting his one side of his body right now. He is in a lot of pain.

My parents and I are going to go and tryout the Peruvian resturant in London for lunch today. We all are very excited to go and try it out.

More once I return tonight as to what we ate and how it was.

God Bless to you all

Monday, July 16, 2007

Count down---25 days to we leave

Well the count down is on for Peru 2007, 25 days until we leave. It has seemed like a life time from the time I decide to see if I could go on this trip till now. I think I started the whole process around October/November of this year and now.

It also seems like there will never be enough time in a day to get everything done and ready before I leave for Peru.

It is actually feeling like it is really going to happen. I have my extra suitcase all packed and ready with the items that are on a wish list from Peru. It is overwhelming in the generosity of family, friends, businesses all over Cambridge and the Gross family for the donation of all the clothes.

I would like to take this time to personally extend my heart felt appreciation to all those whom sponsored me, to the businesses that have donated products or gift certificates to me. Giant Tiger, Wal-Mart, McDonalds Hespeler Rd. for allowing us to run a toll booth at their location twice, Blessings Christian Book Store and all those whom gave generously at my garage sale so I could purchase things for the children. Without God and you none of this would be possible. Thank you so very much and God Bless you all.

Since there are 13 of us going on this venture I am sure that there are many others whom have been supporting this whole project all over the community and each member like me probably has had many generous donors and support as well.

So thank you to all of you as well.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Sonsorship continuation

Well I think most people can relate to how I feel every time I see a World Vision commercial on television. My heart breaks each time I see the commercials. The innocence of the children’s faces, their cute smiles is just plan gut retching. I would sponsor and bring every child to Canada if I could afford to. For many years I wanted to call and sponsor a child and never did, simply because I felt I could not afford to.

2 years ago I started adopting a World Vision Child from Africa. I have been finding it to expensive these days and felt that the admin. Fees were way too high for my liking.

After many weeks of prayer, and struggling whether to cancel with World Vision and go with Kidsalive the decision became clear to me. When I inquired how much it would be a month to sponsor, did they have children in Peru to sponsor, specifically a little girl. They had no girls the day I inquired and 2 days later a girl became available and therefore I felt the decision was to switch.

What is exciting about switching I will get the opportunity to hug, and love up my new sponsored child? I will be able to do something special with her and her sister.
This opportunity of sponsoring this child is more exciting than ever now because it is just not a picture and name it is a reality. I get meet the child and see for myself that she really does exist.

My child’s name is Mercedes and she is 3 yrs old. Mercedes also has a sister Esther in the same care centre who is 11 months old. Here is a picture of my little girl.

They tell me that Mercedes has asthma, but other that is in good health. When Mercedes came to the Kidsalive Centre she was reunited with her baby sister. She immediately recognized her sister and loves to give her kisses. They say Mercedes has adapted well and has won the hearts of all the staff and kids with her cute little curls and big smile.

I think we can all see what they mean by the picture they have sent me of her.
I look forward to meeting Mercedes and Esther when I get to Peru and to the years to come as her sponsor.

God Bless you Mercedes.

Sponsorship

Like any other humanitarian organization Kids Alive International has a child sponsorship programme. Kids Alive provides Christian care for children at risk.
Kids Alive vision is that they will reflect the love of Christ by rescuing children in crisis. There Mission is to reflect this love of Christ by nurturing their children with quality, holistic care, educating them to their full potential and introducing them to the transforming power of Jesus Christ so they will become followers of Christ and effective citizens in their national cultures.
Kids Alive International was founded in China in 1916 by evangelistic missionaries Reverend and Mrs. Leslie Anglin. They felt compelled by God to open the home for the homeless children they saw in various communities around their city. In 1949 they began relief work in Hong Kong and then later a school and home were started. Over the past 50 years they have expanded to include work in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Pacific Rim.
Presently they care for over 3000 children in 12 developing countries throughout the world. their offices in USA., U.K., Canada, Taiwan and Hong Kong work to rescue and nurture as many children as possible.
Here are the places they serve:
Latin America: Peru, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Guatemala
Africa: Kenya, Zambia
Middle East: Lebanon
Eastern Europe: Romania
Pacific Rim: Papua New Guinea
Asia: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Myanmar

There Goals are as follows as well:
Children's Homes Millions of children throughout the world have lost parents as a result of poverty, war, and HIV/AIDS. In Response, Kids Alive establishes homes to care for the Children. The home is designed to be as much like a real family as possible. The staff and missionaries give love, spiritual care, and individual attention, just as parents would do.
Schools They have started several schools where both missionaries and nationals serve as teachers. When possible, computer education, English as a second language and technical skills are provided. The main objective is to prepare the children and youth to be productive citizens in their own country.
Care Centres In some circumstances, Homes and schools are not the most needed type of care for children. In these cases, Kids Alive determines the need of the children within the community and develops a ministry to meet the need, such as medical care centre or a day program.

So here is your opportunity to make a difference.
Give:
* Partner with Kids Alive by giving monthly
* Sponsor a child in one of their homes
* Sponsor a home with family/friends
* Provide a one-time financial "project" gift
* Donate items for their homes and schools
* Organize fund-raising events in your community
* Invite a Kids Alive representative to present the ministry to your church or group
* Tell your family/friends about Kids Alive and encourage them to get involved
Pray:
* For their leadership
* For their missionaries
* For the parents of each home
* For the children in their homes
* For their schools
GO:
They need workteams and individuals to help with building projects and short-term children's ministries
Share your building, caring, teaching or healthcare skills

You can do any of the above by contacting Kidsalive International at the following:

55 Fleming Drive, Unit 2
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
N1T 2A9
Phone: 519-624-9406
Fax: 519-624-5253
Toll-free: 1-866-839-5437
www.kidsalive.ca

Sometimes Confession is good for the soul

Well folks I guess it is time to come clean. It has been a while since I have posted to this site. I was struggling and working through some issues and there fore felt I could not post here unless I could be 100% positive.

I was strugging with trust and having faith that the finantial part of this trip was going to pull its self together. Well with a lot of prayer and talking with good friends it has all come together and my finances have all come together the way they needed to. This sure has been a testing of my faith and satan really had fun with it and ran rampote in my head. Well he was winning for a while but, after fully turning back over to God it all took care of itself.

Patience is also not one of my strong points and I never pray for it because I have been warned that he might just test you and push you to the limit. This whole process has been testing my patience and once again satan took hold of this and had some fun with me. Once again when I let go and let God things came together in this area as well.

Thus far this adventure sure has been widening my territory and broadening my horizons and it sure has become a real learning process for me. God is good but I seem to forget sometimes to get out of his way. When I do this things all seem to come together. I need to have a hammer that hits me on the head when my thinking goes astray.

Any ways I am glad to say I am loads less stressed over this whole process and HGod has Blessed me through out the whole process.

I am so very grateful for that and look forward to what is about to come in the days ahead.

Please pray for me and everyone on the team.

Monday, June 25, 2007

PRAYER REQUEST

Please pray for my Cousin Christopher, he is 44 yrs old and has a very rare form of pancreas cancer. There are only 233 people in the world that have had his type of cancer. Please pray for the doctors to have more compassion and understanding to the patients feelings.

Please pray for the good Lods hand of healing over his body, please pray for a miracle. The doctors have basically told him if he does this he will die, if does not do this he will die. They told him they may be closong the cancer clinic in London due to lack of funding. They sure know how to give a guy hope.

Please pray for Chris's wife Julie for her to know how to console and comfort her husband at this time, pray for my aunt and uncle my other cousin and his wife as they all go through this very difficult time. Give them the courage and the strength to handle what ever is to come and for what ever is to be.

I do not know if my cousin is saved or not so pray for that as well