Roadside stand

Going forward? Whatever...

It’s in — the latest list of business buzzwords that have edged across the line from useful to tedious (at least to some people). A recent survey found “going forward” as the most overused item of business jargon, followed by “whatever” and “it is what it is.” Old chestnuts that also made the list: “at the end of the day” and “out of the box.”

Marlin Hershey,

a planned-giving specialist most recently with the Mennonite Foundation, has joined MEDA as director of resource development, based in Lancaster, Pa. He is a graduate of the National Planned Giving Institute of William & Mary College in Williamsburg, Va., and has earned the designation CAP — Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy through The American College. Hershey and his wife, Barbara, live in Lancaster, where they attend East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church.

Dream job? People who fantasize about changing careers can take a new job for a test drive while on vacation. VocationVacations (www. vocationvacations.com) gives job-switchers a chance to check out their dream job without burning any bridges. For a fee of $600 to $2,000 they can be connected with a mentor company who will show them the ropes (anything from ranching to race car driving) for a few days to find out how it feels. Company owner Brian Kurth says only a quarter of “vocationers” end up making a career switch, but many are able to realistically refocus their own careers after getting an inside peek into something else and finding that their dream job wasn’t everything they thought.

Peter Wiebe,

former member of the MEDA staff and its board of directors, has been selected for the 2010 Alumni Ministry and Service award by Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind. Wiebe has a long history of service in the Mennonite Church. After retiring from a 45-year pastoral career in four congregations, he worked in church relations for MEDA. He later also served as interim president of Hesston (Kan.) College and interim superintendent of Central Christian Schools, Kidron, Ohio.

Dale Weaver, former MEDA officer and board member, died June 13 in Mt. Joy, Pa., at the age of 71. Weaver spent much of his business career in the family poultry business (Victor F. Weaver, Inc.) where he served as CEO. After it was sold he was CEO of New Holland Custom Woodwork, which manufactures church furniture and pews. He was MEDA’s treasurer from 1980 to 1992 and served on the MEDA board for 20 years. “Dale was a good friend of MEDA,” says

Hershey

Cover photo by Ray Dirks

MEDA president Allan Sauder. “He always provided a voice of quiet confidence and strength. We will miss him.”

Advance to Boardwalk.

You’ve probably played Monopoly at some time in your life. You may have heard it was a game designed to teach capitalism. Not so, according to some new research which traces its origin to the political activism of Elizabeth Magie, a Virginia Quaker. She invented a more complicated version called The Landlord’s Game to teach people the evils of land monopolism. It eventually morphed into today’s Monopoly, reputed to be the world’s most popular board game. (CLAC Guide)

Second life. Modern technology keeps opening new avenues of innovation. A Christian company has been formed to provide a second market for wholesome Hollywood films. Wing Cinema and Wing Clips, two separate services, market movies and movie clips for churches to download directly for use in services. The company claims there are more than twice as many churches with wide screens in the United States than movie theaters. Says founder Chris Bueno, “In the Middle Ages, stained glass helped tell Christian stories. Now it’s full-screen projection.”

Green Mennonites?

According to Sustainable Industries magazine, alcoholic beverages are large users of water, as it takes seven gallons of water to brew a gallon of beer, and 17 gallons to produce a gallon of wine. Might this be why many Mennonite groups have had prohibitions against alcohol?

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is, by now, an American icon and a standout example of a business with a multiple bottom line of economic and social goals. But ice cream was not their first choice when Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield decided to go into business together in the 1970s. Their initial plan was a company they were going to call UBS, for United Bagel Service. It would home-deliver fresh bagels every Sunday morning, along with lox, cream cheese and The New York Times. After further study (and consideration of what they might do for the rest of the week) they decided to make ice cream instead. (Ben & Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop by Fred Lager)

Hans Vander Stoep has retired after 23 years as executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation (CCBF), a MEDAlike organization in southern Ontario. It was formed in 1983 as a forum for Christian Reformed businesspeople to nurture one another and strengthen the faith-work connection. CCBF and MEDA have enjoyed fraternal ties, including periodic attendance at each other’s conventions. For many years CCFB has purchased bulk copies of The Marketplace to distribute to its members. The new head of the organization is Keith Knight, a longtime editor in the denominational and secular press. — WK

In this issue

Carl Hiebert photo

Can you find your business in the Bible? Page 16

Departments

2 Roadside stand 4 Soul enterprise 18 Reviews 20 Soundbites 22 News

Volume 40, Issue 4 July August 2010

The Marketplace (ISSN 0199-7130) is published bi-monthly by Mennonite Economic Development Associates at 532 North Oliver Road, Newton, KS 67114. Periodicals postage paid at Newton, KS 67114. Lithographed in U.S.A. Copyright 2010 by MEDA.

Editor: Wally Kroeker Design: Ray Dirks

Postmaster:

Send address changes to The Marketplace 32C E. Roseville Rd. Lancaster, PA 17601-3861 Change of address should be sent to Mennonite Economic Development Associates, 32C E. Roseville Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601-3861. To e-mail an address change, subscription request or anything else relating to delivery of the magazine, please contact subscription@meda.org For editorial matters contact the editor at wkroeker@meda.org or call (204) 956-6436 Subscriptions: $25/year; $45/two years. Published by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), whose dual thrust is to encourage a Christian witness in business and to operate business-oriented programs of assistance to the poor. For more information about MEDA call 1-800-665-7026. Web site www.meda.org

6 A fair bit of interest

Microfinance providers feel unfairly tarnished by media allegations that some lenders are charging the poor excessive interest rates. Experts weigh in on why they charge more than your local bank.

8 Pot of gold, or pothole?

Entrepreneur William Martens wanted to be a millionaire by the age of 28, and reached his goal with a year to spare. Then he found there was more to life than wealth. Like faith and integrity.

10 Homeless in Haiti

MEDA and MCC, both with long roots in Haiti, are collaborating on a joint project to rebuild and repair houses owned by clients of Fonkoze, the country’s leading microcredit provider.

12

15 20 A kick at poverty

Amid all the hoopla of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, there’s a side to the planet’s favorite sport you maybe didn’t see. Here’s how the game is played in the backlots of the poor.

The work-friendly church

Want to help your church breathe new life into its weekday outreach? Here are 10 tips to suggest to your pastor and worship planners to make your church a work-friendly zone.

16 Your business in the Bible

Throughout history God’s people (Jesus, Paul and Peter, for example) worked at trades. The biblical writers must have thought daily work was important. Check this list to find yours.