Christopher Bennett of Albany believes in serving those in need

By Carrie Petersen

Albany Democrat-Herald

Christopher Bennett, 21, is headed off for an adventure in helping others.

The South Albany High School graduate left Thursday for Texas and from there he will fly to Leon, Mexico, for a mission trip that will last 14 to 22 months.

"I want to be more of a servant," Bennett said, anticipating the service projects he'll be working on.

Bennett will travel with five other young people and two coordinators from Adventures in Mission, a program of Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas.

About the time Bennett made the decision to become a Christian at age 18, he was studying religions, trying to learn more about them.

He said he learned that in being a Christian, "you can have proof behind your faith."

Bennett is a member of Hill Street Church of Christ, which is where he first heard about the Sunset Bible school.

"I just wanted to learn. I couldn't learn enough," he said. Bennett also liked the idea of having an adventure.

Bennett worked several jobs, saving up money to attend the Bible school. Last August, he moved to Texas and began classes.

The first term, he said, was about establishing his own faith. Later on, the students began preparing for life as a missionary in countries without the conveniences of American life. They had to get around town without cars and couldn't eat out, Bennett said.

During the last eight months, Bennett and his 59 classmates had opportunities to serve others. They helped victims of Hurricane Katrina who were evacuated to Texas. In March, they worked in New Orleans, gutting out 14 homes damaged by the water.

The experience in New Orleans was "awesome," Bennett said.

Bennett and his classmates also traveled to Mexico City, where, among other activities, they offered food to homeless people sleeping on street corners.

Bennett's upcoming trip to Mexico will take him about five hours north of Mexico City.

He'll be staying in an apartment, learning Spanish and working with a team coordinator who also acts as a mentor.

Bennett and the team members will be "meeting peoples' needs," while working on service projects.

He said one project will involve installing a water pump for a woman who was planning to use a cleaned-up sewer tank to store household water.

There are a number of factors that determine how long he'll stay, one of which is financial support.

TO LEARN MORE, check out these Web sites:

• Christopher Bennett: www.xanga.com/christopherbennett.

• Adventures in Missions: www.aimsunset.org.

• Leon, Mexico, and the church Bennett will be working with: www.leon4christ.org.

HOW TO HELP

Christopher Bennett, 21, of Albany is leaving for a mission trip to Leon, Mexico, with Adventures in Missions. Bennett still needs financial support. To help, write checks to Hill Street Church of Christ, 1805 Hill St. S.E., Albany, OR 97322. Be sure to write Bennett's name on the memo line