Give & Make a Difference

Consider a year-end tax-deductible gift that helps us help students, women, families, and communities through education, development, and faith-based initiatives like Kigali International Community School (KICS), Christ’s Church in Rwanda (CCR), Rwanda Presidential Scholars, Peace Through Business, & Rwandans4Water. Giving details on our personal ROC Partners page or Personal Blog.  (In this picture our youngest is helping children from a local school who are now required to study and learn in English.) An amount of $10, 25, 50, 100 a month ($120, 300, 600, 1200 one-time) can make a huge difference.

Hope Given, Hope Shared, Hope Realized

What does it take to fill a church? Is it a baby dedication, baptism, wedding, funeral, concert, drama, worship, Christmas play, ballet performance, movie, or something completely different?  This season has filled the CCR hall repeatedly. We’ve been blessed to witness all of the above in some form or another. I pray that with each event God is honored. On 25 December near 350 people gathered to worship God and remembered a birth that brought hope. On 26 December around 650 came to mourn the death of a friend, brother, uncle, colleague, and son. On one day we were celebrating a life and a hope that came with that life. On the next day we were mourning the loss of a life in the context of that same hope celebrated one day earlier. In Jesus birth hope came. In our death hope can be realized. May you find hope in Him and may our churches be filled with life and in worship to Him.

Favorite Christmas Gift

My wife made me these two African style shirts, which I’d have to put in my “favorite” Christmas gift column. On the left are two avocado given to my family by a young lady with nothing more to give but a desire to bless. They would have to go in that same column. Both were given with a spirit of love and heart to bless, as was the “gift” this day was named for. All was accomplished. Merry Christmas!

Let Your Christmas Be a “Yes” For Tomorrow

The ROC kids

Christmas has come and gone in Rwanda. I would love to have spent it with my family in the U.S. at a temperature below 85 degrees with a feast and football game after church. The season here has passed without seeing a single Christmas-based advertisement or hearing a single Christmas jingle. It has passed without seeing an angel tree, or hearing Christmas tunes being pumped through the mall. It has passed without a special sessional Sonic drink. There were no Christmas parades or lights on homes.  Yet, for all the “no’s” there are plenty of “yes’s”. I have my lovely wife and daughters with whom I enjoyed celebrating. Family and friends from the U.S. blessed us with some gifts shipped thousands of miles at horrendous rates. We have wonderful colleagues to share the holiday with who also mourn the distance of loved ones on special days. We were blessed to worship with a wonderful community in a facility that was no doubt a “yes” from God to go and do His work. We enjoyed the events our school and church hosted as wonderful ways were found to project the love of baby who would become the King to a community of beautiful people.  Tomorrow much of the world returns to its folly with many forgetting what stopped them for a moment today. JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE, FORGIVENESS …  they don’t stop today.  May your Christmas be the beginning of 364 more days of the same.  Let your Christmas be a “yes” for tomorrow.

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Donations:

ROC Partners
Attn: Jeanise Morton
3007 NW 63^rd, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
Memo: BH

http://www.rocpartners.org/hixsonshttp://bryanhixson.wordpress.com

12 in 2012

Hello friends and family. We greet you in the name of Jesus during this season of hustle and bustle and hopefully Christmas cheer. No doubt your year has been filled with blessings and challenges, as has ours. To not recognize the blessings of our year would be to not honor what God has done for us. To not recognize the challenges would be to not give God the glory for carrying us through each one of those challenges.

The work God called us to in Rwanda always has its challenges, and yet it always has its rewards as we are blessed to serve in a way where we can often see the fruits of our labor and know your prayers and support are lifting us up.

As you consider your end of year giving or giving for 2012 we’d ask you to consider the 12-12-12 plan to help us secure the funding we need for the upcoming year. We would like to ask that you pray about and consider becoming a financial partner in our work. Without people like you we could not be in Rwanda doing God’s work through education, community development, and faith building.

Next year is 2012. There are 12 months in a year. We are asking that you become a partner for 2012 in any ratio of 12. For example, an amount of $120 or $1,200 would equal $10 or $100 a month. You might also choose to give $12/month, or $12 for each person in your family who will receive a Christmas gift from you, or $12 for every time you say something you regretted saying, or $12 every time you go to a movie. Be as creative as you like with the use of 12.  That is the 12-12-12 plan.

It is interesting to note that 12 is considered one of the perfect numbers (ex. Rev. 21) from a Biblical perspective. Genesis 12 starts with a call from God to Abram to leave the land he was living in and go where God tells him. God’s people would become a testimony to all nations of the one true God. We believe God called us to this same message and same testimony and thus we left our land to serve as ambassadors for Christ in Rwanda, Africa.

If you would like to partner financially in this ministry through a 12-12-12 plan (or give another amount one-time or monthly) then you can go to ROC Partners and click “Donate to the Hixsons” to schedule credit card or checking account partnerships. To those of you already praying for us and/or giving to our financial need – THANK YOU!

To donate by mail write a check to ROC Partners with “BH” in the memo and mail to:

ROC Partners

Attn: Jeanise Morton

3007 NW 63rd, Ste 205

Oklahoma City, OK 73116

memo: BH

We appreciate your love, support, friendship, and prayers. To read pieces we’ve written throughout the year find us on the web at http://bryanhixson.wordpress.com.

In His service,

Bryan, Holly, Alexis, & Grace Hixson

Blog  http://bryanhixson.wordpress.com
ROC Partners http://rocpartners.org
KICS http://kicsrw.org 

KICS Fun

KICS Elementary Christmas Play

KICS enjoyes a number of community events in Nov-Dec. In November KICS hosted the Festival of Fun previously known as the Fall Festival. In December KICS hosts multiple Christmas events including this play presented to students and parents by grades K-4. The second showing will be Thursday evening (Dec. 8).

KICS Festival of Fun

 

Compound Your Blessing This Christmas

As we approach one of the most celebrated holidays of the year I can’t help but wonder what it is that motivates its celebrants.  Sitting several thousand miles away from the colors, lights, sounds, and smells of the holiday in America makes me really appreciate some of the season’s traditions, festivities, and fellowships stateside. The season motivates me to give thanks for God’s provision of my family. It motivates me to remember the greatest gift given, and it is that gift for which we serve – Jesus!

However, if I’m honest with you that is not all that the season makes me think of. Just a couple of days ago I was wishing I could go to Home Depot where I knew I could get a couple things we needed for a project. I was wishing I could run into Kohl’s to pick up a new pair of black dress pants realizing that mine are sun faded from repeated drying on the line. I wished for a moment that I could run into Quizznos and grab my favorite sub sandwich.  I wished there was a Sam’s Club to pick up a flat screen, which we’ve learned to manage without for the past 53 months. I wished I could run to Wal-Mart or Target to grab a few things for my daughter’s upcoming birthday. I began to lust over the Hardware department of Sears and the electronics of Best Buy.

For that moment I found myself lost in what I couldn’t get my hands on, but what I wanted. Then my daughter put a movie on the computer and from a distance I began to listen. I found myself drawn in quickly and pulled up a chair and watched the story I’ve heard a 1000 times as if it was the first – “The Nativity”. The paradox of simplicity and complexity of this timeless story held me captive.

A baby is born. The world around him moves no different than at any other time. The baby cries and cattle and sheep are disturbed. The baby is a king and yet he sleeps in a box where cattle are fed. The baby’s mother has just given birth to God and names him Jesus. The stable reeks of manure and urine as God sleeps in the presence of animals. God’s well being as a baby is placed in the hands of a chosen teenage girl and a simple carpenter. This baby would become the salvation of the world, but on this starry night this baby is completely dependent on simple faithful servants.

This day would be like none other, as these servants of God, now servants of a baby, had become parents to a king before a court of cattle and sheep and a few smelly strangers from the field. The wise would later join them and honor a call recorded as the Star of David. In that simple night so long ago our world changed in a relative silence that screamed of hope through Hosanna in the Highest.

As I thought of new clothes I desired I saw Mary wrap Jesus in a simple cloth that survived a very long journey on a donkey. As I thought about my favorite big burger at Chile’s I saw Joseph give Mary the only food he had. As I thought about desired hardware from Lowe’s I realized that a birth just took place with not a single medical instrument, doctor, or midwife in the stable – except the “great physician” who was being birthed.

I realized that God had come to be with us. I realized that hope had entered the world. I realized that for a moment much of the world stops and listens to the sound of hope amid the noise of dispair. I also realized that much of the world celebrates – not a birth, not a hope, but a shirt, a bike, a car, a tie, or a toy.  I realized that many have sent me to share that hope. I realized that His provision is your hand reaching out to make a difference. I realized that His provision is your prayer anointing my family to His service.

I realized that without you my family does nothing. I realized that your gift is a compounding of God’s blessing. As you bless us, we are able to bless others. As we bless others they do the same. That birth was the beginning of compounding blessings for generations. Your gifts help us to share the timeless gift of Jesus.

As Christmas approaches and you consider what motivates your celebration, please consider compounding your blessing. We would be blessed in your partnership with us and know that God will bless you in your faithful giving.  Consider a gift off $10/month ($120/year),  $100/month ($1200/year), or maybe even $1000/month ($12,000/year). Any amount given monthly or one-time is a blessing to us that is compounded through service to others and through the blessing received in giving.

GIVING METHODS

• Monthly bank draft (contact us for a form)
• Credit Card 1-time or monthly can be done securely from http://www.rocpartners.org/Hixsons
• Check: use address below

Contributions to the Hixson’s ministry in Rwanda can be made to:
Rwanda Outreach & Community Partners
3007 NW 63rd, Ste 205
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-3605
Memo: BH

“Post” It

For our most recent postcard send snail mail address to: bryan.hixson@gmail.com

Little Things Make a Difference

The little things make a difference! Life lost is part of everyone’s world. For those with Christ hope remains as we consider one day the loss will not be ours, rather the loss will be us. This past week I learned of the loss of a childhood friend (Bill Nix) to a heart attack at age 42. Every loss comes with its memories and its pains. In this loss I’m filled with good memories of a childhood friend, and a realization of how little things can make a difference.

While I haven’t seen Bill more than once since graduation in 1987 I can quickly recall the goodness of his heart from those days of youth.

I believe it was 1976-77 the first time I met Bill. At that time, I was a less than popular 3rd/4th grader who was a bit chubby and shy. I stayed to the background while desiring to become part of the foreground. Part of my memory of that period was teams choosing sides and often being the guy left out. I’d make my way over to a lonely swing and sit on it wondering how I might make my way into the crowd of desirables. While it would be some time before that would happen there was a change that occurred with the arrival of a new “stallion” of sorts.

That “stallion” arrived sometime into the school year. He seemed tall although that was probably reflected more through his thin build, dark hair, and new running shoes. He seemed to wear a permanent smile, and joyful demeanor that immediately attracted most every kid across at least three grades including me. While I can’t remember details, I remember him making a significant impression on the boys with what seemed a strange desire to run. I remember him running around our rather large playground with many other boys following behind, but unable to keep up. I knew I couldn’t keep up so I kept my distance and watched what now seems a boyish “marking” of territory. While I don’t believe this marking was conscious it was definitely perceived this way by the other stronger and faster boys who previously “owned” the playground. Bill didn’t seem to care who owned what, he just did what he did, smiled and made friends. Within a few days the playground was his and the tone of the playground seemed to became more friendly and welcoming to the less desirables. While my “playing time” on the playground basketball court or football field didn’t increase substantially, it did increase as there was a new tone that meant more inclusion.

Around the same time another new boy Duane (Bolton) Kroeker moved to town and befriended me almost immediately. He was a strong and athletic boy who seemed to take a special interest in some of those on the bottom of the popularity pole. His stature often yielded him position of team captain. From that position he almost always picked an undesirable (me) first. Bill seemed to honor that posture and do the same until it almost became a rule of the playground. It didn’t matter who you were if you wanted to play, these two boys would often work to find a way for inclusion. Until now, I had never thought about how the action of these boys forever played a part in how I interact with others.

With Duane’s friendship and encouragement my confidence began to grow. While I wasn’t the strongest or fastest, his engaging me gave me opportunity and confidence that I otherwise would not have had. Likewise, Bill’s seeming acceptance of all from his position of popularity meant the game was never “locked,” rather there was some level of opportunity for most who wanted to participate. At the same time my father got me playing soccer. I recognized that there were multiple purposes in his encouragement, but later was able to see his wisdom as I quickly grew in strength, endurance, and speed. I did not realize to what degree I was changing physically, and being encouraged by my father and Linda Edwards (friend and soccer coach) as I still perceived myself at the bottom of the pecking order.

While playing a fairly unpopular sport I was growing mentally and physically much more than I knew. While Duane moved away later in elementary, Bill remained but was not really in my spectrum of attention much again until 7th grade and the first day of football practice.

I had grown to be one of the taller and heavier boys in a class of over 200 students. That new stature had come with strength and speed that I didn’t know was there. Prior to that first football practice my father had encouraged me do what I wanted to do when it came time to choose a position to try out for. He made it clear that it would be difficult, but I needed to follow my heart. I did not want to be a lineman but my size and peer expectation said that was the obvious position.

The time came and the coaches told us to go to a specific location on the field based on what we wanted to try out for. The whistle blew and everyone made his choice. I stood there a bit too long and got an additional whistle and my name called out by Coach Gwartney to go with the linemen. I turned and ran exactly the opposite direction to the running backs. There was a bit of commotion that ensued as coaches and peers informed me, that I was in the wrong place. I refused to go with the linemen until the coach said I could only stay with the running backs if I could outrun all of those who were wishing to try out for that position. We (running backs) were put on the line and had to run 3 – 40 yard dashes. To my surprise, and likely everyone else’s, I won all three of those races. That did not satisfy the coaches, or perhaps they were trying to prove some other point. Coach then declared that I would have to outrun who we believed to be one* of the fastest boys on the team, Bill Nix, who had gone with the receivers when that first whistle blew. At this point I was certain my career as a running back was coming to an abrupt end after only 10 minutes. Now the whistle blew one more time and this whistle defined much of my next 6 years. (* seem to remember Shane Davis also having to run with Bill & me.)

I outran Bill by a whisker. A few high-fives were exchanged and I was welcomed to the core of backs and receivers. Just as had been the case back in 3rd grade Bill welcomed me to “the team”. Whether that day was a fluke, some guys helping me along the way, or I was truly faster or not I remember it as the beginning of great friendships with other boys who were all team players and welcoming of me. Stephen Turley and Casey Harrel were two of those who truly made me feel like I was worthy to be in the backfield with them. As I recall, it was another friend, Teece Chambers, with his gift of verbal affirmation who named Turley and I “Shake & Bake”. I was the “bake” half of the equation as Stephen was definitely quicker with more agility. I just ran over guys until everyone else began to outgrow me.

Bill was one of many great guys who I was blessed to grow up with and will always carry fond memories of. I was blessed to be in what I believe was the best class to graduate Pryor High School because of guys like these (Shane, Donnie, Casey, Stephen, Steve, Teece, Junior). I could name dozens of others whose actions and words influenced me and helped shape me as a boy. These guys from the football and basketball teams in grade 7-9 made a big difference in my world. Those three years forever changed me and gave me a confidence that I previously did not have and you guys were all a part of the genesis of that. I regret that it takes one’s death to realize what a big impact little things can have. Bill – you made a difference!

My Trash Her Sustenance

“Are you kidding me, she is eating from our trash?” I’ve observed this before and have fed many who remove our trash. It pains me to see a soul so hungry that they would consume our molding, rotting, half-eaten rubbish. As she picks through every single item in the trash I can’t help but wonder what the life of one so desperate might be like. Today she walked away eating food that included a chocolate birthday cupcake loaded with icing that came from the kitchen, not the trash. She walked away with pockets filled with items we disposed of that for her had value. She also left with a smile that formed following the rush of tastes you could tell had never crossed her lips from a simple cupcake that I or any of our supports consume when we so chose. I look at my limited inflow of personal funding at times and ask God why does it have to be so hard. Then I look at this young hungry garbage collector picking through my trash and think how blessed I am. For those of you making it possible for me, and my family, to eat from the kitchen table rather than out of a trash – thank you. Today you fed me; you fed my children, and my garbage collector. Every day we are fed because of God’s provision and we are able to bless others with physical and spiritual food.

To learn more about our ministry find us at: http://www.rocpartners.org

I Can Pray. I Will Pray!

See the most recent ROC Partners blog post. What is the most important thing you can do for ministries and servants you support?

Soldiers of Christ

Holly putting on her armor

“Soldiers of Christ, arise and put your armor on. Strong in the strength, which God supplies through His eternal Son. Strong in the Lord of Hosts, and in His mighty power, who in the strength of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror.” (Charles Wesley, 1749)

How often we have sung this hymn in our churches?  Do we know what it means? It is easy for Christians to talk about being “weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up), but do we ever take up arms with the authority given to us through Jesus Christ in God’s word?  Honestly, I did not feel well prepared for this battle.  After suffering through numerous battles, it has become obvious that the problem is the method of fighting in those battles—self-reliance instead of self-sacrifice and reliance on God alone.  Over the course of the past 4 years, God has been teaching us to abandon these fruitless, energy-sapping ways.  A breakthrough occurred as I read a book about 2 ½ years ago called Praying God’s Word[1]. The idea expressed in this book calls us to pray back to God the words that He has given us in the Scriptures.  The Lord has changed the focus of my prayers away from asking God for things than praising Him for Who He is.  Fortunately, He is patient and kind and wants us to draw near to Him (James 4:8: Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded).  Learning to pray Scripture has helped to place focus on His praise and to lean upon Him and His promises.  He has been teaching us to desire Him above all other things.  The same author has talked about craving spending time with God in prayer and in His word, which was a foreign concept to me.  I began to ask God to help me to crave Him and His word above all other things. He is always faithful, gently holding my hand through this journey of learning.

In the past few months, the Holy Spirit has been working to change my focus.  It has been a struggle to express this in such a way that God is glorified, and I desired that the focus of this story be on Him. Through the hand of God, I am not teaching at KICS this year and I am no longer directing the Peace Through Business® program here in Rwanda.  I have been asking Him to make His path clear, and the response has continually been, “pray.” He has been leading me to pray and to call others to pray, especially our team here in Rwanda. Scriptures such as Jeremiah 18:11-12 are before us:

¹¹ “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ ¹² But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

The words in these verses have pierced my heart!  Our team began to commit to pray weekly, and we have been doing so for the past few weeks since that time.  During this time period, we learned that our colleagues, Dave and Jana Jenkins, who answered God’s call to begin the work here at the school and church in 2005, were going to return to the US to help to strengthen the organization in which our group serves. This transition will likely be met with resistance from the enemy of our souls, as he seems to seize every opportunity to attack the Lord’s churches. We are thankful in the overriding knowledge that God has already won the victory in Jesus Christ (I John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world) and that our duty is to be still and to watch Him do the fighting (Exodus 14:14: The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still).  It is tiring to be a soldier in this fight, even if we are standing still. It is hard being so far away from our families, but God has spent the last four years training us to trust that He knows what He is doing and that He knows why He is doing it.

I Corinthians 1:3-7, NIV:

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ⁵ For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Please share with us, if you will, in praising God for His constant provision.  Please pray for this time of transition, as the Jenkins will leave for the US at the end of May 2012.  Please pray for them and pray for us as we seek God’s wisdom and direction for the work He established here in Rwanda.  We greatly appreciate and rely on monetary donations, but we cannot survive without your daily, prayerful support.  Thank you in advance for joining us in this fight that is not about flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-12: ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms), praying for our protection and endurance through the One Who gave His life for us and for all the people of Rwanda. Pray that God is glorified in all that we do, and pray that many will come to know Jesus as Lord of their lives.

Written by Dr. Holly Hixson 10 October 2011

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[1] Moore, Beth. Praying God’s Word: Breaking Free from Spiritual Strongholds. 2009. 

Smiles Generate Smiles

Smiles generate smiles. Love returns love. Service begets service. Almost no day passes without seeing children whose home is mud, floors are dirt, water is gathered from dirty sources, feet are bare, and smiles are FULL. Physical possessions are obviously not necessary for such smiles as these children are wearing their entire wardrobe. I found these children each with weed hook in hand cutting grass for a cow in their small village. Smile and watch the world smile back.

Influencing the Influencer

While our circle of interest and/or influence may be much smaller than the world in which we live we can make a difference that is compounded through those we do touch and influence. Jesus did not physically touch everyone he has influenced, and yet he has influenced millions upon millions through many generations. Who will you influence that will influence others? Grace is pictured here with her last “favorite teacher” who no doubt influenced her significantly just as her current “favorite teacher” is doing.  We are so thankful for our incredible KICS teaching staff.

Citizen of Heaven, Resident of Rwanda, Raised in America

I am a citizen of Heaven who resides in Rwanda, Africa, and grew up in Oklahoma, USA.

The attached picture (creator unknown) makes me wonder what are we doing to influence our children toward understanding the world they live in. The last time I was in the U.S. I was checking out at a local superstore whose name ends in -Mart when the cashier asked my why I was buying what she found as unusual. I told her that I lived in Rwanda and was gathering supplies to take back. She said, “What country is that in?” I responded that Rwanda is a country on the continent of Africa. Her response was, “You mean a city in the country of Africa?” I was dumbfounded and embarrassed for her and whoever failed to educate her. For my fellow Americans who tend to believe that we (Americans) are the center of the universe, take a close look at this map with overlays and recognize that we are but a fraction of God’s incredible creation that we’re simply blessed to be born and/or raised in the United States.

Row to Relax

Perception is Reality

Seeing is believing

One’s perception is their reality. To change perceived reality one must change perspective. I must often remind myself that what I see may not be what others see. What I perceive may not be what others perceive because my perspective is different. My children are great at helping me realize that I must open my eyes wider and listen more carefully to understand someone else’s reality. When I view things through the eyes of someone else I should be able to gain more clarity on their “reality” perceived through a unique perspective.

The brighter side – or not!

How many clutch discs can you buy in a year … for one vehicle? Well, I’m on five in three months. Add to that a clutch plate and several other components once or twice.  It

appears that Africa won again and now I must buy a new flywheel. A particular shop that I took the car to decided a number of parts would be better off if they removed them from my car, sold them, and put junk parts on mine. Of course it has taken three month to gradually figure out what all they stole. The parts and repairs have now cost me over $4500. We haven’t been able to figure out why the clutch disc was going bad every couple weeks. Well it seems that the flywheel, which shouldn’t need changed in the life of a car, was one of the stolen parts and a damaged part from some other vehicle was placed on mine. The flywheel now on my car is a different size and has damage as though it was in some kind of major accident.  So someone has now eaten my $4500 and half of what was to get us to the U.S. for Christmas. Looks like we’ll be holding out till summer now. The other up side is that we can’t find a flywheel in Rwanda so the car hasn’t been driven in a week. That equals at least $100 in fuel which should pay for 1/3 of the flywheel or 1/2 of the disc.

Changing Perspective

It seems Grace likes to view things from different perspectives just as her father did at this age.

Changing perspective

KICS Student/Staff Volleyball Fun

KICS Staff

KICS student VBall

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students Celebrate!

Watching Game