Steven Bixler's Short Term Mission Report

Between 9th and 23rd Feb 2006, Steven Bixler with his team of eighteen got to experience a pleasant yet stretching short term mission in Kenya. Based in Thika, courtesy of African Christian Mission International (ACMI), they got to carry out various activities. Among them were the construction of ACMI Vision Village, holding crusades, carrying out feeding programs while interacting with rehabilitated street kids. They also got to be involved in a most noble task of starting up an orphangae. On-going is the putting up of a fence in the newly purchased land. But don't we all know that all play and no work makes Jack a dull boy? So to spice up the entire mission, the team had a two days fun-filled safari to the Maasai Mara. Seeing the big five family and other wildlife such as zebras, giraffes and warthogs was an unforgettable expeience for most.

At the end of it all we got to interview the team leader, Steven Bixler about his experience in this short term mission. This is what he had to say:

ACMI is becoming more and more known in the churches in Ohio. And so when they hear that there is a team coming, they get more interested to come along. And the more teams there are coming, the more the interest because people actually go back and say how interesting it was. I come from Holmes County and Fellowship with the Hope Community Church. I have been to Kenya four times before now in the last five years but I really got to know well of ACMI since 2000 when Bishop came to church, then Calvary Chapel, and shared about the ministry. That’s how we became acquainted.

This team was interesting because so many of the people come form different churches and I didn’t even know well most of them. Some came over through my brother Phillip who has also been to Kenya before while others through their pastors. It’s really neat to see how God brought each of them on the team. It’s a lot harder working with a big team (as team leader) because you cannot get to know each of them as close or I couldn’t because of being so busy, as you can with a small team.

I have always had a heart for missions and when I was younger I went for a short term mission to Turkey. That was just before I got married. However, our hearts were really opened to this part of the world that first time that we came to Kenya. That was probably in 2001 and it has been an awesome experience to be able to see the ministries and the missions going on like the planting of churches and the building of leaders. It excites me so much to be involved with ACMI because of the way they pursue missions and planting of more churches. You just can’t keep up with the pace, there are always new things happening.

The reason I enjoy bringing teams to Kenya is that I know what it did to me and my wife the first time we came here and I want other people to experience that same thing. To be involved in the kind of missions ACMI does is a very stretching experience. It pulls you out of where you are comfortable at. You can’t go for a short term mission trip and remain the same. It challenges you to be a stronger Christian. That’s why I enjoy bringing teams over and also to come and try to offer some support to ACMI. When you come over here and see what is happening, you just want to be involved and most people go back home wanting to be involved. I have often been challenged by how hard life can be here and seeing how you have a bigger God than we have. When people have to ask God for their daily food, most people in America wouldn’t understand that. For us you just need to go to the refrigerator and find food.

Back in Holmes County, Ohio, my wife and I sort of head the carvings industry that’s part of ACMI. We have the wood carvings that are made here in Kenya go over to the free market back at home and we help in the marketing. We also try to be a contact person for ACMI if they need people to contact there and helping with teams who need to come over.

Besides that, I work closely with the church at home and it has helped me a lot in giving me a heart to reach the lost, be able to come here and want to be more involved in missions here.

This time round, one of the biggest challenges has been listening to people’s testimonies of what God is doing in their lives. We got an opportunity to talk to Rev. Mwangi and Beth and hear what God is doing in the ministry in Uganda. We also got to talk to Nyerere and it’s interesting to hear how God has been able to protect him even through incidences such as the plane crash.

The other challenge has been in managing such a big team. Transportation has been a bit interesting with the matatus. It has also been pretty hard for me when someone gets sick and you want to visit them and be with them but there are also others in the group who need you around for direction. Sometimes you tend to overlook some for others. It can be really challenging to share time with so many people. Except those challenges, working with ACMI staff here in Thika has been great. They are very supportive.

My prayer is that I will not forget what God has taught me in this trip. To go home and pray for people and get more people involved is what I want to do when I get back.

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