Get to Know Cianna Benson

Ministry Description

While I am in Atibaia I will be working with underprivileged children and teens from the local area. Four days a week, Monday-Thursday the children will go to the Word of Life campus where I will be helping teach the kids life skills, and special activities such as crafts and sports, and most importantly I will have an opportunity to share Biblical truth with them through the teaching of God's Word. This program runs for two semesters with a break in the summer and winter. Twice a year we will host an English camp where we will focus on teaching the kids and teens English in a fun and exciting way. Many of the children and teens attending these programs come from broken and hurting homes. My goal while I am there is to pour into the lives of these kids, to build lasting relationships and connections with them, and to share with them the life-changing love of Jesus that I have experienced. Jesus took me from broken to whole and I want these kids to experience the same. During my internship I will be studying to get my associates degree in Creative Writing through Liberty Online.

Learn more about the ministry in Brazil Southeast Sao Paulo.

About Cianna

I grew up on a Christian conference and ministry center in New Jersey. My parents loved the Lord and understood the importance of Biblical truth and teaching. Sunday mornings were spent at church, Monday nights at Bible study, every other Wednesday at youth group, and every summer was spent at the Christian camp on the property. The teaching of God's Word surrounded me.

When I was seven my great-aunt passed away. This brought a lot of questions to mind, the biggest one being what happens when a person dies. When I asked my mom she faithfully explained to me that those who have a relationship with Jesus will spend eternity with Him in Heaven and that those who do not know Him as their Savior will spend an eternity in Hell. Out of a place of fear I placed my trust in Jesus. While this was the motive, I believe that I did understand that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose three days later.

After trusting Jesus as my Savior I didn't have much of a relationship with God. From ages seven to sixteen, I lived as I pleased, doing the Christian things out of habit. When I was sixteen I found out my best friend was struggling. As her friend, I sought to help her by carrying her burdens while also trying to carry the weight of my own problems. This took a toll on my mental health. Out of fear of burdening others, I kept everything to myself. That summer at the Word of Life Family Camp Ground God revealed that I had not truly trusted Him and was not relying on Him for help.

For the rest of 2018 into 2019, the Lord did work on my heart, He changed my thinking, my ways, and my heart. It was a hard process but He brought me healing in my brokenness. In February of 2019, God asked me to surrender my summer to Him by working at the same Christian camp I grew up going to, Day Camp Sunshine. That summer I was a counselor for the first time. This past summer was my 6th year working there. God used this camp to change my life and set me down a new path of obedience and service to Him. 3 years after I began living for Him, my family went through a life-changing situation. It was a test of my growing faith. But amid this life-changing event, the Lord proved Himself to be good, loving, and faithful.

During this hard time God asked me to go to the Bible Institute. I applied, was accepted in the fall, and began attending in the spring semester of 2022. I graduated from 2nd year this past December. After going home I began asking God what He would want me to do next. That was when He placed it on my heart to do CCI (Cross-Cultural Internship). I chose Brazil because of the ministry there. Atibaia focuses on helping children take their next step with Jesus through English camps and other programs and activities. This stood out to me because of my experience with children. Growing up I never saw myself working with kids, but God had other plans. I spent six summers working at my home camp, I've been an aunt since I was eight, I've worked at a preschool for the past three years, plus other kids ministry opportunities from Word of Life. The more that I work with kids the more I view it as a privilege that I get to meet kids where they are and share the love, joy, and Gospel of Jesus with them. God changed my life, He took me from broken to whole and I want these kids to experience the life-changing grace that Jesus has shown me.

"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Contact Information

cianna238@gmail.com

Address:
Cianna Benson
Word of Life Brazil Southeast Sao Paulo
PO Box 600
Schroon Lake, NY 12870