August 6, 2004

BUILDING RESPONSIBLE CHURCHES AND PEOPLE

Village Christian Co-Op

Our Hunger Fighting Co-op is being formed in an effort to help the poor farmers provide for themselves. Every year they run out of rice, their primary food staple, well before the new harvest and are forced to borrow rice from a few wealthy land owners at 180% to 300% interest.

Training: Our Brother with eight years experience in village development is proving to be an invaluable resource and is leading them through each step of the process. With a small amount of “start up” rice which we will provide and with each family that elects to participate contributing toward the Rice Bank which will in turn give them the right to borrow rice at only 10% interest the co-op will immediately be self supporting. The co-op will be registered with the government and managed by a committee of five Christians that were elected by the church yesterday.

Why: The people will be helping themselves in a positive, tangible way, building self respect for themselves and gaining the admiration of the community.

Practice: We realize there are many pitfalls but with the close supervision and guidance of our experienced brother until such time they are independently able to manage it alone we have faith that it will succeed. Success will bring responsibility and self respect to the very poor that have viewed themselves and been looked on by others as worthless beggars.

In all this we are teaching them He Cares about them and knows each one by name.

William E. "Bill" McDonough, Director
Partners In Progress
Phnom Penh, Cambodia