Abid and Saleem waited outside the worn-down double gate made of two bark-thin wood panels. A small chain that looked flimsy enough for a child to snap with a slight push cinched the panels together.

Both men squinted in the sun's midday rays as they waited for someone to welcome them into the home of Shahid Bashir.

Eventually, Shahid and his father, Bashir, welcomed them into the courtyard of the rented residence. The four men took seats on a low charpoy, a Pakistani all-purpose homemade furniture piece that resembles a hand-woven bedframe.

Shahid and Bashir sat on another charpoy directly in front of them. A nearby stand fan provided a slight breeze, a welcome relief from the around 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.

A white goat with chocolate brown spots perched on a cement block in the corner of the courtyard. The goat stared into the corner somewhat comically while the men discussed God’s provision and love for His people.

Shahid and his family are the only Christian family in their impoverished village of about 100 families. Bashir’s full name is Bashir Masih, which means “Messiah” or “Christ” and is commonly adopted as a surname in Pakistan and sometimes India when someone decides to follow Jesus.

“Both [Shahid and Bashir] are believers and light for the entire village,” Abid explains.

When Shahid was 8 years old, the roof of their house collapsed on him, breaking his leg and disabling him. When he was 12, his mother died of tuberculosis and cancer; they couldn’t afford treatment.

Bashir worked on Muslim farms until he was too old to do so. Now, one of their Muslim neighbors allows Bashir to use his gardening skills to grow vegetables. In return for his labor, Bashir’s family recieves a very small percentage of the crop.

“They spend a miserable life,” Abid describes. In Pakistan, believers often live in groups for protection from the cultural practice of blaming Christians for any and everything. Living in close proximity allows them to vouch for one another. Shahid and Bashir are at risk as the only Christians in their village.

Abid selected Shahid and Bashir to be recipients of a pair of goats as part of ITMI’s Goat Project.

The ITMI staff worked closely with Abid to design and implement this project to maximize the opportunity to make disciples.

Earlier this year, Abid selected a team of believers to help him implement the project. Over several months, he equipped them  with formal disicpleship training.

Abid used the Seven Areas of Life Training (SALT) material to teach his team the Biblical principles that guide how a believer uses resources. Armed with this understanding of God’s Word, Abid’s team members were prepared to meet with goat recipients regularly and guide them through implementing the principles.

Abid selected the recipients of the goats based on project criteria, provided them with the same SALT training, and introduced them to the Biblical principles of the project.

They discussed how they could bring glory to God by reflecting who He is. As goat caretakers, they would do this by mirroring the Lord’s “bringing forth” of all things as their care for the goats “brings forth” new resources.

They learned what it looks like to be faithful to the Lord with their physical strength, sound mind, the ability to reason, items in their possession, and the natural resources around them. The SALT material teaches that believers can honor the Lord by earning honestly, giving generously, spending wisely, and investing carefully.

Earning honestly, giving generously, and spending wisely were all built into the project. Goat recipients learned they were honoring the Lord by caring for the goats, which produces income honestly.

Before receiving the goats, they agreed that they would generously give the firstborn brought forth by the goat pair to another needy family and teach them the Biblical principles they’d implemented. The Biblical doctrine of using their income to provide for the needs of their family was the first way they would practice spending wisely.