Look here what we just did

So we've been talking a little bit about Burundi - and about micro finance.

It just so happens that our home church in the states is in the middle of a great endeavor - partnering with the very organization that Billy and I are now working with. Turame MicroFinance Bank. The idea is that all of us working together can build something big. A group of individuals coming together in Africa, requesting a loan to raise their businesses to the next level. A group of individuals coming together around the globe to pool their resources providing the capital for this loan. By lending $25-$80 (which you will get back in 6 months' time to put back into your pocket, or to reinvest in another lending group)

Look here what we just did!

Billy and I just became lenders to this group of entrepreneurs in Burundi!

Here is one lady's story from our group...

Odette is a 32-year-old merchant who lives in the town of Mumuri in Gitega Province, in the middle of the country. She has been doing commerce in bananas for three year. She is also a farmer.

Odette has attended school and reached the 9th grade. She is married to Faustin. Together they have five children, of whom three are in primary school.The Kiva loan of 100,000 Burundi francs that she obtained has enabled her to increase her capital to buy large amounts of bananas to resell, so as to make a large profit and to increase her savings.

She is a member of the community group "Tambuka".

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Do you know why I chose them? It's because of that woman on the left. Seriously. Who wouldn't love to support her? And the babies... so many babies. All of that, and the one woman's story that was told out of this group on the weblink ... I love farmers, I love bananas, and the boy we sponsor through World Vision is named Faustin too. That clinched it for me.

Now I we have a little bit of a fun circumstance that we are right there in Burundi with these lovely people (or about to be - i leave in less than a week to meet Billy!) i wonder if we'll get to meet them during our time at Turame - wouldn't that be amazing? But whether I meet this group exactly, or another with similar stories - i know this loan and this program are changing lives . Real people's lives.

If you want to support a group of small people - giving opportunity for a loan that will provide capital to build their business and support their families - join us at www.kiva.org - or perhaps even join the exact group Billy and I are a part of sponsoring

It's another great example of what we've seen so often - it just takes each of us doing our small part to accomplish big things - and make the world a better place - indeed.