Kiva--Difference Making

Their names are Yessica, Johnny, Quelina, and Maria.  Four women whom I've never met, but are now a strand in the web of my life.  They all reside in the Dominican Republic, having moved there recently from Haiti. 

"Half the Sky" has so significantly opened up my world.  I continue to ponder and reflect on what I've read...regularly asking God where He might want me to be a difference maker globally.  Kiva is where He has encouraged me to start.http://www.kiva.org  is a website which was listed and acclaimed in "Half the Sky".  It's a microlending organization, enabling men and women worldwide, to slowly...step by step start up their own businesses and thus be able to provide for themselves and their families.  I love the practical, hope-filled, purposefulness of it all.  There is nothing wrong with giving money; I more than believe God calls me to do this as well...generously.  But most often in countries where poverty is the norm, something much more is needed.  People need a vision, a goal, a work ethic.  They need to experience the value that comes from starting, building, and growing a business.  Women especially, earn the respect of their husbands/partners when they become successful entrepreneurs. 

This past week, I scrolled down the pages of faces and information of female entrepreneurs, and chose 4 of them to lend a small amount of money to.  They are all seeking to sell clothing; some having already acquired a loan and paid it back, and are now seeking a second loan.  There are of course risks.  The "fine print" clearly sets out what Kiva provides and doesn't provide.  And there are no guarantees that I'll see the money again.  But that's not the issue for me.  Certainly there is some wisdom required in how one chooses an entrepreneur and their corresponding field partner("boss"), but when all is said and done, it's a wait and see season.  The reality is, that if any or all of these women repay their loans, I then have an opportunity to turn around and lend it to another woman!

I so much want to be a difference maker in a tangible global sense.  And so in that realm, these four women and I are really not that much different.  They too long to make a difference...in their own lives, as well as their families.  And whether I live here in a land of plenty, or in the Dominican Republic in a slum, we can "join hands"...work together...and make a difference...one small loan at a time.