Don’t Lose Hope
Have you ever wondered how God can turn a simple bar of soap into a movement of hope?
That’s the story of Mwana Wa Pepa, which in Swahili means “Don’t lose hope.” On the shores of Lake Victoria, a young Tanzanian named Alex began asking the kinds of questions that stir a steward’s heart: Why are some people rich while others remain trapped in poverty? Why do churches know how to manage donations but not how to generate sustainable income? And could business, not charity, be the channel of God’s redemption in his community?
Those questions became a prayer. And that prayer became a company.
Alex noticed the pain of his neighbors — children and adults suffering from preventable skin diseases — and he began experimenting with natural soaps made from fruits, vegetables, and roots. What started as curiosity became a calling. Each small batch was an act of faith that God could heal more than skin; He could restore dignity.
Scripture tells us, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10, NLT). God delights when stewardship turns to action, when dreams become diligent work. Alex didn’t wait for a miracle check from abroad — he started with what he had, right where he was.
Through a providential meeting with business mentor Bob Bush and training from Triventure and IBEC Ventures, Alex learned to blend prayer with planning. He discovered that every business decision could reflect biblical values — honesty, teamwork, and service — and that sustainable profit can reduce dependency on foreign aid while empowering local churches to thrive. That’s the Quadruple Bottom Line in motion: financial, social, spiritual, and environmental flourishing woven together.
Alex and his small team began each workday in prayer — “Oh Lord, help me.” And God did. Today, Mwana Wa Pepa provides employment, restores health, and witnesses to Christ through every product sold. The business now stands on its own, with steady revenue and a bank balance that would make any early-stage investor smile — but more importantly, it stands as a testimony that faith and enterprise are not rivals but partners in redemption.
Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:23, NIV). That is the stewardship mindset: we labor not merely for income but for impact, not for comfort but for the Kingdom.
Alex’s story reminds us that business can be a mission field, and a well-crafted product can be a vessel of grace. When believers invest redemptively, they multiply hope. They show that even soap — something humble and ordinary — can carry the fragrance of Christ.
So the next time you wonder whether your investment can make a difference, remember Mwana Wa Pepa: Don’t lose hope. Steward it.
In the words of John Wesley… “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
