Twenty
dollars that changed a life in India.
Ari Rocklin
Jim a tentmaker to India was used to seeing
a man sitting by his weigh scale all day long, hoping someone would
come and use his services. For the equivalent of 10 cents, anyone
could weigh themselves in a country where the majority can not
afford to buy a scale of their own.
One day Jim decided to sit down beside the
man to simply get to know him and have an opportunity to practice
Hindi. He learned that Ashok was actually renting the scale and was
paying up to 90% of his days take to the owner of the scale.
While Jim sat there, suddenly there seemed to be more people wanting
to weigh themselves than usual. Ashok suggested that Jim's presence
was bringing him good fortune. Of course the real reason was that
people were curious as to why a foreigner would sit down with Ashok.
While Jim walked toward his own job he
started to think more about Ashok's business. How could he help
Ashok earn a bigger slice of the pie? This thought did not leave him
for weeks on end. Each morning and afternoon, Jim would make a point
of sitting down beside Ashkok, which always brought him more
business. They became fast friends.
In a short time Jim had learned the
complexity of Ashok's business. The scale was owned by a man who had
many scales in the city. He paid his workers a measly amount of the
earnings. If the scale broke, the worker would in debt for months
and perhaps years until repayment with high interest was made.
Jim desperately wanted to make a difference,
so he went and bought Ashok a scale for $20. Fortunately he had done
his homework before hand. If he had just given the scale as a gift,
the renter of scales would simply have taken it away from Ashok, who
would have no recourse nor police protection.
Before presenting the scale to Ashok, he
went to the local police station and asked an officer to come with
him to verify the business transaction between himself and Ashok.
The policeman watched as Jim gave the scale to Ashkok. A business
plan was developed by Jim that allowed Ashok to repay the loan in
about six months. Then the loan paper was signed (fingerprinted) by
Ashok. Having the policeman present afforded some protection for
Ashkok, and having a foreigner involved added a bit more.
Before the six months was up, Ashok had
saved enough of his earnings of 100% to pay back the full amount of
the loan. Jim once again called on the policeman to witness the full
repayment of the loan, had him sign the "paid in full" receipt
together with Ashok and Jim. Then Jim made a few copies of the
receipt and even had one copy laminated which Ashkok could keep as
proof of ownership.
Today Ashok keeps 100% of his daily earnings
and is proudly able to show everyone that he has paid back the loan
in full. Imagine going from keeping 10% of your daily earnings to
100%. Jim continues to disciple Ashok and members of his family...
Principle: Do not be too quick to
help, seek wise counsel from locals so that your gift of a loan does
not cause difficulty or dependency. Real
help requires getting to know people and involves discipling.
Who is
Tiowa Diarra?
I first met Tiowa at the tentmaking–business
as mission course in Bergen Norway earlier this year. We had worked
together via email for some time, but now we finally got to spend
time together.
Let me introduce Tiowa to you in this
edition of TMB.
I asked him to respond to these four questions.
1. Who is Tiowa Diarra?
I am married to Madeleine and have five
growing kids.
I graduated from Mali University with a
Master in Education, from Yamoussoukro Bible Institute with a
diploma, and from West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary in Côte
d'Ivoire with an M DIV. Then started pastoral ministry in 1986.
Since that date I have been engaged in various leadership positions
in Mali such as National youth leader and General secretary of
Evangelicals in Mali.
Together with other lay people, we founded
Partners in Mission organization with the aim of bringing the Gospel
to remote areas in Mali and to train nationals for tentmaking.
2. How did you end up being All Africa
Tentmakers International (TI) rep?
After the TI Bulgaria meeting, Partners in
Mission reviewed all the materials and took a significant step by
engaging in Tentmaker training and Church leader mobilization for
tentmaking mission. In April 2005 we held a mini conference in
Bamako, then planned the first All Africa TI Conference for August
2007. The same year we held the very first tentmaker training in
collaboration with TENT of Norway. The next year, in Cape Town, I
was appointed as "pioneer for African regions"
3. How do you see the future of the
tentmaking-business as mission (TEMBAM) movement in and from Africa?
There are specific results we can see after
five years of TI operation: more than 1750 tentmakers missionaries
have been trained and deployed all over Africa; most of them are
working on personal evangelism and church planting. When the
capacity of Churches will be enhanced in the future, it is obvious
more results will be reached. There is a good perspective of African
Tentmakers operating within and outside the continent. The African
diaspora in Northern Africa, in the Middle East, in Europe and Asia
includes potential tentmakers that need to be trained and deployed
intentionnally for mission.
4. How can people learn more about
TEMBAM Africa and how can they pray?
Africa TEMBAM is engaged in training and
training materials development, church mobilization, strategic
reflection on optimizing the potential of the African diaspora.
Africa TI is publishing a Monthly Prayer
Diary that engage people in prayer for tentmaking activities. We are
also publishing reports, available on request where people can
receive information about the progress of TEMBAM in the continent.
The desk of the TI Executive Secretary also publishes a
monthly bulletin called OpportuniTIes on tentmaking news around
the world including news from Africa.
Thank you, Tiowa. It is a blessing to work
with you and to know you as a friend.
Please pray for the upcoming 2nd ALL Africa TI Conference in
Cameroon on August 12-15, 2010.
Ari Rocklin
Ed: Tiowa is helping GLOBAL Opportunities
in a very meaningful way by responding to
requests that come to us from Africa.
FREE
OFFER: eBook
Working Abroad - Today’s Tentmaking Challenge
Revised version
Philip Nunn
Featured Tentmaking
Websites:
OpportuniTIes Newsletter
TENT Norway
JobMission Denmark
GLOBAL Opportunities Mirror
Site
UPCOMING EVENTS:
FREE
Tentmaking Business as Mission evening
seminar
Pasadena California - Lake Ave Church
Friday Sep 17, 2010
FREE Tentmaking
Business as Mission Sessions
Spokane WA
Sep 24 & 25, 2010
Mission Connexion Inland Northwest
GO Equipped Tentmaking
Course
Los Angeles California (LAX)
Oct 20-24, 2010
GO Equipped Tentmaking Course
Korntal Germany
22-25 November, 2010
Course outline
is now online
Books for
Further Reading:
Great Commission Companies - Steve Rundle
and Tom Steffen
Business as Mission - Neal Johnson
Note: Steve Rundle & Neal Johnson are
former GO board members
