Finding Freedom

free-fireworks-image-11What is freedom?

Here in the States, we just celebrated the 4th of July, which represents our freedom as a country. We throw parties and shoot fireworks, celebrating this notion of being FREE.

But what if you were robbed of your freedom? What if you had no say about what happened to you and your children? No input into the direction of your life? What if you were a slave to someone or something bigger than you, and had no choice but to succumb to desperate acts to survive?

That’s a reality for an unsettling number of impoverished women in Cambodia. They choose almost nothing about their situations, and do whatever it takes to make it through another day. They often long for freedom, but don’t know where to find it.

At CGI, we throw ourselves fully into helping guide women like these toward freedom–financially, spiritually, emotionally. We show them doors they can walk through if they are willing, and provide the tools and skills they need to finally BE FREE.

Want to help? Email us at contact@centerforglobalimpact.org.

NACC Comes to Indy

Nicole Krajewski

Nicole Krajewski

The North American Christian Convention (NACC) will be held July 8-11, and this year, it will be held right here in Indy!

The convention will be downtown at the Convention Center and will feature 4 days of exciting speakers, workshops, exhibits and resources. Our very own Nicole Krajewski, CGI’s designer, will be one of the featured speakers at the Ladies’ Luncheon on July 10.

CGI will have an amazing booth that showcases our byTavi and Imprint products, gives folks a sample of the lime sorbet being served at our restaurants in Cambodia and gives people a little taste of the “CGI Experience!” Come out and say hello, and be encouraged by a network of believers! We’d love to see you there.

Register today

Staff Corner: Documentaries Worth Watching

HalftheSkyHave you seen any documentaries lately that spoke to you? At CGI, we love documentaries because they are REAL. Real life for real people facing real struggles…that often stirs something very real inside of us.

 

We’ve compiled a list of the ones that have opened our eyes further to the plight of the developing world and the vulnerable, inspiring us to act on the injustices we see.

 

 

Worth Watching:

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls

Blood Brother

Baht

Live 58

Half the Sky

Girl Rising

Which documentaries have inspired YOU? We’d love to hear.

 

Great Golf Outing!

photo 1-3Center for Global Impact’s 3rd annual Empower Golf Outing was a huge success! We had a great turn out and we really enjoyed spending the day with friends of CGI. Thanks to Chicago’s Pizza, Pinocchio’s Italian Ice Cream, McAlister’s Deli, and Chick-Fil-A for keeping our participants energized and hydrated! We had some very yummy treats out on the course.

Let me tell you, it was so fun, and might have been the highlight of my day to watch over 80 men and women praying before the outing, and then zipping off to their designated tees. We are so blessed by all those who love and support our mission.

Thank you to all of the participants, volunteers, and sponsors who helped make this happen. Because of you, CGI is able to continue our work of empowering the poor, protecting the vulnerable, and sharing the gospel.

Also, big congratulations to the winners of CGI’s 2014 outing: Bill Krohne, Brent Drake, John Moran, and Steve Wallace with a score of 47! That is impressive!

photo 2-3

By: Hali Mynatt

“Women Helping Women”

JaneSpeedyMy introduction to CGI was through our Center United Methodist youth going on a mission trip to Cambodia last year and then having the purses at our church for sale. I purchased one immediately!

Then, when my daughter, Susan Lukich, came to Arizona (where we spend our winters) to visit last January, she brought along 10 purses and 4 scarves. It took only one hour for them to be sold in our RV park in Arizona! Ladies started asking if I could get more purses! I called Susan who purchased a box from FedEx, went to CGI, purchased 40 purses and shipped them to me.

After those were sold rapidly, I called Susan to say we needed more! She again visited the store and a staff member said, “We will ship them to your mom!” So, then began the phenomena. I would call Hali at CGI, she would ship purses and send me the tracking info, I would let the people know when they would arrive…and my deck was full of women by the time the FedEx man would arrive.

On one of the first shipments, the FedEx young delivery man handed me the large box and stated “Your purses are here.” Since the box had stereo equipment pictured on it, I was curious as to how he knew they were purses. He laughed and said, “Three women stopped me here in the RV park and wanted to know if I was taking purses to Jane’s!” The ladies started to gather well ahead of the delivery time each week and were actually arguing about who arrived first so they would have first choice. MANY purchased multiples to take home for gifts.

We attend a church in Arizona and I had told the pastor that I would be bringing in some of the purses to sell there. He was looking forward to that and was excited about telling the congregation all about CGI.

It was such a wonderful experience for me and what a great opportunity to tell so many different people from so many different places about CGI and the wonderful work they are doing in Cambodia. One friend said, “What a great cause; it is truly women helping women around the world.” The ongoing question to me has been, “Will you have more next year?!”

By: Jane Speedy, byTavi rep

What is the 10/40 Window?

Courtesy of joshuaproject.net

Courtesy of joshuaproject.net

In conversations about missions, you may have heard the term “10/40 Window.” But what exactly does it mean?

In simple terms, it is the area of the world between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude; a rectangular box that encompasses parts of Northern Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This is a small area, but about two-thirds (two-thirds!) of the global population lives within this area. Not only is this window heavily populated, but its also characterized by extreme poverty and the highest concentration of people groups without access to the Gospel, due to both resistance and lack of opportunities to reach them.

Cambodia is one of those countries. At CGI, our greatest desire is to bring the Kingdom of God to the Kingdom of Cambodia. This isn’t accomplished overnight, and we have learned that bringing the Gospel to this small portion of the 10/40 Window we’ve been given access to is a slow and purposeful process. We rejoice in each life that is changed by the love of Jesus…each light that can start to flicker in the spiritual darkness of the Window.

Please join us in praying for this specific portion of the world that God desires to redeem for Himself.

Moody Pastor’s Conference

Booth at Moody's Pastor's Conference

Booth at Moody’s Pastor’s Conference

Last week, CGI staff piled into a rental car–which turned out to be just a little too small!–to travel to Chicago for Moody Bible Institute’s Pastor’s Conference. It was a great opportunity to meet hundreds of pastors that lead church nationwide and get them excited about the work CGI is doing to combat poverty and trafficking in Cambodia.

CGI’s heart is to engage people here in the U.S. to make a positive impact for those in Cambodia. We want to do that through God’s people–congregations and individuals across the country. At the conference, we provided resources to these pastors to do just that. We showed them how to connect with CGI to learn about how mission and then engage.

But this opportunity isn’t just for pastors! We invite YOU to be part of the solution as well. You can play a vital role in empowering the poor, protecting the innocent and sharing the Gospel. Discover creative ways others have done this on our “Do Something” page on our website.

By Whitney Vance

byTavi: How I Got Involved

 

photo-93Two years ago I went to a craft show at North Daviess High School in Odon, Indiana.

A representative of CGI had a booth set up there and was selling byTavi bags. I asked about the purses because they were so beautifully made. She told me the background of the product line, which touched my heart as I’ve always had a heart for missions.

I bought a few of the bags and was very happy with them. Different people at work and at church commented on the purses and said they would love to have one. I contacted CGI and told them I would like to host a trunk show. The purses sold like hotcakes! Then I had other people who wanted to take them to work and sell them as well.

I have lost count of how many I have sold but I know everyone loves the byTavi products. I have been selling them for two years now and I love to do it! I know that it is for a good cause but it is also a very good product as well. I have set up tables at the park and sold purses and have even had shows right out of my car. I have never had trouble selling the products, because they truly sell themselves!

I really enjoy being an advocate of byTavi and will continue as long as I can. One day soon I would like to go to Cambodia to meet the ladies face-to-face that sew these beautiful bags.

By Donna Jennings

Red Chili Countdown

Painting interior last week

Painting interior last week

We are just days away from the grand opening of the Red Chili Mexican Grill in Battambang!

This is an exciting step for CGI and the girls in our Culinary Training Program. Would you consider supporting this new venture?

There are TWO ways you can invest in the Kingdom work being carried out in Battambang.

-PRAY for the success of the Red Chili, and pray for the staff and the at-risk women who will be involved in its operations

-SUPPORT the Culinary Training Center financially. Click here to learn about available sponsorships.

 

 

3rd Annual Golf Outing

golf2014head

Are you a golfer?

Are you someone who enjoys being outside and hanging out with friends?

Are you someone who believes in empowering the impoverished and helping them recover hope?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, make it a point to attend CGI’s annual golf outing this year! Not only will you be helping at-risk women in Cambodia break free from poverty, you’ll be having a great time doing it! This event will be a relaxed time to connect with others who share in God’s vision for Cambodia and play golf for an important cause.

The event will be held on Friday, June 13 at Winding River Golf Course. Click here to register!