Newsletter
by Tom Atema
Quite often, Camille & I are asked what can Heart for Lebanon do to make the ministry self-sustaining. We have both wrestled with this question for several years because we would love to have the ministry be self-sustaining. To be honest we have tried over the years several projects that we were hoping would go a long way into self-sustaining the ministry. We tried a hand-made oil soap making business, we had chickens, we did all kinds of different projects however at the end of the day those did not achieve the goal of self-sustainability.
Because of the situation in the country of Lebanon neither Camille nor myself feel that the ministry of Heart for Lebanon will ever be totally self-sustaining. We have worked hard so that the families that Heart for Lebanon cares for through its Family Care program would become self-sufficient. However, even in that area, as the country keeps falling further and further behind, many of those families need some supplemental items to help them sustain life.
In working to answer this question, “how can Heart for Lebanon become self-sustained?”, Camille and I presented to the Board of Directors, a few years back, the idea of starting an Endowment Fund. A fund that will help us be self-supported in the area of our ministry that is “Making Disciples”; training men and women to be disciple makers to their own ethnic group wherever God sends them. You have probably heard of this program as our Missional Leadership Development program. After much conversation and prayer, the Board of Directors agreed and we launched our Missional Leadership Endowment Fund.
Even though we suspended raising funds towards the Missional Leadership Endowment Fund for a couple of years due to the pandemic, we are now reengaging those who have a desire to help Heart for Lebanon have one area of its ministry be self-sustained. The Board of Directors has placed a number of restrictions on this Endowment Fund and I would count it a privilege to have a discussion with you on those restrictions that operate as guardrails.
While we know this fund is not for everyone, it is for a few people. As we enter the last six months of 2024, this might be the perfect time for you to prayerfully consider investing stocks, securities or cash into this Missional Leadership Endowment Fund.
We are prayerfully asking God if he would allow us in these last six months of 2024 to add to our Missional Leadership Endowment Fund at least $700,000.
Very special friends who believe deeply in the ministry of Heart for Lebanon and who are very excited about helping Heart for Lebanon grow its endowment which helps fund our mission to “make disciples” are wanting to challenge other Heart for Lebanon friends and partners in a new way. They are willing to match all STOCK investments made between now and December 31, 2024. Here is what they are asking you to pray about: (1) Make an investment of $25,000.00 or more; (2) make the investment by donating stocks; and, (3) make that investment towards Heart for Lebanon’s Endowment fund to “make disciples.”
For more information on our South Hope Ministry Center and where we stand in real time with our financial investments, or to give stock please contact Tom Atema at tom.atema@heartforlebanon.org and cc admin@heartforlebanon.org
