New Blog for a New Year

Purpose of the Blog
The purpose of this blog is to inform and connect participants and interested friends of the Honduras Pella Affiliate of Partners Worldwide through the sharing of stories and pictures. Some stories that appear here are also posted on a blog of other Latin American Partnerships of Partners Worldwide

History of Partners Worldwide
Formally established in 1997, Partners Worldwide was originally called Partners of Christian Development. In January 2005, the name was changed to Partners Worldwide to better identify the organization to the business world and identify its work as a global ministry. Partners Worldwide continues to increase its mentoring relationships and helps businesses grow and transform lives.

History of Hondurs Pella Affiliate
Partners Worldwide was connected with two Honduran non-profit organizations that would eventually become its In-Country Affiliates. Diaconía Nacional (DN) and Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomía (MCM), with more than twenty years of combined experience in micro finance lending, have the shared goal of Partners Worldwide to increase access to capital for small business owners. Both organizations extend loans with the purpose of generating household income, encouraging the habit of savings, and sharing the good news of salvation.

Shortly after the In-Country Affiliates were established, four businessmen from Pella, Iowa, made a trip to learn more about the business development needs in Honduras. These four business men formed the North American Affiliate and have now made eight trips to Honduras. They provide business mentoring and have participated in institutional evaluations with In-Country Affiliates.

Plans for 2008/09
In this new year, the Honduras Pella Affiliate hopes to witness the transformational power of God. They seek His blessing in plans to create more formal business training classes.

The Honduras Pella Affiliate asks for your prayers for the loan recipients who lost their businesses in a fire that destroyed a city market. Also, please pray for two loan officers, Yony Arias of MCM and Dilia Sanchez of DN, requesting a visa from the United States Embassy so that they can attend the Partners Worldwide International Business Conference in Muskegon, Michigan, scheduled for October 2-4.