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restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations
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Building for the Future in India
When I was working as a Certified Financial Planner, two truths were always placed before my clients.
#1. “It isn’t what you make; it’s what you do with what you make.” In other words, size of salary is not nearly as important as wisdom in use of the salary you have.
#2. “Wealth is not gained through working; it is gained through investing.” In other words, don’t keep looking for a better job with a higher salary; instead, focus on siphoning off funds from your current salary into “wealth building” investments.
These same principles apply to work in the Kingdom. Only those funds “sent ahead” in Kingdom work will meet us in Glory.
In Kingdom work we can focus on day-by-day needs, sending funds regularly for on-going needs. Or we can do a sort-of “Kingdom wealth building” focus, so that the future needs are met through better stewardship of the salaries we have today.
In the short-term, regular funds are needed. But the goal should be a financial base that allows self-supporting ministry, especially in areas where the people are poor and young in the faith.
Enter the work in India: a first-generation work where 80% of the people are below the poverty line. How can we best help them? Here are some ways:
Short-term Assistance
- Sponsor the monthly living costs for an evangelist and his family, at $75/month; 45 evangelists lack support.
- Sponsor a child in one of the Children’s Homes, at $35/month; 30 children lack support.
Medium-Range Assistance
- Supply transportation for rural evangelists, at $1600; 6 evangelists need these motorbikes.
- Build a temporary church meeting place, at $4,000; 4 congregations are waiting for a place to meet that is protected from the weather
Long-Range Assistance
- Build a permanent church meeting place, made with brick and cement, at $8,000; 3 congregations are waiting. (These buildings can be rented out during the week to community groups.)
- Establish a private school, which will generate income for all these needs.
Dave and I have sponsored an evangelist and a child for over a year. But we have seen the wisdom of investing for the long-term in this work. And we invite you to join us, prayerfully and financially.
Allow me to share more about this school.
1. It is private; this means that tuition will be charged, unlike the “free” schools that are established in distant villages as an outreach.
2. The focus of the student body is the middle and upper-class (that 20% of the population above the poverty line); these classes prize education, and are willing to sacrifice anything for the education of their children. Education is seen as the way up economically, and well-educated children means financial benefit/security for the parents.
3. The school will be Kindergarten through High School.
4. It will be advertised as a “Christian” school. Prayer and Bible teaching will be a standard part of the curriculum.
5. When fully operational, it will allow a student body of 2,500 students! These students will be almost exclusively Hindu and Muslim in religious background. So this school will be an outreach for the Gospel in itself. Imagine a ministry where 2,500 children and teens are influenced for Christ every day!
6. The school will greatly enhance the appreciation of the community for Peniel Gospel Team. This, in turn, will open their hearts more to the Gospel message.
7. The school will generate income from within India, thereby easing the oversight and suspicion of the India government.
8. One-half of the estimated school income will be applied to the PGT ministries (evangelists, orphans, Bible School, etc.) and the other one-half will be applied to operating expenses (teacher salaries, utilities, etc.),
In dollars and cents, this means that for an investment of $383,000, this project will generate about $700,000/year after fully developed with a full enrollment, based upon today’s exchange rate. That’s a pretty good rate of return, if you ask me!!
May I share my heart with you? I’m asking the Lord to send at least $50,000 towards this project through us this year. Already $5,000 is in hand, and another $10,000 is en route.
Will you join us in giving this long-range assistance to this work in India? Please pray about it.
March 14, 2013