Independent-minded, retired nurse, Pearl Newton, and her friends are passionate about getting her old neighborhood the modern 24/7 health center it desperately needs. Assuming God’s favor, and despite opposition from Pearl's community activist cousin, they press forward with seeking sponsors, using the keys to success they're given by a fundraising expert. But when several unexpected events threaten to derail everything, Pearl finally realizes that the key to God’s favor goes beyond her good intentions.

SYNOPSIS:

Independent-minded, retired nurse, Pearl Newton, and her friends are passionate about getting Pearl’s old neighborhood the modern 24/7 health center it desperately needs. Being Christian, Pearl assumes God's automatic favor without seeking His guidance on the way He wants her to help the community. The group has pinpointed the perfect building for their project; however, their resources only partially cover the down-payment, placing them in critical need of sponsors. Getting the remaining money becomes all the more urgent when big-time music producer, Jason Hamilton, expresses interest in purchasing the same building for his own project. Things get personal as Jason is publicly supported by Pearl’s estranged cousin, community activist Keith De Gannes.

After several potential sponsors turn the project down, Pearl's team seeks help from Stephanie Matthews, an expert on sponsorship and fundraising. Stephanie teaches the group the 7 keys of successful proposal writing, leading to a rethink and a reworking of the proposal. However, the lack of progress on the project and Keith’s activities make the community increasingly impatient. When the building’s owner shortens the remaining time for the down-payment due to a family emergency, the pressure intensifies. The revised proposal generates confirmed support from new sponsors and the group’s community fundraising activities just close the funding gap. Nonetheless, all seems lost as Jason’s check for the down-payment is ready before theirs.

Then the owner unexpectedly requests a higher down-payment just before the deadline, as his family situation worsens. Annoyed and skeptical, Jason Hamilton and his fellow investors withdraw from buying the building, which infuriates Keith. While Pearl’s group is given extra time to find the additional money, the doors to remaining promising prospects begin closing one by one. Everything comes to a head one afternoon after a near fatal car crash involving Pearl’s teenage relative. The inordinate amount of time the ambulance takes to arrive is the last straw for the community. A fiery protest erupts over the lack of proper health care, Pearl’s group is accused on live tv of swindling residents and arsonists attempt to set fire to the building.

At this point, a broken-hearted Pearl is forced to acknowledge what her pastor and Stephanie had been trying to tell her all along: that the key to God’s favor goes beyond just good intentions. Humbled, she seeks God’s forgiveness and fully submits the project to Him and His will. She also personally confronts Keith about his actions. After a heated argument and facing hard truths on both sides, Pearl and Keith’s relationship begins to thaw. Finally, Pearl and her group experience God’s hand at work as He opens up a totally new, unexpected option for acquiring the building, equipping it and sustaining the health center over time. A few months later, the Yeshua Saves Health Centre is officially opened to the everyone's delight.

[Note: this story aims to teach the principles of project cycle management, specifically project initiation, from a faith-based perspective. The principles are interwoven in the story through the keys Pearl's team is taught by Stephanie, with the master key being God's favor.]