LiveBirds is EXPANDING!
Although not in the way you might think…
The iconic architect, Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Regard it just as desirable to build a chicken house, as to build a cathedral."
We tend to agree with him.
After a year and some
months in our ‘live’ study of income generating activities, specifically,
‘LiveBirds,’ the hope-filled chicken business continuing as we speak on Zimbabwean
soil, we continue to contemplate the reality that we are learning more radical
lessons that we could ever digest while sitting behind the pulpit. The highlights: We’re learning how to link minds, hearts, and
souls while rising above the challenges of communicating ideas, business plans,
and even ourselves through Skype and instant messaging spanning time-zones,
cultural differences, and spotty connections. We’re learning that Zimbabweans are generally
clothed in gratitude not in spite of but maybe because of their suffering—and
that even across worlds, gratitude is contagious. And we’re learning the truth that we are entering
into quite fertile and sacred territory when the people on the ‘ground’ (in our
case, our now beloved Zimbabwean friends running the business), start
generating ideas themselves instead of relying on us for them.
Enter: Headlights lighting the way on the beauty of expansion.
A few months ago, ‘Misheck,’ LiveBirds business manager
excitedly came to us with an idea the team had been pondering while faithfully
and persistently generating healthy chicks and hard-won yet growing sales
amidst glaring obstacles. You see, we’re
also learning that any hope-filled, sacred venture joining minds and souls that
has the potential to change generations of lives always presents obstacles… like
pot-holes when you least expect them. Previously,
the biggest obstacle presenting itself to LiveBirds was transportation. Cars are luxuries in Zimbabwe and the cost of
transporting the team and chickens to and from the farm as well as delivery to
the customer is steep, not to mention cumbersome. What’s more, generating new sales is tough
without means to present a pitch at the door of new prospects around and
outside the city of Mutare, the team’s headquarters. Remarkably, the team’s idea seeks to
ingenuously solve more than one business obstacle simultaneously while
transcending possibility in a whole new road of direction.
So without further ado, we present you with the idea that is
now a reality and can be seen traveling across roads in Zimbabwe merging
LiveBirds’ chicken business with…
THE NEW LIVEBIRDS’ TAXI
BUSINESS!
Seated behind the
wheel is our proud and newest employee, Joseph Musiya. We’ve heard that Joseph can be seen in between
jobs mercifully waxing the car, and frankly it’s the reality of employing yet
another Zimbabwean that excites us most.
The deal consists of Joseph working to own the car after months of
converting sales he derives from the taxi back to LiveBirds, creating dignity
for himself and hope for his future.
Conjointly the money from Joseph’s sales creates revenue for LiveBirds’
chicken business at a time that demands an increasing supply of chicks while
providing integral transportation needs to the LiveBirds team as a whole. The taxi also serves as a marketing tool to
get the word out about the LiveBirds business while building valuable
relationships in the community.
We hope you can sense our excitement. More than that, we hope you join with us in
prayer and expectation for what is ahead.
This marks our expansion in business, employment, partnership,
ownership, and most of all our awe of what happens within the sacred architecture
of possibility. We promise to continue
to track with you on this road of expansion, knowing that God’s glory is spread
across a chicken house and into the cathedral of our hearts that He seeks to
reside in every moment of every day.
