Helping pastors feed their families and shepherd their flocks. 

Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, many villages rely solely on agriculture to sustain themselves and their families. Pastors of small Christian communities also depend on the crops they cultivate and the animals they raise for their livelihood. This demanding work can be incredibly time–consuming, leaving them with difficult decisions to make. They must balance the physical hunger of their families with the spiritual hunger of their congregations. This often means that one or the other suffers for a time.

Our partner, who has been raising bees for some time to supplement his family’s income and support evangelism and discipleship, has just completed a 7–week training programme for pastors on bee colony management and honey, beeswax, and other bee product marketing.

The course was more than a sustainable agricultural project. It was a living classroom for discipleship, encouraging trainees to use beekeeping as a powerful tool for making disciples, building relationships in unsaved communities, and establishing strong community roots. 

Beekeeping requires a gentle spirit, patience, and absolute alertness. In teaching this course, he’s also taught them how to look out for those in their churches who are struggling, protecting their small Christian communities from division, and nurturing a healthy environment where all Christians can flourish by God’s grace.