Spring 2011 Speaking Tour - Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

It's that time of year again... Sarah's planning her spring speaking tour, and this year she'll be roaming in a big driving loop from North Carolina to Florida and back. She'll also be hopping out to the San Francisco, CA, area with a stopover near Dallas, TX, on her return. So...

Who: Sarah Junkin Woodard (Sarah@jhc-cdca.org)
What: Speaking on the work & ministry of the JHC-CDCA in Nicaragua.
When: March 25 - May 25, 2011
Where: the southeast mostly, speaking in churches, college classes, livingrooms, civic groups, preschools, or anywhere else she gets an invitation! No gathering is too small. Contact her directly via email, please.
Why: for two reasons... to share updated information about the work with those already involved and with new folk who might become interested (i.e. education) and for fund-raising.

But here's the thing... many many folk are signed up on our database with only their email addresses, which means we have no way to know if you are along the speaking tour route, and we don't know to write you to ask if you'd like to host Sarah, or to let you know she'll be speaking near you. So we need you to write us/her about speaking possibilities, and if you know someone else en route, connect us to them... you see how this is a chance for you to really help.

Also, this link... http://tinyurl.com/4f4rmgx will get you to Sarah's online calendar. You can see where she will be on what dates, and what dates are still open. She will double-book, so grab her for a day time something even if she already has an evening something scheduled, and vice versa! She'll keep updating this calendar, so as the time gets closer, times of presentations and contact information will also be available if you can come to something already scheduled.

If you are interested in Sarah coming to your area, here's the bare bones info to share around regarding the presentation information and available crafts (where appropriate):

Sarah Junkin Woodard comes to us from the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA), the Nicaraguan project of the non-profit, faith-based organization, the Jubilee House Community (JHC). Before moving to Nicaragua in 1994, the JHC operated shelters for the homeless and battered women in Statesville, NC. Ministering in Nicaragua since then, the CDCA seeks to respond to human needs created by poverty in a nation where 45% of the population lives on less than $1.00/day, the second poorest in the western hemisphere. The CDCA is working towards freedom from poverty, helping communities become self-sufficient, sustainable, democratic entities, focusing its work in the areas of sustainable economic development, organic agriculture, appropriate technology, education, and health care. Sarah says, “The CDCA has been called to work with, and speak on behalf of, the poor in our area of Nicaragua, and to share their lives and stories with folks in the U.S., to bridge the gap between us and our neighbors.” Proceeds from craft sales go to the operating expenses of the project.

The Poor ≠ Market Opportunity

I spent much of last week writhing in agony in a ballroom at a Managua hotel. I was at an annual encounter of project executors for a large international development agency. I spent my days squirming in my chair trying to keep myself from running screaming from the room. What was so hard for me to hear? I’ll share with you a few snippets:

“When the private sector decides it wants to do something, it happens. Without the private sector we are nothing.”

“The middle man must exist, and we have to help the middle man so that the poor can be involved in the economy because they can’t do it themselves.”

“The poor are an unexploited market worth $6 billion dollars a year in Central America alone.”

Needless to say, there were no “poor” in that room. Just a roomful of smug, back-patting consultants with knowing smiles and obscene annual salaries. In most cases, these consultants are a perfect example of what Mike refers to as those who “started out to do good and ended up doing well.” They are the ones who think up and carry out “development” projects in Nicaragua, in many cases with the goal of what one mentioned as the need to “maintain our relevance” (read: salaries).

Are these consultants bad people? Not inherently, but they are servants of a system that does not work...in fact it does more harm than good. Yet they believe that they are doing good, which makes many of them self righteous and arrogant and dangerous. Sitting there, I can’t help but calculate that just one year of the combined salaries of the consultants in that room would build three Genesis spinning plants and equip them with machinery, creating jobs for 180 people. I, for one, would happily trade all of them for that.

And what are the projects these consultants are patting themselves on the backs for?

“We just approved a new project with the Free Trade Zone Commission to teach 600 young Nicaraguans English, with the goal that 400 of those will find work in Call Centers.”

“We have a successful project with a financing company to provide factoring to pulperías – the small corner stores in Nicaragua, which they will be able to pay using their cell phones.”

“We are working with large businesses to get them to use small farmers as suppliers, to include the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ in successful companies.”

Are these projects 100% evil? No. There are good aspects to most of the projects, and a few of them are even pretty good in general. What has to be evaluated is who is really benefiting here and who is just being used?

Do the 400 call center jobs really represent – as the development agency continually saying – any new “innovation”? No. It’s the same low-paid unstable jobs for young Nicaraguans that are offered in the textile sweat shops, disguising itself with a polo shirt and air conditioning.

I am not against pulperías having access to credit – I certainly spend a good share of time talking about how important it is to finance small businesses. But let’s ask ourselves why a factoring agency wants to give credit to pulperías? Because nobody else is doing so yet and they are an untapped market. The factoring agency wants to make money, so what kind of interest will they charge the tiny pulperías? This agency received a grant – that they will never have to pay back – and they will make money off of this hand over fist. That ain’t development…That ain’t right.

What about the “inclusive” companies benefiting the “bottom of the pyramid’? Those large companies are benefiting much more than the small farmers who aren’t granted exclusive contracts and are themselves responsible for financing the improvements needed on their farms in order to meet the standards of the large company. What drives these large companies to the project? More money, as the presenter himself admitted.

During my week in that hotel ballroom, I heard little mention of the project “beneficiaries,” as the development agencies call them. This word generally refers to the poor people whose poverty is purportedly alleviated through development projects. I loathe the word “beneficiaries.” It calls up an image people who sit back and receive while doing nothing. The women of Genesis are NOT beneficiaries. They are people, owners of their own business, who have made their project work and have made extraordinary sacrifices to do so. They are anything but passive receivers.

All of what I heard was from middle men and about middle men. The JHC-CDCA has spent the last 17 years in Nicaragua getting rid of the middle man – in agriculture and industry – and you know what? It works. I believe there is a place for someone who can connect those who have – money, skills, time – with those who have needs – financing, advice, markets…as long as that connector does not do at the expense of the poor. If we focus development on helping the middle man, you will never reduce poverty because it’s the middle man – and his executive cousin the consultant – who keep people poor by seeking to make money off of them.

We cannot achieve “development” through yet another project that sees the poor as only a market. It is only through projects that stop viewing the poor as passive beneficiaries but the owners of the projects that we have a chance to bring about the systemic change these folks in “development” claim they want.

But we have to take risks. You can’t have systemic change without risking yourself. And we have to share those risks with the poor…the poor as owners, agents of their own destinies. No middle man required. – Becca

The Fabric of Humanity

Sometimes with the constant setbacks, broken vehicles, and missing machinery, it's hard for us to focus on the multitude of things that have actually gone right!

One of the most impressive things that is going right this year is the organic and fair labor cotton production. And it's going right in a big way. In July of 2010, 42 farmers planted 345 acres of organic and fair labor cotton. This is 4 times the number of farmers we had last year and 7 times the amount of cotton produced last year...what a jump! We extended farmers nearly $80,000 in credits for planting and harvest costs. Included in the group of cotton farmers this year are two women's cooperatives!
In December, farmers began to harvest their cotton, and are continuing that harvest now. We estimate that they will harvest a total of 600,000 lbs of seed cotton! The market for organic cotton is supreme this year, and for the first time ever, all that fiber has already been pre-sold!

That seed cotton is being ginned at the cotton gin which this year is being managed by the processing and marketing co-op, COPROEXNIC, rather than CDCA staff, the first step toward the gin's independence. Rather than requiring CDCA to finance the operation of the gin this year, the gin is operating on upfront payments for that cotton...this is a HUGE help to us!

The cotton gin (a 1964 Lummus that has been around the block a few times) has recently had all of its blades replaced, resulting in a per-day production capacity that is 6 times what it was previously! The gin is now consistently ginning and baling 6 bales for a total of nearly 2,550 pounds of processed fiber per day! The gin is operating two shifts for the first time ever and employing a total of 14 people. We expect the gin to run for about 6 months this year, twice as long as its run in past years! With this increase in cotton production, our gin is at capacity, and we're hoping to expand the gin to accommodate next year's expected production.

The Genesis Co-op, is stuck without spinning machinery, thanks to that whole debacle, but meanwhile we are not only giving them basic grains to help feed their families (thanks to generous donations!), but they are also working, getting paid to inspect the cotton for polypropylene contamination before it goes to the gin. Their big beautiful 15,000 square foot building is FULL of organic cotton right now!

Meanwhile, the market for organic and fair labor cotton clothing continues to grow...We are the first organic cotton chain in the world to be certified in fair labor practices from crop to closet, a distinction that we feel merits some positive attention. Maggie's Organics, the maker and distributor of our organic cotton clothing, has made a video about the cotton chain...a beautiful video that highlights the Maggie's Organics connection in Nicaragua and the CDCA's role in the chain. You can now watch this wonderful video, called The Fabric of Humanity by clicking here and scrolling down.

With so many things going right...who's to say we can't overcome those things that haven't gone right quite yet? -- Becca

Best Christmas Gift of All

In our December newsletter we wrote about our financial situation and asked people to consider giving a little more. We also sent a letter out to people who had given $500 or more over the last five years also asking if they could give more….wow! You all came through! In December donations totaled c lose to $100,000!!! Again…Wow!

It is hard for us to ask for money. We sort of missed the Oral Roberts’ gene of having the chutzpah to ask outright, but the work needed us to ask…so for the first time in 13 years and the third time in our 32-year history we sent a special letter.

And with the gifts came; lovely…heartwarming…notes of encouragement and surprisingly, validations of our asking for money.

One woman wrote about the newsletter “Good for you for telling us you need money…you need to do that when you get low.”

We received an email from a dear friend who had been unemployed for many months of this year and when working she tithes to this work…she said that she didn’t think she could give any more but then looked at what she had bought for others for Christmas and sat down and wrote the CDCA a check.

I talked to Mama on Christmas Day. She is the one who receives your gifts in South Carolina and deposits them for us. “How has your day been, Mama?”

“Good.” Then lots of family news exchanged and thanks for presents, etc…you know…Christmas Day stuff.

Mama then says, “Do you know what my favorite Christmas present has been? Opening all those envelopes and pulling out all those checks for y’all. It has been just wonderful…absolutely wonderful.”

We agree. Thank you one and all.

And yet again Wow!

Next week we’ll write about our budget needs for 2011…stay tuned! -- Kathleen

Christmas: Called to Make the Poor a Priority

Almost 30 years to the day, Tiff (age 4), Jessica (age 2), and I were talking about the Christmas story…the birth of Jesus. I remember telling them it was important to remember that Jesus was born poor and homeless (we were running homeless shelters at that time). “Why?”

“Because then we can realize that we need to take care of the poor,” I answered.

Tiff thought and said, “We do more for poor people than anybody I know.”

I replied, “That may be true, but we can still do more…lots more.”

“But, Been…We. Do. More. For. Poor. People. Than. Anybody. I. Know.”

Sometimes I agree with Tiff, especially when I am weary. Not that I seriously think we do more, but sometimes it FEELS like that we have done enough and we can stop. Especially at Christmas…

We see the people who have so much in the world trickling down their generosity to the poor and if I have had a bad day, I think we do actually do more for poor people than anybody I know.

THEN I open my eyes and see anew the poverty staring me in the face and think of the stable and manger… I imagine what an improvement a stable is to the home that many babies are born into here… there is much still to be done.

Let me quickly say that I have no illusion that I am ridding the world of poverty or even enabling people to rise above poverty. The people we work with work so hard to make their lives tolerable. Mostly I hope beyond hope that the little we do might give some a chance to right a few of the wrongs that the powerful have dealt them.

BUT on bad days I think there is no more energy or imagination to keep pushing…to find money, to fight Coker International, to look at new clinic services, and, I think, we have done enough over the many years.

The Christmas story tells us that the embodiment of hope was born poor and homeless. There was no Santa Claus. No Christmas trees, stockings, and no roast beast…but poverty and hope. We who are Christians need to remember our profession of faith is rooted in the poor…and we need to remember that no politics, no economic system should divert us from those roots. We were called to make the poor priority…and we can never…never do enough. Not until all bellies are fed, all have a roof over their heads, feet with shoes, bodies with clothes, not rags…in other words not until shalom…salaam…justice prevails.

The Jubilee House Community sends you all the hopes of the angels this coming new year:

Peace on earth and good will towards all.

-Kathleen