Organization Sets 21st Annual Golf Tournament

When Jeff Rutt, founder of HOPE International, an organization that helps create financial solvency in 15 countries through savings and microfinance groups, looks back on the last 18 months, he points out that the organization did something out of the ordinary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We initially (gave) a lot of aid," said Rutt, who noted that HOPE spent $1 million to help clients. Rutt praised HOPE CEO Peter Greer for his leadership of the organization through the tumultuous time. "(None of us) knew what we were facing, but there was a lot of prayer, reliance on God, our board, our team, and the indigenous leaders and clients in the world," he said.

To help offset those expenditures, HOPE is looking for sponsors and golfers for its 21st annual golf tournament, to be held at three different locations on Friday, Sept. 17. The round at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, 2700 Mount Rose Ave.,York, will begin at 1 p.m. Two rounds will be held the same day at Iron Valley Golf Club, 201 Iron Valley Dr., Lebanon, beginning at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. The third location will be Bridgewater Golf Club, 601 Chestnut Hill Road, York, beginning at 9 a.m. More information about the tournaments may be found at http://www.hopeinternational.org/pagolf. Those who wish to sponsor the event may email asmith@hopeinternational.org or call 717-464-3220, ext. 544. Golfers are asked to register by Friday, Sept. 3.

Rutt noted that the pandemic pushed what he calls the "fragile fringe," of about 100 million people below the poverty line. "But there were bright spots," added Rutt. "There was resilience, and a lot of our clients have grown." Rutt went on to tell the story of Marie Ndereyimana, a client in Burundi, East Africa. After Marie's husband died in 2014, all his property reverted back to his family, as is the custom in that country. Marie was connected to a church that hosts a HOPE International savings group called Mutual Support. Marie joined the group and grew both spiritually and in her business sense. "She was making about 50 cents a day working in fields and gardens," said Rutt, who noted that Marie was able to save 25 cents a week from her pay, and with a $5 loan from the group she started a small business selling avocados and bananas. Eventually Marie began keeping goats, and she purchased rental properties. When Marie learned that members of her deceased husband's family were in financial trouble, she forgave them and helped them financially. "She got them connected to their own savings groups," said Rutt. "It's a really cool cycle because she used her talents and skills, and she is now able to help others in the community," he added. "(Marie is) not just better off financially, but (she had) forgiveness and compassion on someone (about whom) she could have said, 'I don't want anything to do with (them) because of what they did to (me).'"

According to Rutt, Marie's story is an example of the heart behind HOPE. "The cool thing is that over the course of 23 years we have been able to raise about $200 million, but we have been able to lend $1.3 billion," said Rutt. "It's a really effective way to help ... by partnering with strong, working, (deserving) families like Marie's."