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Church planning interest free loans

A Harrismith church wants to start offering interest free loans to the indebted to save them from the clutches of money.

"We want to empower people to become free of Mammon (a money deity)," said Jonny Veitch, head elder and founder of the Living Waters Church in the town.

"Money has a big influence on people's lives. It is actually just a piece of paper that rules our lives."

The Fruits of Righteousness Programme (FRP) would also help people stay out of debt with the help of trained mentors.

"People will have to be prepared to open their books for their mentors so that they can help them pay off bad debt such as clothing accounts, credit cards and personal loans, especially from loan sharks."

"The church regularly tells us what to do with 10 percent of our money. But what about the other 90 percent? Many people spent incorrectly and sit with debt they cannot get rid of."

The loans would be provided primarily from donations from the community.

There was also a trust to train the mentors.

The first FRP seminar is on March 13 and 14 in Harrismith and anybody is welcome.

Veitch acknowledged that it was a risk to lend money to people, and that is why they had to attend the seminar first.

 

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