General Fund Donations Are Critical to Our Work in India
​General Fund donations help cover needs in India as well as certain operating expenses here in the United States.
​Additionally, when a donor gives to a specific cause (sponsoring a child, providing Bibles, helping widows, etc.), 100% of what we receive goes directly to that purpose. We are able to do that because of the donations we receive to our General Fund.
​When you give to the General Fund, you are helping us in all aspects of the ministry, and covering costs that allow us to continue our work in India. Here are some things that a donation to the General Fund accomplishes for us.
Sanctuary Ministries is a 501(c)(3) organization, and your donation is tax-deductible.
Read below to see exactly how your donation to the General Fund is used.
1. While nobody in the US gets paid, we still have costs associated with operating a nonprofit. General Fund donations allows us to cover all our (minimal) overhead costs, which include:
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​Costs associated with operating a website
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Providing e-newsletters, etc.​
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Postage, envelopes, etc.
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Insurance
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Wire transfer fees (to get the money to India) and other small bank fees
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Credit card fees. When someone gives using a credit card, we generally do not receive 100% of their donation amount, as the credit cards assess a fee of about 3.5%.
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Sometimes donors add extra to cover this cost, but most do not. We use General Fund donations to cover these fees so that the full gift goes to the work in India.
​2. General Fund donations cover expenses in India, such as:
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​Government taxes and fees.
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An annual audit, required by the Indian government.
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Government inspections.
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Bribes. Unfortunately, in some situations in India, unofficial payments are expected in order to move government processes forward. While we do everything we can to operate with integrity, these realities sometimes arise when dealing with inspections or government offices.
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Bank fees
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Quarter-annual plowing the land of our new 5-acre orphanage campus, to keep snakes away.
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Maintenance and insurance on our school bus, our van and other vehicles.
3. General Fund donations directly support our children, widows, and others in India.
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Sometimes, a donor will start off sponsoring a child, for example, and then at some point he/she might stop giving before that child ages out. We feel responsible for that child, who no longer has a sponsor, so we use General Fund money to continue to allow that child to live in our children's home.
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Sometimes a medical expense will arise with one of our children, or he/she needs to replace clothing or school supplies, and General Fund funds are used.
4. General Fund donations allow us to meet needs and requests in India as they arise.
We pray for God's wisdom as we receive funds from our donors. Sometimes we will be provided with opportunities to help because of unforeseen circumstances or urgent needs that arise. If we are able, we want to answer the call put before us. Here are a few examples. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are a few examples:​
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After a cyclone (what hurricanes are called in India), flooding caused hardship for many people in our adopted slum area. The men could not work in the fields for several days and had no money for food. Our team in India requested help feeding the community. General Fund donations were used to provide everyone with a hearty meal of chicken curry and rice. The cost of this effort was $750.
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During the Covid pandemic, we were called upon to provide meals for many villages, and we responded the best we could. Thousands of dollars from the General Fund were used to feed the people of poor villages during their time of need and distress.
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When one of the ministers in our family passed away during Covid, we used $500 from the General Fund to pay for his funeral and to help his widow.
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When a donor gave money to drill a water well, we discovered that the cost was actually a couple hundred dollars more than we anticipated, so we used General Fund donations to make up the difference.
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We received a request to install flooring in a new church building. Although the building had been constructed, our friends in India ran out of funds and were worshipping on bare ground. General Fund donations were used to help finish the floor.
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Several congregations within 25 miles of each other had been blocking a small stream to pool enough water for baptisms. They requested help building a baptistry, and General Fund donations were used to meet that need.
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One minister was traveling home on his motorcycle from a gospel meeting when he was involved in an accident. Although he suffered no broken bones, he received serious scrapes and required medical attention. General Fund donations were used to cover his medical expenses.
Support for Our General Fund Is Essential to Our Work in India
Gifts to the General Fund allow us to respond to real needs, support those serving in difficult places, and continue sharing the message of Christ with people who have not yet heard it. Your support is deeply appreciated.
Your gift to the General Fund helps ensure that the work in India continues without interruption, meeting real needs across our ministries as they arise.
Other Ways to Give
Bill Pay
Set up a bill payment through your bank to:
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International Sanctuary Ministries
PO Box 2238
Abilene, TX 79604
Mail a Check
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International Sanctuary Ministries
PO Box 2238
Abilene, TX 79604
Fill form out according to the instructions on the page, then return it by email, postal mail, or fax.
Sharing the Love of Christ Through Many Ministries
Through the ministries of Sanctuary Ministries, we work among some of the poorest people in southeast India, many of whom come from the lowest levels of the caste system. Each of our ministries meets practical needs while also opening opportunities to introduce people to the message of the Gospel and to the hope found only through Christ.