For years FARMS has provided microcredit loans to believers in some of the poorest communities around the world. Through this unique system, Church members create self-sustaining businesses to support their families and give back to their community and church.

However, COVID-19 has taken its toll. One contact in Cuba was unable to get his government rationed rice portion due to shortages. He and his family were forced to eat green bananas without salt and got dysentery. Thankfully they recovered, but stories like his have become more common over the past few months.

Life-saving Aid

Another partner in Bangladesh is a day laborer, and due to restrictions, was unable to work for some time. Now that restrictions have been lifted, he is still facing trouble.

(Image courtesy of FARMS International)

Scott Clifton with FARMS says, “There’s still this fear that’s pervasive throughout the communities there. So a rickshaw puller can go out and try to get work, but nobody’s hiring them. And so it’s really a difficult time. Sometimes we think that all restrictions are lifted; life is returning to normal. But for these people, that’s not necessarily the case.”

Thankfully in this instance, the local Church, some of whose members are FARMS partners, was able to step in. They provided food for the man and his family.

Clifton says, “They asked him about his circumstance. He said, ‘We not eating, are dying.’ That’s the direct translation, ‘We not eating, are dying,’ and he was able to get food from the church that sustained him. You can see the impact of the Church to not only show the words of Christ, but also the actions of Christ.”

Doing Good That Helps the Church Grow

This story illustrates the purpose of FARMS. Clifton emphasizes that they exist to strengthen the Church so that it is able to carry out the Great Commission. Their programs provide help for Christians so that they are self-reliant and focused on the Gospel not their circumstances. The goal of their microcredit isn’t just for practical or material gains for individuals, but it’s to glorify God.

“When people increase their resources, those are resources that they’re using to glorify God. Which means they’re representing Him to their neighbors, to their communities, in their churches,” Clifton states. “And so when you do that, then the churches are able to expand, sometimes quite rapidly.”

People around the world are suffering with undernourishment, but also are suffering without the truth of the Gospel. FARMS International invites you to join them as they support local Christians as they spread the Good News.

Learn more about FARMS or join them financially today.

Header image courtesy of FARMS International.

However, health experts say the virus in India may not peak until June or July. And for now, India’s lockdown measures are taking a toll on the poor and day laborers.

Todd with Mission India, says, “Here in the US, many of us know of people who live month-to-month or paycheck-to-paycheck. But in India, 40 percent of the population are day laborers, and they live day-to-day. That is, they earn to eat. With the impact of the lockdown, it’s created a huge humanitarian crisis in terms of a lack of resources for food.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Christians are scrambling to help with relief kits from Mission India. But Indian Christians are often seen as social pariahs and suffer oppression at the hands of religious extremists. India currently holds 10th place on the World Watch List for extreme Christian persecution.

However, that isn’t stopping believers from giving aid to their neighbors at this time – some of whom may be their persecutors.

“There’s all kinds of persecution in India; in fact, even governmental persecution,” Todd says. “But now, we’ve received communication from the government saying, ‘Hey, will you help us with this relief work?’”

Mission India’s relief kits are only $40 to produce and can feed a family of four for 40 days. “In that relief kit is obviously food and hygiene items to help combat COVID-19 and a powerful Gospel message, which is so desperately needed in India.”

The bulk of Mission India’s ministry is in rural areas and it’s all through local believers. These believers are concentrating relief efforts in the rural areas where ministry takes place as well as some urban areas.

In the midst of a terrible situation where families are losing jobs and loved ones to the virus, the Gospel offers unique hope– hope that most of India still doesn’t have.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

“India is the most unreached nation in the world,” Todd says. “In fact, more people in India have never heard the name of Jesus and anywhere else. They just have no hope to look to. They’re asking, ‘Where is our help going to come from?’ We think this is an incredible opportunity where God is opening a door for us to demonstrate the love of Christ to people who need it so desperately.”

You can support Mission India’s relief kits here!

Something else everybody can do to spiritually encourage India is pray. “We would ask for prayers for Prime Minister Modi, that God would govern his thoughts…. We would ask people to pray Colossians 4, that there would be an open door for the Gospel and that, as Paul says, we would present it clearly.”

Finally, Todd says, “We would pray that — in the midst of our own unique challenges we’re dealing with here in the US in terms of COVID-19 — people would give generously to provide food for a family of four. And then we would ask for prayer for our staff and for all of our partners in terms of protection against COVID-19.”

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

Bill Passons with AMG International says, “One of the challenges that we’re having, is that we still serve a very vulnerable people group. Most of the people groups, most of the people, that we serve are disadvantaged and live in poverty. Lack of access to work, not being able to move around to be able to get things that they need is a real challenge.”

Passons says that with the Ugandan lockdown currently extending to May 5th, people used to living meager paycheck to meager paycheck are hit especially hard. As in other countries, all travel and business has been halted except for necessities such as pre-approved visits to supermarkets and medical facilities. AMG’s nursing school and child and youth development center are both shut down as well.

Continuing Food Ministries

However, work is not at a standstill. With studies and public gatherings suspended, AMG has sought new ways to serve. Through coordinators at the development center, they network with families in need, keeping in touch about pressing needs and changes in job status.

(Administrator at Youth Development Center. Photo courtesy of AMG International)

Children were served meals at the center when it was still open. Without the possibility of physical community, one concern has been getting food into the hands of those who still depend on that meal. Passons says, “With our kids not being able to come to the center, because [of] the laws not allowing us [to come] together, we’re seeing a great need to be able to try to get food into the hands of the families of the children that we serve.

“And so where governments are allowing, we’re petitioning the government as a charitable organization that is meeting social needs to allow us to go into the communities and distribute food rations to families in need. In some places, they’ve been very willing to allow us to do that.”

Offering Hope to the Poor

Yet even with special permission for AMG to continue to serve, the poor are often facing what seem to be insurmountable struggles with the lockdown. Passons acknowledges that the social distancing and lockdowns are necessary, but adds that these measures put the poor and vulnerable at even greater risk in Uganda and around the world.

For many, these times feel desperate, yet with Christ there is always hope. Passons says the Church’s unity in the Spirit is now joined by a common physical pain as well.

“As we look at this virus and the disruption it’s having around the world, one of the things that we’ve been able to do is just pray for one another,” Passons states. “You know, this is new territory for all of us. So just pray for God’s strength and God’s wisdom. We know as believers that as we keep our eyes focused on Him, that He can give us peace in the midst of even tragic circumstances.”

Get Involved

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

Passons urges the Church to pray for the poor in Uganda and around the world. He also encourages Christians to look for ways to get involved with the poor in their own communities. Respect the government’s authority, but seek to have the compassion of Christ and be His hands and feet where possible.

Christian work does not stop worldwide because of COVID-19. AMG is still active and aiding the communities they serve. All of that takes resources.

Passons says, “If you do feel led to give through AMG, we’ve set up a special fund for COVID-19 response. So if you have a desire to help, you can just send donations just with that notation, and we’ll get that get that headed to make an impact in one of the fields we serve in around the world.”

To help AMG continue their work in Uganda, click here.

Header photo courtesy of Feed My Starving Children on Flickr https://bit.ly/3bkmu8w

What does a new FARMS program mean?

FARMS International strengthens local churches by offering interest-free loans to impoverished believers and their families. These loans help people establish a livelihood that can be self-supported, whether through agriculture or through small business. FARMS also encourages families to support local churches and give back to hurting communities.

Scott Clifton, Executive Director of FARMS International, explains that they follow a model that has some similarities to a multiplication model of church planting.

“When we say a new program, that means there is a separate committee that there wasn’t before. [It is made up] of local volunteers that oversee the operations of the program. That means there are three new committees in these three new locations. Sometimes it’s a completely new committee and sometimes it’s born out of an existing program and they are multiplying to form two committees where there was only one previously.”

Philippines

This model is working. In the Philippines, believers decided to put a second committee in place.

“There is knowledge that has been passed from the one committee to the new committee. There is a committee member that served on that former committee. That’s a very cool story of multiplication. They see the value in having a program like FARMS there and they want to see it increase.”

(Header photo and Farmer in the Philippines courtesy of FARMS International)

Traditionally, FARMS projects in the Philippines centered around agriculture. However, FARMS sees a growing need in urban environments, so they are moving into Manila. The team hopes to offer loans for small businesses.

For example, one pioneer entrepreneur is a pastor who operates a t-shirt business. He designs, prints, and sells his shirts. His loan will help that business grow and eventually his profits will help support his business and others.

As the team grows and more people give back, they can support new small business owners.

Bangladesh

Like in the Philippines, the new committee in Bangladesh hails from a previous FARMS group. They saw as-of-yet unexplored ways to help their community and proactively brought their idea for a new group to FARMS leadership.

FARMS approved the new initiative. Now, the group heads up a pilot program that operates out of their ministry center. They teach poor young people literacy skills to help them make prudent financial decisions and understand land and work contracts.

Cuba

(Dividends from small businesses used to fix a church vehicle in Cuba. Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

Unlike India and Bangladesh, the new group in Cuba is not tied to a previous FARMS team. Instead, the new group will start with just a few members who are primarily working in agriculture.

Pressing Needs

Clifton compares these new programs to new life that pops up in spring. They are fragile in the beginning, but as the programs grow, they become more sturdy. More members mean more stable groups.

As these new groups start, Clifton asks for two things:

Prayer

Pray that God would bless the work of the Christian families receiving the loans. Pray that they would use their loans wisely and seek God’s guidance in their decisions and as they reach out to their neighbors. Please also pray that God would direct FARMS leadership to families and churches that are serious about giving back to the kingdom of God and reaching their communities for Christ.

Financial Support

FARMS relies on donors. Clifton says, “It does cost money to fund programs. So, if people feel compelled to give financially, it would allow for programs like these to increase. It would also allow for other programs to be considered. There’s always more places that I’m in conversation with people about opportunities. There’s always more opportunities than we can pursue. If people are compelled to give financially that would be a great help as well.”

FARMS is a non-profit model They exist because of generous donors who believe in their mission. Consider supporting FARMS financially today.

Visit FARMSInternational.com to learn more.

The study was recently completed by the Barna Group and commissioned by Compassion International, titled “The Good News About Global Poverty: What Americans Believe About the World’s Poor — and What Churches Can Do to Help.”

One of the study’s more positive findings was that extreme poverty has been on a strong decline for decades.

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

Gary Edmonds, President and CEO of Food for the Hungry (FH), explains, “Back in about 1990, it was estimated that close to two billion people globally lived in a situation of extreme poverty. But since 1990, it’s estimated that 1.1 billion have actually risen out of extreme poverty.

“That is an encouraging statement, that God is responding, the strategies, the plans, the work that we and many, many others are doing is actually having a positive impact. So I’m encouraged by that!”

People around the world who live on less than $1.90 a day are considered extremely impoverished. While it is heartening to hear that fewer people are in this state today than in recent decades, there was also bad news in the report.

Ministering to the Body, Abandoning the Soul

“One of the interesting things that I saw from the Barna study is that it said for Americans, even including American Christians, that the lowest factor that they considered that was relevant to reducing extreme poverty was the spiritual factor. That astounded me,” says Edmonds.

“Here we are, we are a people who have been given freedom — freedom to worship, freedom to believe, freedom to practice our own faith, especially those of us who are followers of Jesus and would hold the Bible up as the Word of God. And yet, many of these people don’t necessarily see a correlation between faith and faith practices relative to reducing extreme poverty in the world. I think they more often see it as doling out or handing out goods, material things.”

Part of this may be in response to abusive ministry tactics people have witnessed. When organizations use religion as a bribe before giving out aid, spiritual commitments made in this context are empty at best and severely damaged at worst.

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

However, swinging the pendulum to the other extreme and serving only the body without any ministry to the soul leaves people in extreme spiritual poverty.

In FH’s ministry, Edmonds says they embrace a holistic approach.

“We want to see all forms of human poverty ended worldwide. So when we say extreme poverty at that point, we look at it from a physical [and] economical perspective, but we look at it as well…from a spiritual perspective. We want extreme poverty to be ended spiritually, socially — we want relationships healthy — educationally, [and] intellectually as well.”

What Does Balanced Ministry Look Like?

“So what do we do?” asks Edmonds. “We enter into communities. We build relationships with communities that are in extreme poverty…. As we enter into those communities, we will do an assessment with the local community. We want them to own their own change or transformation.”

Not everyone FH serves will end up giving their lives to Christ. And that’s okay. Spiritual commitments are not a requirement for someone to benefit from the ministry.

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

As Edmonds puts it, their ministry’s goal is to go into impoverished communities and represent Emmanuel — “God with us.” FH staff are open to spiritual conversations and ultimately there to meet needs in the name of Jesus.

“So we will come alongside them, we will teach them, we will train them, we will help them to actually begin to respond to their own priorities. It might be clean water, it might be a living wage, it might be with education, health concerns, [and] we’ve helped a lot of them start churches.”

Secular Organizations are Taking Notice

This approach is unique in comparison to secular organizations that are unable to meet spiritual needs. Edmonds says FH’s effectiveness in reducing poverty has caught the attention of big-name groups like World Bank and political leaders.

“We have been recognized on a global basis — even by governments — that the biggest thing we do in bringing about a change to contexts of extreme poverty is we change the beliefs and behaviors…of the local people.

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

“As the beliefs of the local people change, as they live in hope, as they have a trust in God and they want to have a life that is moral and ethical according to God’s Word, to God’s truth, that actually helps them to rise dramatically out of extreme poverty!

“We have had these groups actually come to us and say, ‘We see you’re a leading change agent and that as you go in and as you work with these people, hope rises in the lives of these people. Therefore, we are asking you to advise us on how can we engage better with faith-based, Christian organizations. You seem to have a key understanding to this reduction of extreme poverty.’”

We Have More To Do

While the dramatic reduction of extreme poverty is an encouraging sign, there is still a lot of work to do. The Church is a major force in this movement, but there are many more who could get involved.

“The people of God need to realize we have an awful lot to bring as the people of God in helping to reduce extreme poverty. I would love for pastors and those who would teach to actually grasp and help the members of their congregation to understand this,” says Edmonds.

“We’ve got major things to be able to offer our world in the reduction of poverty, and that includes bringing the tenants and the principles of our faith.”

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

Fighting global poverty in all its forms isn’t hard. It just takes some intentionality to find those ministries that are responding to physical needs and also sharing spiritual hope in Jesus Christ.

Once you’ve done that, an obvious way to get involved is to support your chosen ministry! Click here to learn more about Food for the Hungry.

“It’s like sending a missionary at that point. Your donations allow groups like us, Food for the Hungry, to literally have people who live in states often of destitute. So you’re sending people to live amongst these impoverished people.”

And finally, Edmonds says, “The last thing I would tell you to do is advocate for it! Get yourself educated, learn, read this study for example out of Barna, and engage and advocate with others. Let us unite in this effort to fight and reduce poverty.

“Might we be eager to respond to the plight of the poor in the world because I believe that is a part of God’s will and that’s a part of God’s heart.”

(Header photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

FARMS identifies needy communities around the world and, through the local Church, sets up a microloan program. A committee distributes microloans to Christians according to their need in order that they can establish or improve a sustainable income-generating project. When these Christians pay back the interest-free loans, they agree to tithe back to their local church from the profits they make. This, in turn, strengthens the outreach ability of the church into the local community.

In time, these microloan programs address both physical and spiritual poverty.

Strength of Faith

Over the years, Joe Richter of FARMS International has been challenged by the attitude and response of Christians involved in their program who have faced such destitute circumstances.

“I think it’s so general, what I see with FARMS, that people in very difficult situations, because they know somebody cares about them and someone has provided for this loan for their family, there’s a real thankfulness and a real joy in the life they have in Jesus. And it radiates… from them and has really impacted my life personally.”

He reminds us how the Scripture speaks to the situation of the poor. The Bible says that the poor are rich in faith (James 2:5), and that they are heirs of the Kingdom (Matthew 5:3). In other words, God has designed our earthly circumstances to teach us more about our need for Him.

(Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

Richter says, “Sometimes I think in the West, we have everything we need. And we’re not looking for something to help us, and we can take care of ourselves.

“And we sometimes lack that miraculous element in someone’s life that lives in a little village in a remote area, and all of the sudden they hear about a program that’s Christian-based that can help Christians come out of poverty and give them a chance to come out of the cycle of poverty.”

And typically, these people know exactly who is behind the aid they’re receiving.

“They always are giving thanks back to God—not to FARMS International, not to myself personally. They always recognize it as the hand of God and that God sees them even though they live in a remote area of the world and that’s how this miracle came into their place, and to their village, and to their church.”

But Richter says their response is something the rest of the Body of Christ needs to pay attention to.

“We face difficult situations in a different way, but we can learn from people in the Body of Christ that are poor and we can learn a lot that they can radiate with real joy because they know where they came from and they know where they’re going and they’re very thankful—even in the face of great persecution and sometimes life-threatening persecution. They respond with an amazing faith and joy that I sometimes don’t see in our own culture.”

Why Should We Care?

One of the ways we can deepen our understanding of our dependence on God and adopt that same attitude of faith and joy is to get involved with helping those in need. And this is something God has already called the Body of Christ to do.

“There are so many Scriptures in the Bible relating to the poor and what should be our response to the poor. And we think of different ones in Deuteronomy and other places where it says, ‘Don’t harden your heart when a poor man comes to you.’ And that’s something that we always need to keep up in front of us as Christians here.”

He explains that in the West, Christians have the incredible ability to make a real impact on the global Church.

“We need to think that way– that we really are the rich man. We really are the one that has the means to help the poor.”

As Paul says in 1 Corinthians, if one part of the Body suffers, we all suffer. He calls believers to be conscious of what’s happening with the Church, globally. And Richter believes when we have the means to help out, we should be convicted to do something.

(Photo courtesy of FARMS International).

“It will produce tremendous results in our own spiritual lives and in the lives of the Church around the world,” he says.

Consider walking alongside a ministry like FARMS who is already on the ground doing tremendous work by God’s calling. You can start just by letting others know about this ministry:

“I would always appreciate that people share about the ministry of FARMS. You know, we’re not a large organization but we do impact a lot of people with the gifts that are given. And we do need more and more supporters in the days ahead and we have new opportunities like in Mizoram and Ecuador and we’re looking at starting two other programs in the Philippines.

“But we need to have a larger family of supporters and prayer warriors for the ministry of FARMS. And we’re looking forward to that happening in the years ahead and we keep going and doing what God has called this ministry to do.”

For other ways to partner, click here.

Someone shakes you awake at four in the morning: the 52,000 surrendered to the 3,000. The city is lost.

(Photo courtesy VBB)

That’s what happened in Mosul, Iraq, and the surrounding villages last year in June. ISIS beat a force over 17 times their size then stormed from house to house.

Vision Beyond Borders President Patrick Klein elaborates: at each house, he says ISIS “told the people to convert to Islam or die or leave. Many of them left.”

How many? Enough to cause a serious problem in Dohuk, “which is about an hour north of Mosul.

“We’re seeing more and more flooding of refugees,” Klein says, “and the government in Dohuk said, ‘We can’t handle all this influx of refugees.’ Camps can have as many as 70,000 refugees, and they’re desperate for care.

“They can’t afford to buy anything because when they left Mosul and the surrounding villages, they left with just the clothes on their backs,” says Klein. “They had no time to go to the banks and get any money out.” One man even lamented to partners that ”he had $60,000 saved. It was his life’s savings, and ISIS took all of his money.”

ISIS isn’t done traumatizing the people of Mosul. Young girls and women are being taken as prizes by ISIS members who use and abuse them before “sending them back to their families [so] that they’re terrorized to increase the fear in families,” says Klein.

One man’s 70-year-old mother was beaten and abused until the militants decided, “’We don’t want her, we don’t want to feed her anymore, we don’t want to be responsible for her. Let’s let her go back to her family.’”

The most fervent prayer for many refugees is that “we might just see ISIS get routed and then people can go back and live in their homes again,” says Klein. But even then, they are still fearful. “A lot of them said they were afraid because they thought there were land mines actually put in their houses.”

So what can we do to help? Vision Beyond Borders is taking a giant first step.

Klein says, “We’re doing containers to Northern Iraq to help our Christian brothers and sisters and also to reach out to Yazidi people in Iraq that have been affected by ISIS.”

This first container will include “school supplies, medical supplies, and also hygiene supplies,” says Klein, “just to say, ‘We’re with you in this.’”

Photo Courtesy Vision Beyond Borders

And that’s not the end of it. Vision Beyond Borders has been ”raising funds to buy Bibles to help them to replace the Bibles that have been lost.”

But for such a big problem, there needs to be a long-term plan in place. “What we thought we’d do is start small,” explains Klein. “We thought, ‘Let’s send a container. Let’s get Bibles for them. Let’s start small and then let’s see where God takes it.’”

That doesn’t mean this first container will also be the last. “I think what we want to do is continuously send containers and supplies for them.”

As the people struggle for money, Klein introduces yet another long-term plan. He says they want “to set up micro-finance loans, to help ]refugees] get settled in Northern Iraq.”

So how can you help? It turns out you are vital to the cause. You’ve also got options. Klein says they can get full Arabic Bibles from Northern Iraq for “$4 a piece.” In addition, Vision Beyond Borders is still accepting “school supplies, hygiene materials, and basic medical supplies” for the container.

Klein closes by reminding us that God can use the warpath of ISIS to His glory. “I feel like there’s an opportunity for Christians and Americans around the world to say, ‘We’re standing with you. We love you. We care about you.’”

FHWL Headquarters (Photo Courtesy For Haiti With Love)

Haiti (MNN) — Everyone loves an invitation to a fun and festive Christmas party. But what if you were in the lesser group of people and never got invited?

For Haiti With Love flips that around with their annual Christmas party. Talking with Eva DeHart, she says, “It is for the poor people. We don’t allow any rich people there. This is their special time.”

How would one know that a special Christmas party is taking place on Christmas day just for them? DeHart explains that the staff at the For Haiti With Love headquarters and burn clinic “print up invitations, and then they take them into the poorer sections of town and actually distribute invitation cards to the children so that they can come up to the party. We’ll have probably right around 600 kids at our headquarters on Christmas day.”

With that many guests, fundraising is vital. It began in August. Many donate to help get the supplies needed to make this party special to the kids. Money raised is used to purchase the food locally. She says, “We accumulate stuff State side. We buy things like the plates, the spoons, the cups, the napkins. We ball soccer balls by the case, deflated, to ship. And we buy school bags in bulk so that those things all go by either ship or by air to Capacian Haiti to be in place for the Christmas party.”

As Christmas is less than a week away now, it is too late for listeners to donate as items won’t make it to Haiti in time for the party. DeHart suggests, “Cash gifts would help with the shipping bills that are coming in.”

We can also “pray that they don’t get rained on. Pray that everyone receives the Christmas message and is firmly reminded of what the day is all about.”

Also pray that many lives will be touched this Christmas as the story of Christ is shared with the children. Pray that their hearts will be open to hearing the Gospel. Pray that their lives will be blessed from this special party For Haiti With Love is putting on just for them.

Many of these communities are made up of shanties built on rooftops, as well as along rivers and roadsides. Most of them don't have running water, a bathroom, or electricity. People living in these settlements are vulnerable to evictions, fires and flooding.

Fires spread quickly and can easily take out a community before it's brought under control. MengAun Hour serves as the National Director of Asian Access/Cambodia. He says last Saturday, January 20, "Behind our church, one house, a coffee shop, started burning, and the owner of the house was not in the house, so the fire started burning from that house to many houses."

By the time it was put out, "It destroyed 13 houses there. It's a poor community, and among the 13 houses are five houses of our church members." Because of the way the homes are built, there is not much time to grab anything, Pastor MengAun points out. "Most of them, they just ran away by themselves. They didn't take anything from the house."

One woman carried her elderly mother out but couldn't get back in to get anything else. Four widows and their families lost their homes in the blaze. The loss of the homes is significant to a family that cannot afford to rebuild.

Pastor MengAun says when the church saw who was affected, "Even though we are a small church, a poor church, we're encouraging them to help for the special offering. We got $185 (USD) to buy food and clothes for those who are really in need." They weren't alone, he adds. "About four or five churches came and took a special offering like our church did to help the people in the community whose houses burned."

A2's pastors have been trained "for such a time as this." The key to its effectiveness is the careful selection of twelve emerging leaders. These leaders are then invited to be a part of a class that meets four times a year for a week at a time over a two-year period.

In the course of the training, the leaders are able to become more aware of their distinct strengths individually, as well as the unique giftedness of their congregations. Eight years ago, Asian Access graduated its first class of participants in Cambodia. Last year, they graduated the 4th class. What has the training taught: that a unified Church brings hope in situations that are desperate

The land belongs to the homeowners, so it's really a question of getting funds for building materials. Cement will cost between $4,000 to $5,000, but wood costs between $500 and $800. The $185 collected by the churches is a good start.

What they're hoping for now is a little more help, says Pastor MengAun. "If we can come together, we will rebuild the houses. If we cannot build 13 houses in that community that burned by fire, at least we can build four houses for the widow families." For now, survivors are staying in the church and with Pastor MengAun. Their long-term response, he says, will create future outreach. "I think that's the best help, and it will also allow the community to see the love of Christ flowing through the Church in that area."

To help Asian Access grow a building fund for the Cambodian outreach, click here.

Founder and President of Paradise Bound Ministries Dan Smith says the Antigua side of Fuego isn't affected, but, "On the other side of Fuego lies an entire area where there are just a lot of poor villages on the coastal region of Guatemala. That is the area that seems to be affected the most, as well as one of the villages in which we have been working for the last two years, building homes right on the base of the volcano."

Smith says, "Many of the villages are very, very poor. And everything they own is inside that little shack that they live in, They're fearful to leave because when they come back, or IF they come back to a house at all, perhaps nothing will be there. So, many people are choosing to stay"–which Smith says is also dangerous.

Why? "Many of them are supplying their water for the villages out of streams or springs up on the mountainside, so those will become contaminated most likely, as well."

Smith says Paradise Bound has been cut off from some of the villages where they have discipleship ministry. Teams are trying to make contact with those individuals.

While the eruption was difficult for many, it can also be something God uses to draw people to Himself. Paradise Bound always keeps this in mind. "As we can come in with Christ's love and are able to help them–whether it be with water filters or the medical aspect of it, n everything we do we share the Gospel. They are very open to it."

Paradise Bound provides medical care, pastoral training, discipleship training, rebuilds homes for families, and runs Open Doors Orphanage. It costs $32 a month to sponsor a child there. Click here to help.