Tuesday, December 22, 2009

kiva loans for Christmas

I’m playing with Kiva loans and Christmas and mission. (More info here).

1. At our Christmas services we often create interaction by asking who’s come the furthest, who’s up the earliest etc, who’s had the most Christmas’s. We often give out a little prize. So why not give out a Kiva gift voucher? It would splendidly capture the spirit of Christmas and would connect local with global mission.

Updated: Church manager said yes. We’ve had financial gifts flowing in all week, for us to give as appropriate. Yee ha.

2. Why not give Kiva as a Christmas gift. Imagine the kids on Christmas afternoon, huddled over the computer, deciding who they’re going to loan to, and letting them align themselves with global mission. Much more Christian use of time than trashing some toy.

3. Use Kiva to kickstart micro-finance in your community. Give out 20 lots of $25 (total $500), to people in your church. A random surprise one Sunday. Some churches ask for money, we give money! After 6 months invite them to a Kiva evening, to share what they gave to and what has happened. Use that energy to ask questions:

  • Could we do micro-loans in our community?
  • What questions would we need to ask first?

Send people off to do research, and bring a recommendation to your church community. Give out locally, 20 lots of “microfinance.” After 6 months, meet for yet another, but this time local, Kiva evening, to share stories and see what the next step is.

What is Kiva? Glad you asked? Use this video (and below) on Christmas morning, with your kids and at your Kiva evenings.

Posted by steve at 10:03 PM

2 Comments

  1. This is a great idea Steve, I’m a keen Kiva-ite and love getting my message that my Kiva credit is available for use and deciding whose project I’ll invest in next – its not just kids who find it fun! I’m still feeling really humbled by how far money goes in developing countries after my time in Nepal, but also inspired by how many grassroots organisations are using no or low interest loans to help people break the cycle of poverty. Coming back from Nepal into the silly season has highlighted how skewed the world is… I shopped almost exclusively at Oxfam this year for presents, but am still struggling to work out how to reconcile that other world I’ve seen with our western ways… still, Kiva loans are a good start. It’s that whole ‘better to light a candle’ philosophy. On that note I might go and make a new loan right now 🙂

    Comment by Michelle — December 22, 2009 @ 11:42 pm

  2. feedback much appeciated Michelle. great to see this working practically in this way in a persons light. yeeha for candle lighters

    steve

    Comment by steve — December 23, 2009 @ 10:09 pm

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