This is post is from Patrick Hubbard’s blog, our Founder and President. He and his family are integral to the mission of Living Bread Ministries and have made huge sacrifices in order for LBM to exist and make a difference serving the global poor. Please consider partnering with them in this special way.
You can see the original post here.
As I sit to write this I struggle with how to begin; only clichés come to mind:
“Some go and others send.”
“One goes into the well while one holds the rope, but they both have scars on their hands.”
The point being: those who go and those who send are equally significant. Yet, I feel as though many would-be senders don’t realize their vital importance to our ministry.
As a person who has spent the last 12 years on the going side of the equation, I can honestly say nothing is more encouraging to me as when others partner with me in ministry. I often receive encouraging words from many, and I am grateful. However, when someone shows they believe in what we’re doing by investing in the work, I am encouraged to persevere. I can relate to what Paul told the church in Philippi, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” (Phil 4:17). I am passionate about this ministry and want to give others an opportunity to join us in serving Jesus by serving some of the poorest people on the planet.
When Barbara and I launched Living Bread Ministries almost 12 years ago we were torn between the need to fundraise and the responsibility of proving our ministry model was worthy of investment. Since it was a new organization we felt we must bear fruit before asking others to join us. So, for the first few years we did not seek to raise personal support. We supported ourselves through our personal savings and odd jobs. With this we also launched the work in Brazil. After a few years of this our savings was exhausted and many of our personal belongings had been sold off, but an exciting church planting movement among the poor in Brazil was taking shape!
Eventually, we began raising personal support toward a set goal of $3,000 per month. We worked to raise this money while concurrently fundraising for the work in Brazil. It took seven years to reach our goal and we have not sought to increase our personal funding since. However, as sender’s circumstances have changed over the past two years, we have watched our personal support dwindle. The problem has been compounded for us as living expenses increase—including our health insurance which we pay out of our personal support.
As a result, we currently find ourselves needing to raise $1,500 per month in personal support to cover the decrease in giving, and cost of living and health insurance increases. Would you please consider partnering with us by committing to a monthly contribution or a special one-time gift? In doing so you join us in the important work of comprehensive church planting among the global poor. As a sender, you become a catalyst for church planting movements in Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, and beyond. All donations are tax deductible and can be made using the secure link below. We are grateful for your generosity!
Join the Hubbard’s in Comprehensive Church Planting Among the Global Poor
