Last Tuesday we began our second Loan Cycle and corresponding business training and discipleship courses. This is the first group of entrepreneurs who have applied for a second round of loans with our program–so it’s particularly exciting! We’ve known some of these entrepreneurs for nearly a full year, and they’ve really welcomed us into their lives.

During the Pursuit of Purpose Course (the discipleship portion of the evening) the entrepreneurs were asked to share with one another one of the greatest moments of their life. We suggested examples such as your wedding day, when your first child was born and the day you begun your business. Through asking this question, we wanted to help our entrepreneurs understand that oftentimes who we share these special moments with is equally as important as the moment itself. Life wasn’t meant to be experienced alone–and neither is God. We can experience God through relationships, through family and through our communities. 

One of our entrepreneurs was asked to share with the group what one of her greatest moments was and at first she was reluctant. She can sometimes be a little shy, so it’s not at all uncommon for her to avoid speaking in front of the group. But without further provocation, she proudly proclaimed:

“Graduating from Paradigm Shift and getting my business training and discipleship certificates was one of the greatest moments of my life. I finished my coursework for my matric (high school graduation) but never got my diploma and didn’t have a celebration. Graduating from Paradigm Shift has taught me that the sky is the limit. You are never too old to do what you want to do and to accomplish your dreams.”

As I sat in the back of the room, my jaw dropped to the floor. I could hardly believe my ears. In some way, in some small way, my being here in South Africa and working with Paradigm Shift has contributed to one of the greatest moments of someone else’s life. One of the greatest moments in someone else’s life! Not something they enjoyed. Not something they thought was useful or beneficial. One of the greatest moments in someone else’s life! Wow.

By earning her certificates, this entrepreneur proved to herself that she IS smart and that she CAN do anything she puts her mind to it. At the core, our program is about empowering individuals to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. I have never felt this concept so deeply as I did last Tuesday night.

At last, my seventh (and final) observation!

I love coffee.  In college, I admittedly spent waaaaay too much money on coffee—especially when Starbucks moved into the SLC! And in D.C., I’m pretty sure half of my paycheck (well, half of the half that was left after taxes…) consistently went to Starbucks and Swings. Americans are quite curious with their cultural coffee obsession. The worldwide spread of coffee shops like Starbucks, Seattle Coffee Company, and Gloria Jean’s serve as interesting examples of American influence—much of which actually comes from movies.

On the other hand, I have very few American friends who would regularly sit down and enjoy a cup of tea. Excluding my grandmother Baxter, I am hard-pressed to think of anyone that had any sort of habit of drinking tea. Conversely, here in South Africa, I think it would be difficult to find someone who didn’t have at least one cup of tea each day. While my South African friends tell me that coffee is exponentially growing in popularity—tea is still the drink of preference for most South Africans. Not to mention, instant coffee is king here in South Africa. I suppose it makes sense… why brew a whole pot of filtered coffee if you’re not sure who is going to drink what? Instant coffee innately seems less wasteful. And it’s quicker. Yet, until three months ago, I think I had been given instant coffee perhaps four times in my whole life.

You may ask yourself, why do Americans have such an affinity for coffee when most other former British colonies have a strong preference for tea?  Three words: Boston Tea Party.  Okay, so technically, it began before that with the infamous Townshend Act.  The Townshend Act, issued by King George and Prime Minister Lord North, outrageously increased the price of tea in the American colonies.  After years of exclaiming, “No taxation without Representation,” and smuggling in cheaper tea from Dutch importers—Americans began to turn to coffee as an additional form of protest.  As a result of the taxes, and the Tea Party, Americans viewed drinking coffee as patriotic…and drinking tea as unpatriotic.  Who knew our resulting addiction to coffee would have such a lasting impact on our young country?

My first experience traveling abroad truly endeared me to the third world. A few years ago, I had the unique opportunity to travel to Mumbai, India.

Ever the typical American, it seemed like everything “Indian” shocked me. The food, the smells, the modes of transportation (have you ever ridden in a rickshaw before?), the quiet gentle culture—you name it, I was out of my element.

But I also discovered one constant on that trip, and that is God’s love. Not only did God use our team to move through the college campuses of Mumbai, but He also moved through me. Everyday of the month leading up to my trip, I prayed for God to give me His heart for the Indian people. What I wasn’t fully expecting…is that He would do it!

As a result of my experience, I became far more aware of global issues. I had a new compassion for the pain and suffering that consume the poor. And just as equally important, I had a new boldness and confidence in my faith.