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Church of the Good Shepherd

THE SERVLIFE HOPE FUND is our micro-enterprise initiative for the unemployed and under-employed of the world who suffers from hunger, poverty and malnutrition. We believe that the ServLife Hope Fund is a strategic way to help people escape the trappings of poverty and hunger.

We believe that this vicious cycle of hunger and poverty can be broken with just a small loan offered to help start a new business. Whether it’s five pigs, twenty chickens, a gas motor, fishing nets, or a sewing machine, billions on our planet cannot access loans for small business start up costs. The cost for an average loan from the ServLife Hope Fund ranges in amounts from $100 to $1,000 depending on the regions where ServLife works. We work with local churches in promoting the ServLife Hope Fund and identifying applicants to receive a loan. Here’s how it works:

· Loans vary based on individual needs

· The potential borrower must go through an approval process.

· Loans must be for a revenue-generating project

· All loans must be paid back in full in order for a future loan to be given to the recipient (unless other arrangements have been made)

· ServLife staff will meet with borrowers regularly to assist with business development and planning, as well as to do evaluation and assessment.

· Repaid loan funds will return to the fund to create a revolving loan program to help other people in the community

We always work to create relationships with the local church and community so that those who receive the loans know that the local church, no matter how small, is concerned for the community. We believe this opens doors and builds trust for sharing faith and relationship

Consider giving to the ServLife Hope Fund today!

Micro-Enterprise Fund for the Village of Thingan, Nepal

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, generosity and a little hard work, the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lyndhurst has connected with the Village of Thingan, Nepal by establishing a micro-enterprise fund for the village.

 In 2009 the Reflections Women’s Book Group read Dangerous Faith by Joel Vestal.  Vestal describes his adventurous life in the developing world as he established ServLife International, Inc., an organization dedicated to rescuing children from human trafficking, empowering people to develop businesses, and training church leaders.  ServLife works through the local churches so that the recipients of services always have spiritual support.  A local, indigenous committee is established to choose projects and provide business support to the recipients of the microloans, known as the Hope Fund.

             The women of the Reflections group were so moved and inspired by Dangerous Faith that they decided to do something more.  They contacted ServLife with the intention of raising a few hundred dollars amongst themselves to support a loan for a single enterprise.  A few days later they received an email from the

author, Joel Vestal, who said that he would like to come to Cleveland to meet with them.

With the author coming, the women decided to bring the event to the Vestry and the Rector and expand to a larger event.  So, on Saturday, March 6 Good Shepherd hosted a fundraiser for ServLife, which was attended by 60 people from Good Shepherd and 6 other area churches of various denominations.  Instead of raising a few hundred dollars for a single loan, Good Shepherd set out to raise $5,000 to establish a revolving loan fund for a village.  ServLife has identified 40 villages in Nepal where Hope Funds will be established.  The Village of Thingan is the first.

The evening included dinner and a presentation by Joel Vestal on the history and work of ServLife.  In addition, Joel brought the ServLife Store, which features crafts made by women’s cooperatives in the areas ServLife is active.  Logos Book Store of Kent attended and sold Dangerous Faith and other books about mission.  Logos donated 20% of its sales to ServLife.

So what began as the seemingly random choice of a book in the spring of 2009 culminated in spring of 2010 as a major fundraiser and the creation of a personal relationship between the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Village of Thingan, Nepal.  Truly an example that “God, working through us, can do infinitely more than we could ask for or imagine.”

For information about ServLife International, Inc.  or to order Dangerous Faith for your book group, see www.servlife.org.

The Reflections Women’s Book Group meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lyndhurst. 

                                   

ServLife Dinner

 

 

 

 

The Church of the Good Shepherd in Lyndhurst, Ohio recently held a ServLife Dinner benefit to raise money to start a ServLife Hope Fund in Thingan, Nepal. 60 people from 7 different churches attended the dinner and nearly $5540.00 was raised. The funds will go directly to helping start a Hope Fund in Thingan. Read more about the ServLife Hope Fund.

Mary Davis, member of Church of Good Shepherd who organized the dinner, was very encouraged by the response.

“In 2009 our women’s book group read Dangerous Faith, and we were so moved by the book and inspired by the idea of the Hope Fund that we wanted to fund a business start-up for a single woman,” says Davis. “We contacted ServLife and when, much to our surprise, Joel responded saying he would like to come to Cleveland to meet with us, we decided to make a larger gathering for the community and to raise our fundraising goal to create a Hope Fund for a village. Now, Good Shepherd is in relationship with Thingan, Nepal. We could never have imagined this outcome when we started reading the book.”

Joel Vestal had the opportunity to travel to Lyndhurst and speak at their church and share at the dinner about the ServLife Hope Fund.

“It’s so encouraging to see a new church take initiative and be a global witness,” said Vestal. “The people at the Church of the Good Shepherd gave me a wonderful welcome for my first visit to Cleveland.”

Currently, the Hope Fund in Thingan is 82% funded.  Will you consider giving towards this initiative and helping us reach our goal? Give Now

*ServLife has held dinners around the United States as an informal way to both introduce and inform people on the work of ServLife around the world. Please contact us to help either organize or host a dinner with a multi-media presentation, images, and many stories of what God is doing through the work of ServLife around the world.

A Short Visit to Nepal

A Story of the ServLife Hope Fund