In these times of crashing investment values, failing banks and insurance companies, business closings and job losses, it is good to know that capitalism is still alive and doing quite well, thank you, in the world that Jesus calls us to care most about… the world of the working poor who want a better life for themselves and their families and neighbors.

In the Fall of 2007, the Mission Committee of First Congregational Church determined to use monies earned in its Spring Plant Sale earlier that year to make small “micro-capital” loans to third world entrepreneurs through Kiva.org, a San Francisco-based Internet Website that uses the power and speed of Internet communications to publish the needs for loans of entrepreneurs in the Third World and then aggregate the contributions of lenders in the developed countries of North America and Europe to fund loans through carefully vetted micro-capital lending agencies in the borrower’s country.

Typical loan contributions we have made through Kiva.org are for sums of $25 to $50 dollars. As the loan repayments are made, and as congregation members have contributed to our available funds for lending, we have reinvested our funds in new businesses and established a revolving loan fund.

As of mid-March, 2010, First Congregational Church of Waterville, Maine has loaned a total of $875 dollars to 32 small businesses around the world. Twenty-one of those businesses have repaid their loans in full. Nine other loans are making payments on schedule and two are in delinquent (behind in repayment schedule) due to circumstances beyond the borrowers control. Altogether, $746.42 has been repaid to our revolving loan account. We currently have $257.58 held as a credit balance at Kiva.org -- which will be lent to new borrowers soon to be selected by the Mission Committee. The following table is a listing of the loans in our Kiva.org portfolio.

If you would like to recommend a business to the Mission Committee for a loan, you will find many deserving loan applicants at http://www.kiva.org/lend. You may email your recommendation to the Mission Committee Dave Hedrick dhedrick@roadrunner.com. Why not ask your children or grandchildren to help you select a business to lend to?