MEDA celebrates the "art of business"

Winnipeg, Man.

Poetry, art, Nicaraguan dancers, a coffeehouse and a gala benefit concert helped define "The Art of Business" theme at the annual convention of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

Some 533 people came from across North America, as well as from Asia, Africa and Central and South America to take part.

The purpose was to highlight the artistic side of running a company as well as celebrate business as a supporter of the arts.

"Creating and maintaining a successful business is indeed a work of art," said speaker Howard Brenneman, CEO of Mennonite Mutual Aid. Leaders who wanted to create "workplace masterpieces" must manage the dream, embrace error, encourage creative feedback, remain optimistic and set high but achievable goals, he said.

Keynoter Laurie Beth Jones referred to her bestselling books Jesus CEO and The Path to reflect on "The Art of Developing Divine Excellence". Business leaders could learn a lot from the style and methods of Jesus, she said. This including imbuing their efforts with love and compassion, and imitating the self-discipline, action and relationship skills He used to build up His disciples.

Jesus also had a clear and simple mission statement, and never strayed from His task of giving abundant life, Jones added.

Through workshops and panel discussions, artistic topics mingled with discussions on such wide-ranging subjects as creative marketing, workplace witnessing and encouraging Russian entrepreneurs.

A benefit concert to raise funds for MEDA's work concluded the convention. Although world-renowned tenor Ben Heppner was forced to cancel his performance due to a throat infection, he was ably replaced at the last minute by soprano Tracy Dahl, bass Phillip Ens and baritone Victor Engbrecht.

MEDA members were told that the economic development efforts they help support had assisted 17,426 families in 10 countries in the past year. Nearly 20,000 micro-enterprise loans had been extended to "people who live on the edge of subsistence and who struggle daily to meet needs," said Ron Braun, executive vice-president.

"The most gratifying gains," he added, "often don't appear on our balance sheets which don't have categories for changed lives, renewed hope, better nutrition and improved educational opportunities."

Discordant notes had been sounded in one program, however. It was reported that after a very promising start, one Tanzania program had experienced losses through misappropriation of funds. Braun said procedures were being reviewed and recovery efforts were under way to restore the operating base of the program. MEDA was strengthening its emphasis on business basics and internal mechanisms that would enhance the prospect of sustainable enterprises. Braun said this had been a "sobering reminder of the risks MEDA takes by working in areas that conventional lenders choose to avoid.

Despite the dissonance, controller Gerhard Pries assured members that "your MEDA stock is solid". He said MEDA's investment in the lives of the poor overseas, and its attention to issues of integrating faith and business among members at home, provided a return on investment that outstripped returns posted by Dow Jones or NASDAQ.

Carol Suter, vice-president of Member and Resource Development, reported on new ways for MEDA members to interact. These included a women's leadership retreat featuring a Yellowstone llama trek, a MEDA web site and interactive Member Forum, and a Get-A-Member Campaign calling members to recruit at least one new member in the coming year.

"Our research shows that more than 70 percent of new members join because another member invited them," she said, adding that many North American "are looking for an organization like MEDA."

MEDA, an association of 3,000 Mennonite businesspeople, encourages a Christian witness in the marketplace and operates business-oriented development programs in 10 countries.

Wally Kroeker, MEDA

Other MEDA developments

MEDA news release

New Web site
A new Web site is open to those wanting to know more about the interplay of faith, business and development. MEDA went online in early November at the address of www.meda.org. The Web site provides photos and current data on MEDA's programs around the world, as well as information on local chapters and technical resources from MEDA's Economic Development division. A member forum enables MEDA members to interact with one another directly. This area can be accessed only by using a password available to members.

MEDA news release

New ovens
Children in Cuban daycare centres can go about their play without having to breathe dangerous fumes, thanks to solar ovens provided by MEDA. The ovens, powered by sunshine, are part of a MEDA project which aims to distribute 250 units for domestic and institutional use. Cuba has faced a fuel crisis since subsidized fuel from the former Soviet Union is no longer available.

Ron Braun, MEDA's executive vice-president, recently visited several daycare centres that are using the ovens, and spoke with cooks and nutritionists who are developing recipes for solar cooking.

"The cooks spoke of the ovens' excellent performance and their timeliness, given fuel shortages," says Braun. They also related their joy at being relieved of the drudgery of collecting firewood, and at no longer having to burn fuel in ovens that "transformed kitchens to visions of hell with smoke billowing and flames licking at pots uncontrollably."

MEDA news release