Learning about generosity from women in the Dominican Republic

By Allie Bradshaw, HOPE supporter

On Monday, our group started arriving in the bustling capital city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Nothing quite tests the measure of a group like a long bus ride after a travel day that started before the sun, but it didn’t take long to discover that this trip was going to be something special. As we got to know one another on a drive to the eastern peninsula of Samaná, Julie Wilson, president of Women Doing Well, introduced people to Women Doing Well and the journey we were about to take together through The Pathway.

Having visited HOPE International’s work in Kigali, Rwanda, in the past, I appreciated HOPE’s dedication to always interacting with the people they serve in a dignified manner, and I was intrigued to see how Women Doing Well’s curriculum would influence my experience of this trip.

We had the privilege of meeting several women whose lives have been impacted by their involvement with Esperanza, HOPE’s microfinance institution. It was so much fun to celebrate the success and growth of these women (whom Esperanza calls “associates”) as they shared their stories about how they started with small loans to grow their businesses.

On Tuesday morning, we boarded the bus— full of coffee and excitement—as we set out to visit the associates. Our first stop was the Esperanza branch office in Samaná to pick up several brave souls to join our lively group as we set off on our adventure for the day. In the morning, we visited three women.

The gift of fresh baked bread

Yuderki lived in a nearby community and in addition to running a cafeteria, she also makes custom jewelry. She received her first loan from Esperanza in 2006 for 2,256.21 Dominican pesos ($36.07 U.S.) and has since taken out and paid back 38 loans including her current loan for 15,000 Dominican pesos ($239.84 U.S.). Yuderki is in the process of building a block house for her family. It was so exciting to see the progress of the house as we walked from her current house to her outdoor kitchen.

One of the things Yuderki sells in her cafeteria is a delicious coconut bread that is ubiquitous to the Samaná region. Yuderki showed us how she husks the coconuts with a machete, saving the husks to use as a slow-burning fuel in her outdoor kitchen. Even though selling the bread is how Yuderki makes her money, she was eager to share some with us. The bread was so delicious! One of the Esperanza employees with us was Yensy, a HOPE trip coordinator who works in the branch office in Santo Domingo. She explained that she had never tried this bread before because it’s specific to the Samaná region. What a fun experience to share together!

A new home—and hope for the future

Our last stop before lunch was meeting with Juanita who runs a cafeteria and colmado, or corner store, in her community. As soon as we stepped off the bus, Juantia greeted us like we were old friends. She was bubbling over with joy and her exuberant personality drew us in. She first used a loan of 8,000 Dominican pesos ($127.91 U.S.) to start her business and has continued from there, with growing loan amounts each time.

Juanita was so proud to show us how far she had come in life, showing us a small, brightly painted wooden house nearby and telling us it was her first house. From her now spacious front porch, Juanita explained that she used a housing loan from Esperanza to build a new home for her family. And her next goal is to take out a loan to build a new, sturdy door. She also purchased a new oven with an Esperanza loan, and she uses it to make the delicious coconut bread she sells in her cafeteria.

The multiplication effect of generosity

Juanita explained that she loves giving back to her community. She said she would rather help someone get something they need even if they didn’t have the money to pay for it. Juanita’s neighbors tell her they purposely shop at her store so that she can continue to be generous with others. Telling us how God has provided for her over the years, she repeatedly said, “multiplicado, multiplicado”—“multiplied, multiplied.”

God is using Juanita’s generosity to serve as a light in her community and He continues to bless and multiply the work of her hands. She was excited for the future, telling us that God was in control, so she didn’t have to be afraid.

Fellowship on a tropical beach

We finished our day with a visit to Josefa, who sells food at the beach. As we exited the bus, we were blown away by the beauty before us. We saw white sand, turquoise waters, and enormous palm trees providing ample shade. Josefa works at this beautiful beach, and she invited us to sit down at one of the colorful tables as she told us her story.  Josefa’s kind face, warm eyes, and engaging smile drew us in.

There are moments when the veil between Heaven and earth grows thin, and we’re granted a glimpse into the beautiful fellowship that awaits us. This feeling was so strong as we listened to Josefa. She has had a food stand here for several decades—in fact, before a road was even built to the beach. Each day, she would walk for over an hour with the supplies for the day on her head. If it rained, no one would come to the beach, so she had to walk back home with nothing to show for the day.

After experiencing a tragic loss, Josefa’s neighbor invited her to church, and this invitation changed her life. There she learned about Jesus and the relationship He was inviting her to have with Him. Even through the ups and downs of life, Josefa said Jesus has always been with her, giving her the strength she needed to go on.

Faith and business growth—and opportunity to serve

While attending that church, Josefa also learned about Esperanza and the loan group that was meeting there. Since receiving her first loan from Esperanza in 2007, Josefa has taken out and successfully repaid a series of progressively larger loans, each contributing to the steady growth of her business, even expanding it into a nearby piña colada stand. Once a road was built to the beach, she bought a bicycle to shorten her commute time. Josefa’s growing business allowed her to build a better house for her family, including a sick relative.

Josefa’s life reminded us that generosity isn’t just about giving money—it’s also about sharing our time and talents with others. She modeled this beautifully by supporting her fellow business owners. Even though the businesses on the beach are grouped closely together, they said Josefa doesn’t treat them like competitors. They told us she’s more like a mother to them—helping, encouraging, and guiding them in their businesses and passing on what she had learned.

But it was Josefa’s faith that left a lasting mark on us. She said that, while she loves her new house, “it’s nothing compared to my heavenly house.” Josefa doesn’t fear the future because she knows God will continue to provide for her. Her hope isn’t rooted in the things she can see—it’s rooted in the promise of eternity with Jesus.

Microfinance is more than a loan

Besides Juanita and Josefa, we met other businesswomen working with Esperanza, and each woman was unique in how they approached their businesses and practiced generosity. But one thing is for certain—their families and communities were being transformed for the better.

• Nery lived in a small community by the ocean and used loans from Esperanza to expand her corner store and to buy a rental property. Her adult children are now thriving.
• Marie Rose is a Haitian immigrant who came to the Dominican Republic a few years ago. Loans from Esperanza not only helped her build better housing for her family, but also helped her be strategic about how, when, and where she purchases inventory for her clothing shop.
• Elías owns a fishing business with her family, and over the years has been able to hire more people, expand from two to seven boats, and build a better house.

The Esperanza employees told us that their tagline is “más que un préstamo,” which means “more than a loan.” Esperanza seeks to meet their clients’ physical and spiritual needs as well as their financial needs. When we were visiting the Esperanza branch office in Samaná, several associates came in to complete financial transactions. The associates greeted the employees with big smiles and hugs. One woman noticed our group and asked if we would pray for her. I can’t think of a time when I have ever hugged my banker, let alone asked them to pray for me. But Esperanza is about more than loan products, and their associates know that.

In addition to financial services, Esperanza offers health clinics and education. One employee, Louisa, shared that if dengue fever is popping up, for example, she will travel to her groups to train them on preventative measures and when to seek treatment. Esperanza also offers public health clinics. Many of the women in their area have never seen a gynecologist, so they were unaware of the need for cervical cancer screenings. Over the years, several Esperanza associates were diagnosed with cervical cancer this way, and because the cancer was detected early, they all received treatment and are living healthy, cancer-free lives today.

The pathway of generosity leads to freedom

With these amazing women fresh on our minds, our Pathway discussions felt so rich and multidimensional. Generosity can be a daunting topic. It hasn’t always been handled with the respect and finesse this topic demands, and people can feel uncomfortable talking about generosity. However, having watched these women give wholeheartedly to their families and communities and seeing the overwhelming joy that radiated from them, it was easy to see how embracing the generous life God calls us to is the most freeing path we can take.

My husband and I often encourage our kids that their quirks are “a feature, not a bug” of the way that God made them. He has a purpose and a plan for their lives, and it involves them embracing all the wonderful ways He has made them—even if it’s different. Working through the Women Doing Well Pathway after visiting these business owners gave me a fresh perspective on the material at hand. Eating, exploring, and learning together helped our group to feel the safety necessary to jump right in and go deep with each session. Honestly, I was shocked at how much more I gleaned from The Pathway this time around.

God, in His goodness and love, never stops teaching and changing us. I love His encouragement from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:6: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Since it is God who “will bring it to completion,” I can stop the exhausting pursuit of perfection and enthusiastically embrace the journey with Him.

The women we met could have spent their time and energy complaining that life wasn’t fair, or they could have allowed roots of bitterness to take hold. Instead, they have leaned in toward the Lord and allowed Him to bring beauty and hope to a hurting world through their business acumen and generous spirits. As I think back on all I learned on my trip, I want to remember their attitudes. I want to be a woman who wakes up and says, “Well, Lord, what do I get to do with you today?”

Allie’s reflections are from a recent HOPE trip to the Dominican Republic with Women Doing Well’s Pathway, a 12-session experience designed to equip women for a lifestyle of generosity. For more reflections from staff and friends of HOPE after witnessing our global work, read Alisa’s reflection on visiting HOPE Zambia with her children or Bethany’s reflection after spending time with the Doma community in Zimbabwe.

Allie Bradshaw was drawn to HOPE because of its holistic, Gospel-centered approach to poverty alleviation. Healing the whole person and empowering people to uplift their communities align with Allie’s interest in mental health care and supporting women in developing countries. Allie earned a B.S. in communications in 2008 from the University of Tennessee, where she met her husband, Joshua. Although she spends most of her time raising four children, her passion for volunteering allows her to work with several nonprofit organizations in Western North Carolina.