sir82
They're either really desperate, or really stupid, to beg money from poverty-stricken Central Americans.
It isn't so much what the money means to 'them' - it is what it means to those who are poor - the money represents an investment that keeps them invested, not just financially, but also emotionally. The money is symbolic of trust and loyalty and works psychologically in a very real way.
That small amount of money translates into a high degree of loyalty - in effect, the poor JWs are actually paying for their own loyalty to the organization - the more a person has invested in a relationship, the harder it is to leave.
It matters less to the organization as to actual dollars that they get - and more that what is given is as much as the person can give.