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Ronald Blonk – Connecting faith and environmental stewardship
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From Receiving Training in Generosity to Replicating It in Christian Communities
Although I was born in Pakistan, I spent much of my childhood in Libya before relocating to the UK in 1991. I became a Christian after hearing evangelist Nicky Cruz speak at a church in London. Through fellowship with believers and time in God’s Word, my faith grew over time.
After I graduated from a Bible college in the UK, God stirred my heart to return to my homeland. For the last 30 years, I have served in Pakistan. Since 2003 I have been the first native-born pastor of the 80-year-old International Christian Fellowship Church (ICF) in Lahore. Originally established to serve expatriates, the church now attracts more local believers because we have a Pakistani pastor.
I have contributed to the broader Christian community in Pakistan by translating many training courses and launching them here. In this way, I have enabled Pakistani believers to experience a wide range of high-quality and relevant training courses. My background in business and finance, including an MBA degree, has given me a strong interest in financial stewardship and fundraising.
Asif (in gray at the center, back row) among the participants of Stations of Generosity in Lahore, February 2025
I am always looking for new training opportunities. So when I learned about the one-day Stations of Generosity training facilitated by GTP in February 2025, I decided to attend. From the start, I loved Stations. It presented Scripture-based instruction with fun and interactive activities in an understandable and practical format. I quickly determined that others in my network would benefit from it.
There, I met Dr. Gary G. Hoag (GTP President and CEO) and discovered that two long-time Pakistani friends were also serving with GTP: Emmna Pervaiz as Global Program and Partnership Coordinator and Khurram Younis as Country Coordinator for Pakistan. Gary enthusiastically supported my interest in facilitating replication of the content in Pakistan, and we began communicating by WhatsApp.
Asif talking about the Giving Triangle, which connects God, the giver, and the receiver
Every Wednesday, I teach a discipleship class at our church. After I described Stations to them, several participants asked, “Can we do it this Saturday?” Because GTP had translated Stations into Urdu and the materials include a solid manual for facilitators, I felt confident to say “yes” and arrange a session.
Beyond the strong and creatively assembled content, I appreciated Dr. Hoag’s simple, authentic lifestyle, which came through as he facilitated with Emmna serving as translator. He learned everyone’s names and demonstrated the message of generosity. Watching how they trained gave me ideas for improving as a trainer and activating others to train with me.
In early April 2025, I replicated Stations for the first time with 24 participants. Many called it one of the most meaningful courses they had ever taken. One pastor and his wife told me later that they have already taught the content to their grandchildren and that they plan to offer the course at their own church.
The participants of the April 2025 replication of Stations of Generosity
Immediately, I messaged photos to Gary, Emmna, and Khurram. They shared my joy. It strengthened my resolve to spread Stations more widely. That first session ignited a ripple effect of interest and curiosity through the local Christian community. I sensed God at work as I prayed and followed God’s leading to continue sharing this course.
I facilitated Stations for the second time on 17 May 2025 at another church. In July, I will teach it at the International Christian Fellowship Church’s 5-day residential camp. Additionally, I have trained two others to facilitate it themselves. The first training had 25 people. I expect the number of people reached to grow rapidly. At this rate, we might teach Stations to 2,500 people by year end.
Stations presents the concept of giving “with both hands.” One hand represents our finances; the other points to our relationships, time, and abilities. Often, we give with one hand while withholding the other. True generosity engages both in a way that demonstrates our Christian faith and strengthens our witness. This is especially vital in Pakistan.
Asif using a rope to represent eternity in contrast to our life on earth and describing Stations to his congregation on 25 May 2025
I offer all training voluntarily, though we charge a registration fee to cover our costs and because we want people to make an investment in their own and other people’s lives. A one-day session typically costs 1,000 Pakistani rupees (about $3.50 USD), an amount that approaches a full day’s wages for many Pakistanis. Yet interest continues to grow.
By God’s grace, we hope to expand this training throughout Pakistan and other countries, so as to bless and impact many more people. I think our impact is just beginning! I look forward to collaborating with GTP to replicate more of their training programs in the months and years to come.
