Choosing to Stay
How Olga and Rosalino are recovering ancestral knowledge through organic strawberry farming
Latin America + Caribbean
March 06, 2026
Timothy, his wife Sarah, and their four children lived in Buruku, Nigeria, a city of 300,000 nestled in a curve of the Katsina Ala river. A cattle rancher by trade, Timothy spent his days caring for his herd in the vast countryside surrounding the city.
But he didn’t let the heat, smell, and long hours keep him from following his heart. What free time Timothy had, he spent serving in his church. Over the years, he filled such roles as choir leader, mission committee chairman, and elder.
Then one day, Timothy felt God call him to become a pastor.
Timothy was conflicted. He wanted to answer God’s call, but it would mean giving up his regular income. And he’d seen how pastors in his community struggled to get by. Becoming a pastor would effectively commit his family to a life of poverty.
How could he take care of their needs and serve God at the same time? Through faith, Timothy found the answer. He decided to tackle the challenge of learning a new skill, one which would enable him to provide for his family and sustain his ministry. On the land where he had once raised cattle, Timothy began to farm potatoes, green beans, and carrots.
But Timothy soon learned that without training and access to capital, he wouldn't be able to grow his farm to a size that would sustain his family.
A Partner to Invest in His Purpose
When Timothy met Light Microfinance Bank (LMFB), a Christian microfinance institution and local partner of Partners Worldwide, he finally found an organization willing to invest in his vision—not just with capital, but with training and support. Having seen young Nigerians avoid ministry as a career path, LMFB launched a program to uplift pastors like Timothy and help them become self-sustaining.
Timothy attended a business training program provided by LMFB, where he learned to keep records, separate business capital from personal money, and more. Once he graduated, Timothy gained much-needed access to capital. He took out two loans for a total of 1 million Nigerian Naira (equivalent to $606 USD).
This investment enabled Timothy to manage the risk of a poor yield by diversifying into the farming of other crops. Today, Timothy works on five acres of land, farming corn during the wet season and potatoes, carrots, and green beans during the dry season.
Expanding into corn production enabled Timothy to sustain his ministry and send his children to school. Today, their eldest daughter attends the college of nursing in nearby Vom!
God gifted Timothy with the skills to nurture and grow the body of Christ—both within the walls of his church, and in the marketplace. By investing in entrepreneurs like Timothy, we invest in their vision—empowering them to build flourishing communities and expand what they believe is possible.
