A Bolivian Family’s Future Changed Forever With a $14 Loan

Fernando is proud to walk to school in his brand new shirt and shoes. “My teacher said that I look really handsome — I love her a lot!”

María, Fernando’s mom, started a knitting business in Tarija, Bolivia, with the help of a Five Talents’ partner, Semillas de Bendición (Seeds of Blessing), in order to provide her four children with nutritious food and clothing. The first loan she received was for $14.

“She had great talent in knitting, but her self-esteem was very low, so we encouraged her to start a business,” said Sara and Eva Mamani, Semillas de Bendición program managers. “She was quite fearful, but she decided to take a risk because the poverty in her family was very great. Now, she sells beautiful wool ponchos, and her husband is pleased because their sons are the ones who benefit the most.”

Before starting her business, María consistently reminded her sons that she couldn’t afford to buy them clothes, school supplies and sometimes even food. Fernando was wearing shoes and a shirt he had outgrown. “My feet were hurting a lot because my shoes were very old, and my shirt for school was very small — it looked like my younger brother’s shirt,” he said.

Now, María is using her business profits to better provide for her children – one son at a time.

“My mom told me that next time she’s not going to buy anything for me since it will be my younger brothers’ turn,” Fernando said. “She will keep working, and she will buy other things for my brothers with what she earns, and they will be happy.”

Through her savings group, María has also learned about health and nutrition. “Our mom surprises us with all the yummy things that she cooks; my favorite food is a vegetable cake that she makes,” Fernando said.

Now, when 9-year-old Fernando grows up, he wants to be a teacher and a church pastor so that he can help people too.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Kenyan Mother Sets Example, Fills Role of Encourager for Daughter

Irene is one of the top students in her 4th grade class, and her mother is very proud of her achievements.

Without the help of the Thika Community Development Trust, Irene may not have been able to attend – or have had such success – in school. Jane, Irene’s mom, has been part of the Trust in Kenya since 2004. She’s invested her loans from the Trust in her vegetable garden and rabbit business. She has used the profits to pay for her children’s school fees and clothing and to buy nutritious food.

“I also really hope that with the next loan she gets she will build us a nice home,” Irene said. The family is currently living in a two-room house with iron sheets for a roof and mud walls.

Irene attends Giachuki Primary School in the Thika District in the Central Province of Kenya. Her favorite subjects are Christian Religious Education (CRE) and social studies.

“I particularly love CRE for the very reason that most of the issues taught in class are also covered in Sunday school,” she said. “I particularly love the fact that Jesus was born on Christmas Day, which is just around the corner! It was the same loving Jesus who also rode on a donkey!”

Irene dreams of one day becoming an environment professor, where she can teach others what she knows about trees, animals, flowers and food crops.

“For example, last term we learned about maize and tea and also about rabbits, and we have rabbits at home too!” she said.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

This story is the fifth story in a five-week series – Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance.

Income from Jewelry Business Provides Healthy Meals for Peruvian Family

Before Five Talents helped, Rosita and her family suffered from severe malnutrition.

Six-year-old Rosita Elizabeth and her family had moved from a small Peruvian city in the Amazon jungle. And her parents searched in vain for odd jobs – just to survive in Lima.

Rosita’s mother (Maria) tells the story of the family going to bed many nights with empty stomachs. “We would get meals at a community food kitchen but suffered from food poisoning several times,” Maria said.

This forced Rosita’s parents to risk sickness or choose hunger for their family.

In June, Rosita’s stepfather, Roberto, received his first loan of $170 from ECLOF-Peru. He invested the money in the family’s handicraft business – making necklaces, bracelets and earrings from beads made from seeds from the Amazon. Roberto and Maria are using the skills they brought with them to Lima!

The business is generating a monthly income of $195, and with this money, they have purchased two machines in order to meet increased demand for their Amazon bead jewelry.

Now, Rosita smiles as she talks about some of her favorite things: mathematics, playing with dolls, eating arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) and her mom and stepdad’s handicraft business!

“Thanks to God, we have improved our business, we do not beg for food anymore, and my mother can now buy food to cook in our house,” Rosita said.

At age 2, Rosita was battling malnutrition and sickness. Four years later, she dreams of becoming an accountant and working in the family business.

This story is the fourth story in a five-week series – Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance.

Reflection of an Image

It is Advent and we await the coming of Jesus as a child born into a dirty, smelly manger. It is hard to grasp what that might have been like. I sometimes wonder as a parent of two small children what it might have been like to be Joseph. Would he have been scared about Mary actually delivering the baby without her life being threatened?

Even to this day, mothers in many countries die from complications associated with childbirth. Years ago, I walked into a maternity ward in Haiti and I noticed a few flies hovering above a mother in the corner. As I approached I realized she had recently died. I called the doctor over and he quickly checked her pulse, and then had the nurse cover her face with the sheet and he moved on. I was stunned by his nonchalant attitude. In the states we would have done everything possible to save the mother using the latest in technology. When questioned, the doctor told me that postoperative death is common and he had to tend to the living. Moments later, still in the maternity ward, a nurse in our group came running out with a baby who was turning blue. She raced toward another room where the only available oxygen tank in the whole building could be found. It was 1960s vintage but it worked and the baby lived.

That very night at the hotel, I watched an episode of ER, the television show that depicts an emergency room at a hospital in Chicago. The tragic irony was not lost on me as the doctors raced from room to room trying to save lives.

Childbirth was far from easy in the time of Jesus. And in some places it still is and that’s why to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health are the fourth and fifth Millennium Development Goals. I can imagine Joseph breathing a sigh of relief as the baby Jesus cried out for the first time and Mary had not suffered any ill effects. Even with all the medical facilities we had available at the hospital, I know I breathed easier when the doctors gave the thumbs up!

I wrote these few words soon after my daughter was born almost six years ago. I found them while writing this essay, and I thought they might be appropriate at this time of the year:

“I looked into the mirror and it was you who smiled back at me – a smile so wide I almost cried.

The father finds a reflection of himself as he holds his first-born daughter. Only, instead of a tired, unshaven face at 4 a.m., she has wide, innocent eyes that sparkle happiness and joy. What will she become? I ask under the glow of the bathroom light.

It won’t be long until she is standing and looking into the mirror with no one to hold her. Will she see my reflection in herself just like I sometimes see my parents reflected in me?

More importantly, will she know that she is made in God’s image and the beauty she radiates comes from Him?”

Have a blessed Advent and Christmas!

Craig Cole
Five Talents President and CEO

Women in Technology Honors Five Talents Volunteers with Lifetime Achievement Awards

For three consecutive years, a Five Talents International volunteer has been awarded the Women in Technology Lifetime Achievement Award. The most recent recipient is Elizabeth Lewis, partner with Cooley Godward Kronish LLP in Reston, Va. She was presented the award on Nov. 14. Lewis provides volunteer legal advice and has hosted receptions for Five Talents.

“It is a privilege to support Five Talents because it is truly the gift that keeps on giving,” Lewis said. “Donations are used to provide loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries to start businesses with an opportunity to create an ongoing income stream which supports the entrepreneur, family members and employees. Then, the loan is paid back and the money can be loaned again.”

The Women in Technology event recognizes and honors women in the technology field who exemplify volunteer service in the community.

In 2007, the recipient was Lauren Kirby, president of TurnAround LLC. Kirby has provided Five Talents with capacity-building including implementation of a corporate policies and procedures manual.

In 2006, the recipient was Dr. April Young, senior vice president and managing director–US for MMVFinancial. She was honored for her work with Five Talents, where she has served on the board of directors and participated in trips to East Africa to teach basic business planning.

Women in Technology was founded in 1994 and represents professionals who work for technology companies or those that support technology companies in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., region. Its mission is to provide women in the technology community a networking and professional growth environment to develop relationships and create new opportunities.

“We are blessed to have such accomplished professional women supporting our work with their passion and expertise,” said Craig Cole, Five Talents president and CEO.

One Year Later, Microloans Continue to Provide Hope in Southern Sudan Village

Thanks to the income from her small food business, Ahok, who is a single mother living in Lietnhom, Sudan, is now able to send all five of her children to school. Akot, her 10-year-old son, has begun first grade – one step toward his dream of becoming a doctor.

“I love my mother,” Akot said. “She gives me milk and biscuits every day. I also love my school uniform; I look smart in school."

Ahok started her business with a $75 loan. She has now received a second loan of $150 from the village bank in Lietnhom, which was established by a consortium of organizations, including Five Talents, World Concern and the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

December marks Five Talents’ one-year anniversary of supporting this innovative microcredit program, but it hasn’t been without tragedy.

In May, Lietnhom was raided and burned to the ground by a rival ethnic clan. One of the few buildings remaining was the village bank and, remarkably, the $10,000 in members’ savings was still secure.

“Even though the conflict affected most of the people in the community, there is still hope,” said Harun Mutuma, World Concern program manager. “Many people are struggling to start life all over again. Let’s all pray for Christ’s witness in Sudan because this is the only way to ensure that lasting peace prevails.”

The nearly 400 members of the village bank have started rebuilding their shops and are repaying the loans they received in March. At the moment, they don’t have many wares to sell, but they are slowly restocking their shops by traveling the difficult and dangerous 112 miles by bicycle to the major town of Wau.

Despite the hardships of the past few months, the program has already replicated itself with the start of two new village and savings loan associations in the nearby town of Luanyeker. Each has 20 women.

Ahok challenges other women to start businesses so they too can provide for their families. And, she has set an example worth following – single-handedly, she has sent her oldest son to secondary school in Kampala, Uganda, since there are no high schools in Lietnhom.

“I do not know what would have happened to my family and children if Five Talents had not come to our town,” Ahok said. “Before they came, I was not able to buy enough food, school books or uniforms for my children. Now, I am able to support my children with all they need.”

Established in 1999, Five Talents provides funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents is based in Vienna, Va., with an office in London, England. For more information, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Akot Takes First Step Toward Becoming a Doctor

Thanks to the income his mother now earns from her small food business, 10-year-old Akot has begun first grade, the first step toward his dream of becoming a doctor. Ahok, Akot’s mother, used small loans to begin selling prepared food items, like vegetable dishes and sandwiches, in Lietnhom, Sudan. With the income from her business, this single mother has been able to send all five of her children to school.

“When I finish school, I would like to be a doctor,” Akot said. “I will also start a business like my mother and when I get money I will build a house for my mom.”

“I love my mother,” he said. “She bought me a school uniform, and she gives me milk and biscuits every day to eat and drink. I also love my school uniform; I look smart in school, unlike many of my friends who do not have school uniforms and even books.”

Ahok started her business with a $75 loan. She has now received a second loan of $150 from the village bank in Lietnhom, which was established by a consortium of organizations, including Five Talents, World Concern and the Episcopal Church of Sudan.

“My children rely on my business, because I receive little or no support from my husband,” she said. “I am determined to make sure that all my children get good education, because I feel this is what will help them in future.”

She challenges other women in her town to start businesses so that they too can provide their families with basic needs. And, she has set an example worth following – single-handedly, she has been able to send her oldest son to secondary school in Kampala, Uganda, since there are no high schools in Lietnhom.

Ahok is one of the most respected women in her village because of the way she is caring for her children.

“I do not know what would have happened to my family and children if Five Talents had not come to our town,” Ahok said. “Before they came, I was not able to buy enough food, school books or uniforms for my children. Now, I am able to support my children with all they need.”

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

This story is the third story in a five-week series – Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance.

Visit Five Talents This Weekend at Two Alternative Gift Fairs in Northern Virginia

This weekend, Five Talents will have representatives at two alternative gift fairs in Northern Virginia.

Church of the Holy Comforter
543 Beulah Rd., Vienna, VA
Saturday, Dec. 6: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 7: 9 a.m. to noon (event may last until 4 p.m.)
www.holycomforter.com

Truro Church
10520 Main St., Fairfax, VA
Saturday, Dec. 6: 1:30 to 5 p.m.
www.trurochurch.org

At both locations, you can meet members of our staff, learn more about the work of Five Talents and purchase Create a Job cards, featuring the children of microentrepreneurs, for Christmas gifts!

Hope to see you this weekend!

New Videos are Here!

Check out Five Talents' newest videos:

Five Talents in India - Chennai
Five Talents in East Africa

One $75 Loan Provides Hope for a Family, Self-Confidence to a Fifth Grader in Tanzania

Twelve-year-old Atupenda hopes to become a teacher one day. This fifth grader attends school in Kilolo, Tanzania. Her favorite subject is English, and she plays netball after school with her friends.

Her mother, Atuitie, recently paid back her first loan of $75 to the Mama Bahati Foundation, a Five Talents microfinance partner based in Iringa, Tanzania. She used the loan to increase the inventory of her small vegetable store, which resulted in new customers and increased sales. The additional income for the family has given Atupenda a new sense of self-confidence.

“The loan has enabled our family to have better clothes to wear,” Atupenda said.

The Mama Bahati Foundation (MBF) currently has 740 clients. The average initial loan size is $54, and the average repayment rate is 99 percent. MBF was registered as a Tanzanian non-governmental organization (NGO) in February 2006, in order to provide microfinance services to women in, and around, Iringa. The project is named after a poor Tanzanian woman called Mama Bahati or “Mother of Chance,” who used a loan of $8 to break out of the cycle of poverty. The project is the idea of the former Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Tanzania Donald Mtetemela.

Because of the foundation’s work and her mother’s success, Atupenda is excited about the new possibilities open to her. Being able to pay for the education necessary to become a teacher is now more than a wish, it is a reality.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

This story is the second story in a five-week series – Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance.

Bill Eggbeer Joins Five Talents Board of Directors

Five Talents International announces Bill Eggbeer has been named to the board of directors. Eggbeer is a Director with BDC Advisors LLC in Washington, D.C., where he leads the firm’s physician engagement practice and provides consulting services to healthcare providers and health plans in strategy, business development and facilitating complex business relationships.

Eggbeer has most recently volunteered with Five Talents to help develop a three-year strategy, which will be launched in 2009.

“Bill brings a wealth of strategic planning knowledge and expertise,” said Fred Kalema-Musoke, Five Talents chairman of the board. “We are grateful for his passion for our mission, and we are excited to welcome him to the board. Five Talents is looking forward to benefitting from his insights, wisdom and counsel as we celebrate 10 years of service and plan for the future growth of our Christian microenterprise ministry to the poor.”

Eggbeer began his career in Booz Allen’s healthcare practice. He has also worked as a senior executive at Marriott and at Manor Care.

Eggbeer holds a Master of Management (MBA) degree in Marketing and Health Services Management from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was named a Distinguished Scholar and the Outstanding Graduate in Health Services Management. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Studies with honors from Lawrence University.

Eggbeer is married and has three sons. He is active in his community and his church, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal in Bethesda, Md.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that in turn employs at least six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Ministry Wraps Five Talents with Prayer Shawls

Three years ago, it was an answer to prayer that led Ginna Vickory to the St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church Prayer Shawl Guild in Portland, Ore. Now, it’s the gift of prayer that has led her to merge this ministry with the work of Five Talents.

A prayer shawl is hand-crocheted using a pattern of three to symbolize the Holy Trinity. As members crochet the shawls, they pray for the recipients with the desire that each shawl is a blend of prayers, talents, gifts and grace. It is a tangible way for them to show God’s love to all of his people.

Vickory has been a Five Talents prayer partner for about six months. During that time, she received many prayer requests and noted several individuals that she thought should receive shawls. This summer, she connected with Five Talents’ prayer coordinator to make the match – sending one of the prayer shawls to East Africa for Esther Nakamatte, the new manager of Five Talents Uganda, and in September, she sent one to Mei Cen, the executive director of GERHATI in Indonesia. The prayer shawl guild hopes to share their gifts with others in the Five Talents family in the future.

“I was interested in the prayers that were being sent out and thought that my interest in Five Talents was a good match,” she said. “Five Talents allows people to maintain their dignity and to take care of themselves. No one likes hand outs. And, the money continues to be given out as loans are paid back.”

Vickory is all too familiar with the desire to be productive in a dignified manner. In 2001, she suffered a severe head injury after falling from a horse. For her, this accident has resulted in difficulty processing large amounts of stimulation, focusing her eyes, reading and coping with noise. But, because crocheting is a neutral activity, it doesn't require Vickory to focus her eyes – she only has to use the muscle memory in her fingers.

Vickory recalls her first prayer shawl meeting at St. Gabriel's: “A dear woman was trying to teach me to knit, she said. I heard her words, I saw her hands, I saw my hands, but my fingers refused to move. I cried in the car after the meeting. Then, I went to the local yarn shop, bought a crocheting book and slowly trained my hands to follow the directions.”

To date, the St. Gabriel’s prayer shawl guild, which has 30 members, has given out more than 200 shawls. Recipients have been individuals who are ill, have recently lost a loved one, or are heading into war. The guild has also given shawls to celebrate graduations and to honor new mothers.

“Often, I produce the most shawls on the weeks when I am unable to ‘be productive’ doing ordinary things,” Vickory said. “I think God has a great sense of humor. Before my accident, I doubt if I would have taken the time to learn how to knit and crochet. Now, it is all an adventure combining textures, colors and patterns.”

Vickory estimates that she personally makes two to four prayer shawls a month, investing about 15 hours of her time in each one.

“I see prayer shawls as an opportunity to give someone a hug,” Vickory said. “The person doesn't need to talk, or explain anything. It is just there, warm and soft, whenever he or she needs it.”

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Jobs for Indonesian Adults Bring Hope to Children

Five-year-old Esther is thankful for milk. Since her mother, Phiong, joined GERHATI in Jakarta, Indonesia, and expanded her cake business, her family of six can now afford to buy nutritious food and to pay for Esther’s school fees – she’s in kindergarten this year!

Phiong owed a loan shark $820. Without the means to pay it back, she became desperate and contemplated committing suicide.

That’s when members of the Anggrek Ciracas loan group stepped in to help. They encouraged her and prayed for her, asking God to strengthen her and to help her overcome her family’s problems and improve their finances. Phiong received a $43 loan to purchase the supplies she needed to continue operating her small business — selling traditional cakes at a school in East Jakarta.

Five Talents partner GERHATI, a microenterprise development program based in Jakarta, also helped by securing weekly cake orders for her business. Phiong has gradually been able to pay off her debt and has now started attending services at Ciracas Church.

Her daughter Esther looks forward to the GERHATI project officer’s visits to their home. She calls him Uncle Yuven.

“I’m always excited when Uncle Yuven comes because he is nice, and he loves me and my mom just like the Lord Jesus does. One day Uncle came, and I shouted, ‘Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Lord Jesus is coming, Mommy!’”

With the support of GERHATI, Phiong no longer has debt and can pay for her children’s education.

“Now, I can drink milk and pay my school tuition fees,” Esther said. “Mom said she will start selling noodles so that my brother, Yohanes, and I can continue to go to school. I pray that the Lord Jesus continues to help us.”

This story is the first in a series – Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance.

In 2002, GERHATI (which is an acronym in the local language for “Gateway of Hope for Human Transformation”) was conceived and developed by Five Talents in partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Singapore and All Saints Church in Jakarta. GERHATI is working in two communities in Jakarta: Bekasi and Cipayung.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Nov. 9 Sermon by Father Jeff MacKnight

Father Jeff MacKnight
St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
Bethesda, Maryland


Today’s scriptures are full of doom, gloom, and judgment – not our favorite topics in Holy Scripture. The prophet Zephaniah warns:

“Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”

If we change “silver” and “gold” to “stocks” and “bonds,” we have a stunningly prescient view of our own economic mess today! It never ceases to amaze me how these scriptures, written 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, continue to be relevant today.

But today I wish to focus on the Parable of the Talents, and on our new outreach partner, Five Talents International. This well-known parable is a practical guide to God’s will for us, especially when it comes to how we use our money and other resources God has given us.

It’s like Jesus’ advice against hiding your light under a bushel – God clearly doesn’t want us to hoard our wealth for ourselves and our own security. If this economic crisis is teaching us anything, it is that our hordes of wealth are not as safe, not as secure as we thought. They will never be the source of true security and peace. God does not approve when the “haves” of this world hoard, while the “have-nots” starve.

The Parable of the Talents reminds us not to hoard and bury what God has entrusted to us, but to use it, invest it, and yes, take some risks with it, so the wealth can grow and all can benefit. Even putting the talent in the bank to collect interest is better than burying it in the ground, we are told (especially if the bank deposit is FDIC insured). Throughout the Bible, “spreading the wealth around” is not a bad thing; it’s a good thing.

Today we focus on Five Talents International, and St. Dunstan’s new investment in it. St. Dunstan’s has committed $8,000 per year for three years, for a micro-lending program in a Dominican Republic village called La Barquita.

Thursday night I attended a meeting to learn more about Five Talents – a nine-year-old organization of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is patron. It is run by a small professional staff in Vienna, Virginia, and London, England. Five Talents is currently helping 20,000 of the poorest people around the world to achieve economic self-sufficiency. We were told how one woman got a $60 loan for her waffle-cone business. She bought a stove and several waffle irons, increased her production dramatically, hired several new workers, and now makes 46,000 waffle-cones per month. That’s a lot of ice cream cones.

Bill Eggbeer, now a board member of Five Talents – will tell us more after church about this phenomenal program, and what our investment – our talents – will do in La Barquita to fufill the Five Talents mission: “Fighting Poverty, Creating Jobs, Transforming Lives.” It’s amazing what a small loan, often just $142, can do in poor countries: actually start a business, support a family, get children in school, create new jobs, and perhaps most importantly, restore dignity to human beings – each one a child of God.

Thinking about these small, important loans, I remembered something I haven’t thought about in years. When I was starting college 30 years ago, I needed to make money to get myself through. I could play the piano and sing, so I thought of working in a piano bar. But I needed some sound equipment. So I went to my old accordion teacher, who owned a small music store. He lent me a couple of hundred dollars to buy a used sound system and microphone. I started working weekends, and soon was able to pay off my loan, and get the rest of what I needed. I played and sang a lot of Friday and Saturday nights to get myself through college.

I was blessed when someone took a chance and invested in me, so I could start a little business and put myself through school.

Would that all God’s children around the world could be given that chance, to become self-supporting and live a life of dignity. AMEN.

Five Weeks with Five Talents: Children of Microfinance

During the next five weeks, we’ll be sharing stories from the children of Five Talents’ entrepreneurs.

You’ll meet Akot from Sudan – a 10-year-old boy who is now attending school, thanks to the income from his mom’s food business in Lietnhom. Esther, who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia, is all smiles as she talks about her mom’s business. Why? Because now she gets to drink milk everyday! And, Maria from Kasubi, Uganda, now attends school with confidence – dressed in her school uniform – because of the income from her mom’s vegetable stand.

That’s what makes Five Talents unique. Person by person, loan by loan, we help liberate the God-given talents of poor individuals and families and give them a chance to make something better of their lives. And, it’s the children of these microentrepreneurs who will feel the difference for a lifetime.

By providing parents with small loans, they are able to send their children to school, provide them with healthy meals and offer a safe living environment.

I hope you’ll be encouraged by the impact small loans are making on the lives of the entrepreneurs as well as their children!

And, this Christmas, we’re making it easy for you to join the effort. Instead of giving another sweater, you can provide a hand up to a family with the gift of a microloan. Making a difference, one mom at a time.

* Give a small loan in honor of a friend or family member.
* In appreciation, we’ll send you a holiday card featuring the child of a Five Talents’ entrepreneur to give as a gift.
* Visit http://www.fivetalents.org/content.asp?contentid=585 to view recognition of your gift. (And if you let us know who the recipient is, we'll post their name as well!)
* Know that in six months, your loan will be given out again to another deserving entrepreneur!

For more information, visit www.FiveTalents.org, email kelliross@fivetalents.org or call (703) 242-6016 or (800) 670-6355.

This Sunday (Nov. 16) is Five Talents Sunday!

Just a reminder that this Sunday -- yes, in just six days -- is Five Talents Sunday!

Join Five Talents to help lift villages out of crushing poverty, create jobs and transform lives in the world’s poorest regions.

Nov. 16 is the date that churches around the world preach on Christ’s “Parable of the Five Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30). Experts on microfinance are available to speak to your church or organization.

For more information or to schedule a Five Talents speaker, call (800) 670-6355, email Joann Barron at joannbarron@fivetalents.org or visit www.FiveTalents.org.

Dignity

Dignity.

This is the one word I want people to remember when they think about the plight of the poorest in our neighborhood, in our country and in our world.

It is a shame that we continue to overlook the gifts and talents of those who are poor. We still see them as lazy, uneducated, always making bad choices, needing our help to survive. This view of the poor is simply wrong. The description of the poor I have just given describes me and many of my friends and colleagues on occasion.

So, why is it that as Christians we sometimes see the poor as a group of people that need us to solve their problems? In graduate school, we called this the “Messiah” complex. It’s like taking an old saying and putting a twist to it, “We are from an affluent church and we are here to help.”

Does help mean giving out plastic sunglasses to children in a village in Sudan when they have little to eat? Is throwing candy to a group of children from a bus that is leaving a village really a smart idea. Some think it’s cute to watch these children scramble and then devour the treats. I think it’s demeaning. And, quite frankly, I am tired of seeing these kinds of things over and over again.

What about a development project that doesn’t involve any of the people in the community only those coming from the outside? How about building a school and never involving the local labor who are desperate for work and actually have the right knowledge?

During the summer, a rival clan, who had some disagreements over cattle, burned down a village in the Wau district of Sudan. Five Talents International along with the Episcopal Diocese of Wau and several other international organizations, including World Relief and World Concern, had established a microcredit and savings program in this village. More than 350 members had saved about 10,000 US dollars over about 18 months in their village bank. When the clan burned down the village, one of the buildings left standing was the bank and the money was safe. Why?

The primary reason was because it was their money and it was their bank. We didn’t put any outside loan capital into the bank; they owned it all. The consortium of organizations only assisted with training to start the group savings project and mentor them as it grew.

I believe, as does everyone else associated with the program, that if the outsiders had controlled the program, dictated the design of the program and put all the money into it without involving the community - the money and the bank would have disappeared when the village was raided.

Santino, the chairman of the village bank, said this. “If you grow your own grain, you will be careful how you use it. If the grain is given to you, you can finish it in a few days.”

Independence creates dignity not dependency. Ownership creates opportunity for the poor to develop their own skills and talents.

On Nov. 16, many congregations in most of the mainline denominations will read the parable of the talent (Matthew 25:14-30). The second verse in that parable is, “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability.”

This is a very powerful statement, “each according to his own ability.” I am convinced that this passage says that God gives us all abilities and that we are to use them to help ourselves, our families and our communities. This is a very liberating message for the destitute and really for all of us.

When we give away things to the poor, when we run the project for them instead of with them, I believe we are crushing this important message of empowerment. We leave instead the poor dependent and feeling unworthy and demeaned.

I hope you will think and reflect upon this parable Nov. 16, which we have called Five Talents Sunday. We have developed curriculum for Sunday Schools and other materials for those interested in finding ways to serve with the poor instead of doing everything for the poor.

Craig Cole is the Executive Director of Five Talents International, a member of the Diocese of Virginia's Mission Commission and an EGR board member.

Join the Fight Against Poverty on Five Talents Sunday – Nov. 16

Lift villages out of crushing poverty, create jobs and transform lives in the world’s poorest regions – by helping your church participate in “Five Talents Sunday” on Nov. 16.

Nov. 16 is the date that churches around the world preach on Christ’s “Parable of the Five Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30). Join the nationwide discussion on how we can all fight poverty. Experts on microfinance are available to speak to your church or organization.

Sadly, almost half of the world now struggles for survival on less than $2 a day. And, many of us despair at the enormity of this challenge.

The poor have gifts and talents, and Christian microlending is proving to be a very effective way to lift one village at a time out of poverty.

With small loans of just $50, we’re helping villagers with small businesses – like purchasing chickens to sell eggs. Our donations help, help and help again as these small investments are repaid and loaned out again to others. See how your church can provide a lasting hand up, instead of just a hand out.

For more information or to schedule a Five Talents speaker, call (800) 670-6355, email Joann Barron at joannbarron@fivetalents.org or visit www.FiveTalents.org.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit www.fivetalents.org.

Five Talents Plants ‘Seeds of Blessings’ in Bolivia

Four years ago, two sisters caught a vision of how savings and credit groups could transform the lives of the poor in their community after participating in a series of Five Talents training workshops in Tarija, Bolivia.

“They were two of the most enthusiastic participants in the training workshop,” said Five Talents Latin America Coordinator Tom Waddell, who led the workshops, pictured center. “I was excited and enthusiastic about the possible partnership with two gifted women, who work as trainers, knowing they could be a blessing to many poor people in Tarija.”

Upon their return to Bolivia, Sara and Eva Mamani began to promote – on a volunteer basis – the formation of rotating savings groups in local churches and communities. Now four years later, Five Talents will build on the foundation the sisters have laid by funding a new microcredit and savings program called “Semillas de Bendición,” which means “Seeds of Blessings.”

“It is rare to discover people with such a passion to help others and who serve with such a sense of calling without expectation of material compensation,” Waddell said.

Five Talents has approved a partnership with the Tarija Community Bank, based in south central Bolivia, and will begin funding the project this fall. It will focus initially on 10 women’s groups in the city of Tarija and 13 groups in rural communities, including El Puente, Entre Rios, Calamuchita and Valle Concepción. These groups target those who are not able to access services from the limited microfinance industry in Tarija due to geographic or economic barriers.

“This is important work in Bolivia – reaching those who are left out and marginalized,” said Five Talents Executive Director Craig Cole. “We are looking forward to seeing many lives transformed in Tarija in the coming months.”

Five Talents will also partner with the Anglican Diocese of Bolivia and the Association of Evangelical Churches of Tarija to establish and implement this program.

Through this program, Five Talents expects clients to gain business skills as well as the habits of saving and borrowing, which will enable them to participate in enterprise development. It is estimated that 40 groups will be formed by the end of 2008 with an estimated 500 members. As many as 50 new small businesses will be created along with up to 25 new jobs in existing businesses, increasing incomes for more than 400 adults and children.

Join Five Talents For a Film Screening of "Born into Brothels" on Oct. 17

Come see the Academy Award-wining documentary film, Born into Brothels, and participate in a discussion to learn how you can help transform the lives of women and children.

When: 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17
Where: Chapel of Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Rd., Vienna, VA
Who: Co-presented by the Peace & Justice Ministry at Church of the Holy Comforter and Five Talents International.

Born into Brothels is a tribute to the resiliency of childhood and the restorative power of art. The film is a portrait of several unforgettable children who live in the red light district of Calcutta, India. Zana Briski, a New York-based photographer, gives each of the children a camera and teaches them to look at the world with new eyes, igniting latent sparks of artistic genius that reside in these children who live in the most sordid and seemingly hopeless world.

Caution: Movie contains a few instances of profane language.

For more information and to RSVP by Wednesday, Oct. 15, contact Joann Barron at joannbarron@fivetalents.org or (703) 242-6016.

Five Talents to be GoodSearch.com Charity of the Day on Oct. 8

We just received this exciting news...

Five Talents International will be featured as the Charity of the Day on GoodSearch.com on Wednesday, Oct. 8!

Please remember to use GoodSearch.com, the Yahoo-powered search engine, for all of your web searches as we receive a penny every time you do a search!

And, please do all of your online shopping through GoodSearch.com, the online shopping mall which donates a percentage of each purchase to us! (Just select Five Talents as your preferred charity.) Hundreds of great stores including Target, Gap, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Macy's and ebay have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting us!

You can use GoodSearch and GoodShop every day, but be sure to check us out on the GoodSearch homepage on Wednesday, Oct. 8!! And, remember to tell your friends!

What is a Christian organization anyway?

I usually sign my thank you letters to Five Talents supporters with the words, “Yours in Christ.” Several times, I have had phone calls asking me not to send letters with those words as they found it offensive. The ending, “God Bless” was OK as that was more neutral. So, admittedly, I have gotten a little skittish and diluted it even further. I now sometimes sign letters with “Warm Regards” depending on the audience.

This little battle within me may seem trivial but it reflects a larger issue about how to maintain and grow a Christian microenterprise development organization.

There is a fundamental question that is sometimes asked of me during presentations or in private conversations afterward: “What is the difference between a Christian organization and a secular organization?

It is an easy answer if the question is about motivation. Christian organizations are motivated by God’s love to help the least of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

It’s a more difficult answer if the question is about how Christianity is practiced within the context of projects in the field.

I would suggest that being a Christian organization goes beyond just motivation and a scriptural reference. It means that at the very heart of a Christian organization beats a desire to see lives transformed by the love of Jesus Christ and His saving grace.

Spiritual transformation means there is intent to work and partner with the local church, which is God’s institution to carry out His mission. There is also the intent to incorporate holistic activities like Bible studies on stewardship, trainings on life skills and discussions on faith issues.

For example in Peru, Sister Patrician of the Anglican Church of Peru carried out a pastoral reflection on the family with some of the loan beneficiaries of one of our microcredit programs near Lima. The beneficiaries had the opportunity to ask question about how to improve the quality of family life and how to encourage their children to read the Bible. At the end, they shared a snack and had the opportunity to get to know other beneficiaries of other Village Banks and Solidarity Groups.

In Indonesia it’s not culturally sensitive to have overt spiritual development programs for the beneficiaries, 95 percent of whom are Muslim. It is possible, however, to encourage the Christian staff of GERHATI (an acronym in the local language for ‘Gateway of Hope for Human Transformation’). The local Anglican pastors and board members of GERHATI come to speak to build character and nurture the spiritual development of the microfinance staff. One such talk was on God being the owner of GERHATI and that being an employee is a service to God. The intent is for the staff to overflow with the love of God and be a blessing to those they meet regardless of faith. They base this concept on the apostle Paul who wrote that he was “being poured out like a drink offering” (Phil. 2:17).

For some reading this, these activities may seem beyond what a Christian microenterprise development organization should be doing. It should stick to finances and actions not words will be enough. But, I have found it is the indigenous church that asks for the intentional and practical ways to share the Gospel and be involved in the faith lives of their community members.

In the end, there will always be somewhat of a “dance” or balance when we try to maintain a Christian ethos to our work. And, that balance is especially difficult when money matters. Will corporations, government or individuals give if the organization is Christian, or possibly “too” Christian. What happens when someone wants to give a million dollars but any Christian witness is out of the question? Or, will we offend a potential large donor by signing a letter “Yours in Christ?”

Those are tough questions to answer as it could mean mission drift or possibly morphing into a secular organization that is no longer motivated by Christ, nor intentional about sharing the Good News. All too often in the non-profit world, the heart of the Christian organization will stop beating for Christ. The organization that was making a difference for Christ is now no different in its delivery of services than any other humanitarian organization. That is a tragedy. “For I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

Yours in Christ,

Craig Cole


Craig is the executive director of Five Talents International, a member of Diocese of Virginia's Mission Commission and an EGR board member.

Youth Fight Poverty, Start Businesses Through Five Talents Market Day Event

Adopt a pet rock today! That was just one of the businesses featured at last year’s Five Talents Market Day at Church of the Holy Comforter in Vienna, Va. And, it’s possible, that these inanimate “pets” will be available again this year as the church prepares to participate in Five Talents Sunday on Nov. 16.

Last year, Katie Puschel of Vienna, Va., pictured left, was one of the students who was given $5, asked to come up with a business plan and then sell her wares at the Market Day event. At Holy Comforter, students in grades four through six are offered the opportunity to participate using the Five Talents-produced Sunday School curriculum and over the course of three years approximately 50 have showcased their businesses.

“The goal is to provide a framework with which teachers can expose children to poverty and what the Bible says about the poor,” said Five Talents Executive Director Craig Cole. “The parable of the talents contains a powerful and liberating message that everyone, even the poor living on $1 a day, has God-given talents and skills that can help them break out of poverty.”

Each year after the Market Day, the students at Holy Comforter then decide which Five Talents program to support with the money they made from their businesses. Since 2005, they have sent money to Africa, Peru and the Philippines.

Holy Comforter initially held the Market Day event because the church’s mission committee wanted to find a way to engage students with international missions, said Market Day Coordinator Leslie Barnhart.

“I think the students have learned that there are people in other countries that need mosquito nets or that need a cow for their business,” Barnhart said. “They are learning about other parts of the world and are learning a little bit about business.”

Sadly, almost half of the world now struggles for survival on less than $2 a day. However, Christian microlending is proving to be a very effective way to lift one village at a time out of poverty.

With small loans of just $50, poor entrepreneurs can start small businesses – like purchasing chickens to sell eggs. Gifts to Five Talents help, help and help again as these small investments are repaid and the funds loaned out again to others.

In many denominations, the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is the reading for Sunday, Nov. 16.

“It is our hope that using the Five Talents Sunday School curriculum will encourage the church to more fully engage its own talents, to empower the children in the church and to provoke thought and discussion about God’s view on poverty,” Cole said.

For more information or to receive a Five Talents Sunday Kit, call (800) 670-6355, email Helga Buck at helgabuck@fivetalents.org or visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

Five Talents Fall Reading Picks Are Here!

Since today marks the first full day of fall (it officially started late yesterday morning), it's time for us to announce our picks for your fall reading list.

(Remember by purchasing these books through GoodShop and selecting Five Talents as your preferred charity, a percentage of your purchase price will be donated to the work of Five Talents!)

So, grab a cup of hot cider, throw on a sweatshirt, enjoy the crisp air and crack open a book ... Happy reading!

A Billion Bootstraps: Microcredit, Barefoot Banking, and the Business Solution for Ending Poverty
By Phil Smith and Eric Thurman

A bold manifesto by two business leaders, A Billion Bootstraps shows why microcredit is the world's most powerful poverty-fighting movement-and an unbeatable investment for your charitable donations.

A Billion Bootstraps unearths the roots of the microcredit revolution, revealing how the pioneering work of people such as Dr. Muhammad Yunus-winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize-is giving hope to billions. Philanthropist and self-made millionaire Phil Smith and microcredit expert and consultant Eric Thurman provide a riveting narrative that explores how these small loans, arranged by “barefoot bankers,” enable impoverished people to start small businesses, support their families, and improve local economies. By paying back their loans instead of simply accepting handouts, men and women around the world are continually giving others the same opportunity to change their futures.

Smith and Thurman also examine why traditional charity programs, while providing short-term relief, often perpetuate the problems they are trying to alleviate, and how applying investment principles to philanthropy is the key to reversing poverty permanently.

A Billion Bootstraps explains how ordinary people can accelerate the microcredit movement by investing charitable donations in specific programs and then leveraging those contributions so the net cost to lift one person out of poverty is remarkably low. You'll discover how to get more for your money by donating with the mind-set of an investor and calculating measurable returns-returns that will change lives and societies forever.

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity By Ronald J. Sider

Do you want to make a true difference in the world? Dr. Ron Sider does. He has, since before he first published Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger in 1978. Despite a dramatic reduction in world hunger since then, 34,000 children still die daily of starvation and preventable disease, and 1.3 billion people, worldwide, remain in abject poverty. So, the professor of theology went back to re-examine the issues by twenty-first century standards. Finding that Conservatives blame morally reprehensible individual choices, and Liberals blame constrictive social and economic policy, Dr. Sider finds himself agreeing with both sides.

In this new look at an age-old problem, he offers not only a detailed explanation of the causes, but also a comprehensive series of practical solutions, in the hopes that Christians like him will choose to make a difference. Christianity Today calls it “One of the Top 100 Religious Books of the Century.”

Walking With the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development
By Bryant L. Myers

Theology, spirituality, and social science are synthesized in the definitive book on how Christian mission can contribute to overcoming poverty and dismantling systematic social evil. Myers explores Christian views of poverty, its causes, and how it is experienced differently in different cultures. Especially designed for use in classes or in field education, Walking with the Poor contains a unique series of charts that can be made into overheads as well as a bibliography and a scriptural index.

Five Talents Director of Development Honored by President Bush

Five Talents Director of Development Joann Barron was honored by President George W. Bush as a member of America’s Army of Compassion at a special ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Sept. 8.

“I appreciate the fact that those here represent the hundreds of thousands of our citizens who answered the call to love a neighbor like we'd like to be loved ourselves,” President Bush said during his address honoring volunteerism. “I appreciate the fact that you and others lift up souls, one person at a time. You strengthen the foundation of our democracy, which is the engagement of our people. I want to thank you for what you do.”

Barron, pictured on left, has been a volunteer through the Voluntary Action Center of the Greater Prince William (Va.) Area for more than 17 years. During this time, she also served on the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) board of directors, which is administered through the Voluntary Action Center, and was deputy director of Action in the Community Through Service of Prince William County for 15 years.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said. “I felt very privileged and honored to be invited as a member of America’s Army of Compassion.”

Barron has worked at Five Talents since September 2007.

Established in 1999, Five Talents International has provided funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to six other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women.

Five Talents’ ongoing work is supported by a staff based in Vienna, Va., an office in London, England, and a program office in Kampala, Uganda. Hundreds of volunteers across the United States and United Kingdom participate in the ministry. For more information and to donate, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.

To read the full transcript of President Bush’s remarks, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080908-6.html.

Help Us Impact Twice as Many Lives by Sept. 30

Through your generosity, we are now funding 12 programs in 9 countries, including new projects in the Dominican Republic, Tanzania and Southern Sudan. There is exciting work ahead, and your support is greatly needed to help thousands more break out of the cycle of poverty.

A generous family has graciously given $100,000 to Five Talents as a Challenge Grant. As a result, your gifts of $1,000 and above will be matched - dollar for dollar - now through Sept. 30! I invite you to prayerfully consider helping us meet this $100,000 goal in order to reach those living in desperate situations making $1 or $2 a day.

As an added benefit, renowned Christian artist Sandra Bowden has created 42 mixed media gold leaf cross drawings especially for this Five Talents Challenge Grant. Donors giving gifts of $1,000 and above will not only have their gift matched but will also receive one of these extraordinary pieces of art, which is ready for framing. (Click here to view this art.)

Please know the demand for our services is high and would-be entrepreneurs around the world are waiting. It is only with your continued prayers and support that we will fulfill God's mission for Five Talents. Click here to participate in the Challenge Grant!

Five Talents celebrates 10 years at Lambeth Conference: July 21-27, 2008

It was a great privilege to celebrate 10 years of Five Talents by attending the first week of the Lambeth Conference in late July. In 1998, Five Talents was commended by resolution to begin work in the field of microcredit. I am told that during that Lambeth more than 200 bishops and their wives gathered at a reception to launch Five Talents. As the story goes, one bishop’s wife challenged the organizers by saying, “We are tired of talk. This better be about action.”

It is safe to say we have responded to the challenge of the bishop’s wife. We are now helping 20,000 clients through 14 programs in 10 countries.

At this year’s Lambeth, we did our best to communicate this message through workshops, receptions and conversations. In the end, we talked to more than 100 bishops and their spouses about the work of Five Talents – and our mission to fight poverty, create jobs and transform lives – as they stopped by our exhibit in the conference’s marketplace.

One of the highlights for me came on Tuesday when, along with Five Talents UK Director Tom Sanderson, I gave a workshop on the practices and principles of church-based microenterprise development. The first session was attended by 25 of the bishops’ spouses. Rebecca Scruton, the wife of Bishop Gordon Scruton of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts and a Five Talents International board member, gave a wonderful introduction to the session. Dr. Maria Akrofi, the wife of Archbishop of West Africa Justice Akrofi, gave the closing remarks. We also were blessed to have Jane Williams, wife of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, attend the session. BBC Radio also covered the workshop as part of a story on the bishop’s spouses. (Photo above, left to right: Tom Sanderson, Dr. Maria Akrofi, Jane Williams and Craig Cole. Photo by Scott Gunn/ACNS)

Following the spouses workshop, 15 bishops, including one from Zambia, several from Sudan and others from Tanzania, came for a second session. Bishop Scruton gave the opening remarks commenting on the need for the church to remain focused on the poor.

On Thursday, I participated in the Walk of Witness Against Global Poverty with hundreds of bishops, faith leaders and executives from non-governmental organizations. The walk started at Whitehall, went past Parliament and finished at Lambeth Palace. It was an extraordinary event that ended with speeches by Archbishop of Canterbury Williams and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Later in the day – in an entirely different setting – I had tea with the Queen of England at Buckingham Palace along with more than 650 Anglican bishops and other dignitaries. Although I was not chosen to meet her personally, it was an incredible experience to stroll through the magnificent gardens behind the palace out of view from the busy Victoria section of London.

Throughout the week, we handed out invitations to a reception we were hosting on Saturday evening. We were thrilled to have 50 bishops and their spouses attend. (I was told by the event organizers that this was one of the better crowds for this type of event.) Bishop Simon Chiwanga, pictured left, one of the driving forces behind Five Talents and its first international chairman, gave an eloquent speech about the origins of Five Talents and why the church must be involved in alleviating poverty in a dignified way. His words were a resounding amen to all of our activities, which culminated in having the Five Talents display at the entrance of Canterbury Cathedral during the Sunday services.

Lambeth 2008 marks a milestone in the history of Five Talents, but it is just that – a marker along the road. As we look to the future, we continue to hear and to heed the same call – to stop talking and take action.

Reflections by Craig Cole, Five Talents International Executive Director

Thanks for Making Our First-Ever After Hours Event a Success!

We hosted our first-ever Five Talents After Hours event last Friday. Despite a little rain, which brought everyone inside, we had a great time! We had nearly 60 in attendance, fantastic food provided by Aditi Bistro in Vienna and the chance to share about our work in India. Below are a few photos from the event ...

Walk for Witness

Ten years ago at the 1998 Lambeth Conference, about 200 Bishops and their spouses came to a reception to launch Five Talents as a concrete answer to the ravages of grassroots poverty. I’m told by those who were in attendance that a bishop’s wife challenged the organizers by saying, “This better not be just talk. We want action.”

The challenge of the bishop’s wife has rung in my ears since I became the executive director of Five Talents International in September 1999. We did act and at this moment are helping 20,000 poor entrepreneurs in 14 projects located in 10 countries. On November 16, the parable of the talents is the Gospel reading. We will be asking churches to remember on “Five Talents Sunday,” that even those who suffer the indignity of being poor have God-given abilities that when used lead to empowerment and hope.

It was a privilege for me to attend the first week of the 2008 Lambeth Conference. Besides being in exhibit hall, we held two workshops for the bishops and their spouses and sponsored a social event to celebrate 10 years.

I also was honored to participate in the Walk for Witness on Global Poverty on July 24th. It was the first time ever that I have walked, run or carried a sign advocating for a cause. For those who know me, it’s just not something I do. But walking by Whitehall and Parliament on a clear sunny day was an amazing experience. More importantly, for the hour or so that it lasted, there was a feeling of unity and camaraderie especially among the bishops. At least from my vantage point this was true. I saw bishops from all different perspectives come together to witness on behalf of the poor who have no voice and live in desperate conditions. In fact, so many of the bishops on the walk experience this truth daily in their diocese whether in Sudan, Congo or Peru.

The focus on grassroots poverty and the churches’ important role in meeting the challenge of more than a billion people living on $1 or $2 a day is one point of agreement that binds the Anglican Communion together. In the end, though talking and walking doesn’t provide justice. Justice will roll down only when Christians act out the holistic gospel of Jesus Christ. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals will mean very little for the church unless we also share the love of Jesus Christ and His message of transformation and reconciliation while simultaneously serving the poor through water projects, HIV/AIDS treatment and even business development.

By Craig Cole, executive director of Five Talents International and an EGR board member.

Join Us For Five Talents After Hours: India on Aug. 15

Date: Friday, August 15
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Five Talents Office
543 Beulah Rd., Vienna, VA 22180

Learn about Five Talents' work in India, enjoy Indian food (provided by Aditi Bistro in Vienna) and hear the stories of our entrepreneurs and of the impact small loans are having on their lives.
The evening will be filled with food, door prizes, conversation and, hopefully, you'll walk away with a better understanding of Five Talents' impact in India.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, August 13, so that we can have an accurate count for food, by calling (703) 242-6016 or emailing Kelli Ross at kelliross@fivetalents.org. Feel free to forward this invitation to your friends and family! (The Five Talents office is located in a brick house next to Church of the Holy Comforter.)

Click here to view the Evite.

Suggested donation: $10. (For a tax-deductible contribution, checks should be made out to Five Talents International.)

Join the Fight Against Poverty on Five Talents Sunday!

Lift villages out of crushing poverty, create jobs and transform lives in the world’s poorest regions – by helping your church participate in “Five Talents Sunday” on Nov. 16 (or any Sunday of your choosing!).

Call us at (800) 670-6355 to see how your church can make a lasting difference in the lives of the poor – as Nov. 16 is the date that churches around the world preach on Christ’s “Parable of the Five Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30). Join the nationwide discussion on how we can all fight poverty.

Sadly, almost half of the world now struggles for survival on less than $2 a day. And, many of us despair at the enormity of this challenge.

The poor have gifts and talents, and Christian microlending is proving to be a very effective way to lift one village at a time out of poverty.

With small loans of just $50, we’re helping villagers with small businesses – like purchasing chickens to sell eggs. Our donations help, help and help again as these small investments are repaid and loaned out again to others. See how your church can provide a lasting hand up, instead of just a hand out. Receive the Five Talents Sunday Kit, which includes:

Sermon Resource Notes
Poster
Bulletin inserts
Bulletin cover
Children’s activities (Hard copies are available by contacting our office.)
Sunday School lessons
Background information on Five Talents’ spiritual and monetary investments
Creative suggestions on how all churches can participate including an International Dinner Cookbook
A list of Immediate Needs

Click on the links above to download electronic versions of the Five Talents Sunday Kit.To receive your FREE Five Talents Sunday Kit, please call (800) 670-6355 or email Laura Boafo at lauraboafo@fivetalents.org.

Virtual March for the MDGs on July 24

On Thursday, July 24, more than 600 Anglican bishops, their spouses and other faith leaders from around the United Kingdom will march through central London on a Walk of Witness -- a symbolic moment of solidarity and coming together for the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals to reflect to the world God's desire for justice and concern for the poor.
Now every Episcopalian can "march" with them.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation are sponsoring a "Virtual March for the MDGs" to coincide with the Lambeth Conference walk. The aim is the same. Only instead of marching through the streets of London, they're urging people to march virtually by filling Congressional inboxes in Washington, D.C., with emails demanding our leaders to share our commitment to achieving the MDGs and making poverty history.

Joining up is easy -- for individuals and congregations.
1) Between now and July 24, individuals can go to episcopal.grassroots.com/virtualmarch and sign up. On July 24, they'll get an email with a link to click and take an MDG-related advocacy action (the precise action will be decided in the coming weeks. EPPN will choose the most effective action based on the status of various pieces of anti-poverty legislation before Congress). The whole process will take no more than 3 minutes each time.

2) After July 1, congregations can go to www.e4gr.org/virtualmarch.html to download a brief liturgy that can be inserted in their Sunday Eucharist on July 20 and/or July 27 as well as special service leaflets for each Sunday so they can stand in solidarity with the Lambeth Conference's commitment to the MDGs and ending extreme poverty. Bulletin inserts for that Sunday will also be available at that time.

"This is an opportunity for the American Church to show we stand with our bishops at Lambeth in two tangible, active ways," said the Rev. Mike Kinman, executive director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation. "Through our prayer and advocacy, we will show that we speak with one voice in our commitment to seek and serve Christ in the poorest of God's children."

"Standing together with the Bishops at Lambeth we are saying with ONE voice -- now is the time -- today is the day to take one more step on the path to eradicating global poverty," said Mary Getz, grassroots coordinator for the Episcopal Office of Government Relations. "Just past the halfway point for the MDGs, it is more important than ever for us to speak with one voice to our governments' leaders."