The magic of well presented food.
I do not know about you, but I have always had an interest or maybe even a passion to be involved with two special types of aide organizations. The first one is the type of agency that brings clean water to small desperate communities throughout the world and the second is the type of organization or ministry that provides micro loans to tiny entrepreneurs around the world. Well World Encounter is this second type of organization and I was contacted by my great friend Stephanie Gates to see if I would be the photographer for their fundraising event. I said yes in a heartbeat, even before I check my schedule. This whimsical scheduling methodology luckily even worked out for me this time so I was indeed able to go.
Curt Rosen Director of World Encounter
World Encounter headquartered in St Paul, MN is led by Curt Rosen who is a man of heart and vision. He was explaining the organization and the incredible work they do by building in support networks to the women who receive the micro loans. One of the mechanisms he was explaining was how being they do not have collateral for the loan, they have 9 other community women sign for the loan with the recipient. This mechanism encourages them all to work together, to support one another in their business adventures and to even stand in for them on a day where a business owner cannot be running the business. That is completely brilliant. I actually thought I heard that they have a 100% payback record on their loans and of course these payments back to World encounter then get pushed back into the community as another loan.
In the Market
If you are anything like me by this time you are thinking of the old movie it’s a wonderful life where George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) runs the tiny Savings and Loan and while he is in the daily grind, all he sees is frustration and difficulty. But in the height of his frustration and desperation he is given a vision of how his toiling has changed the world, World Encounter is exactly like that.
The Story of Esther
At the event, they shared a story of Esther, an uneducated woman left as a single mother was given a micro loan and with her keen mind and diligence she created a thriving enterprise. I am sure that story is repeated over and over again with the help of World Encounter.
Wonderful Food
Of course this event was a fund raiser so anyone who has ever been connected with any fundraising knows a happy patron is a generous patron. So the best way to make patrons happy is with incredible food and have the wine flowing. I thought I was at one of the Twin cities finest restaurants. All I can say is wow and thank you.
The evening ended with a giveaway of paintings and baskets from Tanzania and the recipients were very grateful.
Painting Winner
Thanks for the great event World Encounter and I encourage you to consider supporting them. Check them out at World Encounter
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