The College's Got Talent(s)

In the Bible, the parables in the gospel of Matthew's chapter 25 talk about long-term consequences. In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells the story of a landlord who leaves money to three servants. Two invest and double large sums of money, and are rewarded for their effort. The third hides a smaller amount and returns it later without interest to the great annoyance of the landlord, who takes the original amount back.

People often interpret the parable to say either that it tells everyone use what they have been given for the benefit of God, or that it criticizes contemporary religious leaders in particular for receiving the word of God but not sharing it. 

At the college, the discussion last spring was more literal. Is it legitimate for us students to take money and invest it?  The original consensus was no: if people see you working in a business or trade, you lose influence because people think you have less wealth.  The teachers saw a hole in the logic of pretending to be wealthy in a place as poor and aid-dependent as Southern Sudan, and pressed for a more theological interpretation that allowed for actually doing real-world stuff. 

A few weeks later, a donation came in that allowed the college to give each student 30 Sudanese pounds before they left for the summer.  About $10.  Everyone was supposed to invest the money, bring back the 30 pounds (interest free) in September, and could keep the rest to reinvest and help their families and communities.  A sampling of the results...

Chickens: One student, from Southern Kordofan, bought some hens and got them to mate.  He allowed some of the eggs to hatch, and has kept some as eggs for his family. As of September, he had 70 pounds, but the monetary and family protein intake dividends are still coming in.

Tea: Another student bought tea and sugar in Juba where those things are relatively cheap (which is to say still very expensive by most non-rural-Sudan standards). He and his wife then opened a tea shop. Tea shops are very popular, and start-up costs include little more than tea, sugar, powdered milk, and a tree from which to find shade.  The student's wife gets most of the glory for the 110 pounds (and counting) that the investment had brought in through last September, since she has been managing the shop.

Fish: One student bought dried fish in Juba and sold it back home. On later business to Juba, he did the same using the profits.  55 pounds by the end of the summer.

Honey conglomerate: A very energetic, 54 year old former track star, former nurse, former elementary school teacher, and current priest who has the annoying habit of claiming that Stephanie and I look related lives in Western Equatoria, which is known for its honey. He bought sugar in Juba, which he sold for a profit back home, allowing him to buy a bee hive.  He and his family kept the bees and then sold honey in batches, first back home, in the cities of Nzara and Yambio, and later in Juba, for a larger profit.  When they take honey to market, they have also agreed to take, package, and market other families' excess honey, which adds to the business. They've made 460 pounds through May, 250 of which allowed the family to come to town for graduation. 

These students graduated this morning (more on that later) and the process is being repeated with current students. We pray that they will be as creative with God's word as they have been in their business ventures.  Makes me want to at least start an Amazon store or something...

-John

Photo courtesy eden.co.uk