North Woods, Van Rides, and Bob Marshall

This is the first post I'm writing on my phone so forgive me for my many typos that are sure to come. I'm using my phone because I'm back in the van (with A/C) for a loooooong haul across three states to western Montana. 

These past few days I've been at a place called White Buck Lodge in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, right near HoneyRock, where HSM goes for SnowCamp. The lodge was unbelievable! It's your stereotypical classic north woods lodge. Made completely of wood with a ginormous stone fireplace in the middle and a giant moose head above the fire. There's no heating in the lodge, so the fire was our only source of warmth, and boy did we need it! But the best part about this place is that it's on a street called "Chicken in the Woods Road". A couple of afternoons we had some free time, so I of course went 'mocking next to the lake! Turns out I'm not the only hammock fan here - I think there are at least 5 hammocks between the nine of us!  As a group, we have the goal of reading the entire bible, cover to cover, in the next 90 days. We're taking a look at the Bible from 30,000ft and getting a grasp of His whole story. We've also started our leadership training, learning about what kind of leadership types are out there and taking a collection of assessments to figure out our own strengths and weaknesses. It's been a sweet time of discovering more about myself and my new friends along with me. 

So that's one end of the long road trip, waiting for us at the other end is the Bob Marshall wilderness preserve near Missoula, Montana. I can't wait to get into the wilderness! There's nowhere I love being or feel closer to God than deep in His creation. It's also a place where I feel I can connect well with those around me. Something about sitting around a fire (or a hot stove) with a group of guys in the middle of nowhere. Deep and meaningful conversations happen there that with ease that are few and far between in other places. We hit the trail midday tomorrow (Sunday) which is great because it's coming so soon, but it also means we're leaving JUST as the Packers kick off! As much as I love the Packers, I'd choose the backcountry over watching a game just about every Sunday. 

We have a really awesome collection of guys on this journey. Evan and I are from Madison, both heavily involved with Blackhawk HSM, Josh is from Minneapolis and enjoys your typical Minnesota sports, Nordic skiing and downhill skiing. Other Evan is from Houston and loves computers, Austin is a 6'2", 320lb (by his own estimates) offensive lineman from Oklahoma, and Corbin is one of eight siblings running a massive pig and cow farm in Huntington, Indiana. Each of us has something unique to contribute the team and after only 4 days (!!) we're starting to form some strong bonds.

Bryce, one of our leaders, talked to us the other day about the difference between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. He said Tolkien wrote The Hobbit as a children's book. It's the story of a hobbit going on an adventure.  Though it's a great adventure, chances were he'd return home and back to life as he knew it. Conversely, LOR was described as a journey. Gandalf asked the Hobbit to head east to Mordor, not knowing if he'd ever return home. And if he did, life could NEVER be the same. That's what this gap year is for me. It's a journey. One where I will return home (I promise, mom) but I will not be the same. Life won't and can't go back to the way it was. Exactly how I and life will be different is up to the next seven months and how God works in me during that time. 

Thanks for the comments guys! They're really fun to read. And thanks to those of you keeping up with me! It's comforting to known I have an army of friends and family praying for me and following my journey. Hope this post made sense! Like I said, I'm writing on my tiny phone screen so I'll use that as my excuse for any mistakes. I'll be in the backcountry, far, far away from any type of Internet connection (I can't wait) for the next ten days or so but feel free to text or email or comment and I'll get back to you when I can! 

Love you guys,

Ben Hershberger

Big Vans With Air Conditioning... It's The Little Things

And we're off! Not even 12 hours in and I can already tell this is where I need to be and where I want to be.  The last few weeks leading up to this point have been difficult, the anticipation of going and watching so many others leave for college had me getting antsy and anxious.  I just wanted to get started! My engine was revving but wheels not aloud to spin.  They're finally spinning and I'm headed full steam ahead!

Thanks to momma Hersh for posting these
pics on FB so I could download them!

I'm writing form a hotel room in Carol Stream, Illinois, near Wheaton College and about two minutes from the LeaderTreks headquarters.  Tomorrow morning at 8:00 sharp we'll all pack our bags back into the cramped yet beautifully air conditioned van and head up to a lodge in Three Lakes Wisconsin.  After three days or so there it's off to Montana for an eight day backpacking trip in the wilderness!  I can't wait to see what God has in store for me at these next two stops and beyond.  I may not have internet access at the lodge and definitely won't in the backcountry.  Though it's possible I won't be able to post for a while, know that I am in very good hands, none better actually.  God's hands are the best to be in after all!  Plus I love being off the grid, so don't feel bad for me.

It turns out there are only six of us participants heading out on this great adventure rather than the 10-12 I previously expected.  When I first heard there are only six of us, I was quite nervous to be honest.  I'm the type of guy that likes bigger groups.  I like to be able to bounce around and I get my energy from being with people.  Upon getting here (Carol Stream, just outside of Chicago) and meeting my fellow participants, I couldn't be more excited to have such a small number.  These are guys who I truly enjoy being around (so far at least) and can't wait to embark on the adventure of a lifetime with.  Plus, our 12 passenger van is completely stuffed to the brim with people and bags and I can't imagine fitting anything else in there.  I will say that I have never been in a 12 passenger van with air conditioning.  After traveling around Honduras and Romania in the sweltering heat for hours in large vans with no AC in past years, I'll trade the cramped space for bearable temperatures any day.  Those of you with me in those vans on past trips will completely understand.

My sendoff crew last night.  Love you guys!

I'm thankful for the opportunity to travel the country jumping into adventure after adventure with my brothers in Christ for the next seven months.  Thanks to those of you who have supported me financially and plan to do so yet.  And to my prayer warriors out there, love you guys! Your prayers are already being felt.  I was sent off by a great group of friends around me last night.  I'm blessed to have such a conglomeration of friends and family who love me and support me!  Thank you all for being behind me on this one.  I know that God is going to great things in and through me and the other guys on this adventure.  I couldn't be more excited for the next seven months!

Romania

Romania

If you've read my first two posts you'll already know a few things, 1) I have a lot of typos and 2) Romania (located in Eastern Europe)
has stolen a decent chunk of my heart due to my experiences there last year.  Honestly, it's extremely difficult to put my love for Romania into words.  Those of you who have been on similar trips around the world or to Romania with Open Roads in the past will understand.  The way I described it in my first post is the simplest way to do it.  God's presence is obvious and He is moving in BIG ways there.

A little background and more information on what we will be doing in Romania and why I'm choosing to go back this summer.   Romanians suffered under oppressive communist dictatorship during the Soviet occupation in the late 1900’s (as recent as 1989).  As a result, countless children ended up in state-run orphanages.  Today, these orphans are adults. Adults left with scars, both physical and emotional, resulting from horrendous living conditions in state run orphanages.  Our role in these orphan's lives is to simply show them God's love.  Tragically, love is a foreign concept to many of the orphans we'll be working with due to their upbringing in the orphanages, so we aim to show them love of the purest kind: the love of God.

In Romania, we have the opportunity to partner with an organization called Open Roads.  Although we only get to be with and love on our orphan friends for two weeks, Open Roads is with them all year round.  With that being said, another wonderful aspect and goal of our trip is to bring encouragement and validation to the group of Romanian leaders who work with the orphans year round, loving on them and sharing the gospel. Together, Romanian Open Roads leaders and our team from America will be putting on a week long camp for Romanian orphans.  We are hopping the pond on Tuesday (the 28th of July) which means camp is in just two weeks!

Last year, my biggest worry heading into the trip was the idea that I would be continuously comparing Romania to past trips to Honduras, a country and people I fell in love with early in high school.  As it turned out, I had no issues staying present, a truth I can only attribute to God, keeping me focussed and all in where I was at.  This year, my biggest worry is very similar.  Rather than looking back and comparing to past trips, I'm worried about looking ahead and thinking of my gap year adventure next year.  Doing so could rob the chance for God to work through me completely during my time in Romania.

After experiencing God's power last year, I am much more confident that He will show up again and allow me to be fully present while in Romania.  Another bolt of confidence comes from the fact that I am beyond excited to return to Romania and reunite with my brothers and sisters in Christ that I got to know last year.  I am feeling much more excited than nervous or scared to return.  I can't wait to see what God will do this time around in Romania.

While in Romania, I won't be posting here on my blog, but the Romania team will be keeping up a blog chronicling what we are up to while on the ground.  The link for our blog is hsmromaniagoteam.wordpress.com (side note: COMMENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED! We read them out as a large group and love to know that people back home are following along).

If you missed the opportunity to support the Romania team this summer (the trip is now fully funded), I'm still in need of support for my adventure next year! Here's the link to give: https://www.leadertreks.org/about/give/.  Currently, however, prayer for the Romania team in general and specifically for God to keep me in the present on focussed where I'm at while on the ground is more necessary than financial support.

Thank you for reading and for your continued prayers!


Benjamin Hershberger

Madison Missions 2015

From Student to Leader

My team playing with kids and doing some gardening at the
Boys and Girls Club in Madison.

Last week I had the opportunity to lead a group of five middle school student from Sunday to Friday through a program my home church, Blackhawk, puts on called Madison Missions.  The premise of the camp or program is to get middle school students serving in the Madison community.  Throughout the week, the students and leaders essentially live at Blackhawk church, sleeping in the church and showering at local fitness clubs.  The students are broken up into about ten different groups with 5-7 students in each group.  During the week, each group has two service projects each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Projects range from working at a food pantry garden pulling weeds, to serving at a hospice center helping run bingo, to delivering food for meals on wheels.

Me and my team participating in Mad Mish the summer after
my 7th grade year.  I'm on the left in the yellow Brewers shirt.

As a middle school student, I participated in Madison Missions three times, each opportunity I had.  During my time in middle school as a student, Madison Missions sparked my love for service and mission work.  In recent years, that spark has turned into a flame and has become my passion and eventually has lead to me taking a gap year to do mission work!  Having leaders pour into me for a week straight and having the chance to learn from such fantastic adults as a young, impressionable, teenage boy left such a huge mark on my life, I jumped at the first chance I had to return the favor.  That chance was last week!  After being poured into by adult leaders at Blackhawk for so many years, I finally was able to be an adult leader myself.

I got to spend my week last week leading a team of five young middle school students who are in the same shoes I was in just a few short years ago.  The week was not an easy one by any stretch of the mind.  As a student, I never saw all the work that went into making youth ministries and Madison Missions in particular happen.  After putting in the work as a leader and seeing the other side, I have become more grateful for all the leaders that have poured into me over the years and shaped me into the man I am becoming.  Although the week was a difficult one, it was also extremely rewarding.  I got to see God work in big ways last week, through fellow leaders, students, and through myself.

My team this year, chilling in the back of a
pickup truck after working hard in the
Blackhawk food pantry gardens.

The week was an affirming one, as I've been thinking and praying about going into ministry in the coming years.  Last week was my first opportunity to take a leadership role as an adult in youth ministry and I had the time of my life!  Leading this past week has me even more excited for next year (as if that was possible) because I will have more opportunities to lead throughout the year and will learn how to be a more effective and Godly leader.

Thank you for reading and supporting me.  Continued support financially and through prayer would be greatly appreciated!  Here is the link once again for online giving: https://www.leadertreks.org/about/give/.


Because of Him,


Benjamin Hershberger

The Next Adventure

This is a map of what I will be doing next year and where I will be, put together by my wonderful siblings, Jenna and Dan.

After four years of high school filled with travel, Jesus, and studying, I found that I enjoy travel and Jesus a whole lot more than studying.  So hanging with Jesus and traveling is what I’ll be doing next year! Starting in early September, I will embark on a trip spanning seven months and that will take me on wilderness adventures in Montana and Utah, mission trips in Atlanta and Memphis, an Indian reservation in Arizona, Costa Rica and rural Kentucky.  The year also includes the chance to earn my Wilderness First Responder certification, which I’m told is quite prestigious.  Although I'm taking the next year away from school, I've been accepted to UW Madison and plan to attend school there in the fall of 2016.

Romania with Elvis, my Romanian friend

When I first saw the itinerary for this trip I didn't believe it was real!  The kind of trips and adventure I will be on next is exactly what I was looking for out of a gap year.  Throughout my years in high school I've been to Romania and Honduras on mission trips.  These trips have been the highlights of my high school career.  During the winter of my junior year, I learned that Blackhawk Church would not be taking a group of high schoolers to Honduras the following summer and I was devastated.  I had made some strong connections with the people of Honduras and loved being there.  I thought there was no way I could find the same joy and peace in another place.  The next summer, after my junior year, I went to Romania through Blackhawk.  Heading into the trip, my biggest worry was that I would constantly thinking of Honduras, wishing I was there instead, resulting in being distracted and not fully present during my time in Romania.  What I found during the trip was that I had no troubles with being distracted and I was able to be fully present and involved in Romania.  After prayer and reflection, I realized that what I was so attracted to both in Honduras and Romania was God's obvious presence and His work being done in and through the people in both places.

Both the Romania and Honduras trips were just a few weeks long.  Next year I will be immersed in God’s work and movement for a full seven months!  If God can change my life in huge ways in just three weeks, I can’t imagine what he’ll be able to do with seven months. 

Backpacking last summer.  Looking
forward to a lot more of this next year!

After being amazed by my itinerary for next year, I scrolled down and saw the total cost of the trip, $14,250.  At first I was discouraged by the large total, but after continued prayer, I truly believe God wants me on this trip and will not let an obstacle like money stand in the way of His plans!  With that said, I would like to extend the invitation for you join me in my adventure.  The first and most important way you can do this is through prayer.  This will be a HUGE transition for me and it will need to be covered in prayer.  If you choose to join me financially, the best and easiest way to do so will be to give online at https://www.leadertreks.org/about/give/.  Click on the big red "Donate Now" button, enter the amount you'd like to give, click on the donate to line and select "Gap Year" and enter my name in the memo below.  No gift is too small or too large, but greatly appreciated.  I need to have my adventure fully funded by August 15th, so please consider making any donations before then.

If you have any questions please call me at (608) 577-3579 or email me at ben.hersh.jamin@gmail.com.  LeaderTreks also has a website with more details of the trip at https://www.leadertreks.org/gap-year/.

Thanks for reading to the bottom! I will be working on writing posts throughout the summer and as much as I can once the trip starts on September 8th!

Benjamin Hershberger