Reflections

In the last few weeks especially the last two weeks of February I found myself thinking a lot about where I was then, trying to get a personal for-profit registered and wondering how it was all going to work out. It has been quiet a journey and we have made lots of progress including getting Imbali officially registered with the government last week. Even though I am excited and celebrating this milestone, I must say getting to where I am has been a very interesting journey of faith. One of the things I seem to be learning over and over again is that my journey with Jesus requires faith “But without faith it is impossible to ( walk with God) please Him, for whoever comes (near) to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He rewards those who (earnestly and diligently) seek Him Hebrews 11:5-6

I chose to trust and believe God and His promises 29 years ago and as I think of the journey that has brought me to where I am today all I can say is that “ this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight” for there is nothing I have accomplished or places I have gone to where God has not been involved, leading, providing and guiding. So, with Imbali it has been the same trusting and believing God.

Testimony

One of the things I know is that God put this desire to open a for-profit business on my heart about 2 years ago. There are a number of reasons I decided to go this route, but the major one was that I got a bit frustrated and my faith in God was really challenged because I was looking around me at all these businesses that were coming up around me in the town I moved to almost 3 years ago and also beyond that. These businesses were not non-profit businesses but for profit and were being opened by locals and I remember one particular new café in town being opened by a guy who used to work as waiter in a restaurant where I took the women from Creative Hands to have lunch for my 50th birthday and here he was 2 years later opening a café place and the question that ran through my mind was, `” how is it possible from a waiter to owner of a café?”

I took this question and frustration to God in prayer, and I decided then and then that I was going to step out and try. I think I was also getting a bit frustrated that in our Christian community a few of my friends have been trying to open for profit-businesses and were meeting obstacles after obstacles and for some reason we were not seeing breakthroughs in that area. So, when I started working on this this year, I had an idea that this was going to be an exciting journey and I had no idea how long it would take me before I got the official registration. I had some moments when I asked myself if I was being realistic especially knowing that friends in the Christian community have been waiting for their dreams to become reality, but I stepped out and started. 10 days into the process I received a message from my accountant that it was almost impossible because I needed a permit from the government that with my current Greek residence permit, I could operate a business in the category I was applying for and without that paper I was not going to be able to. I had no idea what the paper looks like or where to get it from and my lawyer at first had no idea either. You can imagine questions, thoughts going through my mind as I tried to figure where I could get the paper from, and the enemy of my soul started speaking and if I had given him room he would have derailed me. One of the major records he played a few times was, “what makes you think you can do it when the stats of delays and not being able to among your Christian community are high” Oh I fought that one and I remember choosing to believe and trust that God will not bring me to shame and saying that loudly as I prayed.

Then Friday the 21st of February at night I spoke again with my accountant, and he had no answer for me except that I have to ask my lawyer. I called my lawyer at 7:30pm and we started talking about this paper which I needed then she asked me to look through all my papers especially those I had received together with my recently renewed residence card. I didn’t remember what papers I had gotten but as I went through my documents, I found one which I immediately sent to the lawyer and accountant who then told me to wait till he had taken it back to the taxes office. I had to wait for the weekend which seemed a very long time. Monday, I received notification from the taxes office that my papers were in review again and should wait for a response. Then Wednesday I received notification and phone call from my accountant that Imbali was now officially registered. It was a journey filled with lots of unknown and honestly it never gets easier, and I am grateful that God has come through again.

Next Steps

I have been working on getting the space ready even before I had the permission to operate a business.  I went ahead and started renting a space which we have so far painted the walls, changed floors and a few other things.

Now we need to get some things set up before we can officially open the doors. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated so I can have at least the starting capital which includes rent for at least the first year and the renovations I needed to and some equipment which I need to start. Would you consider a one-off investment to enable me towards raising 10,000 Euros. Once we are done and have opened our doors, I will not be able to raise money specifically for this so your help now will go a long way.

Imbali will be a place to sell products which I personally weave, from Creative Hands and also made by other artists in the community, jewelry and candles, soap and leather items. It will be a Kingdom Business, and I know that God will use it to open doors to share faith with those in the community and those who will pass through. I believe that this space will allow me to invite Greek women to come and explore faith through business however God will lead but I strongly believe that when we create a space like that God will draw them to Himself however, He chooses. William Carey once said, “Attempt great things for God and expect great things from God” Together we can and we will.

Thank you for your continued prayers and investment in my life and ministry and that of women at Creative Hands.