The Effect of Helping
Monday, April 26, 2010
Next Sunday we will listen to the story of Kiva (see article at the bottom of the page) and we will listen to some great stories of our own people. All week we will listen to scripture. Between the stories I pray we will find ourselves. Next Sunday is Summit Sunday, If you have not registered for the Global Leadership Summit, then I ask that you go to our website and review the information. We are honored to be hosting the event and believe that if we can have 100 of our people at the event, that it could help take our church to the next level.
READ
Deut. 26:5-9. The Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to… this land flowing with milk and honey. Luke 4:16-21. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read… “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD… Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Ps. 140:12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor.
Is. 25:4. For You have been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress.
Ps. 10:14. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan… O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed.
Is 41:17. The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.
Luke 6:20-21. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
James 2:5. Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
PRAY
Ask God for wisdom this week. We are asking God to inspire our church to deeper levels of service to people in need. What if 100% of our people were engaged in some service to the poor, how much could we do?
The Kiva Effect
Internet-based lender inspires innovation in Christian microfinance.
Ken Walker | posted 12/10/2009 10:34AM
Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today.
In a poor Kenyan neighborhood, Samuel Muregi Wanjiku can buy more maize meal for his retailing operation today, thanks to a senior-class project at Wheaton Academy in Wheaton, Ill.
During the 2009 spring semester, a student leadership group organized a “Badminton for Kenya” tournament and other fundraisers. They netted over $14,000 for loans to Wanjiku and dozens of other African entrepreneurs.
The Christian school donated the funds through OptINnow, a micro-lending site started last year by Opportunity International (OI). The Christian non-profit specializes in small loans (average for first-time borrowers: $181) to business owners in 28 nations.
OptINnow’s existence demonstrates the “Kiva effect”—the impact created by Kiva.org, the four-year-old, Internet-based lender.
Kiva, established in 2005, has democratized microfinance with credit-card-fueled donations of $25 to $200. The San Francisco-based organization popularized the concept of peer-to-peer loans by posting stories of entrepreneurs, a high-tech version of child sponsorship first used by Save the Children.
Founded by Jessica Jackley and Matt Flannery, Kiva took off after a 2007 endorsement from former President Bill Clinton on Oprah. By the end of 2009, Kiva expects to have loaned a total of $110 million through field partners in 49 countries.
Though Kiva is not a Christian-based organization, Flannery said his faith and childhood experiences of service had a major impact on his desire to start the project. Flannery and Jackley met at the 2000 National Prayer Breakfast and coordinated their first loans through a pastor in Uganda. (Jackley now sits on OI’s board of directors.)
Not only did Kiva stimulate OptINnow but also a site recently launched by World Vision. A month after its September 9 debut, worldvisionmicro.org had raised $10,000 with no promotion, said Tim Sawer, executive director of channel recruitment.
“Most microfinance [previously] took place on the macro level,” Sawer said. “What [Kiva] did with connecting people with entrepreneurs was amazing.”
Opportunity International marketing vice president Ruth-Anne Renaud said Kiva “has served as a springboard for increasing awareness and engagement.”
OI, which has a loan portfolio of $800 million, hasn’t released any figures for OptINnow’s first year of fundraising.
Kiva, with a loan portfolio of $24 million, uses a number of ministries as partners. World Relief’s Cambodian arm raised nearly $3.5 million over 41 months through the site, said Gareth Evans, director of economic development. That represents nearly eight percent of World Relief’s $45 million in outstanding loans.
“They’re definitely not a threat,” Evans said. “This is one of the most exciting ways we can engage with the church and bring in funds for microfinance. It complements our work.”
Hope International president Peter Greer compares Kiva to Expedia and Travelocity. Just as the popular travel sites book seats for airlines, Kiva helps direct funds to microfinance institutions, he said.
“They’re the connector, not the implementer,” said Greer, whose book on microfinance (The Poor Will Be Glad, Zondervan) released in November. “They’ve introduced a wide audience to microfinance and raised funds that we receive for no percent interest and repay as the loans become due.”
Kiva has attracted attention outside the religious community, too. Its corporate supporters include such names as Google and YouTube, while affinity groups range from atheists to gays to Masons. In mid-October, the atheist “team” became the first to pass the $1 million mark in loan funding.
“We weren’t seeking different lending teams,” said Kiva public relations director Fiona Ramsey. “We have a very open platform where people feel welcome to participate.”
Kiva’s influence extends beyond microfinance. Compassion International program director Bill Keen said one of Kiva’s advancements is linking like-minded groups via social networking sites. Compassion, known for child sponsorships in 25 countries, is testing that principle with a site that will enable child sponsors to form similar networks. In addition, the ministry may start posting stories of projects its 5,000-plus church partners are involved in.
“It would be for specific activities, such as a church that needs a playground or a water well,” Keen said. “We’ll make that visible and there can be a grant given toward that.”
However, he added that direct linkages can have a down side, such as opening the door to requests from the recipient for additional loans or other aid.
Kiva also received criticism recently from David Roodman, a fellow with the Center for Global Development, for its common practice of funding loans before investors send any money. That isn’t unusual, though; Opportunity International does the same thing.
Russell Mask, a microenterprise researcher at Georgia’s Covenant College, said institutions lose the confidence of existing borrowers if they wait on outside funds to arrive. And failure to process loans speedily will result in defaults, he said.
Mask, who once worked in microfinance in East Africa, said Kiva has established systems of accountability, ratings, and assessment for its loan partners that could affect Christian microfinance groups. And its site enables Christians to determine partners’ faith background as they make investment decisions.
“Most people that are Kiva lenders won’t look at that,” said Mask, “but I guarantee you I do, and people who know finance do.”
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