Almost everyone had stories of underhanded deals, government coercion, corruption, and the shortcuts they are faced with every day, just to get by. Few have any tools or materials to know how to deal with it, whether in their own life or in counseling others. In February 2010, the Christian Agency for Micro Enterprise Development (CAMED), an arm of the Baptist Union in the Eastern European country of Moldova, convened a conference on business ethics. 80-100 participants were expected, 370 Facing up to Corruption in Moldova – 2010 came. This attendance was encouraging because 20% of Moldova’s population has already emigrated from the country in recent years, including many capable business leaders, in part due to the pervasive corruption. These people seem determined to find ways to stick it out. CAMED, and its affiliated lending agency, Invest-Credit LLC, are committed to creating jobs within Moldova, especially among Christians, and providing training to help the businesses they fund succeed and honor God in every way. Valeriu Ghiletchi, past president of the Baptist Union and a member of the Moldovan Parliament, attributes the increase in giving in their churchesdirectly to the role of Invest-Credit.
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This year the Business Professional Network and Finishers Project (FP) are working collaboratively to identify and direct second career business people into positions with mission agencies, marketplace ministries, and business development organizations that facilitate BAM workers. This research, discovery, and beta test are intended to find the best marketing means to attract Christian business people into the Business as Mission, a Second Career missions movement. For more than 10 years Finishers has been matchmaking second-career adults, mostly boomers, into the 100+ agencies that have used Finishers to assist in their recruiting. Over the same period, the BPN has been engaging Western Christians in a wide range of business development activities that create jobs, generate financial capacity locally, train business, and church leaders, and establish a Christian witness within local communities. The demand for opportunities to serve God through business eclipses the means currently available to place second career people with organizations adapting their operations to include BAM.
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When young professional-caliber people leave their homelands to find jobs and build a career overseas, local enterprises are deprived of the management these future leaders could provide.
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Entrepreneurs gather to build better businesses Managing business challenges was the theme of a conference in Sofia on June 14, 2008, jointly sponsored by Integra Ventures –Bulgaria and the Business Professional Network. 65 entrepreneurs met at the Greenville Hotel to engage experienced business practitioners from the US and UK in a highly-interactive, all day discussion of concepts that build successful businesses. Coming from various parts of the country, the Bulgarian participants were owners and managers involved in construction, manufacturing and agriculture, accounting, interior design, law, consulting, real estate development, insurance, tourism, advertising, retailing, and a dozen more. All face the challenges of building successful companies—a legitimate challenge in the best business climate—but far more so when facing corruption at every level and at the same time desiring to please God in every area of life. Self-selected entrepreneurs made up the majority of those attending the conference, which was promoted as “a time to check your watch.” That is a Bulgarian expression for being sure you are up to date. Some of the business ideas presented were new to many— but for those already aware of them or even using them, just being assured they really work may have offered the
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