Pryr4Trng

Friends...how are you? Do you remember the game show which forced people to unscramble vehicle license plate messages to win money/prizes? I don't have a prize for you if you discovered 'Prayer for Training' is the official message of this post, but pat yourself on the back because you're awesome.

Please temporarily forgive the posting lapses of this blog, but be assured I'll have plenty to update on soon. Will play "catch up". For now, I want to ask for your prayers for the first, biblical, business training which will happen this Friday and Saturday. Just want all who can benefit from this training to be there and to receive some wonderful info. Your prayers support the work here in big ways and after the training I'll be able to share names of Ugandans who have benefitted from your prayerful support.

Friday's topics: 'The best business idea (for you)!' and 'Will my business idea make money?'

Saturday's topics: 'Improving your idea', teaching about a Business Plan and cash-flow analysis

XX

Hey...it's Sunday and I'd like to excite you with my list

of Sunday activities (and corresponding pictures).

First, a "thumbs up" picture of me writing blog entries.

Next, a really huge building in downtown Kampala

called the 'Statistics House'. This made me wonder

why an impovershed country has a whole building

devoted to statistics. I'm not grumbling,

but there MUST be a good story

behind why the big building for statistics.

I imagine some kind of closed-door meeting, years back,

VIP governement officials, hot debates about

whether the money goes to statistics

or hunger relief.

Last, a picture of the process I undergo to wash

each item of my "underclothes". You appreciate

your underwear more when you have to wash

each pair yourself, by hand. Underwear appreciation!

Hope you had a nice Sunday!

$30 Monthly Income

Mechanics or bust!

Peter Okello is the name of my auto mechanic...and he earns $30/month. Six days a week, eleven hours a day, Peter works at a garage and he fits perfectly into the "earns less than a dollar a day" majority of Africans. Add a wife and a few kids to live off that income, and you can imagine how alone and discouraged Peter felt when I called to check on him, only to hear he had been forced to take off a month without pay.

He knows me. He knows I'm a Christian and that I do "small business". He asked if we could meet, so we did and he said he wants to start his own mechanic shop. AWESOME! That's what this lady likes to hear! So, on Tuesday, we met and created some plans and got the "wheel rolling" for him to start his own shop. It shouldn't be long now. All in all, to start his business, he needs about $250. He didn't realize this and was "inches" away from getting a bank loan for $1000, paying $250 additional for interest. He didn't realize he could start his business for $250 and had no idea he maybe should skip taking out a loan... and that is one of the tragedies and reasons why an impovershed person can become severly impovershed. Banks tend to be fairly lenient with lending requirements, and I wish it weren't so.

...so he's another, Ugandan business "adventurer" you'll be hearing updates about. I'll try and get a picture.

No room for begging!

Just yesterday, I saw one of the women (Mama Namia) I work with begging on the side of the road. She's a struggling alcoholic with a difficult background. I realized that when she wasn't working on the jam project, she is begging and drinking. I think the only days when they don't drink all day (local beer), is when we are working on the jam together. I feel the love of God for her and the rest of the women. It's overwhelming to be a part of God's plan. The reality is that work and change takes a loooong time in Africa. Ugandans are very resistant to change...for example, they eat the same meal almost everyday for every meal, week after week. So, I will do all I can while here, but once the seeds are planted, they will take a bit to germinate.

Good news, one of the women that makes jam with us is starting to show some significant points of change. I think I mentioned we are teaching the women basic financial management skills, so when they earn 1000 shillings, part of it goes to a medical fund for their future care, part to fund their children's school fees, part to rent and then pocket money. We're introducing the principles slowly ...and, if you can believe it, two of the four women have asked us to keep some of their pocket money as 'savings', without our prompting.

This week one of the women who has been saving stopped by Naomi's house while we were working together. She was drunk and was asking if Naomi could buy her some sandals. Naomi said,"Well, I can give you some money out of your savings to buy sandals with your very own money!" I was looking for the woman to jump up and say something like, "hot dog! I'm an income-earner and I can buy my own things now. Give me the money now!", but this woman just said she did not want to use her savings, so continued on her way. Naomi and I looked at each other, amazed at what had happened. I may be naive, but I expected a drunk lady with a history of abuse and other difficulties to jump at any money that is available to her...but no! We don't know her purpose for saving but that is good stuff we saw!

Another update, today we received an offer to possibly supply three, safari lodges with our homemade jam! Hallelujah!

Bye for now!

Textin' Graduates

I sent text messages to some of the recent "graduates" of our study on personal financial management, to see how life is and if they have been able to incorporate some of what we studied. One reply which came back:

"Oh thanks Joanna. We ar al wel. Yes God's mney principles ar doing me wonders! I'm puting me into practice."

I forget I'm rich!

...

In the last, two days, I've had my car smashed up by

a kamikaze motorcycle driver and just today witnessed

that a friend of mine has been beaten by their boss.

It becomes easy

to get sad and focus on what's NOT working,

or is disturbing, when a series of bad stuff happens with me.

I started writing this post then I

found my friend weeping with bruises. She will

be okay...I did my best to comfort her, prayed and

told her I will find her a place to stay,

if necessary. "Funny" how when crap like this happens

(I feel 'crap' is the best word here)

my mind is grabbing for any good events to remember.

I struggle to think anything good is happening in life.

But I want my voice (typed words) to be a praise to God

for all the positive stuff simulatenously happening.

Can I share some good stuff? It is therapeutic!

...

Alright! So, do you happen to remember

the biblical personal financial management study I mentioned two months back?

We've completed the study, which ended this past Friday, and I wanted to share

some of the comments made by the participants:

"Honestly, I am not the same person (as before I came to the study)."

"I feel coming here was God's timing on my life. It was such good timing!"

"I'm rich!" (Well, not yet, but in a sense of seeing the positive potential, God's love, care and financial ways. How it all adds up.)

Also, the woman in the gray polo shirt (Nora)

and the girl beside her (Grace) are relatives.

Nora told us she has heard the young girl saying things,

in passing, about financial responsibility

which made her wonder 'who is this person?'

and 'this is not the Grace

I have known all this time!'

The final outputs of the study were:

> A personalized, financial budget for each person/household

> Understanding of God's financial instruction to us

> Practical help/discussion of how to incorporate God's financial

wisdom/strength into our daily life

> A "Top Ten" of habits/mentalities that hinder of financial success

>...and, of course, meeting others who are striving to get their "wallets" in biblical order.

This study was a "test" to see how the material worked/didn't work and we know how to improve it for the future and plan to offer it for use in more small groups and in 'weekend seminar' style, too. 'Seminar' is a word that indicates 'boring' to me, so maybe it will be more of a 'weekend financial mangement extravaganza' or 'weekend financial education disco'. I'll work on the wording!

100 Jar Anniversary

Here's the way our jam-makers learn savings.

I put together a chart which tracks their earnings

and divides them amongst five categories, which

have envelopes to house each allotment of money.

The five categories: Rent, Medical Savings, School Fees,

Pocket Money and a Special Savings Goal. We want

them to understand the concept of 'savings' and to be able

to contribute to the rent money and school fees

for their children, as Naomi (see below) pays for all of it now.

We sit down with them after work and divide up the money

so they can see it accumulate and see themselves as income-earners.

Our jam-masters: Mama Owino, Ester, Mama Namia and Enoco

In the back: Naomi (who helps rehabilitate/work with the women) and me

Half of the proceeds of the jam go to the women and half to Naomi's ministry.

Their first time making the mango-papaya jam. Mama Namia and Ester going to work on mangos!

Progress! The fruit is in the pot and we're almost ready for cooking. I stand by for emotional support...and because when they're not looking I can swipe a piece of mango.

Finished product!

We've produced our first 100 jars and are still going strong. Thank you, God!

Jammin'!

We're jammin'...and I hope you like jammin' too!

Papaya-mango, Lemon-pineapple...we've got your jam right here. Yes, jam, jelly, preserves, whatever you like to call it, I've just started plans for an economic project which will sell homemade, Ugandan jam. I realized awhile back that we needed to have more slum-based work happening and learn well how to serve and empower those on the "bottom steps" of the finanacial success ladder, rather than mainly in the middle.

Diana, my friend's child, is in the picture above sampling one of our jams. She prefers the Papaya-Mango, in case you were wondering, and I have to say I was surprised the whole gang gave the jam a big "thumbs up" on our first cooking attempt. I was never a peanut butter AND jelly person in school, just peanut butter for me, so I've not been groomed to be a jelly expert. But by the hand of God, which I am sincere about, it came out well in the beginning--the first try.

Here they are...our test products...soon to be in a jar of some sort. (above)

The first week of July, Pastor John, Jane (his wife) and little girl visited me in Kampala to continue some training. For two and a half days, we studied how to teach personal financial management (with biblical basis) and how to begin a lending practice that reflects Christ in its operations. They intend to bring these teachings and systems I am putting in place here...but in Western Kenya, where I have visited with the Ekklesia team. Most of the time I am amazed of the materials and tools that I've developed and can share. I say 'I developed' lightly, because this is 100% not a one-woman-operation...I mainly have a good God guiding me to what he wants me to put together...and I have seen this confirmed on many, many occassions. (Oh, and I also have the benefit of having a great team of people back home who are patient in getting updates from me about all that is happening here! *cringe/grin*)

After John, Jane and little one arrived, I treated them to a local massage, just to help them relax after a long bus ride and a demanding life. Here's how the conversation went when I asked them about 'massage':

Me: I was thinking I would take you both for massage, if that's okay with you...

Them: ***Silence*** ***Blank Stares***

Me: Have you had a massage before?

Them: Is that with the machine that does this (Jane makes pedaling motion with her hands)?

Me: No, it's different, it's a relaxation where someone rubs your muscles on your legs and back and arms.

Them: Yes, we don't know what it is, but we will try it.

Afterwards, they were so relaxed and said they really enjoyed the massage. It's a rare treat, but I know they work so hard and don't have a lot of "me time" for either of them.

Finally, the picture above is of a game called 'Cash Flow', written by the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I ordered the kids version of the game, because the adult version is more complicated than it needs to be, for my purposes and use of it here. We've already played the game with four, different small groups of people and they are all soliciting to play it again and again. Thanks to my M-O-M for ordering it on behalf of me (they wouldn't take an order from a Ugandan, internet connection, so I got the credit card info to her and she ordered it for us) and for those who support financially, this is another tool which is helping people to learn how to manage and grow their income towards being self-sustaining.

...and here's a picture from one of the sessions of playing 'cash flow'. Tina was not happy...her husband was winning... don't we all love to win when the board games come out!?!

So, there are just a few things of the many going on around here. Lots more happening and I will try and post more and more. I'm doing well. Today I've almost conquered a bout of food poisoning, which I am relieved does NOT seem to be malaria, and am starting up production of the jam project (seen above) this week with the slum women. It's pretty hot these days and the lack of rain is really affecting food crops. Lots of people in the country are having to eat grass and strange plant life to get through because crops never produced. I hope this idea of jam production might be useful to those who have seasons of plenty (with mangos, bananas, etc.) and then run into extreme hunger seasons. It might be a way to preserve those beautiful fruits until for longer than the two weeks they are ripe for eating fresh.

Thanks for the love, prayer, support and friendship! I am happy here, but also love you very much and wonder how you are doing in the USA. I've heard there are adjustments, losses, etc. in the USA for many people. Please send me any prayer requests you might have so I can be praying for you and any major events going on in your life! -joanna-