When I read in 2 Kings 4 about the woman who came to Elisha asking for help it reminded me of how I feel about the many projects we have in front of us.  We've been steadily working toward this point for almost 3 years. We currently have a small amount of "oil" to fill a large amount of vessels/projects.  With projects ready to be funded,  in the DR, and in Guatemala,  and more in progress, my thought today is how will God fill these "vessels" so these businesses  can begin to help transform their communities.  We are filling each one - one at time. Moving from vessel to vessel and carefully preparing it to go on to the next stage.  Just like the widow we have some "oil", but many more vessels to be filled.

People will sometimes say to us that they are encouraged by the risky things we've done.
Is our faith in following God's call on our life that unusual? I say we are more encouraged by God's provision for us.
More encouraged by those who give faithfully and abundantly to God in supporting missions and kingdom work.
Living outside of the US this year has so obviously been God 's plan for us.  As we look back on successes and failures...
...spending the last 36 months investing our talents...
...and seeing others join in the work every step of the way.

Now we know we can THRIVE on whatever God provides.
So we gather the vessels and start pouring the oil.
Let's see what God does.

- Joe

In April 2013, Investing Your Talents was invited to participate in a conference at the La Mision School in Palencia, Guatemala.  Along with Feeding God's Children, a ministry based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Joe presented information and teaching on using our talents and gifts to God's glory.  The group also facilitated discussions about business practices and management.  Several families present were seeking help in the form of funding and mentoring in the operation of various businesses.  We are now working with several people to start us businesses that include a school supply and internet service, a convenience store, and a pig farm.  Several other businesses are in the formation process and are participating in a training program.

Coffee plant in the Dominican Republic

We are in the process of working with local farmers to buy green coffee beans and ship them to the US for roasting and sale.

Jarabacoa sits in a valley at 1700 feet above sea level in the Central Mountain Range.  Pico Duarte, the highest summit in the caribbean is nearby.  Agriculture is the largest sector of the local economy, growers produce strawberries, coffee, pimento, and aji peppers.

It's a beautiful country with vibrant, hard-working people.  Many Haitians have immigrated to the DR to work.  In addition to construction happening at Doulos (below) many other building projects are underway in the valley.

Because Jarabacoa is a scenic, mountain town, it is a tourist destination for people living in the capital, Santo Domingo, and nearby Santiago.  Therefore the demand for mountain "getaways"  provides many jobs for construction workers.

Like many developing countries, there is a large disparity between economic classes.

The development of business opportunities will help to improve local people's economic position by providing jobs and increasing the sustainability of local businesses.  Training and mentoring business owners and new start-up entreprenuers is one of the goals of Investing Your Talents. 

In just a few days, on January 2, the Atkinson family will be traveling to Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, to live for six months.  While in the DR, they'll be working with Spirit Mountain Coffee, an organic coffee plantation, to learn more about coffee growing and how it can positively impact a community.

Spirit Mountain Coffee uses much of their proceeds to support Doulos Discovery School, a non-profit, private school working to educate and disciple servant leaders in the Dominican Republic.  Joe will be working at Doulos, helping to guide US work teams finish the construction of several new classrooms. There are 8 of these teams coming to the DR this spring!

Joe (pictured, right) recently traveled to Thailand to see what was being done to further the Kingdom through coffee cultivation.   Charlie Milbrodt has been working in the country for nearly 30 years, and has sucessfully begun a coffee growing program over the past 5 years.

Coffee seedlings are grown in a greenhouse, given to local farmers, and planted in the countryside.  It takes 5 years of growth to yield a coffee bean that can be sold for roasting.  In the northern regions of Thailand, many communities have been impacted by the growth of the coffee bean.  When coffee is grown and sold, the people increase their income 10 fold and the village sees not only economic prosperity, but they are spiritually fruitful as well.

Over 100 churches have been planted in the area.

In January we visited a new ministry in Cap Hatien, Haiti called Second Mile Ministries.  We met the co-founders in Tucson, and were excited to see first hand what the ministry is planning.  

After attending a conference in Port au Prince with an organization that is doing a great work with Business and Missions in Haiti, Partners Worldwide we drove 7 hours to Cap Haiten, which is located on the north side of island.  

Jenn and Amy (pictured above) with two Haitian "nannies" will open a care facility for families with sick children.  They will provide medical care and training for families with no means to get the treatment and medications needed for their children.

The opportunity for business development is great.  The need is even greater.  With so much disaster relief funding entering Haiti over the past 2 years, it has never been more necessary for long-term, sustainable, income generating options to be explored with the people of Haiti.