HOPE International

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

How many times will you hear these wise words this holiday season? This is my favorite time of year primarily because of this season’s emphasis on giving. The charitable and gift-giving yearnings among us all are stoked and encouraged more in December than at any other time of the year. This spirit is encapsulated and affirmed in what might be our favorite Christmas saying: It is more blessed to give than to receive.

The axiom could not be truer. Giving is a joy. Research suggests that generous people are happier people. Generous countries are happier countries. Benevolence brings vibrancy to our faith. Historically, openhandedness and abundant giving have been the fragrance of the Church. Part of our mandate as Christians includes a call to a countercultural understanding of our role as stewards, rather than owners, of our time and treasure. I’ll just speak for myself, but my hunch is others will resonate: My charity often robs the poor of the opportunity to give, rather than encouraging generosity. Continue Reading…

While she once spent her days scavenging to help provide for her family of five, Aura Flores has been able to use loans from CCT, HOPE’s partner in the Philippines, to begin a pillow-making business. Now she dreams of one day passing her business on to her children, so that they will never have to live in poverty. Additionally, she and her husband appreciate the Bible study they attend through CCT, as it has helped their marriage grow stronger.

“Turame both gave me access to a loan and helps me run my business,” Mathieu Karenzo says of HOPE’s partner in Burundi. Mathieu cultivates and sells beans, potatoes, cabbage, cassava, and rice from his home and from Gitega’s central market. He has just received his first loan from Turame for $81, but he has high hopes for where he can go. He wants to send two of his sons to vocational training, and he would like to save enough money to buy land and build a home for himself, his wife, and his six children. Only a few months after receiving his first loan, Mathieu says he can already contribute more to his church’s offerings and help those in need at his church.

Juduh’s son was just four years old when her husband became ill and passed away. From that point, she alone was responsible to provide for him. In 2001, she joined a savings group in Rwanda, where she received support, a safe place to accumulate her money, and the opportunity to receive loans from her group. Today she continues to contribute 40 cents a week to her group’s savings. She accessed a loan of $86, which she used to purchase bananas and beans. She can buy a bunch of bananas or a bag of beans for $17, reselling them for a profit. She now earns $11 a week and can afford health insurance and her son’s secondary school fees. Juduh has joined a Bible study and has come to depend on the fellowship she experiences in her group.

Dignora is a first-generation Dominican whose parents came from Haiti in search of a better life for their family. Her own family is quite large, as she has seven children—the oldest of whom is 19—and one on the way, as well as five grandchildren. Dignora has taken out two loans to sell chicken in order to support her large family and send four of her children to school.

Oksana Puchka sells coffee and tea from a market stand, which she has expanded using loans she took out from HOPE Ukraine. As her profits have increased, Oksana has made improvements to her family’s home and has also helped install gas in her mother-in-law’s home. In the future, Oksana hopes to open up a second trading spot to further expand her sales.

Chris Horst

By Chris Horst

When the Poor Become Generous

HOPE Intl

HOPE Intl

One Changed Life: Aura’s Story

HOPE Intl

HOPE Intl

One Changed Life: Mathieu’s Story

HOPE Intl

HOPE Intl

One Changed Life: Juduh’s Story

HOPE Intl

HOPE Intl

One Changed Life: Dignora’s Story

HOPE Intl

HOPE Intl

One Changed Life: Oksana’s Story

About HOPE

hope_intl