Long Distance Relationships

Everyone knows that long distance relationships aren't easy. Even in an age of twitter (look to the right) and "face time", actual physical quality time together is crucial to any relationship. The work that goes into maintaining an LDR is twice as much, with half the reward. Jealousy and loneliness creep around every corner. The result is often bad. Really bad.

2 years ago I choose to enter an LDR with football. I knew it was going to be hard. I knew that our relationship would be tested. Would we slowly drift apart? Would I leave football for baseball? Would I use her name to refer to her black and white international cousin? Or would I go the extra hundred yards and make it work? To be honest, I wasn't sure...only time would tell.

Well, I'm proud to say that we've made it. Despite a crawling internet connection, spanish commentators saying words like "far vay" and "vikingos", and nearly 3 years w/o owning a TV I am proud to say that we're still as in love as ever. At the start of this season we finally purchased a TV and have the US networks in English. We also just recently upgraded from 200 kbs to 2000kbs thanks to Claro TresG going nationwide here in the DR. I also started a Fantasy Football league among some of the American staff here and everyone has gotten really into it. I'm currently in 2nd place, but will get passed by my boss if Frank Gore doesn't go off tonight.

Anyway, people often ask what we do for fun here in the DR. Now you know that at least 1 day in 7 is spent maintaining a relationship with my first love.

-Caroline

Partnering with Microfinance

One of the coolest things about Microfinance is that it's a much more sustainable way to help the needy. That's what first attracted me to the concept way back in college. I remember reading about Mohamed Yunnis and the Grameen Bank and how it all worked...and worked well.

I decided to put these success stories to the test and see if it might work in the DR. I've shared on this blog before how the site has gone well. We've had our bumps along the road but we're still cranking out new groups, and the existing groups are still paying back their loans.

Also, the site is sustainable. Our current monthly budget is $250 and we're making about $300/month in interest.

However, when we added Miriam on as a full time staff our budget changed. Now our total expenses our $1000/month when we include her salary. We have 3 choices:

1. We can raise interest rates, but in order to meet costs we would have to lend at 72% APR.

2. We could add groups, but we’d need 15, that would be 300 personal visits and 60 group meetings each month.

3. We can find financial partners to support the difference.

I'm in the process of building financial partnerships with individuals and churches that have come to the DR and worked with the MF Site, but we must share our need with a broader audience.

I know that many of our readers already support our work here, but if you're looking for a place for some end of the year giving, a one-time gift, or if you'd like to partner with our site on a monthly basis, here's what you need to do:

• Make an official donation (with tax-deductible receipt) by calling SI at: 559-627-8923.
• Another option is to use the Donate button on the right and donate online. I put this as an option because SI is stuck in the 90s and has no way to give online. So, while unofficial, this at least makes online giving an option, if tax-deductions don't matter to you.
  

My goal is to raise $5000 by the end of 2010. I'll keep you updated on our progress.

Spiritual Fruit

This summer, Miriam Sicard started working full-time in the Microfinance Site. It was my intention from the beginning that I find a national to work with me in the site. She has done an excellent job of filling that role.

We compliment each other well. I can handle the administration of the site. I created the accounting system and work with the money. But I just can't connect on a significant level with the women in the site (for a variety of reasons). Miriam is just the opposite. She's not as skilled with managing all the details of the site, but can be that connection point, a light in the communities we work in.

Every morning she visits women in their businesses. Sometimes she talks about their work, other times it's just to have a café and talk about life. She teaches one woman how to read, and takes another to pray with her elderly mother each week. She normally has lunch at a woman's house in the community she's in that day, and that afternoon all the women meet for their MiBanco meeting.

I can't say enough how crucial this is to my ministry. I don't care if we have a 100% repayment rate for 10 years, if people aren't hearing the Gospel and responding to His Call for us, than the site is a failure.

Well, I'm happy to say that one of the women Miriam is discipling gave her life to Christ. She is in our 4th bank in Mata Gorda and her name is Georgina. She owns a food stand. She is very soft spoken and deals with an abusive husband. The very first day we went to her house for an interview she broke down crying because her mother was dying. Miriam was able to come along side her through the whole process. Now, Miriam goes to her house every Monday to cultivate her new faith.

Please pray that in every community we go, womens' lives would be changed the way Georgina's was changed.


Miriam enjoying a cup of juice with one of our summer students. Free snacks is the occasional perk to our ministry.


Georgina posing for her picture that will eventually go on her MiBanco ID Badge.