USA: When Otis Newman opened the door and peered inside, the refrigerator was empty. Next to him, the children rummaged through the shelves. Before leaving for their vacation, the family ate everything except dry goods.
Missionaries for the International Mission Board thought about the likely cost of the stocking. For months, inflation has been a hot topic around the world.
While experts try to predict how this will affect the economy, it won't be clear to most people until they have to pay for groceries or utilities.
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The cost of restoring the Neumann family's supply of lunch meat, milk, cereal and bread for a few days in Europe was 153 euros, or $162.89.
“A baguette now costs 1,20 euros ($1.26), compared to 90 cents when we first moved here. “I see these needs and I know that every part of it belongs to others,” said the veteran missionary. comes generously.
Because Southern Baptists, who are dealing with ever-increasing costs, remain compassionate and give [to the Lottie Moon offering], we are able to be present among the lost.
IMB President Paul Chitwood acknowledges that staggering rates of inflation in the United States and elsewhere have put Southern Baptist missionaries in a difficult financial position.
Both the price of goods and the cost of utilities for missionaries in Europe have increased dramatically in many countries in North Africa and the Middle East.
The inflation rate in Lebanon recently decreased from 162.47 percent to 158.46 percent. In contrast, the inflation rate in the US ends 2022 at around 7.1%. The cost of food in Lebanon has risen so much that locals now often refer to the country's "food inflation", which has hit 280 percent and a gallon of milk has cost more than $20.
Fortunately, Southern Baptists are moving to meet the difficulties of keeping missionaries on the field, even as inflation affects different countries.
The 2021 Lottie Moon Christmas offering saw the highest level of generosity from churches in the IMB's 177-year history. The $203.7 million that was raised, in its entirety, supports field missionaries.
Every cent will be needed. In normal years, the IMB aims to give 6% annually, just to keep up with inflation. The increase does not account for the unexpected global economic downturn that the world has faced recently. Despite rising costs, Southern Baptists remain steadfast in their commitment to essential missionary work.
According to Chitwood, the gospel is God's answer to the world's biggest issue - spiritual loss - and that is what our missionaries are doing. "How Will the Lost Hear the Gospel Without Missionaries?"
To maintain this presence, missionaries are sometimes sent to expensive locations such as the Middle East or France, where Kit and Stacy Klein currently live. They collaborate with other IMB missionaries throughout Europe, the continent with the lowest percentage of evangelical Christians.
Kitt said that according to the IMB Europe as an organization has lost as much as it has lost. We want to help our neighbors understand that their biggest issue is not materialistic but their spiritual isolation.
The Kleins walk through these financial difficulties with their neighbors and friends. Although his family of seven has had to make cuts, he is not currently facing the difficult decisions brought on by job losses. By walking, using public transportation, and riding their bike, they try to save gas.
As the cost of utilities rose rapidly, he searched for ways to reduce usage. In addition, the IMB implemented a complement of utilities for residents of affected nations with an unexpected increase in costs.
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However, one of the biggest increases in her family's budget was still the cost of groceries. Food disappears quickly when you have five growing children. Stacey talked with other moms in the neighborhood about using more beans and ways to cut the cost of groceries as she tried to spread the word.
According to Kitt such common experiences provide a starting point for spiritual discussions. The women's group's discussion of money-saving strategies created a comfortable setting for them to discuss other aspects of their lives.
A mother shared the financial burden caused by this economic crisis. For the first time in their friendship, Stacey was able to share about the love and compassion of Jesus when she offered to pray.
Stacey said, "We greatly appreciate Southern Baptist churches continuing to give despite their financial difficulties." "Being present among the most under-reached has been invaluable to us."
