Native missionaries make up 90% of the mission force in the world.

March 2009

Dear Friends and Partners in Mission,

"The times, they are a-changin'." These lyrics were sung over half a century ago. But they still ring true today.

Decades ago Christian Aid Mission was able to say that a dollar a day would fully support a native missionary. Thanks to many of you who are long time supporters, these missionaries have been instrumental in planting thousands of new churches.

Today, technology and economic globalization have weakened the American dollar. It does not go as far as it used to, even in poorer countries. Now indigenous ministries are struggling to make ends meet in their inflating economies.

Since 1996 Christian Aid has asked for $50 a month to help send a native missionary to the field. Because we want everyone to be able to participate in our sponsorship family, we do not plan to increase that amount. We will share more with you about how this will work in a moment.

First, let us tell you that there are just a few places where missionaries can fully operate with $50 per month. Most native missionaries need $100, $200, or more per month to get by. Several factors that bear on the cost are . . .

Country. Support in the Middle East, for example, costs a lot more than in India.

Location. A gospel worker in a large city needs more support than a missionary in a remote, rural area.

Family status. A family with children needs more support than a single person doing the same work in the same area.

Native missionaries plant churches in many small towns and villages. These African believers meet outside under a tree because they have no building.

Over the years our good friends, like you, have helped to send native missionaries out to preach the gospel, plant churches, and win lost souls through meetings, broadcasts, literature distribution, and door-to-door evangelism. They are so much more effective at reaching unreached people groups than foreign missionaries, who do not relate very well with the people of a strange culture. And just as important, they can be sent to the field at a fraction of the cost of a foreign missionary.

Thank you for the many ways you have helped to support them. It is so important that the gospel be preached among all people.

Sharing the gospel one-on-one, as these missionaries are doing, enables native missionaries to have a meaningful impact on the people of their own culture.

As we shared above, it costs more than $50 a month to fully sustain a native missionary on the field. But rather than increasing the monthly commitment from $50 to $100 a month, we felt it would be best to keep the sponsorship gift at $50 monthly. Lord willing, we will find more sponsors for the same missionary.

Will you partner with others to keep a native missionary on the field? Please sign up today.

When you join our sponsorship family you will receive the name and photo of the missionary you help support, plus information about the mission board with which he or she serves.

You may wish to use our automatic payment program. In this way you will not need to worry about when to send your gift. Call 1-800-977-5650 to learn how this works.

Your monthly gift will insure that a native missionary will be able to continue his mission work without interruption.

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ,

Christian Aid Staff

P.S. By the way, if you do not feel comfortable taking on a monthly commitment, please consider giving a one-time gift that can be used toward the support of one or more native missionaries.

Sponsorship funds are sent to the mission group from which the missionary receives his or her support. The leaders of each indigenous mission receive with joy the combined contributions of all sponsors, and use them wisely to assure that every gospel worker is provided for according to need and without partiality.

I want to help support a native missionary. Sign me up to be a sponsor.
   I'm sending $50 for my 1st monthly gift. Send me the photo and information about the one I sponsor.

I cannot sponsor just now, but I would like to help native missionaries on the field.

I would like to help with Christian Aid's costs to serve the brethren overseas.