New Beginnings

Monday June 30, 208
Last Friday began a new chapter in the lives of nine women and two men who have formed the core of the sewers of the African print cloth tote bags. I had the privilege of handing out checks that represent their loans to help them start their new business venture. Using the money they have been loaned, they will own their segment of the bags business and can also branch out into other ventures. I am deeply thankful for the Living Way team that has made this next step possible. Led by South African, Richard Lundie, and Mike and Pam Talley from the Brentwood Baptist Church, Nashville, TN, Living Way is the brainchild of Living Hope founder John Thomas who was inspired to organize a new economic ministry, in part because of the work of Evangeline Ministries. It is the team that worked out a plan to make the transition from an Evangeline led venture to ownership by these workers. However, Evangeline Ministries will still be there to help them financially and also to purchase bags to help them get off to a good start. It is winter now and sales are slow but we have great expectations for the summer months when tourists flock to Cape Town. We are all so proud and in the photo, you see me handing out the laminated keepsake check to Siszwe as Richard looks on. It was a day they or I will not forget as it represented a wonderful sense of achievement of what we have accomplished in the last two and a half years. God has led us and we know there are even more exciting days ahead.