I’d like to introduce you to my friend Benson. When Benson was 9 years old both of his parents died. Their death left he and his younger brother homeless orphans. Benson and his younger brother began to live on the streets. They would go from house to house begging for food. They would sleep on the street and beg for food.This went on for a few years. Benson said there were several times that he and his brother almost died from starvation.
Then one day, everything changed. He knocked on a door to ask for food and was greeted and invited in. The family that lived there not only gave him food that day, but the next, and the next, and the next. This family loved Jesus and they grew to love Benson. They allowed him to live with them; they enrolled him in school and took him to church with them. He became a part of their family.
Benson made God a promise as a teenager, “Because of what this family has done for me, I promise I will care for an orphan and adopt one as my own.”
Benson became an adult and followed through with his promise. He adopted one orphan. But God had something bigger in mind.
1 became 3 and 3 became 5 and 5 became 11 and 11 became 17 and 17 became 33. This rescued orphan couldn’t rescue enough orphans.
God put a burden on his heart to build an orphanage. He saved money and raised money for over 5 years to buy land. Then he saved money and raised money to start construction. 5 years ago, Benson began to build an orphanage. This boy that once begged for food has a drive and a passion to make sure no child has to be alone.
Seventeen years of dreaming, 10 years of saving and raising money, 2 1/2 years of construction and 33 became 58 and 58 became 81 and 81 became….
…207 orphans. 207 kids that may not have parents, but they sure do have a home.
As Benson shared his story with me, I got tears in my eyes. I said to him, “Our greatest pain is often times the birthplace of God’s perfect plan for our life.”
That is my story. That is Benson’s story. That is your story too. It’s in our greatest pain that God sets us up for our greatest calling.
The pain you’re in isn’t in vain. The hardship you faced won’t be wasted. God’s greatest plans for our lives often times rise from the ashes of our greatest pain.
