by Barbara McCandless

This is my first trip to South Africa, and I am thoroughly enthralled with this country! The Cape Town area is breathtakingly beautiful. There are, of course, many reminders of the legacy of aparteid. And yet there also seems to be a sense of optimism about the future. I’m excited to be here - each day brings new discoveries.

I am part of a team of three Americans and four South Africans serving a group of clients in the township of Kayamandi. We are working with a dozen men and women who currently have or intend to start small businesses. We are using a simplified version of the "10-P" methodology being used by our colleages working with mid-market companies. At times we struggle with language difficulties - two of our clients do not know English, and our SA friends tell us our American accent is hard to understand (what accent??!). Nevertheless, we have had two sessions now with good participation. I am deeply touched by our spiritual connection with these lovely folks as they contemplate how their businesses can glorify God and uplift their community.

As part of today’s work, each entrepreneur wrote a brief purpose statement for his/her business. I’d like to share a few of them in their words:

Victor (remind me to tell you about this pillar of the community): "To render quality service by hiring (renting out) tents, chairs, pots, and gas stoves, with the intention of serving the community and the Lord." Note: These items are needed by families in Kayamandi for family events, such as weddings, and sadly, all too frequently for funerals.

Margaret: "To create a warm place that is a welcoming home, to create jobs for others, and to share God’s love." Note: Margaret currently runs a simple catering business (again, often providing food for funeral gatherings) and wants to convert her modest home into a B & B geared toward foreign students.

Teboho: "To meet a community need and create some jobs for other people, and share skills so God is glorified." Note: Teboho is a trained carpenter who cannot find work in his field. Although he has a few simple hand tools, and a relative who has offered the use of his garage as a workshop area, he lacks a set of power tools.