Fellowship Hall

Seeing God’s hand at work in Bangladesh

By Cal Schultz

Bangladesh is a nation of 150 million people living in an area the size of Kentucky.  Dhaka, the capital city, is a scene of unbelievable congestion as 17 million people struggle to get to one place or another.

The Bangladesh people are gentle, welcoming, gracious and curious. They are genuinely glad to smile and extend a hand of friendship.

As a team of interested businessmen from Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton, we came to Bangladesh under the umbrella of Hamilton-based OMS, and under the leadership of Kurt Frers and Art Duerksen. Our goal was to learn more, and witness first-hand the empowerment made possible through ‘micro- credit’ – a process for lending a small but meaningful amount of money to the poorest of the poor. The money is used for starting a business, allowing borrowers to pay back the loan and generate income and savings for their family. This process restores hope and rewards initiative.  It isn’t charity; it is empowerment.

Through funds our team had already raised, we were able to help launch a project in the slums of Dhaka.

We came to learn as much as possible, and to see this and other projects.

God is truly moving in Bangladesh, especially among people of an East Indian and Bhuddist tradition. Their newly found faith is uncomplicated and fully dependent on God. Children pour out their joy through singing and clapping. Their prayers are bold and powerful. We attended baptisms of not four or five people, but 50-100 at a time. We were honoured to be in such a God soaked, God bathed place.

Our mission was to help with one project focused on micro-credit in a Dhaka slum. We left knowing that our new calling is for something much greater, that extends to other projects not only in Bangladesh, but also to Haiti and to nations in Africa.

By opening your heart to the whispering of the Holy Spirit, God can allow you to embark on exciting journeys to places where He is at work.  There is no greater adventure than to be part of God’s plans as He calls us to serve the victims of injustice and poverty.

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