Here's a song we've started singing in the church. It's actually Catholic. People have surprisingly really taken to it!
CHRIST NEEDS YOU TO LOVE
Christ needs you to love, to love
Christ needs you to love, to love
Chorus: Never mind their race
Nor the colour of their skin
Love all people as brothers and do what's right
Never mind their race
Nor the colour of their skin
Love all people as sisters and do what's right
To whom suffers and the sad
Show them love, show them love
To the meek and the poor
Show them love
To whom lives right beside you
Show them love, show them love
To whom comes from far lands
Show them love
To whom speaks another tongue
Show them love, show them love
To whom thinks differently
Show them love
To your never-failing friend
Show him love, show him love
To whom doesn't address you
Show them love
Yesterday I should have heard this song. I was so frustrated and felt ready to lash out at anyone who irritated me. One of the preschool teachers was supposedly sick (I don't know if she really was or was faking it) and I got stuck with the class. They're the worst of the 3 classes and I didn't have anything prepared. God, in His grace, gives us chances to return to the love He has for us, and also shows us this love through others. Therefore, I dedicate this song to the frustrated people of the day (including me).
CRISTO TE NECESITA PARA AMAR
Cristo te necesita para amar, para amar
Cristo te necesita para amar (BIS)
CORO: No te importe la raza ni el color de la piel,
Ama a todos como hermanos y haz el bien (BIS)
Al que sufre y al triste dale amor, dale amor;
al humilde y al pobre dale amor (BIS)
Al que vive a tu lado dale amor, dale amor,
Al que viene de lejos dale amor (BIS)
Al que habla otra lengua dale amor, dale amor;
Al que piensa distinto dale amor (BIS)
Al amigo de siempre dale amor, dale amor
Al que no te saluda dale amor (BIS)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Microempresa learnings
As many of you already know, I'm accompanying a small microempresa (microenterprise) with women and teens from the church. We make various dolls and seed jewelry which generate a small alternative income for the participants. More than explain what I do, I want to share what I have learned during this accompaniment...
1.Relationships and trust are key. People are sensitive due to personal or family conflicts/instability. The microempresa has served the participants as a space to listen to and encourage each other. We continue working on this part because there is still lack of trust between some members.
2.You have to be careful with the 'rich foreigner' image. Participants were used to selling their creations to delegations and didn't think about selling them in Colombia too. We're now looking for sales opportunities on a local and national level: this involves the participants themselves as vendors, a valuable element of the microempresa.
3.You can't beg someone to do something they don't want to. The women making the dolls are very committed but the teens in the jewelry are more unstable. It's important to encourage and support people but in the end, they decide whether they want to continue or leave.
4.You have to establish and know how to handle commitments with everyone. When someone stops coming regularly, we refer to these commitments to be fair in our actions. You have to understand the person without giving in to any excuse.
5.Networking/sharing with other groups helps generate ideas and encourage. During Holy Week we visited an association of artisans in Agua de Dios [2 hrs from Ibague]. We sold our goods with them and in the meantime talked and shared about our organizations. In June these same women are coming to Ibague to sell with us in the festivals (oo!)
(picture on left: visit to Agua de Dios with microempresa)
6.You have to believe in peoples' abilities and create spaces to put them into practice. Microempresa members use their talents, at the same time earning a small income. It's a space where we laugh, share our frustrations and discover our God-given gifts.
1.Relationships and trust are key. People are sensitive due to personal or family conflicts/instability. The microempresa has served the participants as a space to listen to and encourage each other. We continue working on this part because there is still lack of trust between some members.
2.You have to be careful with the 'rich foreigner' image. Participants were used to selling their creations to delegations and didn't think about selling them in Colombia too. We're now looking for sales opportunities on a local and national level: this involves the participants themselves as vendors, a valuable element of the microempresa.
3.You can't beg someone to do something they don't want to. The women making the dolls are very committed but the teens in the jewelry are more unstable. It's important to encourage and support people but in the end, they decide whether they want to continue or leave.
4.You have to establish and know how to handle commitments with everyone. When someone stops coming regularly, we refer to these commitments to be fair in our actions. You have to understand the person without giving in to any excuse.
5.Networking/sharing with other groups helps generate ideas and encourage. During Holy Week we visited an association of artisans in Agua de Dios [2 hrs from Ibague]. We sold our goods with them and in the meantime talked and shared about our organizations. In June these same women are coming to Ibague to sell with us in the festivals (oo!)
(picture on left: visit to Agua de Dios with microempresa)
6.You have to believe in peoples' abilities and create spaces to put them into practice. Microempresa members use their talents, at the same time earning a small income. It's a space where we laugh, share our frustrations and discover our God-given gifts.
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