I haven’t written much recently. I even currently on a plane around world to the United States and we haven’t really mentioned it. I’m not sure I’ve known what to say: about this or that, or anything in between.
The good stories have been muddy recently; the hope has been fogged. I’ve been searching, I promise, but the problems needing solutions and fractures threatening greater cracks have been glaring. There have been more losses than wins.
I’ve asked many, many questions about why we are here and what we are doing and if God is in this. I’ve cried many, many tears. We have prayed and prayed and prayed.
But there are little treasures there, and I don’t want to neglect them in search of the big answers and great triumphs.
A few weeks ago, we had a meeting with the two ladies who bake & sell bread and the one woman who sells flowers—our Flour & Flowers crew. It wasn’t the easiest little get-together and required some address of issues, using our best cultural approaches and wearing us thin as we try to love and give grace while we challenge and hold accountable.
Life is so messy.
But in the midst of this messy meeting and messy issues, one of the women asked us a favor. She asked if we might help her to save some money. She just found out she is pregnant with her second child, and she wanted to have money ready when the baby came. She asked if she could give us 200 baht every week for us to keep for her and save up until the baby comes.
As our previous banker role has always been as a lender, this is certainly something we were interested in!
In fact, it is one project we have long discussed starting, so we’ve been considering systems and solutions. That is mostly because God is good like that and {sometimes} just helps us to have some thinking time before He springs such opportunities on us.
But we have done our thinking, and we are so thrilled to encourage such a practice! Our little banking system has begun, and she’s saving 20-25% of her income from bread deliveries each week.
Savings!? 20-25%!?
And the development strategists go wild!
And her neighbors that love her and this growing family are absolutely thrilled. It’s a start; it’s a little treasure. It’s a win.