(I am calling this blog ministry numero dos because as I'm sure you've figured out by now, ministry numero uno is the responsibility of feeding the team.)

 

      Along with some other creative girls on my team, I will be helping to start up a jewelery-making business for the kids in YoungLife. We will be working in partnership with Opportunity International, a micro-financing company, with the goal of eventually having the first group of people we teach take over the leadership and also head out to the poorer communities outside of the city. This is the group of people that really needs jobs - they don't have the money to get into the city for work, and many of the young girls are expected turn to prostitution in order to just get food for their families. Jewelery making will provide an alternative and, because we are partnering with Opportunity International, whatever these girls make will be sold both here in Nicaragua and back in the States as well, and hopefully online.

     We will be having two different classes during the week, one focusing on how to use recyclable objects (newspaper/magazines, bottle caps, old tile, etc.) and one focusing on natural materials such as seeds, shells, and wood. By using these kinds of materials, it keeps the overhead cost down and plus I'm pretty sure half of the States is on some sort of natural kick right now anyway, so there's a better market. :p

     There are so many ways this could grow that it's hard not to get excited and forget that every business starts small! We're going to walk well before we run... we already know of several people in YoungLife who are interested in joining this project as a job. So the next step from here is to write up an official proposal and present that to Opportunity International. They will work with us on a budget and getting everything we need for start-up, and we'll just jump into it from there.

     Prayer requests for this ministry right now are: