This week we travelled to see Five Talents programs in Burundi, where we have been training over 35,000 savings-group members. What a wonderful time!
In the news recently, almost all we hear is how fragile Burundi is, how difficult it is to manage, and how poor its people are.
But we witnessed reasons for hope. A new bishop we spent time with in conversation, and in prayer, said “I can’t believe that God wants the people I am responsible for to live in poverty their whole lives.” We saw women leaders singing and dancing, as well as working through the details of how to build and improve their Five Talents training programs.
When I walked around a circle of two dozen savings group members, I placed my left hand on my right elbow as I shook their hands (a sign of respect). I could not believe how their faces were shining, including some in the photos above. These new entrepreneurs are not defeated. They will not allow their children to grow up in poverty. There are good reasons for the new bishop and all of us to hope.
Until next Monday,
Dale Stanton-Hoyle
Executive Director