What benefits do goats possess? Many, as a matter of fact. Just one goat can provide milk to sell or drink, and its offspring can be sold for extra money. One goat is all it can take to lift a family out of poverty; one goat is all it took to bless Shahryar and his family.
A Struggling Family
Shahryar and his wife, Aaida, are both illiterate. As a result, the scope of jobs they could take was limited. After working day-to-day odd jobs, Shahryar found work at a gas station while Aaida worked as a daily laborer. The money they earned was still not enough to pay for their two children’s school fees and their daily needs. Shahryar and Aaida borrowed money many times but found themselves unable to pay it back. They sunk deeper and deeper into debt, not knowing how or if they could escape.
Some years earlier, Shahryar and Aaida came to know of Christ’s unfailing love for them. The couple regularly participated in services at a church led by a GFA pastor. The believers continuously prayed for Shahryar and Aaida, lifting up their situation. By the grace of God, those prayers were answered.
A Gift on Four Legs
Through an organized gift distribution, the church blessed Shahryar and Aaida with a goat! By providing a steady stream of income through its milk and offspring, this goat would bring help in their time of need. Shahryar and Aaida took the goat home and began taking care of it.
After some time, the goat gave birth to a kid. Shahryar and Aaida sold the young goat, keeping the mother goat for milk to sell and drink. The money the goats provided supplemented the family’s income, not only aiding their survival, but also keeping their children in school. Shahryar and Aaida could continue to send their children to school to attain a gift they never received: literacy. They also gave tithes and offerings to the church in thanksgiving to the Lord.
And the Lord continued to bless Shahryar and Aaida, providing them with two more baby goats!
Learn about income-generating gifts.
