Meetings, meetings, and more meetings;

Since arriving in Trujillo, I've tried to meet with everyone involved with the cards as quickly as possible to line up what needs to be done and maximize my time here. I've met with Oscar Rodriguez, my Peruvian accountant friend who is managing the Peru side of operations; the ladies who are currently working with the cards; Chris Bolton and Brad Ball of Parish furniture wood project for business advice; the mission accountants to figure out the current accounting situation for the business (I'm now thankful for the accounting classes I was required to take in grad school!); etc. etc. Here is a picture of Oscar going over some details with a few of the ladies that currently make cards (notice the catalog of card designs that they're working on- we're slowly getting things in order!)
While down here, I hope to accomplish the following:
-start the process to get the business formalized with the government (not an easy process in Peru; that's why I just hope to get it started)
-have a better idea of the current accounting situation
-have all the ladies fill out formal job applications and do interviews to make sure we have the ladies in jobs with responsibilities that fit their gifts and abilities
-open a bank account here so it will be easier to transfer money from the States and to aid in accounting.
-fill open job positions with new ladies
-get biographical information for all the ladies to tell their stories to customers
-get all the ladies on formal work contracts to better define their responsibilities and relationship to the company
-have a good understanding of the cost and rate of production for the cards


After this trip, I hope that things will be in better order to being a larger distribution of the cards, either through an internet store or through finding a distributor who is interested in our products.

Please be in prayer for all of these details, as they are a lot, and my time here is short. This business is truly a blessing to the ladies who have few economic resources. As it continues to grow, it will be a larger blessing to the communities in which Peru Mission works, as the Gospel brings about transformation in all areas of life. I am wonderfully blessed to be a part of this project, and hope that it will bear fruit economically, spiritually, and socially in the lives and communities of all involved for years to come.