MEDA: Ministry to Small Entrpreneurs

On Sunday I picked up a thick magazine on the literature table at church. It's the Marketplace, Anniversary Issue. We can help ourselves to what's there, and I've taken it before. This time, it turns out to be like a history of the past 50 years in this very interesting business ministry called MEDA.

It stands for Mennonite Economic Development Associates. It was started by a handful of Christian business men in both the USA and Canada, in 1953, with a novel approach; they would extend risk capital in poor countries to plain farmers and poor individuals who had ideas for microbusinesses, but no cash. By helping such people get a start, they'd help them to support their families and often whole communities too.

Have you ever wished you could get a financial boost to start a small business, but found the banks won't even give you "Have a good day"?

It takes a long time to bring a dream to pass if nobody else believes in you or gives you a hand. How much quicker you succeed if at the right moment, special funds come into your hands, right?

That's what MEDA has done for 50 years.

Their first projects were in Paraguay and Bolivia, but they have worked in Africa too, and in Haiti, (where they taught people to grow cocoa beans for the big Hershey chocolate manufacturer with the company's assistance with the training), Jamacia, and Russia, and many others.

Although they've learned costly lessons with some investments, generally the people they have helped have thrived and repaid the loans.

I've only read half of this history yet, but it is so fascinating! I feel like the Ugly Duckling who has found her own kind!

So many of my daydreams are of doing well in business so that I can help others to start up too. I am greatly encouraged. Rather than loans, I've thought of training people for viable jobs, especially in the internet marketing and technology areas.

I've been sloughing through on a shoestring too short to wrap around a finger, and though I'm grateful for the learning stages at a pace I could handle, I realize that the next stage will depend on the funds that come in to make the right moves. Once that comes - look out!

Fortunately, I have lots of faith, which feeds my determination and discipline, and I know - I really know - success is coming!

Already, I'm picturing myself training others to do it too. What's more, I'll support MEDA in their good work.

(Their site again, is, http://www.meda.org)