I am living with Angelita, her mom “mamá”, a maintenance older man, a Japanese nurse, a Seventh Day Adventist Pastor, and a few nephews and nieces of Angelita that sporadically come here and there. I have my own room with a bathroom. Angelita doesn’t have children of her own but she is like a mother to all of us. She taught us how to make dumplings, how to eat Dominican food properly, and random tips here and there. We are a large and very loving family. On Wednesday I visited Consuelo. As you can see in the picture below there is not much room or proper roads for cars, we were traveling via motoconchos (motorcycles). I was a little scared at first but I didn’t want to tell anyone it was my first time on a bike… But I got on and soon enough got the hang of it, it was great :) 
I was able to see how Esperanza goes about with their transactions. The first day I sat in on a capacitación (training for the loans), alphabetizing courses (well met with the teachers). On Thursday I experienced a graduation ceremony where the groups were approved to receive loans, how loans are distributed in the office, and the closing process when the loans are paid back. I was surprised how much traveling and office work one loan officer has to make! But Esperanza is really well organized; they get a lot done and do a great job at keeping up with relationships.
A lot of times we romanticize microfinance as being so great and easy. But the reality is that it is not. Microfinance, Christian Microfinance, takes a lot of dedication. It isn’t a job it’s a calling to change lives, a form of ministry. The loan officers are in the battle ground, literally putting their life at risk to go and help those in spiritual and economic need.
I was able to see how Esperanza goes about with their transactions. The first day I sat in on a capacitación (training for the loans), alphabetizing courses (well met with the teachers). On Thursday I experienced a graduation ceremony where the groups were approved to receive loans, how loans are distributed in the office, and the closing process when the loans are paid back. I was surprised how much traveling and office work one loan officer has to make! But Esperanza is really well organized; they get a lot done and do a great job at keeping up with relationships.
A lot of times we romanticize microfinance as being so great and easy. But the reality is that it is not. Microfinance, Christian Microfinance, takes a lot of dedication. It isn’t a job it’s a calling to change lives, a form of ministry. The loan officers are in the battle ground, literally putting their life at risk to go and help those in spiritual and economic need.
This picture above is a capacitacion course, their fourth one. They have five in total and on the sixth one the Director of the branch visits and quizes the participants to see if they qualify for the loan.
This picture above is a group of five that were approved to receive their loans. They will go into the office on Tuesday to retrieve the loan.
Well I think this is all for this week. Tonight I will attend a youth gathering at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, I have been invited by two pastors and the director here in Esperanza, so why not? :D On Saturday, I will also attend their service in the morning and then go explore the Mercado. On Sunday I will buy some necessities for my room like, a light bulb, a toilet seat cover, shower curtain, hand soap, and maybe something to cover the plain white walls.
So until next time,
Maira
So until next time,
Maira
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