VOCATIONAL TRAINING

In many areas of Asia, those coming to Christ are typically from the lowest and most impoverished classes. Thus Christian leaders are often unskilled, unemployed, and dependent on the scanty support salaries available to them through mission agencies. Pastors are usually unable to send their children to a good school. Thus their children grow up uneducated and destined to repeat the cycle of poverty.

The key to seeing the Gospel established and rooted throughout a nation is native leaders who are strong - not only in Christ-like character and Biblical knowledge, but also in their ability to earn and provide for their family. When the believers in a church are working reasonably good jobs, they are able to tithe and eventually to support their pastor fulltime.

In 2008 thanks to funding provided by a generous donor, we conducted an experiment called the "Techno-Missionary Project." Sixty young unskilled pastors were selected who were subsisting in abject poverty due to lack of a marketable skill. To earn a living, these pastors were laboring in fields owned by others throughout the day. In the evening they lead their house-based churches. The tithes of the destitute parishoners - usually only a few pennies - were insufficient to provide even a small amount of their needed income.

We provided these young men Biblical training combined with a 3-9 month vocational skills course. Skills learned included carpentry, electrical wiring, computer hardware repair, screen printing, electronics repair, tailoring and well drilling. After their graduation, they were able to obtain jobs or to start their own small business. These pastors are now prospering, their income having nearly doubled. They are no longer living in poverty, nor are they dependent on foreign support.

We also conduct sewing schools for young women. A girl who learns the skill of tailoring is able to provided essential added income for her family.

It costs about $75/month to enable a young person to attend a vocational skills program. This experience gives him hope for a brighter future and stopps the cycle of poverty in his family.

Sponsor a vocational student today!

SEWING SCHOOLS

Starting in 2004 we began to look for a way to help the people come out of poverty. That year we established three Sewing Schools. Since that time hundreds of girls have graduated from the sewing schools. This is a dream-come-true for many who otherwise would have no skill and no way to earn an incme.

Nirmala, one of our sewing teachers says, “There are several sewing centers in the city of Varanasi but it was too far for the villagers to go. Moreover they don't have enough money to be able to travel into the city every day for the training. But I praise God that TellASIA has opened this sewing school for the village women.”

Soni, one of the students says,“I am thankful to God that TellASIA has helped me to be trained. I belong to a poor family. My parents are not able to pay for my training, but now I was able to receive training.”

Urmila Dube says, “I would like to give thanks for the Sewing Center, because it has given a new hope to my life. I was not qualified to get any job, but this training has equipped me so well that now I may earn my livelihood.”

Urmila Dube says, “I would like to give thanks for the Sewing Center, because it has given a new hope to my life. I was not qualified to get any job, but this training has equipped me so well that now I may earn my livelihood.”

Sunita says, “Allahabad is the nearest city to my home village of Champtpur but the city  is  too far for me to go daily for training.  There is not even one sewing school anywhere in my county. Moreover I could never afford the tuition for the city schools. But TellASIA gave me training within the price I could afford. I have been trained one year. Now I can stitch almost all kinds of dresses. It gives me a new hope and dimension in my life. In future this will be a great source to maintain my family.”

These are only a few of the testimonies. It costs $100 to purchase a sewing machine, and about $75 per month to hire the sewing teacher. You can be a part of changing lives!  This project also comes under our Vocational Training program.

Sponsor vocational training.