Non-Existent Organizations

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA recently recorded a podcast with Chinese pastor, Brother Enfu*. He offered some insights on this unique concern of the underground church.

Nettleton says, “Every single church leader that has been charged in the last two years has been charged with financial crimes charges. They’ve been charged with fraud. They’ve been charged with so-called illegal business practices. And what it comes down to is the government comes in and says, ‘Hey, you’re collecting donations for an organization that doesn’t exist. That’s fraud.’”

Pastors facing this charge have very little chance at a defense. They cannot admit to having parishioners since that would require a legal church. The trials have been short and there is little chance for outside help since China says the arrests are for fraud not religious persecution.

(Image courtesy of Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash)

Nettleton says that for Brother Enfu and other church leaders this poses a serious problem. Tithing, paying a pastor, and even providing healthcare or insurance for the pastor have become increasingly difficult.

“You can’t start a checking account for something that doesn’t legally exist. And the Chinese government is certainly monitoring financial transactions. They’re watching what’s going on. He talked about the fact that people bring their offerings in cash because they don’t want it tracked through some kind of electronic transaction, and the church doesn’t have a checking account where they could deposit checks. So people bring their money, their offerings, in cash. Then in his church they divided it up among the elders of the church,” Nettleton says.

Once the elders have the money, there still must be a legitimate reason for them to have it. So many church leaders have found themselves attending to these practical concerns while they struggle to find time to prepare to preach.

Smaller Churches, No Outside Training

Additionally, the crackdown in this way has forced larger underground churches to break up into smaller units. They need more leaders, but the avenues to train and pay them are fewer and more dangerous than in the past.

One area of increased concern is with outside training from foreigners. Brother Enfu noted that the government has cracked down on outsiders sharing the Gospel.

(Image courtesy of Zhang Kaiyv on Unsplash)

Nettleton says, “Not just in front of a crowd of people, but literally even in a one-on-one conversation, for a foreigner to talk about religion is now against the law in China. And so the need for Chinese leaders to be raised up, and Chinese leaders to stay and to train the next generation of leaders, that is something that is certainly on Brother Enfu’s heart. He encouraged us to pray for that as well.”

As a result of these new and creative means of persecution, Chinese parents are preparing their children for oppression and imprisonment. Nettleton says, “He talked about literally sitting around his own dinner table and talking with his own children about, ‘What will happen when I get arrested? Yeah, that that’s a strong possibility. But more importantly, what will happen when you get arrested my children? When you go to prison? Because that’s what it looks like to follow Jesus in China.’”

Please pray that God would continue to grow the church in China despite persecution.

If you want to listen to Brother Enfu’s interview in full, click here.

*Pseudonym

Header image courtesy of Ye Jinghan via Unsplash

Every Child Ministries (ECM) uses a program called Farming God’s Way to teach effective farming techniques to people in northeast Uganda — and most importantly, connect them to our Creator.

(Photo courtesy of Every Child Ministries)

Mark Luckey, ECM’s Executive Director says, “It really helps people understand why. Why did God create it that way? How did he make it that way? How does it benefit us to remember that and learn from that? And what does it mean for the future as we farm about how we give back to the Provider?”

One Ugandan couple, Moses and Mary, joined the Farming God’s Way program with ECM two years ago.

Luckey says, “Toward the end of that first year, they had a pretty good harvest – five bags of corn, a few bags of sorghum, some peanuts, and one bag of beans.

“Just a year later, after continuing to put into practice Farming God’s Way, they harvested 25 bags of corn (which is a five times increase), 21 bags of beans,…they had a three times increase in sorghum, and a six times increase in peanuts.”

Moses and Mary used the profit from selling some of their produce to open a small grocery stand and generate more income. They were also able to store food for their family and pay for their children’s schooling.

In breaking out of the hand-to-mouth cycle of poverty, Ugandan believers are able to take their consistent income to save for their family’s future, give back to their community, and support their local Church.

“They learned to bring a tithe back to God,” says Luckey. “In a community like this, they literally would take 10% of their harvest…and give it to the church.”

Pray for a bountiful harvest in Uganda – both on farms and in people’s hearts through Christ!

Click here to learn more about ECM.

Header photo courtesy of Every Child Ministries.

Global Disciples’ campaign GoGlobal 1Day runs through the summer and invites people to think differently about missions and how they can creatively contribute to the Great Commission. The GoGlobal 1Day campaign culminates in a celebration where people can learn about Global Disciples’ mission to reach the least-reached with the Gospel and how they can get involved.

“It’s a lesson in generosity for families and kids,” says Global Disciples’ Communications Vice President Wendy Nagle. “They can be missionaries in their own backyard and they can also be part of the giving opportunity and the praying opportunities to reach people just like them around the world.” 

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

This year, the GoGlobal 1Day event took place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on September 6th. Approximately 300 adults and kids participated in GoGlobal 1Day.

But a surprising and joyful result was how the children responded.

Andrea Brubaker, a board member with Global Disciples and a long-time supporter, was enthusiastic about organizing a way kids could participate in GoGlobal 1Day. As a music director at her church for 22 years, Brubaker enjoys writing musicals and drama for kids to perform and decided to incorporate this into the event.

Brubaker says, “It was a way to involve them and get them to learn about GoGlobal and also get them to be missional right on the stage as they share about the love of Jesus.”

For each child who performed at GoGlobal 1Day, Brubaker gave them $10 as an honorarium in the form of one $5 and five $1s. She then talked to them about honoring God with our talents and resources and giving back to Him.

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

“One of the things I always say to my kids, my cast before performing is, ‘Who gave you the gift?’ — and I’m obviously referring to their gifts of talent and their abilities,” says Brubaker. “I love when they reply back, ‘God gave me the gift.’ Then I say to them in response, ‘Then Who are you going to give the gift back to?’

“I think too, as we talk about missions and how do we pass on to the next generation that they become mission-minded, the one thing I just feel very passionate about is to remind our children, to remind these next generations that everything they have comes from God.”

There was a table set up for donations at GoGlobal 1Day. All financial gifts supported ministry efforts to share Jesus with least-reached people through Global Disciples.

For many of the kids, it clicked.

“Those children, many of them came up to me and said, ‘Can you go with me to the table? I want to give.’”

Brubaker says, “It’s just really fun to have them open up their envelope and stand there and they were so excited to be able to know that the money that they were giving,…what it’s being used for is to reach the least-reached.

(Photo courtesy of rawpixel.com)

“I just think it’s so important that we teach our children, this next generation, that God is the ultimate Giver of the gift. So the willing heart to give back I think is such a beautiful expression.”

The GoGlobal 1Day event may be over, but there are still many ways you can get involved in missions through Global Disciples.

First, get creative with how you give!

Consider “working for the Great Commission” for one day and donating what you would earn in one day’s work to Global Disciples! Or you can host your own fundraiser — wash cars, hold a bake sale, organize a walk-a-thon — there are many ways to creatively support Gospel ministry!

To find giving opportunities with Global Disciples, click here.

Nagle says, “We’re really encouraging people to think, how could you do something special for Global Disciples? It doesn’t have to happen near our office. But really help your friends think a little bit more about what near-culture missions is about and how you can get involved.”

(Photo courtesy of rawpixel.com)

Then, connect with Global Disciples and be encouraged by how God is moving.

“As the year goes one, stay engaged online at globaldisciples.org. Or ask us to send a newsletter and you can go online and request that as well. We’d love to keep the conversation flowing throughout the year and continue to stay focused and engaged on inviting the next generation.”

Header photo courtesy of Global Disciples.

Joe Richter of FARMS International has a wonderful example of this from the Philippines. He says, “Organic farming is very popular in the United States and other countries, too. And the Philippines is not unusual in that respect, that people are looking more at the quality of their food and the nutritional value of their food and also the natural ways of growing things.”

Organic farming methods were first utilized in the FARMS Philippine project by a young pastor named Vic.

Vic (Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

Vic grew up in Aguilar, Philippines and became a Christian at a young age. Eventually, God led him into ministry in the Masbate Province where he met his wife and started a family. Given his background in agriculture, he combined outreach of the Gospel with teaching sustainable farming practices to the locals. However, the regional poverty was a constant struggle and eventually, Vic and his family moved back home to Aguilar. But God already had something planned for him there.

When Vic and his family moved back to Aguilar, the FARMS program had just taken off. Vic’s father, mother, and sister were already involved, and it seemed like it would be a good fit for him and his family.

Back in Masbate, Vic saw moneylenders take advantage of those in need of financing for farming. Some three-month loans even came with a 100 percent interest rate. And because life was so difficult in this area, many families had to split up while parents looked for income elsewhere.

FARMS approaches loans quite a bit differently. Their interest-free microloans are distributed through local church committees. They help families begin or improve sustainable income-generating projects. When the loan-holder begins to make a profit off their project and are able to pay back the loan, they agree to tithe from the profits, strengthening their local church’s ability to reach the local communities with the Gospel.

Vic’s first loan with FARMS helped him to start a laying duck project. Many other projects followed, allowing him to adequately provide for his family and even send his three children to school. And over the years, he’s learned a lot more about sustainable and effective farming.

Today he grows okra, corn, squash, taro root, and much more. He also raises pigs and cows and is always looking for the next sustainable project to begin. He’s collecting a wealth of information on organic farming. But, Vic still has a heart for those struggling to provide for their families. He doesn’t want to keep his success in organic, sustainable farming to himself.

Richter says, “He really wants to expand that for himself and also, he has a vision to train other pastors and Christians in his area in the methods of organic farming. And he has done a lot of experimenting and he’s been very industrious and he finds that organic vegetables and organically grown animals actually provide a better income for him than putting great amounts of money into pesticides and inorganic fertilizers and foods for animals that are not organically grown.”

Aguilar, Philippines. (Photo courtesy of The Muddled Corner via Flickr)

In particular, Vic wants to be able to bring these practices to self-supported pastors like himself, other FARMS loan-holders who are pursuing similar projects, the poor, and even school youth.

“He would like to establish an organic agricultural training site in his home village where we’ve had a FARMS program for over 10 years. And, he believes this approach is a real viable way of teaching self-sufficiency and crop and animal raising and other useful horticultural skills.”

FARMS is walking alongside Vic to help make this dream a reality:

“FARMS’ emphasis is on our loan program, but we feel this really dovetails with what we’re doing and are wanting to encourage Vic in this project and to have other people know about it that might want to come alongside him in this endeavor.”

Richter says if you have an interest in bringing organic farming methods to families in need, consider contacting FARMS here to talk about how you can help. You can also call +1 888 993 2767 for more information.

If you’d like to support FARMS’ global microloan program, click here.

Ask God to bless Vic as he seeks to grow his holistic ministry. Pray that through this project, others would come to know the Lord.

Also, join Vic and the FARMS’ team as they pray for opportunities to bring this program to Masbate.

(Photo courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)

“When we talk about World Food Day, we need to realize that many times we’re not aware of just the reality of people — literally around two-thirds of the planet — who often are food insecure. They don’t know when the next meal is going to come,” Edmonds explains.

“We are facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the end of the second World War. In parts … of East Africa and the Middle East, they are literally at risk. The numbers are astounding — 20 million people who are at risk of starvation right now.”

In addition to the global statistics on food insecurity, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that one out of nine people in the world were suffering from chronic undernourishment between 2014-2016.

A Story of Hunger

Talking about the reality of hunger and food insecurity is one thing. But witnessing it will change your life.

For example, Edmonds was traveling in an African country and agreed to visit a community’s school. “They said, ‘You’re going to go into a school today where several children have been killed by classmates simply for the sake of obtaining the plate of food that their classmates possessed.’ And I thought, how horrific. That is just unconscionable.”

“They went on to say that…all of these children, they’re in families, they’re in home environments where many of them have not eaten for the past three or four days and so because of their desperation, they did something very desperate.”

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

It’s time for the Church to step up. Christians in the United States are only tithing 2.5 percent per capita.

But if each professed believer in the American Church began giving 10 percent of their income, there would be another $165 billion for churches to put into missions and outreach initiatives. An estimated $25 billion of that could eradicate global hunger, starvation, and deaths from preventable diseases in just five years.

“We can do something about it. We can be God’s agents of compassion. We can be his agents of mercy and of justice for these kinds of people. We can bring the truth of the Gospel that God is a good God. God is a caring God. So I would say to us as a people right now…let’s respond. Let’s not be silent.”

Long-Term Solutions

Food for the Hungry works to foster food stability for 2,800 communities in over 20 different countries. Their ministry includes livelihood and agricultural training, nutrition and wellness education, clean water projects, and more!

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

Edmonds shares, “We want to help people learn how to cultivate food. We want them to be food secure in the sense that throughout the course of the entire year they actually have access to food and foodstuffs to feed themselves, to feed their children at least a minimum of twice a day.

“We’re trying to restore them to a place of dignity, of health, and well-being for all that allows them to have the appropriate nutrition, that they can grow up to their full status and well-being, that they can get themselves educated, and that they can have a hope and a future in line with what would be God’s intent and God’s desire for them.”

FH also provides disaster response and emergency aid. “When people are on the edge of starvation, we are transporting food, we’re transporting water into literally feeding hundreds of thousands if not millions of people in certain situations. So you can be a help to stem the tide of those who are in desperate starvation states.”

Another major part of FH’s initiative is child-focused community transformation. Edmonds explains, “We have learned that the health, the well-being, the nurture, the educational opportunities of a child, it’s the quickest way to determine the health and relative well-being of a community, of a society. So we focus on children, not exclusively but with the understanding that children, if they’re cared for, if they’re loved in this kind of a way, then likely the community is going to be moving in a positive direction.”

(Photo courtesy of Food for the Hungry)

When a person or child is missing meals, it’s harder for them to go to school. It’s harder for them to get a job. It’s harder for them to take care of their loved ones.

Click here to sponsor a child with Food for the Hungry!

When you give to food initiatives that emphasize long-term sustainability and community growth, you are literally uplifting the lives of people who don’t know where their next meal will come from. You are showing them God’s compassion. And in Food for the Hungry’s case, this ministry is opening Gospel conversations.

To donate to Food for the Hungry, click here!

Finally, Edmonds asks, “Pray that God would be merciful, that he would move the minds and the hearts of his people, move the minds and the hearts of his Church in such a way that they would respond to this kind of a call for justice.”

Garcia was finishing his study abroad program in Israel at age 18. It was at this time he first started feeling drawn to Thailand. So when he finished up the program, he met with his pastor to see what opportunities there were for him to serve in Thailand.

His pastor had an opportunity in mind. There were opportunities to serve the urban poor in Bangkok.

Coffee Farmers in Thailand. (Photo courtesy of FARMS International)

Garcia said, “Sure, why don’t they send me?”

At this time, he was 19-years-old and went to live with a family for nine months. He learned the language and worked in the slums and housing projects.

“It was an awesome time of my life. I felt like I grew immensely, and I fell in love with Thai people and Thai culture, and I started to really mesh with some of the locals.”

So at this young age, he decided to commit long-term to ministry in Thailand.

For the last few years, Garcia has been working as a freelance content and copywriter for hotels and other establishments. But he wanted to pursue something different. Something that had to do with coffee. He started looking around and contacting people in northern Thailand. That’s when he heard about FARMS.

After contacting Joe Richter, President of FARMS, he agreed to visit Thailand on their behalf to learn about their projects in the area. He spent about two weeks meeting people involved in the projects and learning how they were impacted.

A quick reminder: FARMS provides believers with small loans through the local church. These interest-free loans go towards starting or improving a business or other income project. Loan holders agree to pay tithe to their church once they have paid back the loan. Many of the loan holders have invested in coffee farming.

At first, Garcia said he was a bit skeptical about the project. He wasn’t sure how the microloan project worked out beyond helping people with their businesses. But during those two weeks, that perception changed.

“Through their lives, I saw that the loans were helping in incredible ways. Churches were being planted. There were a lot of people’s families who were in anguish and poverty, and they were being kind of elevated out of it. There was a lot of suffering and need and illnesses, and the FARMS loans [were] helping, and it was helping send children and their families to university to get further education. But above all, it was helping the local Church.”

Because the loan programs buoy the local Church, they also contribute to the spread of the Gospel.

“I think it has an incredible potential to help the local people not only increase their faith, but increase the amount that’s given to their local church to fund evangelistic efforts in the surrounding area that’s never heard about Christ.”

During his time meeting with Thailand believers, Garcia also got to meet with a pastor from a restricted nation in Asia.

In the 80s and 90s, this man lost many members of his family — his father, some siblings, and some of his other relatives. At the time, his nation was experiencing a lot of instability. But that’s when he became a Christian and his life changed drastically. But as he began to share his faith, he experienced much persecution. Additionally, he was very poor. It was all he could do to provide for his family due to low wages. Even so, he continued to share the Gospel.

By mid-2000, he was an assistant pastor. This was around the time he heard of FARMS and obtained a loan.

Garcia says, “With that, he purchased some cattle and he was raising some animals with this loan. He shared about how the FARMS loan really helped him to not just survive and not just eke out a meager living out, but actually thrive and use a lot of his funds towards his church, use a lot of his funds he was receiving from this helping from this loan for the Kingdom purposes.”

Black Lahu village

Garcia gives another practical example of how these loans aid evangelical work. One family he met from the Black Lahu tribe shared their story. They had been living in a dirt, bamboo, and grass hut. They were struggling with illness and living as minimally as they could. The family was made up of believers, but they weren’t fully living out their faith.

“They were working constantly because of how low they were paid. So they had to work seven days a week. Sometimes they couldn’t go to any sort of service, they couldn’t hear the Gospel, they couldn’t hear teachings because they were so busy.”

But about ten years ago, they got introduced to FARMS. With the loan they received, they started a small business.

“It freed up several days during the week where they could work in the local area, share with their family members, go to church services. And really, it helped them to do much, much more than they were able to prior to that,” Garcia says.

This family’s story is pretty common among the poor in Thailand. They work six to seven 12-hour days a week and have little time to get involved, much less share their faith.

“I think FARMS is there to help them thrive financially and then through that thriving, to free them up to do more evangelism, discipleship, and work within the local church.”

Garcia is planning on getting his MBA at a Christian university in Northern Thailand. They’ve told him he will be the first westerner to get an MBA in the Thai language.

“It’s a unique endeavor, I’m excited about it. I’m trying not to be nervous,” he says.

Both Richter and Garcia are hoping that as Garcia pursues ministry and a future in Thailand that he can continue to work with FARMs.

Richter says he appreciates Garcia’s unique perspectives of the projects in Thailand and he is thrilled they’ve finally been able to meet in person.

As Garcia follows God’s lead, he says there are a few ways we can be praying. “Pray for discipleship opportunities; that open doors would be there to disciple young men, especially. Pray for opportunities in the coffee world and in the business world so that I could have an open door to live in Thailand for the long-term.”

Also, please pray for the FARMS program in Thailand and around the world.

If you would like to help projects like this in various parts of the world, consider coming alongside FARMS International. Click here to learn more.

In 2010, an economy-crippling earthquake struck. Just a couple years later, Haiti was severely flooded with intense rain from Hurricane Sandy. Last year, droughts brought on by El Niño caused crops to fail in some areas. Last month, destruction came in the form of Hurricane Matthew.

Jeff Boshart serves as vice president on the board for FARMS International. He recently visited Haiti and was updated on one of their two micro-loan projects in the Central Plateau of Haiti.

He explains, “FARMS works through local churches with a program of providing micro-credit, micro-loans to help believers start small businesses. The program is run by local volunteers — a completely Haitian volunteer, leadership group.”

These micro-loans are interest free with a small service fee. Loan holders agree to tithe from the profit they receive from their business. This is a unique model for loans because it instills the value of “paying it forward” in those who are helped.

Some of the most beneficial projects are raising animals like goats, chickens, and cows.

The types of businesses these micro-loans go towards vary from country to country. In Moldova, these loans help farmers buy greenhouses to increase growing seasons and crop output. In Haiti, some of the projects result in business owners buying bulk necessities like oil, gasoline, and food to distribute them.

Boshart says, “The kinds of projects we really like — and that have really been most helpful and beneficial — are animal raising projects and projects such as carpenters buying wood and making furniture, basket-makers, so those types of projects.”

Finding sustainability and stability

Natural disasters prove just how small the margin of error is for most Haitians. When businesses are destroyed, there is no back-up plan. When last year’s crops failed, it was devastating.

“One of our volunteers in the Central Plateau was telling us, he said, ‘These [FARMS] loans and the small businesses these people have, actually, have been the difference for some of the holders who are older, who are widows. They have made the difference between life and death, literally, for some of these families, because their crops failed and their small businesses were the only thing keeping them going.’”

Agriculture in Haiti is extremely susceptible to weather conditions like hurricanes. Boshart, who also works for Church of the Brethren in some of the cities further south, says the damage from Hurricane Matthew was much more widespread than the immediate area of impact. High winds and heavy rains damaged crops and killed animals hundreds of miles away.

In Haiti, much of the farmland is on steep hillsides. Because nearby forests have been cut down, the farmland is largely unprotected from the elements of wind and rain. Crops don’t stand a chance during heavy storms.

Church of the Bethren is doing long-term relief aid in Haiti (to help with that, click here), but they’re also providing agricultural education on things like soil conservation and sustainability. This will help establish a long-term safety net for farmers.

FARMS is helping on the financial side of things — for families and for the Church. Boshart says there is a deep-seated mentality of dependence for churches in Haiti. Many of them rely wholly on international support to function. FARMS is one of the few working to change that.

“The vision for FARMS is to help come alongside and support ministries of local churches. We work through local churches and the hope is these churches will have increased tithing. Through the increased tithing, these churches would be better able to support their pastors.”

And when they ask loan groups how they are using that tithe money — there’s good news for the Gospel.

“We find out a lot of these congregations have choirs and women’s groups that like to go out and do evangelism work, and this helps support that.”

Churches can afford to travel to other communities. They are able to hold special services at night to impact the immediate community.

The gift of giving

Boshart explains one final impact of their micro-loan program that isn’t necessarily obvious. In poverty, it is a rare thing to be able to give someone anything. But part of the agreement of this program is that loan holders give back to the church.

Because of this, Boshart says, “once people actually begin to tithe — and many of them for the first time in their lives — they experience the joy and blessings of giving to others. So that goes beyond just the support for the Church’s ministries, but people feel personal blessings in their own lives.”

Consider having your small group or church missions committee learn more about this micro-loans model. Contact Joe Richter, President of FARMS International, to learn about availability for a speaking engagement.

Boshart asks you to pray for FARMS International. They work in many countries, even some where being a Christian isn’t necessarily safe or comfortable. He also asks that we pray for those who risk their lives to follow Christ.

You can support FARMS here.

Compassion International reaches developing countries with the truth of the Gospel (Photo by Compassion International)

Int’l (MNN) – As the economic growth in America remains slow, Christians are asking hard questions about their money.

A study done by the Barna Group last year reports that in April of 2012, 41% of Americans had reduced their donations to non-profit organizations. This decrease of charitable giving has spread elsewhere. 11% of Americans have stopped giving to churches, and 34% have reduced their donations to churches and religious centers.

For one organization, however, their growth opposes the trend. According to Tim Glenn with Compassion International, they have seen a continual 9% growth in donations for the past four to five years.

Glenn says that in the past, donors gave from the goodness of their hearts, or from tax breaks. In more recent years, they have asked what percentage of their donation goes directly to needy people. People still want to give despite economic conditions. “Nowadays, though, in these tough economic times, we see donors are asking really savvy questions about impact,” he explains. As the economy tightens, donors become more concerned with the effectiveness per dollar donated. “Potential donors are asking tougher questions before they give,” he says.

It is encouraging to see that people giving are concerned about root issue: what impact these ministries are making on people, and how well they are administering the gospel.

Glenn attributes the increased donations for Compassion to their ability to prove to donors that their money makes a difference: “We

actually have independent research that shows impact of our program.”

For Compassion International, they are able to show how their programs improve lives and give a positive outlook for people in developing countries. A study done on six different countries where Compassion is involved shows that students going through the program are likely to stay in school longer, achieve salaried or white collared jobs, and become community and church leaders.

God has blessed Compassion. Everything taught in their program goes hand-in-hand with the Gospel. Life skills are taught in such a way that students learn to be Godly workers. Social skills are taught in the context of discipleship. “From the day a child steps into a Compassion program, which is at a local church, they’re learning the Gospel,” Glenn relates.

Praise God for the blessings that God has bestowed upon Compassion International. Pray that other ministries will be able to convey the impact they have on the world to their donors. Pray that despite the economy, people will still give and that the Gospel would continue to reach the ears of the lost. Click here for information on Compassion’s ministry and how to give.

A study done by the Barna Group last year reports that in
April of 2012, 41% of Americans had reduced their donations to non-profit
organizations. This decrease of charitable giving has spread elsewhere. 11% of
Americans have stopped giving to churches, and 34% have reduced their donations
to churches and religious centers.

For one organization, however, their growth opposes the
trend. According to Tim Glenn with Compassion International, they have seen a
continual 9% growth in donations for the past four to five years.

Glenn says that in the past, donors gave from the goodness
of their hearts, or from tax breaks. In more recent years, they have asked what
percentage of their donation goes directly to needy people. People still want
to give despite economic conditions. "Nowadays, though, in these tough economic
times, we see donors are asking really savvy questions about impact," he
explains. As the economy tightens, donors become more concerned with the
effectiveness per dollar donated. "Potential donors are asking tougher questions
before they give," he says.

It is encouraging to see that donors are concerned
about root issue: what impact these ministries are making on people, and how
well they are administering the Gospel.

Glenn attributes the increased donations for Compassion to
their ability to prove to donors that their money makes a difference: "We
actually have independent research that shows the impact of our program."

Compassion International is able to show how
their programs improve lives and give a positive outlook for people in
developing countries. A study done in six different countries where Compassion
is involved shows that students going through the program are likely to stay in
school longer, achieve salaried or white collared jobs, and become community
and church leaders.

God has blessed Compassion. Everything taught in their
program goes hand-in-hand with the Gospel. Life skills are taught in such a way
that students learn to be Godly workers. Social skills are taught in the
context of discipleship. "From the day a child steps into a Compassion program,
which is at a local church, they're learning the Gospel," Glenn relates.

Praise God for the blessings that God has bestowed upon
Compassion International. Pray that other ministries will be able to convey the
impact they have on the world to their donors. Pray that despite the economy,
people will still give and that the Gospel would continue to reach the ears of
the lost. Click here for information on Compassion's ministry and how to give.

(Image courtesy FARMS International)

That’s due largely to a lack of infrastructure, discrimination, limited access to Thai citizenship and delayed land settlement. Hill tribe people also face a higher degree of poverty than other groups in Thailand. Most are either subsistence farmers or rely on wage employment.

FARMS International landed in one of the communities of the Lahu ten years ago. FARMS executive director Joseph Richter explains, “They live up in the hills of that area and it’s also a very good coffee growing area . But, coffee is very expensive to grow and to fertilize. We found a real niche there with micro loans to these coffee farmers. They help them increase their crops.”

Their job: to support the local church by equipping families in poverty with the means for self-support. Richter says, “All of our loan recipients agree to tithe back into their local church. This creates a new mentality, the idea of not just being a receiver of charity, but one that can give and support others.”

How does this break the cycle of poverty? Aside from teaching biblical principles on money, FARMS gives these micro loan recipients a break. “The people that benefit from this really benefit greatly because they’re not paying the high interest rates of the money lenders or even other lending organizations which can be 36% (interest) or more, which makes it almost impossible for the poor to work their way out of poverty.”

When that happens, the faith part of what they’re being taught seems to ‘take’. As this project grew, FARMS partnered with the Thailand Lahu Christian Churches association. The church-planting activity also grew. Today, there are over 50 churches in Northern Thailand near the border of Burma. Being that close, the next step was obvious. “The church had a surplus, actually, of tithing, more than they’d ever had in the past. The church decided to use that to support one of their own people that was a church-planting missionary across the border into Burma.”

“40% of their budget now was going to missions, so this is a full circle for a reached tribe that now is reaching out to their own people across the border”, he goes on to say. Although many sources report that the Lahu are 20% Christian, the Joshua Project estimates that only 3% are evangelicals. Richer says, “Probably just a small percentage of the Lahu are really believers, so there really needs to be an outpouring of God’s Spirit on those people to see many more come to know the Lord.” This also means that discipleship is part of the evangelistic outreach.

Aside from micro-enterprise loans and training, FARMS did some theological training at the Thailand Lahu Christian Church Bi-Vocational Training Center in Chiang Mai. This center has about 50 students in a four-year program designed to train them theologically as well as vocationally.

The aim is to have workers trained to teach others the Scripture and support themselves when needed. “What we’ve also seen is even if they paid back the project and they’re on their own, they continue to tithe as a practice. They have seen how God has blessed.” It’s such a huge shift in thinking. A paradigm shift like this doesn’t just happen. Prayer plays a big role, notes Richter. “Pray for encouragement of these workers. They’re working with very difficult situations and just need to know that God is with them in these pioneer outreaches.”