The Early Days of the Wellshire Church + KIVA Partnership

Dan Zuchegno, Wes Smits and Glen MacCallum, of Wellshire's Global and Local Ministries, were the original proponents of Kiva who encouraged Wellshire's participation. Then, Rev. Dr. Pattie Kitchen, Wellshire's Associate Pastor for Mission and Outreach (and the most active Twitter user on Wellshire's staff), noticed some key tweets about Kiva in September 2011:

• "(The webinar) was very informative & made me even more confident in my support of @Kiva," @Kiva lender Brad Norman
• @Kiva celebrates #LaborDay in the US w/ economic expansion.  #microfinance @kivanola
• Jen T (@zenfuntravel)
  #WhyIKiva I first made 6 loans & have reinvested the same 6 $25 loans 22 times. Have not missed the $ & celebrate each new business growth!

Microfinance is broadly defined as the lending of small amounts, particularly to low-income individuals or collectives who may not have access to traditional banking modes, often for the purpose of helping a new business venture.  A group interested in exploring microfinance as a ministry of Wellshire, with Rev. Kitchen's input and findings, gathered to discuss the best approach and guiding principles.

The early meetings of the Wellshire Microfinance Group resulted in these goals:

• to introduce Wellshire's Youth into microfinance ministry
• to lend to people in countries actively supported by Wellshire's Global Service Ministries and by other global partnerships with which Wellshire is involved (such as Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver)
• through all endeavors, building toward substantive international relationships, economic progress, and sustainability, while spurring on faith development for the members of Wellshire.
• In 2011, Wellshire and/or Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver partner countries included
• Nepal
• Kenya
• Macedonia
• Nicaragua
• Haiti
• Russia
• Zimbabwe
• Guatemala
• Bangladesh