Biographical Sketch

It was while studying language in the Philippines that Christian Beuggert, a missionary from Switzerland, met Bonnie Nissley, a missionary with GBIM teaching missionaries’ children in the Philippines.

Christian was born and raised in Switzerland. He came to know the Lord through the influence of a local youth group at the age of 20. Soon afterwards, he became interested in missions through a movie involving work in China. Christian attended Theological Seminary Chrischona in Switzerland for four years. He then pastored a church for two years before he applied to serve with OMF International. In 1994 he left for the Philippines following the Lord’s leading to work with the urban poor.

Bonnie was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, into a Christian family. She grew up in the church, and accepted Christ at the age of 12. At age 17 she made Jesus Lord of her life. The summer following her senior year of high school, she spent eight weeks in Brazil and committed her life to possible missions in the future. Bonnie attended Grace College and received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. After teaching 3 years, she studied at West Virginia University and received a Masters Degree as a Reading Specialist. In 1991 she left for the Philippines where she taught at Faith Academy for three years.

Bonnie and Christian were married in July 1996 and returned to the Philippines with OMF International. For the next three years they did church planting and youth ministry. After that they were involved in leadership training, itinerant teaching in rural churches, as well as teaching among the urban poor churches for two years.

Kayla was born to the family in October 1998, Michael in April 2000, and Philip was added in June 2002.

The Beuggerts returned to the Philippines with GBIM in the summer of 2002. Their ministry involved planting churches with a focus on leadership training in Manila, handling the finances, working with youth as well as evangelism and discipleship.

After the Tsunami hit Asia, Christian and Bonnie felt they were to go to Thailand to possibly help start a ministry with Grace Brethren there.  After spending the year 2005-2006 in Thailand, helping with Campus Crusade for Christ, realizing the lack of churches in the country and developing a heart for this country, they made the decision to return long term to Thailand.  

They are presently on Home Assignment, split between Switzerland and the USA.  They plan to return as a family to Thailand in July of 2007 to begin language study in Bangkok.  They are praying for a team to join them and they will wait upon the Lord as they seek his leading for their future ministry and location in the country.