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news from the Radstock network

and they're off...

Posted on

Posted by Radstock staff.

Church-based businesses begin in the Gobi Desert . Arising from Radstock's connections, a small team set out in May from St Mary's Old Harlow , UK to teach business start-up skills to church planters and their associates in Mongolia. Micro-Enterprise Development is one foundation of long-term local sustainability of mission in many communities served by churches in the Radstock network. Our Gobi Desert connections are no exception. Church growth here has been rapid (4-23 churches over the last 3 years), but many of the church planters are coming to the end of their initial support funding. Developing business ventures is key to building on this progress, not least by preventing the 'drain' of leaders from the Gobi churches to more prosperous areas of Mongolia and beyond. Through authentically Christian businesses, churches can also bless their wider communities and witness to the transforming power of the gospel in a business culture, where, if money is made, it is often made badly.

Following the seminars, our 'students' are now putting their skills to practice, and new business ventures are starting up, including:

Mongolia: ger stoveMongolia: ger stove 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a business making chimneyed stoves. These are essential for the people of the Gobi, who depend on them for heating (temperatures can fall to -40C in winter), cooking and washing. Situated at the centre of the ger (tent home), they are a focal point for family, community and church life. Because much of the population of the Gobi is nomadic, these stoves, like their gers, have to be portable.

a business making Mongolian pickle!

and businesses making traditional hand crafts and clothes. 

     

    Mongolia: handicrafts     Mongolia: handicrafts 2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    We also know of plans by one church to set up a market garden to help alleviate the rising costs of food imports, and diversify the mainly meat-based diet of the local population. Another planned to set up a bakery. Still another church, operating in an area worked by Western mining interests, planned a start a pizza delivery business! We have no news as yet as to how these ventures are going, but hope to be able to report soon.

    You can read about the training itself in the current issue of Radstock's quarterly newswire, Rapport.

    We expect to hear more from our network partners in the Gobi in the coming weeks and months. 

     

    Tags: mongolia, business

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