In rural Sri Lanka, it's a struggle for many pastors to stay in ministry. The church members are poor and can't ensure that their pastor receives a salary - perhaps only some vegetables, fruits and other agricultural produce. And that doesn't go far if the pastor has to support the family.
As a result, many pastors are in danger of leaving the ministry. To ensure that pastors can stay in ministry, the Danish European Mission provides self-help to poor pastors, says Samuel Nymann Eriksen in the video.
For example, pastors can get help to set up a small shop from which they can sell food and other goods to the village. They can get goats they can breed, raise and sell. They can also get chickens, whose eggs they can sell and earn an income to benefit their families and the poor in the village.
Benefits of self-help
Instead of the West sending financial support to poor pastors in rural areas, month after month, there are many advantages to giving poor pastors help to help themselves:
- They are empowered to earn money themselves.
- They avoid becoming dependent on help from Christians in the West.
- Self-help makes a difference in the long run.
- The villagers see the pastor working with his hands and they see him as one of their own.
You can ensure that more poor pastors are helped to help themselves. Make your gift now: Support Sri Lanka: Self-help for poor pastoral families
