Carrie Pither has been in Africa for 9 months now, and she tells us how she has become aware of how her role plays a part in the visionย of the Great Commission…
As I begin to feel settled here in AIM Air and life in Africa, Iโve been reflecting on what it means to serve in a support role. In understanding modern day mission, Iโm learning that it helps to view the bigger picture. Then youย see how the support role is about โjoining the dotsโ and how we are all connected. I find it so exiting that we are all part of this mission and working as a team. Our roles and gifts are varied and scattered across the globe but ourย diversity enables us to be more effective, efficient and versatile. We all haveย a unique function in sending, supporting and serving, that is necessary in the achieving the vision of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Below, Iโve tried to outlineย the bigger picture for mission service and how we are all in this together.
Supporters
When I think about the energy, commitment and vision from all my supporters Iโm amazed and humbled.ย Churches, family and friends have poured themselves into supporting this missionย through prayer, giving and encouragement. I love the creative ways that so many play their role. St Peterโs Church monthly prayer meeting is essential in the flow and power of prayer. So too, theย individual prayers, contact and emotional support for me personally. Supportย isย the beginning of the process andย as with all foundations, itโs critical.
Africa Inland Mission
The commitment of supporters feeds into the call to serve. For the last 120 years, AIM missionaries have been called and sent to live and serve among Africaโs least reached peoples. AIMโs Vision 2020 strategy has a priority for unreached people groups and Christ-centred churches among all African peoples. You can watch a video about that visionย on this page.
Support Services
My role in AIM sits within African Based Support (ABS)ย based in Nairobi. ABS coordinates and provides essential support services to missionaries across Africa. Within AIM, AIM Air operates six aircraft from three bases in East Africa, serving missionaries and mission organisations. In this support role, sometimes itโs hard for me to see beyond the โhazeโ of emails, meetings and administration to what Iโm achieving and how Iโm serving. But Iโm learning how important it is to look to the next stage and to consider whom we are supporting and what this achieves.
Mission and Missionaries
So, who are we supporting in the mission fieldโฆ? We have a great team of pilots, mechanics, avionics technicians and administrators who serve the needs of over fifty Christian organisations and hundreds of missionaries. These individuals and organisations rely on us so that they can serve in the difficult, isolated places (South Sudan, Central African Republic, Uganda, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo). Their work is strengthening and partnering with the African church, health and literacy programmes and many other types of community work. These are places of great need and we are all part of reaching the unreached in the way that we are โjoining the dotsโ and working together.
