Dear Loved Ones,

 

Greeting. We would very much appreciate your prayers as we seek ways to empower women and teach them how to take care of their small business. My big challenge has always been how to teach poor women with low level of education to come to grasp with the basic concept of small business and cooperative.

 

On Tuesday April 21, 2015, I spent the whole afternoon meeting with women of Assembly of God Church in Limbe Bourg. Those women have been meeting for prayers but have no initiative to improve their living conditions.  Lunie, the girl we sponsored through her four college education, saw their miserable condition and decided to help through her own business.

 

Those women will borrow money but had a hard time paying back. Lunie did not know how much more to help them. She came to consult me for help. After listening to her understanding and her method of help, as Jethro to his son in law, Moises, I told her that her approach was not good for her and for those women.  

 

Those women needed some training in understanding and organizing small business depending on their own resources first.

 

In today session we introduced the Self Help Group Principals. We pray and hope that our teaching will equip them with tools they need in order to succeed.

 

Please be praying for those women as well for us as we struggle to understand their cries and their struggles.

 

Thank you for partnering with us.

 

In Haiti,

 

Yours,

 

Kihomi & Nzunga

 

Dear members of the Nzunga and Kihomi family,

 

I met Lunie in 2011.  She had a hard time getting started with her grocery store business including being robbed.  She ended up living in her store to prevent it from happening again.  She was very grateful for all the help she received from Nzunga and Kihomi and was giving out food one day a month to elderly poor people.  Now she is going even further to embower the women of her church but needs Kihomi’s guidance to get them to understand business.  The Self Help Group Principles is consistent with micro loan programs that model themselves after Jesus feeding the 5000.  It asks what assets and skills are available that we can work with to make a successful venture.  It requires them to invest time and energy in the business verses charity of giving then things.  It can have powerful results of people learning they can do things for themselves, have the pride of ownership, and raise their status in the family and village. 

 

Please pray for Lunie and the ladies of her church as they walk the road to a better life.  It is hard work and something most have never done.  Pray that they can see the benefits that will come down this road if they work hard and stick with it.

 

Blessings,

 

Dennis Shewell

Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener

Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry

E-mail: deshewell@gmail.com

Phone: 812-569-1352

 

Other team Members:

Les Roberson

Diana Peysha

Terry Bivens-Fry

Charles Newman