The story of Burning Plow Ministries (BPM) begins with the call of Elisha as told in the Bible in 1 Kings 19:19-20.
In 2009, Don and Becky Cameron of Rockwall, Texas, felt a strong calling from God to get more involved with mission work. They made plans to travel to Kenya for a period of 3 months to further explore this call on their lives.
In March of 2010, Don was finishing teaching a series about the lives and ministries of Elijah and Elisha. He had just completed the lesson on the call of Elisha when a missionary friend from Romania, who was attending a mission conference at the Cameron’s home church, told Don that he had been praying for him the day before and God had given him a message that he did not understand. The message was . . . “Just like Elisha you are to kill the cow and burn the plow.” Don knew immediately that this was a message from God confirming what he and Becky were already feeling about leaving home and family to go to a foreign mission field. This message, however, took them a step further. Elisha did not just follow Elijah when he was called: he severed his work ties; he sacrificed the oxen; he burned the plowing equipment. All these actions were a way of saying, “I am making a life changing commitment and there is no turning back.” Now, it seemed as if God was telling the Camerons to sever ties in Rockwall sufficiently as to make plans to become missionaries for much more than 3 months.
In May of that same year, the young man from India whom the Camerons had been supporting during his studies at Dallas Baptist University was graduating. His brother and father came from India to attend the ceremony. They brought Don a gift which shocked everyone as it was taken out of the bag. It was a figure of a man plowing behind two oxen. They told Don that the Holy Spirit had urged them to deliver the message that the man represented Elisha and Don and that the oxen represented Kenya and India. The father and brother knew nothing about what had happened with the man from Romania.
Biblical Life Ministries gave the Camerons their start in Kenya. After a time, it became clear that God was moving them into a ministry that did not entirely fit into the vision of BLM and plans were made to expand the work into a new ministry. Thus in March of 2012, the Camerons appropriately named their new organization Burning Plow Ministries. God has called. They have responded.
In 2009, Don and Becky Cameron of Rockwall, Texas, felt a strong calling from God to get more involved with mission work. They made plans to travel to Kenya for a period of 3 months to further explore this call on their lives.
In March of 2010, Don was finishing teaching a series about the lives and ministries of Elijah and Elisha. He had just completed the lesson on the call of Elisha when a missionary friend from Romania, who was attending a mission conference at the Cameron’s home church, told Don that he had been praying for him the day before and God had given him a message that he did not understand. The message was . . . “Just like Elisha you are to kill the cow and burn the plow.” Don knew immediately that this was a message from God confirming what he and Becky were already feeling about leaving home and family to go to a foreign mission field. This message, however, took them a step further. Elisha did not just follow Elijah when he was called: he severed his work ties; he sacrificed the oxen; he burned the plowing equipment. All these actions were a way of saying, “I am making a life changing commitment and there is no turning back.” Now, it seemed as if God was telling the Camerons to sever ties in Rockwall sufficiently as to make plans to become missionaries for much more than 3 months.
In May of that same year, the young man from India whom the Camerons had been supporting during his studies at Dallas Baptist University was graduating. His brother and father came from India to attend the ceremony. They brought Don a gift which shocked everyone as it was taken out of the bag. It was a figure of a man plowing behind two oxen. They told Don that the Holy Spirit had urged them to deliver the message that the man represented Elisha and Don and that the oxen represented Kenya and India. The father and brother knew nothing about what had happened with the man from Romania.
Biblical Life Ministries gave the Camerons their start in Kenya. After a time, it became clear that God was moving them into a ministry that did not entirely fit into the vision of BLM and plans were made to expand the work into a new ministry. Thus in March of 2012, the Camerons appropriately named their new organization Burning Plow Ministries. God has called. They have responded.
Borrowing from Isaiah, Don and Becky each said “Here am I, send me.” Then, like Elisha, they disposed of their cattle, left their family and home and moved to Africa.
Greetings to you Camerons in His name! Thank you for welcoming me to your home, and ministry. Also for being so hospitable to me when I visited in August, 2014. I was so honored to be with the Burning Plow Ministries Team and also having the oportunity to talk to God for everyone at devotion. Thank you so much for being of great help to my friends - the Gen Next team. And doing great work for the Lord in Kibwezi. God has good plans for the people of Kibwezi, God has good plans for you! AMEN!
ReplyDeleteGod bless! Mumo.