4 Observations of Haiti

Three months ago we went to Haiti. (No, there is no excuse for why I didn’t post this blog sooner.) We figured we couldn’t live here without experiencing the other side of the island. To be honest, I was a bit nervous about the experience: a long bus ride, the language barrier, not knowing how to get around, experiencing new levels of need.

But I loved it. So I wanted to share a few of my impressions of the D.R.’s next-door neighbors.

1. Haiti is nothing like the D.R. I was expecting this one, but it’s crazy how different two countries that share an island can be. Haiti and the Dominican Republic have very different histories, which have shaped their distinct present-day cultures, demographics, and economies. Some new things for me? Hearing Creole all the time (a fusion of French and African languages), eating spicy food (Dominicans do not like anything picante, as a rule), using gourdes instead of pesos, and riding in a tap-tap (a covered pick-up truck) instead of a bus or taxi.

One difficult, self-evident distinction is that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, while the D.R. is somewhere in the middle of the pack. And while trash and infrastructure could use some work in the D.R., the need is on a completely different level in Haiti.

2. Haiti is beautiful. The side of Haiti covered by the media is real, but it is only one side. What struck me most about Haiti was its natural beauty. Driving into the city of Cap Haitien, we were met with an amazing view—the ocean on one side, mountains on the other. A couple days later we hiked up a mountain, and the panorama was simply incredible.

The people were also striking. I loved the huge smiles of the kids we saw walking to school, the girls with hair ribbons that matched their uniforms. Though most people in Haiti live without electricity or running water, all the kids we saw wore clean, pressed uniforms; everyone clearly took pride in caring for themselves.

3. There is a huge international aid presence. The first thing I saw when we crossed the border was a UN building. As we continued driving, we saw more buildings and vehicles emblazoned with familiar acronyms like UN and USAID. The few foreigners we saw were in UN vehicles.

 I can’t judge whether these organizations are the most effective way to help Haiti. However, I can vouch for a couple of local organizations that we visited who are doing awesome work, providing local jobs and seeking sustainable solutions. One is a sanitation NGO that provides toilets, uses the waste to create compost, and then sells the fertilizer. I was quite impressed by this operation—check them out here. Another operation employs Haitian moms, training them to make beautiful handmade baby clothes, which are sold both locally and in the U.S.

SOIL

Haiti Babi

Haiti Babi

HOPE also has a savings program in Haiti, partnering with local churches to offer biblically-based training and a safe place to save. I am so excited that I get to return to Haiti to visit this program next month!

4. People are friendly. I’ve taken an introductory Haitian Creole course, which means I can tell you how to say “rice and beans”, but I can’t get around Haiti without significant help. Riding in a tap-tap and on the back of motorbikes, we were basically at the mercy of strangers. English and Spanish speakers were hard to come by, and communicating via dictionary can be slow-going, especially when you’re trying to tell your moto-taxi driver he needs to turn right in about two seconds.

Thankfully, everyone was so kind. As I stumbled over Creole, our new friends willingly stumbled over English. Strangers were quick to say bonjou as we went by. And when we weren’t able to communicate, those huge smiles were enough.

 

A day in the life of Chrismene

“Dulces! Dulcera!” Balancing a large aluminum bowl on her head, Chrismene smiles as she walks down the busy sidewalk promoting her homemade sweets. A group of men playing dominoes stops their game to have a look in the bowl. One man buys a crunchy peanut candy for 5 pesos—about 10 cents—a very reasonable price, especially considering the full day’s work that has gone into making it.

Every day, Chrismene makes and sells traditional Dominican snacks and dulces, or sweets. A client of HOPE’s partner Esperanza in the Dominican Republic, Chrismene also uses her loans to maintain a side business selling accessories and household goods. While her sweets brings in some income every day, her second business sells fewer items but with higher margins.

A 45-year-old mother of nine, Chrismene starts every day around 5:00 a.m., when she heads to the largest market in the Santo Domingo province, Mercado Nuevo. The first part of her day is in fact the hardest: since Chrismene’s neighborhood can be dangerous before dawn, she often has to wait for neighbors, losing valuable time, so they can walk to the main road in a group.

Despite the overwhelming size of the market, Chrismene knows the exact location of the best stall for each item she needs–coconuts, ginger, sesame seeds, peanuts, sugar, oil. An hour of bargaining, weighing and bagging later, Chrismene departs with her purchases.

After some walking and and a 40-minute bus ride, Chrismene is back home in Paraíso Escondido, or “Hidden Paradise”, a neighborhood that some say doesn’t live up to its name. There is no running water in the home she shares with her mother and daughter, and electricity is shut off every day from 6:00 pm to 1:00 am. However, Chrismene isn’t complaining. Originally from Haiti, she shares that God rescued her from a difficult time in her life, and she praises Him for how far she has come. “Here,” she says joyfully, “I have a life.”

Chrismene’s neighbor and business partner, Ebio, has two outdoor fires going when she arrives. She will use these fires to roast nuts, melt sugar, and bake bread, ultimately making about 10 different types of snacks. Chrismene works nonstop for six hours, with a sense of urgency yet enjoyment in all she does. She makes everything from scratch—from chopping and grating the coconuts, to hand-sorting and roasting peanuts.

When her family pauses for breakfast around 10:30 (scrambled eggs and yautía, similar to potato), Chrismene only grabs a couple bites as she continues her work. She doesn’t have time to eat lunch, either, but she does have a secret to keep her energy up: “Tasting comes before selling.” Chrismene makes sure to test out the freshly-made peanut butter, coconut candy, warm bread, and her personal favorite, sesame seed candy.

Chrismene needs to complete the dulces—which includes drying, cutting, and packaging—with plenty of time to sell before it gets dark. Just after 2:00, she finishes carefully placing each item in her giant aluminum bowl. She sweeps up the porch, showers (her family uses a bucket in an outdoor stall), brushes her teeth, and heads out.

Chrismene’s ultimate selling destination is a busy area near Santo Domingo’s final metro stop.… But first comes a 3-hour walk. Though buses are available, she has a lot of loyal customers on her route who expect her; they will ask where she was if she ever misses a day. Chrismene’s buyers are diverse—from kids returning from school, to local business owners, to families on front porches.

Chrismene’s favorite part of her job is selling and seeing people enjoy her dulces. She walks proudly, her bowl gradually getting lighter as her skirt pocket gets heavier with pesos. At the metro stop, she’ll sell for a couple more hours before taking the bus home. Hopefully she’ll have a chance to eat and get a full night’s sleep—before another day begins at 5:00 a.m.

 

HOPE Trips FAQ Series: Part 2

FAQ #2 –Why are all these men sitting around?

When we visit the field, it is common to see groups of men lounging outside, either observing the women’s repayment meeting, sharing a drink, or talking. On almost every trip, someone inevitably asks why it seems like so many men have nothing to do. A partial explanation is that Dominicans have a more communal, laid-back culture than we do in the U.S., and that’s a beautiful thing. However, there is a less beautiful side to the story.

The D.R. has an unemployment rate of 14% and an underemployment rate of 29%. While men have more employment opportunities than women, often in construction or agriculture, this work is normally inconsistent and very low-paid.

Esperanza does a wonderful job serving women, and microfinance tends to be a better fit for this group. Numerous studies have confirmed that women repay at higher rates than men, and they are more likely to invest their income in a business and in their family. Without a doubt, we need to continue building on this momentum and investing in women around the world.

However, if we want to see entire communities experience transformation, we shouldn’t overlook men. Take this simple example: Women in Esperanza groups receive financial and health trainings. Learning about HIV/AIDS prevention is key for women in these communities, but men need to be equally aware of the facts and their responsibility. And while it is good and necessary that Esperanza clients learn how to budget and save, the reality remains that some of them are married to men who consider that any family income belongs to them.

In the developing world, males tend to spend less on the family than females, and more on alcohol, gambling, and women. That’s one primary reason why microfinance institutions focus on women—they’re a better investment! However, this reality underscores the need to focus on the family unit as a whole. I would love to see more communities working alongside men, providing training and accountability. Supporting and educating men will complement and accelerate the progress women are making, moving whole families forward.

Recently I went with a group to visit a man named Alejandro. He lives in a humble neighborhood on the outskirts of the city of San Pedro. A fisherman by trade, he used a small loan to purchase a motor and build his own boat. As he caught and sold more fish, Alejandro was able to expand his shop—a roomy, clean space with a concrete foundation and shining tile walls. He prepares and sells fresh fish and meat from his shop, which has grown from one freezer to five.

Yet Alejandro’s story is about more than economic success. He is a dedicated husband, father, and pastor. His shop is across the street from his church and just down the road from his family’s home, where his wife sells homemade desserts and juices. Alejandro’s store is named after their 9-year-old son, Otoniel, who told me he dreams of following in his dad’s footsteps when he grows up. It was clear that this was a strong family.

Every day, Alejandro gets up at 1 a.m. to fish, works in his store all day, and goes to church in the evenings. He is a far cry from sitting around, and I would love to see more men following this example.

 

HOPE Trips FAQ Series: Part 1

On HOPE trips, there are a handful of questions that I hear a lot from visitors. In order to open the door a bit wider to HOPE and Esperanza’s work, I want to spend the next few blog posts answering some of these frequently asked questions…

FAQ #1:  Why shouldn’t we bring gifts?

Following our “hand up vs. a hand out” model, we ask trip participants not to bring anything—money or otherwise—to hand out when we visit the field. But I have been given so much more than these people. I want to be able to help! This line of thinking is well-intentioned and understandable, but consider these reasons why gift-giving might not be the most helpful approach.

1. Need is not just material. Yes, we have a lot more materially than our loan recipients in the Dominican Republic. But it’s important to recognize that poverty can also be spiritual (a broken relationship with God), personal (a broken view of self), or social (broken connections to community). At the end of a trip, visitors often comment that the clients they’ve met seem to have more than they do—especially in the sense of being richer in relationships and in joy.

2. Receiving loans alongside gifts can be confusing. Esperanza clients go through a series of pre-credit trainings before they are approved to receive their first loan. In these trainings, they learn about the importance of solidarity, responsibility, and discipline in repaying. They learn to invest their loans in income-generating purposes, creating the ability to pay back regularly. Imagine the confusion when visitors shows up to a repayment meeting and starts giving things away. Unintentionally, the lending model has been undermined.

3. Our motives may be mixed. I know from experience that it’s easy to give out of guilt. And giving gifts makes us feel good, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But I would encourage us to think more about the recipient than how we feel in the moment of giving. Does this group actually need—or want—these T-shirts? If you can, engage clients in conversation—learn about their lives, their families, their challenges, their strengths and abilities. I tend to find this approach allows us to hear what clients truly need, while fostering dignity, relationships, and opportunities for prayer.
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4. Consider unintended consequences. Distributing gifts may have effects that we are not able to see in the moment. Donating old clothing may take demand away from a local seamstress. When you hand a child a piece of candy, 20 more kids may appear (we know that happens in the States too!). Giving out supplies to a local hospital is great, but not if the hospital comes to rely on those supplies in the coming years. The last thing we want to do is to create or reinforce cycles of dependency.
5. We are not the savior. At HOPE and Esperanza, we want to empower Dominicans to move forward with their own God-given abilities. However, Americans in the D.R. are typically associated with giving handouts, which creates an unhealthy expectation. Hamilton and I get asked for money much more than our Dominican neighbors, a dynamic that we wrestle with. We try to explore ways to help without reinforcing the image of the “white savior”. And ultimately, we know that Jesus is our only hope and Savior—both in our American suburbs and throughout the Dominican Republic.

   

I’ve met so many awesome clients who have embraced their own ability to move forward. One of my favorite examples is Iselsa. When she had no work and was struggling to feed her family, she took 58 pesos –that’s $1.25 –and purchased a few ingredients to make homemade ice cream. She sold that ice cream to construction workers in her neighborhood, using the profits to purchase more supplies. As she gradually made and sold more ice cream, she was able to expand into selling juice, then snacks, then household staples. Today, Iselsa has a thriving grocery business, along with a beautiful store, a new home, and savings. Most importantly, she is a warm, loving example for others in her community.

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So is it ever appropriate to give gifts on a trip? I’d say it can be– in the context of relationship, with a strong understanding of the local culture. Dominican staff, who interact with our clients every day, understand their needs very well and can help in this area.

To learn more, I highly recommend the book When Helping Hurts. Or, if you’re short on time, check out the documentary Poverty, Inc.

 

 

 

On coconut oil & the joy of work

Amidst the palm tree-studded hills of the Samaná peninsula, 64-year-old Angela sells coconut oil. She started taking loans with Esperanza three years ago in order to buy coconuts in bulk. Before, Angela worked to be able to eat. Now, she has accumulated enough savings from her business’ profits to be able to build a home.

I met Angela on a recent HOPE trip, and she was proud to share about her business and her growth. With a glint in her eye, one of the first things she said to us was, “I have something to show you all that I think you’ll find interesting”—referring to her coconut press. The press looked old-fashioned, made with what appeared to be a jerry-rigged car motor. Though the machine is electric, frequent power outages mean Angela often has to process the coconuts by hand. Yet even as she described this setback, her joy shone like the Caribbean morning sun.

Angela confidently rattled off her inputs, her costs, her revenue. She can crank out 100 coconuts per day, which will yield about eight bottles of oil. She sells a bottle for 200 pesos—about $4.50. She spoke with both dignity and excitement. Her attitude was convicting: how much more often do we complain about our jobs than give thanks for them?

Our culture views work as a means to an end. We manage the pressure and busy schedules of our jobs in order to support ourselves and our families. Yet our work has deeper value than we may realize. Dorothy Sayers, a 20^th-century Christian writer, reminds us that work is

“not a necessary drudgery to be undergone for the purpose of making money… It should, in fact, be thought of as a creative activity undertaken for the love of the work itself; and that man, made in God’s image, should make things, as God makes them, for the sake of doing well a thing that is well worth doing.”

No matter what our job—in or out of the home, pressing coconuts or crunching numbers—we can perform our daily tasks to the glory of God. Work is a gift from Him that allows us not only to put food on the table, but also to create, to grow, to find joy in what we do.

Many other loan recipients that we visited on our trip reinforced these ideas for me. Take Yissel, for example. She runs a hair salon from a small, concrete building next to her home. She loves styling hair. She’s taken many classes to continue learning and to stay up on the latest trends, but she recognizes that an innate, God-given passion is what has really made her successful. Yissel says of her creative brain, “This is something you’re born with.”

Ines has been investing Esperanza loans in her cooking business for the past 7 years. During that time, she’s grown her loan size from about $50 to $700, built a loyal customer base, and added on a large concrete addition to her wooden home. But she was more excited to talk about the work itself—what she likes to cook, how her charcoal stove works, who her customers are. As she showed us around her well-outfitted outdoor kitchen—complete with stone countertops and hanging pots and pans—she could not say enough about her passion for cooking.

Then there’s Epifania, a single mother of two girls, who had one of the biggest smiles of any of the women we met. With an Esperanza loan, she purchased supplies to open a snack stand at a local school. With her profits, she recently bought a blender, which she’s using to make and sell homemade juices at her growing business.   Epifania welcomed us into her home, where she proudly showed off the new blender, as well as her daughters’ school pictures.

I don’t know about you, but I take my blender for granted. It’s easy to forget to value our jobs and what they can provide. Let’s challenge ourselves to be thankful for our work this week, and to strive to do it well.

Appearances, the heart, & the best bread I’ve ever tasted

 

In the D.R., people call it like they see it. On a daily basis, I hear rubia (blonde, or white person) and flaca (skinny) called after me wherever I walk. The other day I got labelled a bit more creatively: Blancanieves—Snow White.

Most of the time, these comments are meant to be neither rude nor complimentary. They’re just observations (well, okay, I don’t know about Snow White). I look a certain way, and people feel the need to mention it.

In the U.S., we may not call out people’s physical appearance to their face. But let’s be honest: we’re probably thinking the same things. Isn’t the first thing we notice about someone the way the look?

Elsa

On a recent HOPE trip, we visited a client named Elsa. Elsa is 63 years old and has never been married or had kids. She lives in Boca Chica, an area known for being seedy and dangerous; our driver instructed us not to take our cameras or phones off the bus. Due to a spasm she suffered, Elsa’s shoulders are hunched and her head is bent downwards. It looks like her neck causes her constant pain.

Elsa and her oven — where the magic happens

Elsa has cleaned homes for years, but she joined Esperanza just last year to be able to start selling her homemade bread and other foods. Her loans have been for 5,000 pesos, or just over $100 each. With this money, Elsa buys the ingredients to produce large quantities of bread, keep her charcoal-fired outdoor oven going, and also stock a display case with packaged snacks to sell. Her business has been successful in the community, and she has a keen eye open for how to keep growing.

Initially shy and hesitant, Elsa’s pride shone as she cut off hunks from a warm, fresh loaf of bread and watched our reaction as we tasted it. This stuff was amazing. After a sample, the group bought about half our weight in bread. Pillowy-soft inside, with a golden-brown, chewy outer crust… It simply cannot be put into the same category as the stuff you’d buy at the supermarket.

Even more amazing than her bread was seeing Elsa’s satisfaction in the work of her hands, her entrepreneurial spirit and her desire to advance. Elsa’s not a typical “microfinance success story”; she’s just starting out, and her loans and her business are small. But she is clearly someone full of hope and dignity — despite her age, her physical condition, and her surroundings.

Jesus’ approach

In Mark 12, Jesus warns against teachers of the law with their “flowing robes”, men who “have the most important seats in the synagogues” and make showy prayers. He contrasts these men with a widow in the temple:

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”  -Matthew 12:41-44

Looking past her poverty, isolation, and no doubt shabby appearance, Jesus notices her gift (and more importantly, the heart behind it). He calls together his disciples to celebrate her — unlike the others in the temple, she made a sacrifice worthy of the King.

Jesus knows our hearts. We are created in the image of His Father. Let’s take the time to know people, and to see just a bit more of what He sees.

 

 

 

Can a short-term trip have a long-term impact?

In the last few years, more and more information has been shared about the harms of short-term mission trips, or as they have been not-so-fondly dubbed, “voluntourism”. Many of us, especially in the international development field, have heard the negatives: $2 billion spent annually, paternalistic attitudes reinforced, cycles of dependency created, construction work “invented” for visitors, dignity stripped.   

But short-term trips—just like anything—can be done well or done poorly. Here in the D.R., I work with groups who come down to witness God’s work through microfinance. We visit repayment meetings, spend time in client businesses and communities, study the Word, and share meals with local staff. Distinct from what many of us think of as the typical mission trip, the focus isn’t what the visitors do, but what they learn. In fact, many potential visitors wrestle with that lack of “doing”: I don’t know what to tell people who ask me why I’m going to the Dominican!

 But I’ve seen these trips be positive, powerful experiences—both for the visitors and for those we’re visiting. So based on my limited experience, I’d like to humbly make a few recommendations:

1. Remember you are there to learn. Upon seeing a group of North Americans, locals may immediately assume that they’ve arrived to give handouts or “fix something.” Indeed, that’s exactly what many visitors are tempted to do. That’s why on a HOPE trip, we always start by introducing ourselves as a group who came to learn more.

 And what better way to learn than directly from the experts—in our case, the loan recipients themselves. While you can read all the microfinance literature available, it’s an unparalleled experience to hear firsthand why clients chose to take a loan with Esperanza, how they’ve invested their capital, the effect on their family or community, and their dreams for the future. 

2. Recognize your limited perspective in a new context. If you were visiting a community and saw people drinking river water, you might understandably be shocked and worried. You might want to rush up and warn them, give them guidance, and jump into action. What you might not see is the broken-down well behind the row of small wooden homes, a well abandoned due to a lack of maintenance and expertise.

Examples of well-intentioned aid gone awry abound in developing countries. While you may witness problems (I’m not denying that river water is bad for you!), it’s important not to jump directly to how to solve these problems. Remember that while you’ve been there a couple days, the organization you’re with has been on the ground for years, partnering with locals who have a much more complete understanding of their situation. And God’s got us all beat–He’s always been there working, and He always will be.

3. Have expectations for your trip, but not rigid ones. Take time to honestly evaluate what you want to get out of the trip (and what you’re willing to put into it!). What do you expect to learn, see, and do? Then, recognize that your actual experience may differ. On the first day of a trip, I always hand out copies of our agenda and let everyone know that if we actually end up following each piece of that agenda, I’ll be amazed. (Gotta love Dominican time!) Without flexibility, culture shock can easily end up sucking the joy out of your visit.

4. Step out of your comfort zone. A short-term trip—whether it’s 3 days or 3 months—goes fast. Make the most of your time by being willing to step up and ask questions, volunteer to pray for someone, or start a conversation with your best high school Spanish skills. If nothing else, you’ll at least be able to share a laugh with someone.

Remember that taking risks on your trip means following the promptings of the Spirit. It doesn’t mean eating cow tongue just so you can take a picture and tell everyone at home. (Okay, that was me… and it wasn’t worth it.)

5. Take something home with you. I always encourage groups to bring back one specific story, one way they’d like to live differently once they’re home. When we are impacted powerfully, it’s easy to make promises about how our lives will never be the same. But the demands of our busy schedules often take over, and it’s easy to return to normalcy by the time our sunburn has faded. 

So commit to intentionality. Give yourself visual reminders (like a picture on the fridge), pray daily for the people you met, get involved in a local ministry, or share your story of impact. And that way when people ask what you were doing out of the country, you’ll have more to talk about than eating cow tongue.

 

If you want to learn more about short-term trips, check out:

Peter Greer’s blog –5 Actions After Your Mission Trip

HOPE’s website –More about HOPE Trips

Relevant – Things No One Tells You About Going on Short-Term Mission Trips

 

What a Dominican entrepreneur and a Samaritan leper have in common

I met Carmen Espinoza last year in her small community of La Pared de Haina, on the western outskirts of the Santo Domingo province. Carmen has a business selling clothing and shoes, along with various kitchen and bathroom staples, from the front porch of her house. She used to have just a small display case with a few toiletries for sale. Since receiving access to credit, she’s been able to purchase more merchandise in bulk, at better prices. Her business has grown to fill a room and a half of her home, plus her front porch.

However, Carmen didn’t dwell on her entrepreneurial growth; she shared far more with me about how she’s been impacted spiritually. Carmen said that before starting with Esperanza, her family had problems with fighting; now, she has experienced an incredible peace. Through Christ and the spiritual lessons the group receives, she has learned to handle her children in a more loving way. While Carmen used to focus solely on work, she now recognizes that prayer comes first. She has learned to pray, affirming, “I don’t get out of bed without laying my requests before God, thanking Him, giving Him my home, my family, and everything I need.” Later she added,

“Before I started with Esperanza, things were going poorly.  But now that I’m with Esperanza, I have learned a lot of good things; now, I think in a better way.”

She thinks in a better way. What an intriguing description of what has changed in Carmen’s life due to poverty alleviation efforts. Carmen recognizes that not only has her physical life changed, but her mental, relational and spiritual state have been transformed. I saw Carmen recently, about a year after my first visit, and she immediately started talking about her relationship with God. Smiling and enthusiastic, she shared how prayer has impacted her life.

I was struck by the fact that she’s experienced lasting change—the kind of change that Jesus has in mind for all of us.

The right response

Many of us are familiar with the story in Luke of the ten lepers: as Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem, he comes upon ten men with leprosy who cry out to him for mercy. In Jesus’ day, the disease was often associated with sin, uncleanliness, and the just punishment of God. Due to their condition, lepers were unable to interact with society or provide for themselves. Luke notes that these men “stood at a distance” as they called out to Jesus; they were inadequate, ashamed to come close to him.

Despite these barriers, Jesus heals all ten men of their disease. Yet only one man grasps the deeper significance of his miraculous act of love and compassion:

 “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him –and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” –Luke 17:15-19, NIV

His faith made him well? Hadn’t Jesus already made the whole group well? Jesus is making an important distinction here between physical healing and complete healing. His desire was to wholly transform the lepers’ lives, not just take away their leprosy. One man’s heart and mind were made new, shown by his unabashed praise. He throws himself at Jesus’ feet in fervent gratitude, no longer reluctant to approach his healer.

Carmen and the tenth leper were touched by God, and both responded by giving Him their whole lives. This Christmas, let’s allow Him to work in our minds and our hearts, remembering that Jesus came to transform us completely.

We don’t have the answer.

Today, there are more than one million public charities based in the U.S. alone[1]. While many are providing outstanding services to those in need, how do we really know what works? William Easterly, one of the world’s leading economists and international development specialists, states, “Spending $2.3 trillion (measured in today’s dollars) in aid over the past five decades has left the most aid-intensive regions, like Africa, wallowing in continued stagnation”[2]. The many “answers” to the problem of poverty end up plaguing us with more questions: Is this the fault of governments? A combination of geography and disease? Is money the solution? To what extent should we feel responsible?

I feel privileged to work for HOPE, alongside Esperanza, because I feel like they are taking an effective approach to poverty alleviation. How can I make that claim when it seems clear that no one knows how to solve this polemic, thorny, unrelenting issue?

Because these organizations recognize and agree with that sentiment: none of us holds the solution to poverty.

We live in a world fragmented by sin. It impairs how we relate to others and to our world, and these broken relationships are at the root of poverty. And we recognize that we, too, are poor—be it in faith, in honest relationships, or in humility. But we are optimistic. As we offer financial and holistic services to the world’s underserved families, we share the freedom we have found through the Gospel. We are aware that there is no “silver bullet” in our broken world: how could we have a perfect tool if all of us are, in fact, imperfect?

We keep Christ at the center of all we do because we believe lasting hope is found only in Him. Bearing this in mind, HOPE and Esperanza come alongside communities, seeking to empower and support restoration in a world where we all need it desperately.

Throughout the HOPE network, client meetings start with prayer, a Bible study, and group worship. Here in the D.R., I get to hear Esperanza loan officers refer to themselves as “missionaries” and see them live out that calling daily in the field. I get to see spiritual transformation firsthand—from mended relationships, to freedom from prostitution, to answered prayers in the middle of repayment meetings. I get to interact with clients who, through the power of Christ, have seized the opportunity that a loan presented, starting and growing businesses, putting themselves or their kids through college, setting aside enough money to finally purchase a house.

Luis’ story illustrates the minor supporting role of HOPE and Esperanza in God’s production. The son of Haitian immigrants, Luis was born into a sharecropping system in the Dominican sugar cane fields. His mother left the family when he was 6 years old, and Luis went to work alongside his father, cutting cane instead of attending school. Abused by his father and others, Luis ran away at the age of 11.

By grace, Luis came to know Jesus. Through studying the Bible, he even taught himself to read. Luis found work as a construction apprentice, gained training on building projects as he grew up, and ultimately started his own construction business.

Living in San Pedro, Luis felt called by God to open his own hardware store, and he joined Esperanza to make that calling a reality. With his first loan, Luis was able to buy wood to build his store; since then, he has continued growing, taking out larger loans to expand his inventory. Esperanza has come alongside him with holistic support, and Luis says he is particularly thankful for the Bible lessons the group shares.

With the profits from his hardware store, Luis provides for his father and daughter. Luis forgave his father, now blind, and brought him to live next door. Regarding his daughter, Luis shared, “I’m willing to give her anything she needs in order to go to college.” He himself is planning to start university classes in the fall. Luis’ spirit of grace, generosity and hard work were remarkable. When I asked him how he was able to come so far with such a difficult childhood, he responded,

“It’s the desire to overcome, which is a gift given from God.”

Luis understands that his achievements have come only through God’s grace. At HOPE and Esperanza, we want to remember that truth every day: it’s not about us. Ultimately, it’s not even about the amazing people we’re serving. It’s about the privilege of joining God in His masterful work of redemption.

[1] “Quick Facts About Nonprofits.” National Center for Charitable Statistics, April 2015. http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm

[2] Easterly, William. “A Modest Proposal.” The Washington Post, March 13, 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25562-2005Mar10.html

Justice as the Noonday

HOPE recognizes that being poor is far more than a lack of material resources. Its roots extend to the spiritual realm, affecting the way we view ourselves and relate to others. That’s why HOPE seeks to address poverty holistically, offering financial services in conjunction with spiritual guidance, community support, and training.

Carolina Almonte is a client of HOPE’s partner Esperanza in the Dominican Republic. I had the privilege of visiting Carolina’s home, perched among green hills on the undeveloped fringes of Santo Domingo, the D.R.’s capital city. Four years ago, Carolina took out her first loan, investing $181 in her clothing business. Since that time, she has started to experience transformation–not just materially, but also spiritually, personally, and socially.

The Spiritual: From Doubt to Devotion

Before starting with Esperanza, Carolina knew Christ but had grown far from the Lord. She and her family were going through an economic crisis, and she was struggling to trust God. At Carolina’s very first bank meeting, she felt God speaking to her through Psalm 37, something she will never forget. “At that time, I was going through a process, a trial,” she shared. “That psalm really touched my life.” Through this lesson, Carolina opened her heart once again to the Lord. Since then, she has continued to grow in her faith and says her favorite part of Esperanza is the spiritual aspect. While her loans have been a key financial support, Carolina recognizes that God first and foremost led her to Esperanza to reach her heart.

The Material: From Constraints to Confidence

Carolina ­­felt limited before joining Esperanza, selling a few clothing items out of a bag on the streets. Now, her pink front porch boasts well-organized racks of shirts and dresses, rows of sequined shoes, and neatly-displayed handbags. With her loans, Carolina can buy her merchandise in bulk–purchasing full pacas, or packs—offering her better prices and more apparel to sell.

Because of Esperanza, Carolina has savings for the first time, which has lifted a weight off her and her family’s shoulders. She’s learned to invest her loans principally in the business, while setting aside money for her family’s needs. With her savings, Carolina is confident that the family will not face another economic crisis.

The Personal: From Despair to Dignity

God created work to be a blessing, an opportunity to worship Him and to provide for one’s self and others. While many of us do not view our jobs that way, Carolina stands as an example. When I commented on her energetic, joyful spirit, she responded, “And you should see me when I’m working!” She loves to create beauty and is devoted to her job; for Carolina, work has been redeemed.

Listening to Carolina share about her dreams reveals her newfound confidence. One of her goals is to purchase a separate building for her clothing business as it continues to grow. She says she’d name the store La Bendición—“The Blessing”—because that’s exactly what it is to her. Carolina also dreams for her children to be well-educated and prepared for the future. Her 9-year-old daughter Dayelin, who loves math, often chooses to stay up and study by candlelight when there is no electricity. Dayelin’s enthusiasm for work is a testament to Carolina’s powerful example.

The Social: From Ridicule to Relationships

Before joining Esperanza, Carolina recalls selling in the park and being asked, “Aren’t you embarrassed to be selling here?” Now, surrounded by support in her repayment group, she is admired for her dedication to her business. People often tell Carolina that her hardworking spirit is an example for them. Thankful for the community she has found, Carolina says her favorite part of Esperanza’s biweekly meetings is group worship.

With her profits, Carolina not only provides for her children, but she is also generous with others, willingly covering for her solidarity group members and giving to neighbors when they are going through a hard time. “If it’s in my hands and I can help them out, I feel compassion,” she humbly shared.

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Carolina’s story shows that financial support is just one piece of fighting poverty; holistic services are important, and keeping Christ at the center is crucial. The work of HOPE reflects what Carolina learned in Psalm 37 at her first group meeting:

 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”

–Psalm 37:5-6