A Cheerful Giver Am I

Today I helped a man named Jean Basco in Karenge, Rwanda expand his banana selling business by increasing his inventory. With the extra income from the new inventory, he will be able to improve the quality of life for his family and employ two new employees from his village. I also helped a woman named Nheb in Cambodia to purchase pesticide and fertilizer for her farm. With the extra income from her increased harvest, she will be able to send her four kids to school.

What did you do today? Would you like to help out as you are able at an international level? Perhaps you too would interested in micro loans!

First, what exactly is a micro loan? A micro loan is a small loan request by one or multiple poor borrowers which is then in turn met by multiple lenders. That's the very simple version. Here's a little video from one of the micro loan websites I know of that explains it better with pretty video too.

I became interested in micro loans a few years ago as a way to help out at an international level without having to make a commitment. As a student, I couldn't sign up to support this or that non-profit organization on a monthly basis, because at best I had a summer job and that's it. I wanted to help though! So when I did have a little extra money, I loaned. I'm currently making micro loans as part of my tithe as we haven't found a church home down here yet that we feel comfortable giving to.

There are two places that I know of which provide micro loans: World Vision and Kiva. I'm using World Vision as what funds you loan, once it is repaid to World Vision, is recycled to fund other loans. With Kiva, what you loan is returned to you so you can loan it out again or withdraw the funds. Since this is my tithe for the moment, I want it to keep going with little help from me because I'm lazy. lol. However, from what I understand, Kiva is the organization that started this revolutionary method of sharing what we have.

No matter why or what you can give, I ask you to give. No matter if it's with one of these methods or perhaps to the Kimbley family or somewhere else.

If you click the link up there you'll be lead to a page where you can donate something to a family which I sort of know. I grew up playing tennis with two girls that are related to this little family. This week, one of this family's five kids got lost during a game of hide and seek and was found dead several hours later. Then the state took the remaining kids into CPS custody. The family needs some funds to pay for funeral services of the one and the legal fees to get the others back with their family.

Or maybe you don't have any money to spare. How about a prayer?