Hello …to new places and new people
INTRODUCING TOLI-UGANDA. An outgrowth of TOLI-Egypt, this new partnership in Uganda will be spearheaded by Goshen Gospel Ministries, a network of six small churches scattered across a rural area just north of the capital city of Kampala.
Goshen church leaders had been praying for years "for God to send an organization to help us reach the community" with practical help and the good news of the Gospel. Through divine connections at Heliopolis Evangelical Church (our strategic partner in Egypt), Goshen and TOLI were introduced to each other.
More than 70 budding entrepreneurs completed TOLI's Business Basics Course near Luweero, Uganda in March.
This new frontier for TOLI is a result of months of talks, prayer, and visits between TOLI-Egypt leaders and leaders in Uganda. To date, 70 needy entrepreneurs have received business training here, and the first five TOLI clients have been approved for a microloan. Stay tuned for much more from our new partners in Uganda. In the meantime, we invite you to a special hour of prayer over this new program on Tuesday May 11 at 12pm MT on Zoom. Scroll down for details!
AND INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST TOLI-US TEAM MEMBER, MORGAN SHABE. Morgan joins TOLI this month as Program Associate in the US office, where she'll help expand our program's impact and capacity. Morgan has deep nonprofit experience, a heart for the Lord, and a passion for serving vulnerable populations, especially internationally. Here's a quick Q+A to get to know Morgan better:
What attracted you to TOLI? "I have always loved the concept of microloans and the impact it has on communities. I love TOLI's approach in the sense that we never want to be front and center, but only want to equip the local partners to be the true hands and feet of Jesus."
What do you like to do in your free time? "I'm a Colorado Mountain girl! We love to ski, hike, bike, and kayak. I also love to read and am always trying to learn something new."
What's a random fact about yourself we should know? "I always love to lead with telling people we have 7 kids... the reactions always make me smile! Another random fact: It seems like a lifetime ago, but I was a foster parent for a total of 5 teenagers starting when I was 19 through 25 years old."
What's your favorite bible verse? "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." — Zephaniah 3:17
And farewell …
(but not really goodbye)
COMMUNICATIONS FELLOW, LIZA CUNNINGHAM, FINISHES HER FELLOWSHIP THIS WEEK, concluding a 9-month internship with TOLI. We are so grateful for Liza's hard work, creativity, and whole-hearted service to TOLI. God has worked in her mightily this year, and we know it is just the beginning.
Liza wanted to share with all of you how a year in the TOLI family has impacted her life ...
“Working for TOLI has been an experience I never knew I needed.”
I spent my last semester at the University of Tennessee searching for jobs at large, for-profit agencies in big cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Through that search, God pulled hard at my heartstrings, calling me to draw closer to Him. I knew that I wanted to focus on my faith, but I always told myself, 'I’ll have time later in life,' and 'it’s more important to land a full-time job right now.' Boy, was I wrong.
I was eventually prompted to join a nine-month Christian leadership program called The Fellows Initiative. Through this program, I was connected to TOLI — and I thank the Lord for it every day. Never in my wildest dreams did I picture myself at a small non-profit in Colorado Springs, but working for TOLI has been an experience I never knew I needed.
If you’re signed up to receive this newsletter, you know that TOLI pours into the lives of new entrepreneurs across the globe. But what you don’t know is that TOLI also pours into me.
My job responsibilities include mining through field reports, client interviews, images, and archives to tell personal and inspiring stories for social media, newsletters, reports, and TOLI's website. By digging through databases, learning about clients, and communicating with field staff in different countries, I have been inspired in more ways than I can count. The majority of these clients work hard, love deeply, credit their success to the Lord, and trust that He will provide. Even when these clients don’t end up with business success, they gain something much more valuable: a strengthened relationship with God. Many don’t even have a bed, yet somehow their faith appears so much stronger than mine. This contagious hope in the Lord sparked my inner desire to grow in trust, discernment, and faith on a deeply personal level.
While I could go on and on about the different client stories that have brought me to tears, the social workers who have shown me love and grace, or even the generous hearts of those who give so faithfully to this ministry, I couldn’t even begin to tell you what working with Abigail, Erin, and Eddie has been like. They show me what it’s like to partake in the body of Christ... Every. Single. Day. They teach me how to live in God’s grace, take each day at a time, and, most importantly, how to intentionally pray over every worry, heartache, or situation out of my control. Their hearts are full of joy, compassion, and peace. They are mentors, coaches, and friends, but, even more than that, they have become family.
So, thank you to the entire TOLI family, near and far. You’ve pushed me to become a better version of myself. Encouraged me to be a joyful giver. Shown me the power of prayer, community, and hope. And lastly, you’ve shown me that restoring human dignity is possible and that this broken world has some good to go around after all. While the nature of the TOLI ministry is to uplift our impoverished brothers and sisters across the globe, I will forever be grateful for this experience, the community surrounding this ministry, and the way my relationship with Christ has positively transformed over the past nine months.
TOLI Thankful,
Liza Cunningham, Communications Fellow
HELP US COVER OUR NEW UGANDA PROGRAM IN PRAYER.
Join us for TOLI Tuesday Prayer Gathering for a special time of prayer for our brand new Uganda program, ministry partners, field staff, clients, and local community. You'll also hear the latest prayer requests and updates from our other locations around the world.
WHEN: Tuesday MAY 11, 12pm MT on Zoom
Email Liza for your Zoom link. Or join the Prayer Team here to get prayer reminders straight in your inbox.
Help us spread the word so we can bring microloans and hope to more families — LIKE and SHARE TOLI with your friends on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn: