Kindergartens: Impact AND Sustainability?

Observation: Running a kindergarten (a little school for little kids aged 3-5) might be a new way for new [emerging] churches to impact their community and become more sustainable at the same time.

Last week in Macedonia, we listened to leaders from the Glasnost community in Skopje talked about their kindergarten for Romany children. They actually pay the mothers a small sum to let their children attend kindergarten rather than beg on the streets with them. By teaching the children how to read and write, they are breaking the poverty cycle. Now they are looking into primary schooling so they can continue helping the same kids.

Last year we were in Belgium and went to visit Frank's church, the Lighthouse. Frank is part of the Jesus Freak movement in Europe and runs a kindergarten in Antwerp as a social enterprise. I think their kindergarten might be the primary outreach of the church. Bram - I know you are reading this. Would you agree?

At the Lighthouse, we met some Vineyard pastors who were planning to start a kindergarten in Germany and were getting some ideas from Frank. Good, I thought. When the German Vineyard interviewed me a few years ago I suggested they move towards greater sustainability through social enterprise. But I never thought about kindergartens.

What about you? Have you seen other kindergartens like this? Has anyone written a how-to guide?