Have you ever felt like you've moved ahead of God? Have you ever had a dream that you were so passionate about, that you forgot to include God in the dream? I know I have. So many times, I've pursued the dream, instead of the Dream Giver (God). God becomes Someone that is placed on a shelf instead of driving, moving and refining the dream (which He is an expert at).
Last year, I wrote on my blog about a dream that I had pertaining to helping the world's poorest people. I shared how I felt God had given me a dream to be an instrument of hope in the lives of the poor and hopeless in Africa. Through the means of micro-credit, God has led me (and developing a similar heart in others) to share a portion of our wealth to help bring hope and a sustainable income to some of the world's poorest people.
Micro-credit (or micro-finance) can help create a world in which the poor have fair access to economic opportunities and the hope to move beyond poverty. Most people in the poorest areas of our world are bright and intelligent but simply lack the access to adequate capital to pursue their dreams which will in turn create a sustainable income. So, instead of escaping the grip of poverty, they remain stuck in poverty due to a lack of capital. They simply need a chance. This is where micro-credit can help serve the poor.
I began to read on the work of micro-credit that is being pursued by evangelicals and other concerned people, and I realized that God was birthing something inside my heart. In 2006, God crushed me as I was exposed to the poor, malnourished and broken in Burkina Faso, Africa. I felt like their was an assignment that God had for me. I was crushed and I was slowly developing a love for the people of Africa and a desire to see God bring hope and solutions to the poorest of the poor. As I read and researched more on the work of micro-credit in an impoverished area, I realized that this was something that I could take part in. I had the dream (or should I say, God gave me the dream), but I knew nothing of the mechanics or the direction and steps that I needed to take.
I knew that this was way bigger than me and my feeble abilities. I prayed. Then, I started to seek out the advice from others who had worked in the micro-credit arena. The last thing I wanted to do was abandon the very God who birthed the dream in me. Instead, I've tried to yield myself and "the dream" to the Dream Giver. I don't want to get ahead of God, rather I want Him to lead, inspire and ultimately bring this dream to reality...and I think He's doing it.
Recently, I've been given some clarity on the direction of the dream. I've also been surrounded by people that have a desire to contribute to giving micro-credit and others that are willing to help in the structure of the organization. Things are coming together. God is building the dream. So, once again, here's the dream: I'd like to see people have the opportunity to contribute money that would be use to issue small loans in the amount of $25 - $250. These small loans would be used for business development, education and extreme medical circumstances. Loans will be given to those that are in the most need. Borrowers repay the loans over a period of time. To qualify for a second loan, the borrower must repay there first loan. An interest rate is given and if payments are made in a timely manner, the borrower will receive all of their interest back, once the principle has been paid off. This creates an incentive for the borrower to pay off their loan in an expedient manner. Screening will take place by someone that is godly, lives a life of integrity and has a heart for the poor. God has already led the way and allowed me to connect me with a young man in West Africa who has a heart for this ministry. I'm currently dialoging with him and refining parts of the vision and how it will potentially be fleshed out.
I gotta' tell ya...I'm really excited as to what God is doing. He's doing the building, the connecting, and the inspiring. He's filling in the blanks. God may very well kill this dream, and if He does, I trust Him fully, because it's His dream in the first place. I have a strong feeling though that God is developing something and calling people together to be a part of something that will help the poorest of the poor. This is what I want to be a part of. I want the justice of God to flow through me and others to those that are in desperate need. I want to see redemption come to those that need rescued...both physically and spiritually.
Stay tuned to my blog for more info. I'll be updating and sharing how this develops as God connects the dots. By the way, if this is something that you've connected with, and you desire to help the poor and hurting in Africa by providing micro-credit, please email me at parmitage@northmarchurch.com. Eventually, I envision a need to have numerous people helping in a variety of ways...so if God is moving you, let me know.
Thanks for allowing me to share God's dream...let's stay in touch!!!
P.S. If you want to check out some other reputable organizations who are offering micro-credit, check out www.opportunity.org or www.hopeinternational.com
