Marketplace in Mexico: Seeing and meeting the need for Kingdom business training

Hugo Fortis and Mariana Luna de Fortis are entrepreneurs who founded a web development company based in their hometown of Mexico City with their business partner. But they are also dedicated “tentmaking” ministers who have served for years with CMF’s local church planting and CHE projects.

The couple recently shared about the economic situation that faces business leaders in Mexico City.

“There is an urgency to have business training and there is an urgency to have biblical ethics in business here in Mexico City,” said Mariana.

Seeing the need

Mariana, who is also a CMF board member, sees the need for new companies driven by entrepreneurs to create much-needed jobs. Mexico City is a business powerhouse of Latin America, with an economic footprint the size of Peru, and but there is still is an ongoing need for new companies to provide quality employment opportunities.

According to Gallup Research, in Latin America, only 24 percent of the working-age population has a good job; meaning, they have full-time, paid employment. Yet a good job exactly is what the entire world wants: regular work, regular and fair pay, and a boss who treats them with respect.

Meeting the need

CMF is moving to proactively meet this need, according to M. Jackson, CMF’s Director of Marketplace Ministries.

“As a first step, we are partnering with the faith-based training company Sinapis to launch a Kingdom Business entrepreneur training program in Mexico City,” he said.

According to Hugo and Mariana, the greatest factor in developing jobs right now is training.

“People need training in how to manage finances and taxes, how to plan for company growth and challenges and how to manage people,” said Mariana. “And above all, they need training in how to do this in a way that honors, obeys, displays, and shares Christ.”

This need matches CMF’s commitment to long-term, holistic, Christ-centered development to promote lasting transformation. For years, CMF has ministered in holistic ways using business as an avenue of transformation, such as in microfinance projects in Nairobi with BigDent.

“CMF’s Marketplace Ministries plans to launch a multi-pronged training program in Mexico City in two phases,” said M. Jackson. “We’re excited about the future of this innovative project!”