Saturday – “Now I can feed my children!”

Just this year Tirzah helped the ministry begin a micro-loan program to give small loans of $48 dollars to widows and extremely needy single women so that they could begin a small business and support themselves.  There are currently 66 women in the program, and it has already proved to be quite successful.  All have begun businesses that are thriving and they have been current on paying back their loans.  Peace wanted us to meet some of these women in their work place, we went to a local market where several of the women have stands set up to sell vegatables and fruit.  One such woman is Jennifer, recently widowed in March, with eight children.  She is selling cassava and other vegetables.  When I asked her what having this loan meant to her, she said without it, she would not be able to support her children, provide food, and be able to pay school fees.  Imagine – with just a loan of $48 she is managing rent, food, school….and paying back the loan!  Four of her children were there with her, and it was a joy to see this dear family and pray with and for them.  Glorios was another woman, mother of 7 and grandmother to 6, she is selling potatos, beans, and avocados.  You should see the size of these avocados!  She was so proud to show us the method she has created to bring them in from growers before they are ripe, store them in a shed she created, and bring them out when they are ripe to sell in the market.  She also sells to other vendors, making an even better profit.  She sells 5 huge avocados for the equivalent of $.70!!  We so wished we could bring some of them home with us!  She, too, expressed her great thanks for the opportunity to set up this business; without the loan, it would have not been possible.    As we met with each woman, their story was the same…..”Praise God that now I can feed my children!  I can maintain this business, rent, and be sure that my children can attend school.  Praise God for His Goodness!”  And each one of them knows that this loan came because of Jesus’ love for them, not just a bank, but from the One who loves and cares.

Evening took us to Lake Tanganika, second largest lake in Africa and one of the deepest in the world.  Bordered by Tanzania, Congo and Burundi, it is a beautiful lake surrounded by sparkling beaches, where later in the evening, hippos often emerge from the Congo (though we haven’t spotted them yet).  Enjoying dinner at the beach, we breathed in the sweet breezes, walked along the beach and on the shores’ edge as the waves rolled in.  Such a tranquil scene!  As the sun set, we marveled at the beauty of this country, despite the horrors of the past and the difficulties of the present, reminded that despite all, God is here; His beauty is present, and He is still at work.