Since the beginning of FARMS 62 years ago, “We’ve been focused on strengthening the global Church using small business revolving loan programs operated locally,” President Scott Clifton says.

A new type of ministry opportunity surfaced at the end of 2022. Now, in addition to its traditional approach, “FARMS is operating as consultants, using our experience and expertise to come alongside their (churches’) passion [and] the funding they have available.”

One church in the United States sponsors a Ugandan pastor serving the Lord near a large refugee camp. “This church was considering their support and wanted it to be more sustainable long term,” Clifton says.

“[Believers wanted] something that will permanently impact the pastor and community around him, even if the church isn’t able to continue their support [in the future.] They landed on business as the tool to promote that sustainability.”

Church leaders recognized they had limited business development knowledge, so they contacted FARMS for help. “We thought it was a great partnership,” Clifton says.

“The church had passion, desire, and the funding needed to help this pastor in Uganda. FARMS had the experience and expertise in business development and sending funds overseas.”

In Belize, a young organization wanted to impact lives in a way that reached past short-term mission trips. They discussed entrepreneurship and, not wanting to reinvent the wheel, partnered with FARMS to incorporate loan programs as an element of their ministry.

Pray for wisdom as leaders plan and begin microloan projects in Belize and Uganda.

“We pray they’d be strengthened as they experienced the challenges of trailblazing and beginning their new businesses,” Clifton says.

Connect with FARMS here if you’re a ministry or church leader looking for sustainable ways to support overseas work.

“A great question is, ‘Do we have the knowledge, experience, and resources to carry that out on our own?’ Maybe a church has people who are business owners [or] people who have worked with sending money overseas,” Clifton says.

“If it’s in-house, great! But if not, seek out FARMS or any other organization [with] experience because the easiest time to make adjustments is before you begin.”

In the header image, believers in Uganda build structures for the poultry project initiated through a partnership with FARMS International. (Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

“We’ve been focused on strengthening the global Church through small business revolving loan programs operated locally,” Executive Director Scott Clifton says.

Last year, “a new type of partnership developed. We feel like God put it right in front of us.”

Traditionally, FARMS began programs alongside local church partners in areas of extreme poverty. More about that here. While maintaining this approach, FARMS is also stepping into an advisory role, helping churches and individual believers improve or start new projects.

Both methods aim to empower impoverished churches, and each “focuses on sustainability,” Clifton says.

“Once someone raises their income level, that (empowerment) carries on indefinitely into the future without the need for outside support.”

First, a church in the United States sought help from FARMS for a partnering pastor in Uganda. “This church wanted it (their support) to be more sustainable long-term,” Clifton says.

Work began on a brand-new poultry project at the end of 2022. “The church had passion, desire, and funding to help this pastor in Uganda and his family. FARMS had the experience and expertise in business development, sending funds overseas, and so on,” Clifton says.

(Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

Then, another U.S. couple reached out to FARMS when the Lord put Belize on their hearts. “They wanted to participate in development in that country beyond a one-week short-term trip every year,” Clifton says.

“They started [asking themselves,] ‘what would it look like to positively impact the people of Belize for years to come?’ We conducted a vision event, and they gathered [dozens of Christian] leaders from around Belize.”

As church leaders expressed interest, the couple coordinated with FARMS to arrange a second meeting “to talk more specifically about what that (project) would look like,” Clifton says.

“That’s going to start rolling in 2023. We’re excited about what this next year holds for Belize.”

Wondering how to make the projects you support more sustainable? Connect with FARMS International here.

“It’s not just humanitarian [aid]; it’s not just raising income. It’s this focus on the Church that motivates many people to get involved,” Clifton says.

Header image courtesy of FARMS International.

Using Your Skills for Good

“One of the biggest misconceptions that I have run into is the fact that people don’t realize that they can use whatever skills or training that they have for in missions,” TeachBeyond’s Heather Brown says.

“With us, many people are coming to us to serve as teachers, and yet, there are other positions besides just teaching within TeachBeyond… We need people to be involved in business development, and communications, and some of those outside positions as well that help us sustain the work at each of these schools and programs.”

Brown says there are positions in maintenance, administration, and IT.

Another common misconception, she says, is that people must study something new if they have a desire to enter into the mission field. However, people may already be more qualified and trained for the field than they think.

“It’s very possible to use the training you already have, the gifts you already have, the passions that God has already put inside you, already are lining up with needs around the world.”

There are opportunities to expand work positions as well.

For instance, for people who want to work as teachers, but do not have background experience in teaching, TeachBeyond will bridge the gap and ensure training.

“We love when we have a qualified candidate who has teaching certification and is wanting to serve in a role as a teacher, but we also do have a couple other options for people who aren’t certified teachers… If they want to serve as a TESL teacher, we have partnerships to help them get TESL training.”

Are You Right for the Field?

Ultimately, TeachBeyond is looking for people who have their heart set on God. They should attend church, be involved, and grow in their faith so that they’re strong enough to face odds in the mission field overseas.

(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond via Facebook)

Brown also suggests that interested people should look at how God has worked in their lives so far and consider if they’re being called to a certain country or with a certain people group.

“We’re definitely looking for people who love the Lord and have a genuine heart to serve, and have a growing relationship with Him,” Brown says.

“And along with that, something that we hear from all of our schools and program leaders, who, we ask them this question too, and they continually respond by saying that we need people who are flexible… People who are willing to be flexible in different circumstances, and try new things. So much of life overseas is unpredictable.”

If you feel called to the mission field and want to help different schools overseas, Brown encourages you to pray as you move forward with the process.

“Sometimes it can feel like when we pray, we’re not doing anything and so, we’re sitting, waiting for an answer, and that can be a frustrating experience, and so, I personally believe that we can couple prayer with action, and as we take one step of obedience at a time, and are continually prayerful about the process, that the Lord opens doors and makes things clear as we move forward.”

TeachBeyond has opportunities open to you in Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Take your next step toward the mission field today.

Header photo courtesy of TeachBeyond via Facebook