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 vision of the Great Commission…
As I begin to feel settled here in AIM Air and life in Africa, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to serve in a support role. In understanding modern day mission, I’m learning that it helps to view the bigger picture. Then you see how the support role is about ‘joining the dots’ 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 our diversity enables us to be more effective, efficient and versatile. We all have 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, I’ve tried to outline 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 I’m amazed and humbled. Churches, family and friends have poured themselves into supporting this mission through prayer, giving and encouragement. I love the creative ways that so many play their role. St Peter’s Church monthly prayer meeting is essential in the flow and power of prayer. So too, the individual prayers, contact and emotional support for me personally. Support is the beginning of the process and as with all foundations, it’s 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 Africa’s least reached peoples. AIM’s 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 vision on this page.
Support Services
My role in AIM sits within African Based Support (ABS) 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 it’s hard for me to see beyond the ‘haze’ of emails, meetings and administration to what I’m achieving and how I’m serving. But I’m 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 field…? 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 ‘joining the dots’ and working together.
