Larysa - Big Heart, Small Business

Here is another client story I wrote for my internship. This client is one of the few Christian clients we work with. I encourage you to read her story and see how HOPE is not only helpng cleints and their families, but also helping the family of God!

Name: Larysa
Family: Adult son and teenage daughter
Type of Business: Shoe retail
Loans from HOPE: 1 small business loan
Loan Amount: 8000 UAH = about $980

Larysa has owned a small business in the market place for 15 years now. During this time she has sold sports wear and women’s clothes, but within the past 7 years she has been in shoe retail. With the occasional help of her daughter, Larysa is able to maintain her business herself. In return, her business helps to maintain her family’s financial obligations including looking after her adult son and teenage daughter. As we spoke with Larysa, her daughter kindheartedly introduced herself and to us in English and told us she would soon be going to a university in order to study linguistics.

Being one of the few evangelical clients of HOPE Ukraine, Larysa starts her morning praying for God’s blessing on her business. She said when she received Christ her life and priorities changed for the better. As a new client of HOPE, she explained that “when I got a loan it was God providing.” Not only is God providing for her, but he is using her business to help provide for others. Larysa was grateful for taking out a loan with HOPE because some of the proceeds also go to Christian English camps called “Tomorrow Clubs”. Partnering with HOPE to improve the kingdom of God is just few of the ways she gives back to her community.

Involvement in weekly church services and leading small groups lead Larysa to volunteer her time at a local addiction center. She spends her free time here working with mothers of drug and alcohol addicts. When sales allow and the Hoy Spirit guides, some of her profit goes to pay for people to stay at this center. Her generosity is also seen first hand in the market. If she knows that someone is lacking funds and yet needs shoes, she will sell the pair of shoes without any profit markup. God continues to bless this generosity and she is often able to attend Christian conferences and meetings for encouragement and fellowship.

Larysa is merely using her small loan to increase inventory and sales. In return, God’s fingerprints are left on a Tomorrow Club, small group, family needs, addiction center, and shoes for the underprivileged.