Regina lives in Belo Horizonte, the third largest city in the beautiful nation of Brazil. When she learned that there was a program in her area to help people who were struggling financially to start or grow their business, she decided to apply. She was very excited to receive training from Kingdom Seeds (PEER Servants' partner in Brazil) and learned many important ways to make her business succeed such as customer service, advertising and keeping proper accounts. After being trained, she received a loan for a carpet business.

Regina began traveling to other areas of the country to find beautiful and unique carpets which would be popular for urban dwellers. She also expanded her product line to include other items such as bedspreads, plates and cloth. One of Regina's secrets to success is not waiting for customers to come to her shop. She sells door to door. By going into homes, she can help her customers see what products will enhance their home décor.

Regina saw her businesses prospering and she knew it was because God was blessing her. As a way of showing her appreciation and love for God, she decided to give a gift of new carpet to her church. Regina's parents and sister work with her in the business. Together they have the desire to be a source of blessing and encouragement to their family, community and church.

Did you know:

• There is a gross disparity between Brazil's rich 30% and poor 70%. (Operation World)
• Conditions can be harsh in the big cities where nearly 20 million live in favelas, or slums. (Operation World)
• Brazil's Gross National Income per capita is US $3,460 annually or $288 monthly. That is less than 8% of US. (World Bank, 2006)