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Micro
Enterprise Development Through the Church
History of The TentMaker Project
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July 1997 |
Wyatt George, pastor of
Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Carbondale, Illinois, is invited
to teach on a mission trip to Uganda with his friend Bill Phillips.
While in Uganda, Wyatt meets Ed Kasaija, pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church of Kampala, who shares with him about the
financial challenges of Ugandan pastors and evangelists. Ed says, “I
know what the answer ISN’T. It isn’t for Westerners to just send
money. That leads to dependency.” |
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Late 1997 |
Wyatt reflects on how to
address the financial needs of Ugandan pastors and writes some notes
about a possible loan system. |
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1998 |
Ed Kasaija visits the
church in Carbondale, Illinois, on a trip to the United States.
Wyatt discusses the idea of loans for Ugandan pastors with Ed, and
together they design a micro-enterprise loan program for Ugandan
pastors while sitting at Wyatt’s kitchen table. Later on, Wyatt
shares these plans on a hike around a lake with his friend John
Davey. Thinking of the tent-making business which the Apostle Paul
used to support himself, John suggests that this program for helping
pastors support themselves through developing businesses could be
named “The TentMaker Project.” A board is formed out of the elders
of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Carbondale, IL |
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Early 1999 |
Wyatt George returns to
Uganda with $1,625.00 in his pocket given by members of the church
in Carbondale to start The TentMaker Project. A Ugandan board
(called “the Regional Committee”) is formed of pastors and elders in
the Presbyterian Church of Uganda, and they recommend that the first
loans be made at Mutungo Presbyterian Church. They also decide,
together with Wyatt, that if Ugandan church pastors can be loan
recipients, then their church members should also be eligible for
loans. Wyatt gives a seminar for the church in Mutungo and forms a
Local Committee of elders and deacons to oversee the loan process.
Twelve applications are approved by this local church committee.
Afraid that the loans would far exceed the money he had, Wyatt summs
up the loan applications. In God’s providence, the applications from
the Mutungo church total exactly $1,600! The remaining $25 is given
to the Regional Committee to help them with their expenses. Wyatt
also gives seminars and sets up Local Committees at churches in two
other cities (Nakitikolo and Kampala). |
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Late 1999 |
As Wyatt reports to
friends in the USA on the formation of The TentMaker Project in
Uganda, more money is donated. An international wire transfer system
is implemented, and sixteen micro-loans are extended to members of
the Kampala church. The first Educational Assistance Scholarship is
administrated through The TentMaker Project to a widow with four
children who has no means to pay for their elementary schooling
needs. |
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2000 |
Wyatt makes a return
visit to Uganda, this time with his wife, Betsy. The TentMaker
Project is set up at churches in three more cities: Ktintale, Luwero,
and Nakumba. |
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2002 |
Wyatt visits Uganda
again, taking Jack VanDerSlick with him. |
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May 2003 |
The “Five Loaves”
program is started by The TentMaker Project to encourage Ugandan
churches to develop word and deed ministry to the poor around them.
Money is wired to the First Presbyterian Church in Kampala to
underwrite the cost of serving regular meals for residents of the
nearby slum. |
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February 2004 |
Wyatt and his son, Luke,
visit Uganda and see the Five Loaves project for the first time.
Luke makes the first video for The TentMaker Project, and Wyatt
refines and codifies policies with the Regional Committee. Two more
churches in Western Uganda become eligible for loans. |
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September 2004 |
Nate Wilson agrees to
take the position of Development Director and moves to Carbondale |
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May 2005 |
Wyatt and Nate Wilson
visit Uganda and open discussions with the Africa Evangelical
Presbyterian Church-Kenya about expanding into Kenya. |
<Next:
Endorsements of The TentMaker Project> |
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