Oftentimes, pastors are the last to help themselves when they have a need. They repeatedly give of themselves to the flocks they so faithfully shepherd.
This is particularly true in the Islamic World, where persecuted Christians often live in desperate need. Our team has met many pastors in that region who feel guilt and shame when it comes to providing for themselves when they see so many who need help, and so they don’t—to the detriment of their own health and family.
At Help The Persecuted, we have longed to come alongside these pastors who are giving up everything for the sake of the gospel and the persecuted Christians they shepherd so self-sacrificially. Because of this, we have created our Shepherds Fund.
This fund is a grant that will provide for a pastor’s living expenses and daily needs for an entire year, allowing them to focus entirely on their ministry. It will ensure that pastors in the Middle East are holistically cared for, that they are meeting the needs of persecuted believers just as their own needs have been met.
We are excited to introduce you to our first recipient, Dawood!
Dawood left his job due to harassment for his Christian faith…and felt God calling him to seminary. After he graduated, he taught theology classes for many years. Today, he is in full-time ministry in Pakistan, his home country. His church supports him, but the need is so great that he can receive only occasional offerings for his income. He struggles to cover his gas and electricity bills, his daughter’s university fees, and medical costs for his wife. He longs to have a motorbike that will help him travel throughout the region to minister to more people.
When our team met Dawood and learned his story, we all had the same thought: the Shepherds Fund! The 12 months of living expenses and motorcycle we will provide will help Dawood continue his ministry in one of the most dangerous countries on earth to follow Jesus. It will give him the resources that he needs to take care of himself and his family, helping him serve even more people as he reaches the lost and cares for the persecuted in Pakistan.