Ordinary people; Extraordinary Lord

by Chloe Binkley

Benjamin House Ministries Summer 2019 Intern

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Chloe, Derrick, and Frank leading games with sponsored children in Katanga Slum, Kampala, Uganda

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Let me preface by saying I am not a writer and have never been great at constructing eloquent sentences or coherent thoughts. But, my prayer is that these words would be guided by the Holy Spirit, and that the Lord would be glorified through each and every person and ministry mentioned in this testimony. This team deserves more than the mere superlatives I will be granting them, but I write to share that they know their identity lies in Christ and to show that they are serving Him with their whole hearts.

​The Lord does not assign us all the same spiritual gifts. He does not equip us to be independent bodies with independent minds and a closed heart. The Lord calls for community; He calls those who are the least of these to expand and glorify His kingdom. The Benjamin House team is the quintessential embodiment of what it means to serve the Lord with all that we have -- body, mind, and heart. The short time I have spent with these individuals has truly blessed my life, and I cannot wait to learn more about the Lord and His goodness through each one of them.
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The nature of the Lord is shown through each and every one of the staff. He has handpicked them, equipped them each with an exceptional set of gifts, and uses their personal testimonies to represent Christ on earth. They are ordinary people loved and called by an extraordinary Lord. They have been divinely ordained to serve the Lord with Benjamin House Ministries. No matter where their calling lies, they serve the Lord with their whole heart by advocating for those who are voiceless, by going above and beyond what their job requires of them and are motivated by the Spirit. Their intentions are pure, and they love with no agenda.

Let me begin with the Rogers family -- they have allowed my friend Alli and I to enter their lives, serve alongside them, and have truly made me feel so welcome. When I think of them, I immediately know what it means to feel like you are part of a community. Their home is one of love, thanksgiving, mercy, and hospitality. They are servants of the Lord, and I cannot stress to you enough how much they radiate God’s goodness.

Gloria volunteering and playing with children in Katanga Slum, Kampala, Uganda

Gloria is a woman whom I have had the pleasure to get to know the past few weeks. She not only serves the Rogers’ family and assists with day to day tasks, but you can find her actively pursuing ministry any way she can. Whether she is tending to my sickness (which occurs frequently), making meals for the family, or is volunteering her time in Katanga, she does each with a smile on her face. She is genuine, but more than that, she looks at every interaction as a chance to shine the Lord’s goodness. I constantly remind her of her servant’s heart, to which she gracefully declines. She is the portrayal of love which Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Frank is another dear friend that I have grown close to. He has the high calling of working with kids in several slums throughout Kampala. I have witnessed the Holy Spirit work through him by his interactions with children, the way he looks out for me and Alli, and his sense of humor that radiates the joy of the Lord. He lives simply and maintains a modest essence. When he serves, he gives all he has. There are some acts of service which pursue an earthly agenda. It can seem hard to notice someone who exemplifies unconditional love, but Frank is the kind of person who pursues others just as Jesus pursues you and me. He talks to the kids as if every word is a chance to show the love of Jesus. He serves quietly as we are called to do in Matthew 6: 1-2: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” And alongside of that, the kids trust him. That’s the thing about the BHM staff -- they value relationships. They value consistency. They want continual investment in the lives of the young, knowing full well they are the future of their church and their nation.

This leads me to yet another fearless leader on staff named Jackson. I had the pleasure of getting to know him over the course of a two-day Sunday School Conference. He presented his plans of restoration all while maintaining the goal of the House Church: to be a place of disciples making disciples. Jackson specializes in children, and this is evident with the childlike personality He has himself. If you know Jackson, you know what it means to confidently trust the Lord without disbelief. He has recently been struggling with Sunday School and a lack of staff. Never once has he cast judgement on teachers not being able to attend, but instead uses it as an opportunity to invest in the lives of those who are called to serve. The scripture that comes to me when I think about Jackson is found in Matthew 18: 3-5: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives me.” I think this is the reason Jackson is so full of delight. He humbles himself to that of a child, and because of this, the Lord overfills Jackson’s cup with joy! He is always authentically himself, and that’s what he is teaching the children in Sunday School -- to be the person God created them to be. In doing so, true disciple making is possible.
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There are many more the Lord has blessed me with knowing since I have been in Uganda, and I cannot wait to dive into their stories! God is so good, and He is intentional with the ministry and works of His people. Let me assure you that the staff here at Benjamin House wear their hearts on their sleeves. They clothe themselves every morning with the garments of compassion, empathy, and a love that pursues the Lord and others. Never have I seen such devotion to the Lord like I have seen the past few weeks in this team!

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