Poor Pastor Rasiah and his family were helped to help themselves

The ethnic conflict caused much suffering and despair for many who faced death, displacement and destruction. Many even questioned their faith as they lost loved ones and experienced the pain of physical and psychological damage. Pastor Rasiah knew his calling was to minister among such people who had been affected by war. Image: Pastor Rasiah with the chickens that allow him to create an income for himself

Helping people fleeing through the jungle

"I fled with the believers from our church when our village Puthukkudiyiruppu was attacked and led them through the jungle, over ditches and through crossfire until we reached the IDP camps," Pastor Rasiah says of his experiences. "Even in the midst of our journey to safety, I told people about God's love and many unbelievers who were among us came to know Christ. Also in the camps, I had the opportunity to baptize many who had heard about our loving Father," he explains.

Earning full-time in a poor area

Motivated by his calling, Pastor Rasiah continued to serve the church full-time even after he was relocated. But he faces great challenges in serving his congregation due to the limited resources in the area. There is still no proper transportation in the village, making it difficult for believers to gather for worship. Some of those who do have access to a regular bus service cannot afford to pay for the ticket and therefore cannot attend the service. So Pastor Rasiah walks many kilometers to bring the good news to the homes of believers.

Supporting the family was difficult

"Even though I can't afford to take the bus, I continue my ministry because I know that the people need God while they recover from the damage caused by the war," he says. "But since I have no income, I can't provide for my family, and it's hard to continue my ministry without an income to live on," he says of the trials he has to go through.

Got 20 chickens from Danish European Mission donors

Now he has received help through the project and says: "I am very grateful for the 20 chickens that I have received from the Evangelical Alliance in Sri Lanka, a partner of the Danish European Mission. Through them, I now have an income. I can cover my family's basic needs with the money I get from selling eggs". He further explains that he plans to start selling some of the chickens for meat to raise money to improve his chicken farm. "This organization has been a blessing to my ministry," says a happy Pastor Rasiah. "You have encouraged me by helping me to understand that God still cares for me. May He bless you! Thank you to everyone who supports the project.