Kiva is a wonderful organization that I stumbled across last year over Christmas break while I was at my in-laws.  I was reading an article about young leaders in America.  Matt Flannery, the co-founder, CEO and Director of Kiva, is only 31 years old, yet through his mircolending site Kiva.org, over 1.5 million dollars has been loaned this week alone!  In fact, I am hoping that after you read this you will be one of over 10,000 new users of Kiva this week.

Here is how Kiva works:

1. Field partners all over the globe submit loan request to Kiva.
2. Users login into Kiva and donate in $25 increments to individuals who are in need.
3. Based upon the amount of the loan the entrepueners begin to pay back the loan.
4. As the money comes back into your account you can choose to withdraw it or donate it to another individual in need.

Last year after Christmas I decided to take the majority of my Visa gift card and help four individuals in need.  Since that time, enough money has come back into my account that I have now added a fifth entrepueneur.

One thing that I love about the site is that you can search through a number of categories in order to find some one that you want to work with.  As I was looking for people to help I wanted to have a truly global mixture.  I am helping a fisherman in Cambodia, a food market in Sierra Leone, a college student in Lebanon, a mom who is running a childcare center in Bosnia and a rental shop owner in Nicaragua.

As a Christian, who feels strongly about mission work, it would take me a lifetime to travel to all of the places and have this kind of impact.  It is truly amazing that the ways we can use technology to advance the cause of the kingdom.  I know that there is a need for much more than money, which is why I send a personal note to those who I loan money to, letting them know what has compelled me to share what I have been blessed with, with them.

I hope that you will join me and thousands of others I believe that there is a way to make this world better, but it has to begin with us.

Tags: Giving, Kiva, Ministry, Poverty