Projects for the Poor: Ideas and Funds

Here is an article by R. Miller from Indiana who has spent 8 years in the mission in Paraguay for the Beachy-Amish. He runs a series of agriculture articles called Projects for the Poor. He chronicles the different experiments and projects that they implemented and their outcomes. I thought he had some interesting points and experiences to learn from.

Ideas and Funds

Before we get to far into the projects for the poor, there are two issues that are very important to take note of.

Ideas:

The poor folks have all kinds of ideas, they are sure they will work, all they need are some funds, and bingo

they will forever leave their poverty behind, never to be haunted again.

The missionary comes along and he has a whole lot of ideas, that he is sure that will work, however he does

not want to sink the capital in that is needed to start the idea, for fear that he will loose it.

The mission board usually has plenty of "white elephants" to take care of, they are extremely reluctant to release

funds for a number of reasons, number one is all the past flops that the missionaries have accomplished, so hence forth

very little funds are available.

So what could be a possible solution?

One of the important things, is to gather information, written information is helpful, however what I have experienced,

is to sit down with some one that is doing it, that is one of the best ways to gather some of the most beneficial tips, shortcuts and things to avoid. Find someone that is already doing it, even if it is on a very small scale.

Second do it on a small scale trial basis, and take notes, compare different ways of doing it.

If you find someone that is already doing it, ask for helpful hints, or if it is possible become involved and see if

you can help that person to become more efficient and productive with what he is already doing. We did that

with a poor family, that was raising Stevia, more on that in a later article.

Missionaries, if you want to get the foot in the door, spend just a wee bit of time with the local folks, especially

in their every day work, one simple suggestion, or an idea how to do it better, faster and maybe a donated small

piece of equipment, can make you friends for life, and opens the door wide to discuss deeper issues of life.

Funds:

This is a very complicated issue, the poor folks know exactly what they need, the missionary feels he has a good

idea how it would work, the mission board is sure it is another white elephant.

No funds from the board, the poor folks say this is a worthless missionary, if he can't help us put food on the table

there is no way he can show us the way to heaven, if he can't help us out of our poverty, there is no way we can trust

him for anything else.

After all this person left heaven "the USA" to come help the poor people, because they are the ones that need help.

Now any one in their right mind would not leave the USA, unless he has lots of money and loves to go out and help

other people. So all missionaries are rich, and if you explain that you are not rich, no problem, you still have all the

rich backing you up and there is unlimited amounts of money available to help them. 

No money = Worthless missionary!

Its interesting, the way to test if a missionary is worth something, is to see if he "loves" you enough to give you

a personal loan. This is like the sweet and sour sauce of mission life.

So missionary, if you really love someone, please do not make a personal loan to them, if they need it, just simply

give it. Then ask God to somehow give it back to you as he sees fit. You know, maybe you can recuperate it from

the birthday money people send to missionaries.

However, sometimes it comes in handy!!! I know it sounds like a paradox, one good way to rid your self of someone

that continually is asking for money, spend some time explain how a loan will work and that it needs to be paid back.

Give a small amount, one talent, usually the will go and bury it,  it ends right there. After all one talent is hardly worth the effort!!

A number of ideas on how to fund a project.

A. You can use your own money, but be prepared to loose it.

B. Find friends that like to loose money, and ask for donations, most mission boards require prior approval, for special projects.

C. Sometimes you find people in the country, that are looking for honest people to produce for them and they will fund it.

The last option has proved to be the most successful for me down here in Paraguay. Most of my friends don't like to

lose money!!

A good Christian friend from Germany, that does imports to Germany has given substantial amounts of money, for

us to experiment and go thru the process of the different kinds of projects, and also given valuable information on

how to compete in the international markets. More on that later.

Also a elderly Mennonite man, that has a heart for the poor, for two years gave interest free capital to get the peanut project

going.

With a bit of perseverance, a organized approach and a willingness to work, we can make a huge difference in the

lives of the poor, financially and it opens the door wide, to present the gospel to them.

Please submit additional ideas for fund raising techniques.

submitted Dec. 10, 2011

By Roman Miller

Paraguay