For several years now my dream has been to start my own business someday. I’m not sure what type of business, but I do know that starting something new is never easy.
This past week, we traveled out to the countryside of Ethiopia to a small town called Holeta. In Holeta, we went to visit a flower farm to speak with a group of women there. We were asked as a team to speak on a business topic and encourage the women in there entrepreneur endeavors. Right up my alley as a business entrepreneurship graduate!
It was incredible having a chance to talk with the women about something I love so much and to hear their stories and dreams. The man who started the entrepreneurship club at the flower farm explained to us that the objective of this group is for the women to spend several months saving money, getting business training and then eventually start a business together as a group, such as a coffee shop, restaurant, etc.
He shared with us that the women make about 24 birr a day, which is about $1 (21 birr = $1) for 12 hours a day. The women as a group have committed to setting aside 5 birr a week to save up for their future business. Saving money in Ethiopia is extremely countercultural, especially when you think about how little they are making. Thus far, as a group they have saved 900 birr! That’s about $45, which may not seem like a lot to us, but this is a ton for someone living on the countryside in Ethiopia. The diligence, determination and commitment to their team that these women must have is incredible.
These women are most likely sacrificing a meal or a bar of soap or a bottle of clean water in order to save up for what the Lord has planned for their future. I can’t imagine the discipline and trust it must take to make a sacrifice like this. I don’t know if God will actually call me to start my own business some day, but I do know I will be asked to make sacrifices in my life. Meeting these women and hearing about what they are doing has made me ask myself, ‘am I willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to follow God’s will for my life?’
If God could sacrifice his only Son for our sins, then no request that God asks of me should be too much. I pray that when I feel God is asking too much of me that he would remind me of this story and give me the courage to fully trust Him the way that these women have.
Alright, so I have a challenge today for all of you who are reading this blog. I challenge you to ask yourself the same question and pray the same prayer.
Are you willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to follow God’s will for you?
Here is a picture of us with a few of the entrepreneur ladies we spoke with.
This is the really neat hut that we met with all of the women in.
