. >> reporter: 22-year-old harold boyd left his chicago home to spend is year in atlanta.has to raise himself. >> i do believe that with every relationship that i build, that i'll be showing people that i'm in the same struggle as you are. >> i don't have all the answers. >> reporter: he's the only minority on his team. it's not surprising when you consider the vast majority of missionaries are white. >> in terms of the missionary percentage of african-americans, it's far less than 1%. >> reporter: jim sutherland studies missionary work and black churches. >> they do ta fairly good job of taking care of their communities, but the vocation is essentially off the radar. >> reporter: why so few african-americans involved in missionary work? >> the way missions is traditional done, you raise support to do it and -- >> reporter: money. >> tick taking a year off, this means not working. not earning an income. >> reporter: for many african-american, it's difficult to make this financial sacrifice, especially during a recession. for harold boyd, it's worth the sacrifice. >> what r

. >> reporter: 22-year-old harold boyd left his chicago home to spend the year in atlanta.2,000 that he has to raise himself. >> i do believe that with every relationship that i've built, that i will be showing people that i'm in the same struggle as you can. >> i don't have all the answers. >> reporter: he's the only minority on his team. it's not surprising when you consider the vast majority of missionaries are white. >> in terms of the missionary percentage of african-americans, it's far less than 1%. >> reporter: jim sutherland studies missionary work and the black church. >> many black churches do a fairly good job of taking care of their own local communities, but the vocation of missionary in the african-american church is essentially off the radar. it's basically not there. >> reporter: so why are there so few african-americans who are involved in missionary work? >> i think the way missions is traditionally done is you raised a port to do it. >> money. >> money. how you work outtaking a year off, which means not working, not earning an income. it's a hard deal. >>

. >> harold boyd left his chicago home to spend the year in atlanta, he lives on $12,000 that he hasild that i'll be showing people that i'm in the same struggle as you are. >> i don't have all of the answers. >> he is the only minority on the team. it's not surprising when you consider the vast majority of missionaries are white. >> in terms of the mission area percentage of african-americans it's less, far less than 1%. >> reporter: jim studies missionary work and the black church. >> many black churches are -- do a fairly good job of taking care of their own local communities but the vocation of missionary in the african-american church is off the radar. it's not there. >> why are there so few african-americans involved in missionary work? >> i think the way missions is traditionally done, you raise support to do it and -- >> money. >> money. how you work out. taking a year off which means not working, not earning an income. >> reporter: for many african-americans it's difficult to make this enormous financial sacrifice especially during a recession. for harold boyd it's worth the