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Sarah Ann Schultz

Jul 31 2019

Sarah Ann Schultz

 Staff / Travels
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Dust-covered kids: what poverty doesn’t look like

If American people see that kid, they will think he’s really poor.”

My Rwandan colleague’s words jerked me out of my reverie.

Bumping along a rural Rwandan road, my eyes tried to absorb it all—the undulating hills, the downy clouds that dotted the wide-open sky, the goats and chickens. My eyes caught on a little boy running in front of a row of houses.

The little boy wore only a pair of shabby shorts that appeared to have once been khaki-colored. Reddish dust covered his body from his cheeks to his feet. I noticed that he was barefoot. Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Jul 17 2019

HOPE Intl

 Microfinance Staff / Travels
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Donkey rides to market with mom: a HOPE supporter’s story

Mauvalyn Bowen - Wedding

A passion for entrepreneurship can be kindled in a number of different ways.

For some, it’s the classic childhood lemonade stand that initially piques interest; others point to a formative internship or mentor; and for others, it’s building upon an earlier innovation. For Mauvalyn Bowen, a member of HOPE’s local board in Minnesota, it was riding on the back of a donkey as she and her mother (pictured above, along with Mauvlyn’s father and husband) made their weekly trek to market. Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Jun 20 2019

HOPE Intl

 News Spiritual Integration
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3 reasons why we’re in the fight against poverty

At HOPE International, we’re motivated by Christ’s call to love our neighbor as ourselves and to make disciples of all nations. Seeking to break through the barriers of poverty, we use our skills as bankers, pastors, and development workers to affirm the God-given dignity of all people and offer them tools to escape poverty. Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

May 23 2019

HOPE Intl

 News
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Paraguay’s only Christ-centered microfinance bank

‘The name Diaconía comes from the Greek word diákonos, meaning “servant” or “messenger.” Like the deacons in the Bible, the Diaconía team has a heart for serving and sharing the Good News. HOPE is excited to invest in Diaconía—our newest microfinance partner—as they are poised to reach more people. Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Apr 3 2019

HOPE Intl

 Stories we love
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A friend’s persistence changed her life.

Like 94 percent of Malawians,* Alinafe lacked access to formal lending services. This kept her and her husband from getting the funds they needed to pursue their dream of opening a store. And without consistent employment, the couple struggled to pay for adequate housing or schooling for their four children.

But poverty a­ffected more than Alinafe’s finances. “I looked down upon myself,” she recalls. Knowing of Alinafe’s situation, a friend (also named Alinafe) invited her to join Chisomo (“grace”), a savings group formed through a local church. Still, Alinafe remained doubtful: “I felt too small and unworthy to join the group.” Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Mar 27 2019

HOPE Intl

 Stories we love
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Meet three women of valor

So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27 (NRSV)

At HOPE International, we affirm the inherent dignity and worth of women, and we’re grateful to be one of many organizations working to remove the barriers that often keep women from realizing their full God-given potential.

We’re privileged to witness so many stories of women who are using financial tools to tackle poverty for their families and communities. As their stories demonstrate, these three women are loving God and their neighbors with boldness, action, and creativity. In the words of Proverbs 31, they are eshet chayil—”women of valor.” Continue Reading…

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