Friends, today is my 31st birthday!
Every year on this day, I take hard look at my life. I long for every year that the Lord gives me to bring hope and joy to the people around me. Thus, each year on my birthday, I’ve chosen a way to do just that. Last year I spent the day doing 30 random acts of kindness for people in my neighborhood and local community. I was blessed more than I blessed others. It was an amazing experience.
I also attended the Hope Spoken conference this past year and was inspired to make FunCycled more than just about furniture. As small business owners, I want us to think outside of ourselves and somehow help others in need. John and I began planning/praying months ago, asking the Lord to show us what He wanted us to do. Until now, everything that I’ve done has focused on the community around me. This year, I began to feel pulled outside of my city, away from the people that look like me and talk like me.
John and I ardently believe that FunCycled is a gift from the Lord. He owns the business, and we are simply stewards of it. We have a deep desire to see global underserved communities blessed as a result of our business, and have been asking God to show us what that could look like.
Several months ago, I encountered HOPE International. HOPE is a Christ-centered microfinance organizations that serves over 675,0000 clients in 17 different countries around the world. Their mission is to invest in the dreams of the poor by providing people trapped in poverty a way out of that cycle by providing a small loan and Christ-centered business training. The idea is that much like John and I needed money to start FunCycled, impoverished people often simply need access to capital so they can start or grow their own small business and work their way out of poverty. Take a look:
John and I feel passionately about the work that HOPE is doing because as small business owners, we understand the value of start up capital. We see the sustainability in HOPE’s model—by providing a hand up instead a hand out, HOPE is empowering the poor to provide for themselves and their families through loans as small as $100.00. Even more than that, HOPE is introducing men and women around the world to the true hope that can only be found in Jesus.
We want you to be a part of it. This year, we are thrilled to link arms with HOPE and work to provide at least thirty one entrepreneurs with a $100.00 loan in my 31st year! We plan to work towards this goal with you in several different ways:
1. Through our fundraising page! 31 Dreams | Investing in Hope
2. Through auctioning off a custom Funcycled piece on ever 31st day in my 31st year! You get beautiful furniture, and entrepreneurs around the world get to chase their dreams and provide for their families. It’s a win-win, friends.
Look for our first auction on October 31st. In the mean time, please check out www.hopeinternational.org for more information on this organization that John and I are so impassioned about. Consider joining us in investing in the dreams of the poor!
Thank you friends!
Sarah
