FARMS International works to reduce poverty in a Biblical way. (Photo by FARMS)

Ecuador (MNN) — When does help become counterproductive? This is a question that any mission organization should consider.

FARMS International began working 53 years ago to equip poor and needy societies with the ability to support themselves. Joseph Richter of FARMS says, “It was based on the premise that we in the West can help churches in poor countries without creating hurtful dependency, and I think over the years we have really discovered the keys in the way to do that.”

Not only is dependency harmful to the development of the society being helped, but it is a hindrance to the community’s own spreading of the Gospel.

FARMS uses a loan program that helps empower people groups to support themselves. The exciting thing is that once a church can support its work, it has the ability to go out among surrounding communities to spread the Gospel.

“I can honestly say that our approach to missions by using a loan program that is totally locally run and locally administered really has helped in many ways expand church-planting efforts and even foreign evangelism,” says Richter.

Northern Thailand is one area in which the loan program has been introduced. The success is so great that the native mission work there now reaches into Burma. They are a local mission supported by their own funds generated by this loan program.

FARMS wants to continue a similar system in Ecuador.

Richter says, “Our hope is to work with the Quichua believers in Ecuador. The Quichua church has had a long history of dependency on the West, and that has been very hurtful and has created sort of a nominalism in the church today that is going to be difficult to turn around.”

As FARMS discusses the possibilities of coming alongside these people, they have found an encouraging response from the Quichua people. The idea of local and true ownership of a self-supporting system is well-received.

“It was very exciting to see their face light up like this was something new, something they could buy into,” says Richter.

Richter is hopeful that the new generation is ready to change the trend of things as far as dependency goes.

He explains, “It’s like starting over with the Quichua believers. We have an open window right now to really reach them and teach them and show them that they can be their own leaders, they can run their own churches, they can do these things with the gifts and callings that God has given them.”

The initiation of these programs requires a push from the outside world. That is why financial support from you is often necessary in the beginning. More importantly, these programs need your prayers. Pray for FARMS and the people they work with as they begin this new work in Ecuador.

Richter says, “I believe there’s a lot of people that have an interest in indigenous groups, and the Quichua people are well known around the world. I believe that church can really be vibrant again and that it can reach many areas where there are unbelievers and people that are still needing the Gospel throughout those mountains.”

That doesn't mean that ministry can't happen in those nations, however. It just means that Christians have to be a little more creative in the ways the get in. Certain perfectly-placed believers can be a godsend to restricted areas.

FARMS International has attracted many of these well-placed believers. FARMS is a loan program for Christians, with the purpose of building the church and increasing evangelism within the 12 countries it serves.

Some of these countries border restricted nations.

"We have programs that sometimes border countries that are closed-access countries to missionaries and Christian workers, but the believers in those countries have a real burden to reach across borders," explains FARMS executive director Joe Richter. "They have found that the FARMS program is an effective way of building up the local church. So they find very creative ways of working across these borders."

Believers who have been helped by FARMS are thus able to take the program to nearby nations that FARMS could never enter otherwise. "There are always dangers, and there are always situations that are difficult. But I see that they believe the benefits far outweigh the risks," says Richter.

The benefits include not just the strengthening of the church, but the birth of new believers in countries that have strained attitudes toward Christians. This is a significant stride for missions and kingdom building.

Currently, FARMS has a number of believers who are ready and willing to take the program into other nations. Richter says, "We'd be able to go into a lot more places if the resources were available."

You or your whole church could become involved. Richter is always willing to speak to churches or Sunday school classes, or you can seek out more information about the ministry on their Web site.

Another huge need is prayer. Pray for the safety of bold believers crossing borders, and pray for this program to expand under God's direction. Already FARMS is moving into two new countries and will soon be able to share about that new work. Pray for these new programs as well.

With a population of 7,398,000, this densely-populated country
in east-central Africa is becoming more and more stable since the genocide of
1994, in which 800,000 died. Now, about 23 percent of the population is
evangelical Christian.

FARMS International is doing all they can to help this progress.
Recently, Nathan McLaughlin with FARMS visited Rwanda and had the chance to
visit three of their five sub-committees.

"On our recent visit, we witnessed a progress toward peace
and economic development that was very encouraging," McLaughlin said in FARMS
October newsletter. However, "Rwanda is still suffering a great deal, and the
human brokenness was all too evident. Launching a program in this desperate
country has to be done with much prayer and wisdom."

McLaughlin went on to say in the newsletter that the missionaries who
were in Rwanda looked at the situation and came up with a unique approach.

"It is always our intent to let the nationals design and
implement their own program. By writing their own policy, they really own the
program from the beginning," McLaughlin said. "This was very evident as I
traveled through Rwanda with the FARMS Committee Chairman; this was their
program."

It has been four years since FARMS first implemented this
program, and they are about to hand out their fifth round of loans. In fact,
the coordinator of the Association for Peace and Development in Burera said they
have a 98-percent repayment rate on the loans given thus far.

McLaughlin had the chance to hear several testimonies while
he was in Rwanda. These included the testimony of Ignace and her family: they took
out a loan with FARMS and were able to buy a cow. The cow's calf and the
fertilizer the cow produced enabled the family to gain money to plant crops. They then
sold the cow, repaid FARMS, and purchased goats to sustain them and pay for
their children's education.

Another family purchased banana plants with their loan. "The profits from our plantation allowed us to help families
who lost loved ones in the earthquakes," said Mary Gorelth, a member of this
family.

McLaughlin asked for prayer as families and individuals move
toward stability and restoration, "Continue to pray for the church there as
they are vital in sharing the hope of the Gospel, helping the poor and healing
the deep emotional and spiritual wounds."

Click here to read more testimonies and view videos on what
FARMS in doing. Also, if you would like to help FARMS financially, visit
farmsinternational.com.