Darcy Bergen's Blog

Hope for the Nations’ Projects in Congo and Kenya

Hope for the Nations pic — Hope for the Nations
Image: hopeforthenations.com

Darcy Bergen serves as the president of Bergen Financial Group, an investment advisory group that he founded in Arizona. Darcy Bergen applies his financial knowledge outside of the company as the treasurer of Bergen’s Mission, a nonprofit charity organization run by his parents John and Eloise Bergen.

John and Eloise Bergen were associated with Hope for the Nations, a Canadian faith-based nonprofit, which sent them to Kenya to assist local communities through projects tailored specifically for the locale. Despite being brutally attacked in Kenya, the couple wanted to continue serving communities in Kenya. To this day, Hope for the Nations maintains its projects in East Africa, including Justice Rising, the nonprofit’s project in Congo and Kenya.

Justice Rising’s goal is to build a foundation for long-term, sustainable growth in Congo and Kenya. To accomplish this, three schools have been set up in Congo to educated children and develop the next generation of leaders. Given the devastation and trauma caused by war in Congo, Justice Rising also implemented a story-telling movement to encourage children to speak up about their experiences, releasing them from their haunting memories.

In Kenya, education is also a key focus, and a partnership on the coast allows Justice Rising to sponsor early development education for 40 to 50 children. In order to tackle the issue of school-aged girls being sold for sex by their parents, Justice Rising has rescued, relocated, and educated many of these girls to give them better opportunities.

Positive Economic Trends as 2016 Draws to a Close

A certified retirement financial advisor, Darcy Bergen provides clients with a host of tax management services designed to minimize liabilities and grow wealth. Maintaining a close watch on macro trends, Darcy Bergen offers regular market updates at www.bergenfinancialgroup.com.

A late November 2016 post focused on gains during an abbreviated Thanksgiving trading week when the Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ all achieved all-time highs. With this round of gains capping a year of sustained growth, cumulative gains reached 7 percent.

Another area of strength was the U.S. dollar, with positive news on the U.S. economic front bringing the currency ever closer to its European counterpart. If Deutsche Bank predictions hold, the dollar will reach parity with the Euro by mid 2017 and may even surpass the Euro’s value.

In the commodities sphere, oil continued to slide, with its price falling to $47.24, as uncertainty reigned on whether producing nations could coordinate efforts to curb production. That said, the price is substantially higher than the $30 per barrel 10-year low reached in early 2016. Some forecasters expect prices to stabilize as members of OPEC and other major oil exporters achieve harmony in policy going forward.

The Inspiration Behind Bergen’s Mission

Bergen’s Mission
Image: bergensmission.com

The president of Bergen Financial Group in Phoenix, Darcy Bergen dedicates much of his time to serve as the treasurer of Bergen’s Mission. As the son of the organization’s founders, Darcy Bergen works to support its continuing outreach work.

Bergen’s Mission arose out of a severe attack that befell its founders, John and Eloise Bergen. The couple had journeyed from Vernon, British Columbia, to Kenya to perform missionary work and had been serving through Hope for the Nations when the event occurred.

The attack took place at the Bergen’s home, where a group of eight invaders beat the couple and raped Mrs. Bergen. Drawing on the strength of her faith, however, she escaped her ties and found her husband, whom she then drove to Hope for the Nations’ central compound for help.

Since that day, the Bergens have recovered, and their attackers have come under arrest. The Bergens have publicly forgiven all eight perpetrators and fully intend to continue their work in Kenya, though with higher levels of security. They relate the full story of their ordeal and path to forgiveness in a full-length book.