Micro Finance for New Businesses!

We are happy to announce that our collaboration with Global Micro has produced three micro finance loans this week! Micro finance loans are designed to help the poor who want to start a business but have no means to get bank loans. They are small loans, not charity, and the recipient also receives training in bookeeping or marketing if needed. When the money is repayed (usually a small amount each week over 10-20 weeks) it is then used to provide another loan for another person.
This ability to start a business offers opportunity for an individual to break the cycle of poverty and to enable him or her to provide for the family. A simple, small but successful business provides a way for children to attend school,  pay for health care when needed, and an overall improvement in living conditions. This is a "Hand up" not a "handout"!
Project Life Subic encouraged four potential recipients to develop a business plan and assess their needs. Then Global Micro held the interviews and set up the contracts. This week three loans were awarded and another may be available in November.
Cathy will be opening a small sari sari store (home business selling a variety of canned goods, toiletries, charcoal, etc). Cindy is buying/selling frozen foods. Glenda will be making longanisa and other home cooked foods to sell to neighbors. We will keep you updated on their progress!
We are celebrating with Cindy, Cathy and Glenda! Here are some pictures of the contract signing with Tobias S., Global Micro founder.

MARAMING SALAMAT to Tobias for all his efforts to help change the lives of those in need! This is the beginning of a collaboration that will be beneficial and life-changing for MANY!

Passionate or Complacent?

 “I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it's so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.”

--Jimmy Carter

Our subject at the staff meeting last week was “Passionate or Complacent?”  It was time to examine our hearts and ask ourselves if we still have a passion for God. Do we love God so much we are compelled to express that through our ministry? Or, have we lost our enthusiasm and become complacent? Are we just content with how things are?

I wove a tale of the young couple who falls madly in love, compelled to be near each other, love each other, can’t stand to be apart. Then they marry, start a family. Years go by, the passion begins to fade. Everyday activities begin to take precedence, and complacency sets in. Then, as they mature, they recognize their need for each other and that their love for one another needs to be rekindled. Their passion needs to be reignited for them to grow closer and weather the ups and downs of their relationship and their journey through life.

As we dug deeper into scriptures we discovered that complacent people are characterized by self-importance, egotism and conceit, just the opposite of humility. They are self-satisfied, not willing to improve or make better their situations. We also discovered that God does not like complacency. In Revelations 3:15-16 the Lord says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm- neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Needless to say, we had some lively discussions and sharing from the heart during our staff devotion. It was a time to repent, refocus and move forward with conviction and passion!

Have you been lulled into complacency? Has your passion for God and the people He loves burnt out? Are you losing your passion for ministry, family, or other things that the Lord has put in your life? Are you lukewarm? Join us in prayer this month as we clean out the complacency and renew our passion!

A few updates: Darryl, our co-leader in Youth, will be focusing on work and hopefully college in October. We will miss him but realize we need to release him to pursue his future. He would like to get a college degree and become a teacher! Here are some pictures of Darryl, Anthony and our youth:

Darryl is a gifted young man, and already completed one year of college before taking a Discipleship Training School with YWAM. He is now applying for scholarships and working but will still need help to attend school. If you are interested in sponsoring Darryl, please contact us at Project Life Subic.

Also-  Please pray as Anthony restructures his youth core leaders and equips them to reach the Matain and Olongapo youth! They are preparing to do an assembly at the high school and will have the opportunity to impact THOUSANDS of students! They are also invited back to speak and perform at Brent International School this semester.