In2theRiver

Good morning from Westminster, MD!

In my last post, I explored the concept of a business being a catalyst for hope (click here to check it out). Specifically, I talked about how I came to realize the hope bringing power of a business in the communities I am connected to in Nicaragua. To say it another way, a business can play in an important role in breaking the chains of hopelessness and poverty through practical and spiritual hope.

So, what does that look like exactly? I painted a picture of this in my last post with a fictional story based on the real impact I have seen businesses have in what many assume to be hopeless places. As I discuss in my book, Hope Realized, and described in story, this happens through a combination of practical and spiritual hope. What exactly are practical and spiritual hope, and how can a business be a conduit for people to experience them? I will begin to dig into this question today with a look at practical hope.

What is practical hope? I like to think of it as the real hope that comes from a real opportunity. An opportunity for what? That answer could vary a lot depending on the circumstances, but it is always in the realm of the practical or tangible. The truth is it is something most people who are reading this post probably take for granted. However, the reality is many people in the world lack these real opportunities.

An example of this is education. In many places in the world, access to quality education is scarce. I have spent time in some of these places and heard stories about many others. In 100% of these communities, people have a desire to learn and gain the skills and knowledge they need to realize their God-given potential. The problem is there might not be a school in the community, or the family might not be able to provide what their child needs to go to school such as a school uniform. In other cases, the parents might take the kids out of school so that they can work and contribute to the needs of the family. Why would they do this? Well, when there is not enough resources to put food on the table, it can become a choice between going hungry and getting an education.

This is just one example of a real opportunity that isn’t available to many people in many communities around the world. A lack of employment, access to health care, job or vocational training, and proper infrastructure are a few others. In these cases, and more, the absence of real opportunities fuels and perpetuates the lie that these communities and the people who live in them are hopeless. This feeds the belief that nothing can ever change and hopelessness becomes the norm for many people.

The good news is hopelessness is a lie and change is possible. Take education. Most of the kids living in a small, rural village in the northern mountains of Nicaragua lacked the opportunity to get their education. The closest school was just too far away. One kid decided this wasn’t going to stop him and eventually, after earning his college degree and moving away, decided kids from his village should have access to this real opportunity. Fighting against the lie of hopelessness, he raised the funds to build and sustain a school, changing the story of the kids growing up in his hometown. With access to education, many kids are experiencing the life-changing power of practical hope.

Now, how can a business be a catalyst for this kind of practical hope? The most obvious way is creating employment opportunities in impoverished communities. By strategically providing fair-paying jobs to people who are often overlooked, a business is creating a real opportunity for their employees to provide for their families. This brings stability and the chance to think beyond survival, allowing them to invest in the future by taking steps such as sending their kids to school and addressing lingering medical needs. Think about how this real opportunity we typically take for granted could fill someone with hope, changing their view of what is possible.

There are many other ways I have seen businesses be conduits for practical hope. In some cases this has been sponsoring the children of their employees to help them attend school. In other cases, it has been creating vocational training opportunities and internships that have allowed people to gain new skills and confidence. I have seen businesses help their employees address medical issues, allowing them to experience physical wellness. I have seen a business help a family improve their living situation, allowing them to move beyond the burden of an unsafe environment.

Whether located in a community struggling with poverty and hopelessness or not, a business has incredible power to create opportunities within it as well as invest in opportunities outside of it to fuel practical hope. One of the reasons a business can be such a catalyst for real opportunities is its sustainability. Not reliant upon donations, a business has a unique ability to make a difference when it comes to bringing practical hope.

However, practical hope is not the only kind of hope a business can bring. It can also be a conduit for spiritual hope, helping people reframe their identity. We will explore this opportunity next time.

James

Click here for more resources to help you bring hope to others, including more information about my book, Hope Realized!