Across the globe lockdowns have brought unprecedented difficulties to pastors of small churches; especially in rural areas. Reports coming from different areas are painting a similar picture. Pastors live from week to week and now many have not had any income for up to seven weeks. They are at the end of their resources. Pastors and their families are quite literally at the point of starving to death.
Harvesters and our broader Christian family must act soon.
Report from Pastor David in Southeast Asia
“From the Pastors I’ve talked to, most if not all are desperately believing God for food to feed their families. In 100 plus churches, I only know of one other church who has distributed rice to their members, and that is partly because of us providing the rice to help them.
Pastors right now have gone 7 weeks without an offering and most live day to day, hand to mouth, they don’t have a reserve or a salary to rely on, they have nothing, and if they can believe their way to feed their families, they are panicking that they are three months behind on rent and utilities. I dare say that over the next month, the vast majority of small churches will close for good and possibly lose their buildings.
We of course know that the church is more than a building and know the value of a house group, but the bigger issue here is how many people will still be in ministry at the end of this, when they’ve buried their church members and family from sickness AND starvation.
Right now, nobody is talking about evangelism or church planting or growth, they are talking about survival and if they will make it another week or month or 3 months.
Walking between villages is difficult with check points everywhere turning people away. The country is on the verge of martial law…”
You Can Help
Please help Harvesters to supply these pastors with emergency food by donating today. This will help supply one of our Harvesters pastors with a 50kg (110 pound) bag of rice or maize – enough for a family for one month.
On top of the pandemic and lockdowns, East Africa is facing a locust plague of biblical proportions. Furthermore, the UN is anticipating a severe famine in at least 36 countries within months. These are desperate times.
Partner with Harvesters and help us to maintain and preserve churches in Southeast Asia and other areas where the need is greatest. We urgently need your help as we focus on pastors and their families.
Hebrews 6: 10 “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
Prayerfully consider making a donation today and making a life changing impact in a family’s life.