SIM is a “faith mission“. This means that “The Mission looks to the Lord for the provision of its needs. Each missionary acknowledges that his or her dependence is upon God and not upon the Mission. Recognising the biblical principle of stewardship, the Mission and its missionaries make such needs known to God’s people so He may guide them in their giving. Whatever is received toward an approved need is accepted as a provision from the Lord.” (from the SIM Manual, 2010)
As missionaries with SIM we are trusting God to raise 100% of all our expenses and we would love to have you partner with us as we serve in South Africa.
Our ongoing MONTHLY needs total: $6,561
What does this figure include?
Salary – This amount will be our living expenses for each month. It includes food, clothing, transportation, utilities, toiletries and household items, as well as insurance deductibles and co-pays. We will also use a portion of this for our own giving.
Insurance – This includes premiums for emergency medical insurance in the event that any one of us needs to be evacuated to a country with better medical care.
Housing – This covers our rent while we are in South Africa. All utilities and repairs will come out of our salary budget.
Administration – This covers MANY things. SIM assists missionaries in navigating the world of visas, passports, and other legal aspects of international travel and living. Additionally, they provide team training and consulting on the field, operating expenses for seven international sending bases and an international headquarters office, resources to help us share our vision and the vision of SIM, and attention to our emotional and spiritual needs in the event of a political or medical evacuation.
Retirement – This is a small amount of money to be contributed to a 403b. This is something SIM encourages as retirement savings become necessary in the U.S.
Taxes – Missionaries pay something equivalent to FICA called the SECA tax.
Ministry – As stated above, this is money that is used specifically for our ministry-related needs. Any ministry-specific travel, supplies, communications, and licenses are included in this budget.