Whatever you do for the least of these

The last post was about trying to ensure our money doesn't go to enslave or harm other people. Now I want to talk about how we can use it for good. It's easy to live in our own little world and wonder really how much our daily choices matter. I'd like to present the argument that they matter more than we could ever know. Matthew 25:34-40 says, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ "

In the spirit of honesty, I am going to let you know I am pretty new to the whole fair trade scene. So many phrases get tossed around in our culture, sometimes we don't give any thought to them. Or maybe I'm the only one like that. Anyhoo... That being said, I don't have a lot of favorites right now as I don't have a ton of experience in this area. I do, however, have a couple companies and a few resources I like to use.

Land of 1000 Hills Coffee - You can read their story here: https://landofathousandhills.com/ourstory, but basically, after the genocide in Rwanda, they went in and taught survivors a trade - growing coffee. The farmers are paid fair wages and have a dignified job. Plus, the coffee is fantastic. I haven't had any in a while (because no one here sells it and I don't plan ahead well enough to have it ordered before I run out of coffee in my house), but I will be ordering some soon. It's good stuff. Besides, their motto is "Drink Coffee Do Good". Can you think of a better motto??? Me either. I have two of their shirts. (I'd be lying if I said I didn't have my eye on another one.) I like this company. I like their coffee. I love their purpose. *Update* Since I started working on this post, I discovered Land of 1000 Hills has a special Adoption Journey blend for the month of November (National Adoption Month). $5 of every bag goes to help with the financial burden of adoption. You can purchase it here: http://landofathousandhills.com/index.php/adoption-journey-do-good-blend.html. I bought some yesterday. :)

Noonday Collection - I admit, this one seems a bit self-serving (as I am an ambassador for this company) but that is not my intent at all. I loved Noonday and who they are before I joined; that's WHY I joined. Noonday works with artisan groups in countries all over the world and brings their pieces here to create a market place for the artisans and their products. The artisans are paid a fair wage for their work and have a sustainable income due to the orders coming their way from people like you and me. Not only are individuals given opportunities, but entire communities are being changed, as artisan groups are able to hire more people to keep up with demand. Stateside, Noonday gives people like me a way to not just earn an income, but also the chance to be an advocate for orphans and families across the globe. Additionally, Noonday helps families here raise money for their adoptions with the option of using trunk shows as adoption fundraisers. Noonday Collection - style {made with love} - check it out at www.jenniferhostetler.noondaycollection.com. (Two of my favorite Noonday pieces? An adorable black clutch made out of upcycled VHS and cassette tapes by a special needs artisan group in India and a cool fringe paper bead necklace named for a former homeless man who is now building his own home. So cool.)

www.fairtuesday.org - I've just recently learned about Fair Tuesday. It is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (and Black Friday and Cyber Monday). The website has 150 fair trade brands. Their purpose (directly from the site) is this: #FairTuesday is an ethical shopping movement created in response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The goal of #FairTuesday is to inspire conscious consumerism and show how an everyday purchase can change lives in a whole community. #FairTuesday features fair trade, ethical, and eco-friendly brands all dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change.

www.free2work.org - I mentioned the free2work app in my last blog, but apparently the app is no longer available. Not sure what's up with that, but they do have a website with great resources.

Super fast and with the hopes of avoiding offending unintentionally, let's discuss the differences between charities and fair trade companies. While charities are wonderful and have their place, they cannot be counted on for sustainability. The old adage "give a man a fish"? Don't get me wrong - we support some charities. We sponsor a little girl through Compassion International and I am confident that our giving is changing the course of this little girl's life. But what happens if Andy loses his job? All of the sudden, a little girl in India may not be able to continue on in school or get medical care. Fair trade companies create work for people; and the more we shop these companies and advocate for the ethical treatment of workers, the more demand there is for the products. More demand = more work and possibly more employees. A dignified job has a better chance of sustainability than charity. I think it's two-fold; 1) When possible, buy fair trade (or at least from aboveboard companies), and 2) If you have extra, consider sending it out to others who may not have the opportunities we do. To quote Hello, Dolly, "Money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it is spread around, encouraging young things to grow." Let's just make sure we are trying to grow the right things...

 

 

Black Friday: A Paradigm Shift

Those of you who know me well (or even only slightly well) are probably aware of my knack for finding good deals. I regularly find items at 75-90% off their retail price and get pretty excited about them. I've often said that the red clearance stickers at Target were designed for people like me. I'm drawn like moth to a flame to a sale - especially when I have a coupon in my purse to go along with the sale. And Black Friday is hailed as one of the most exciting days of the year. I plan for it. I am one of the crazies who begins shopping on Thursday well before midnight and stays out until lunch Friday. And I love every minute of it. And never have I given any thought to the people who make my bargains possible. Until now. And my heart is heavy.

After going through both 7 and the 7 Bible study by Jen Hatmaker and gaining exposure to the world of fair trade and ethical working practices (through Noonday Collection and various other companies and organizations), I have begun to wonder what my bargain shopping has really cost. Maybe not anything - to me. But what about the single mom working in an unsafe factory? What about the children who make the children's clothes I have purchased? What do my good deals cost them? And, really, how much do my choices even matter in the grand scheme of things?

We hear a lot these days about modern day slavery. It's easy to put it out of our minds, though. No one wants to think about that. But it's out there. And it's here. We can't hide from it, but we can fight it. 

First, let's talk about women. While I have never been one to jump on the uber feminist bandwagon, I am very aware that women are oppressed in many cultures. In places all over the world (including our own country), women are forced into hard labor with pitiful pay and working conditions. They don't make enough to care for their children and are forced to make decisions no woman should have to make. I believe all women - and men - should have the opportunity to have a dignified job and fair wages. But when I buy a shirt or pair of jeans from a company that abuses the people making their goods, I am - at the very least - saying I don't care enough about the welfare of others to pay attention to the supply chain. The more we wealthy folk - yes, wealthy (if you make 35k/year, you are in the top 1% of the world's population) - purchase from these companies, the more they are comfortable with the way of doing things. It's time to rock the boat, people. 

Second, let's talk about children - child labor, orphans, etc. 1) I am not ok with children making my clothes. I am not ok with children making my child's clothes. 2) Poverty is one of the major contributors to the global orphan crisis. When laborers don't earn enough to feed their children and care for their basic needs, they grow desperate. The result? Children in orphanages who have living parents. To *loosely* quote Jen Hatmaker (one of my favorite people, as anyone who has read this blog before has probably figured out), "It is not ok for me to have your child just because you can't feed him." And again, the more we keep silent on these issues, in the name of a good deal, the more we fight against children and families around the world. 

What can we do? Can I really make a difference? Or should I be sad for a bit and then continue on, life as usual, because it's a hopeless cause? Well, friends, our dollars speak. Loudly. Maybe not so much individually. But when a bunch of us begin to speak with our dollars, corporations will listen. We can determine to - as much as possible - purchase fair trade products from companies who are transparent - with their supply chains, worker rights, policies, etc. 

I hesitate to name names and call out companies on here, because that's not really what I'm wanting to do. I'd rather you do your own research and see it for yourself. Don't just take my word for it. I will tell you, though, some of them will surprise you. We're not just talking discount stores. We're talking expensive brands at upper end department stores. There are some great apps out there that help consumers make ethical choices. Free2Work and Call & Response are two that I have begun to use. Also, www.sweatfree.org and www.laborrights.org are websites that are helpful as we decide where to send our dollars. 

Micah 6:8 says "What does The Lord require of you, but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." I want to act justly - not only with to my neighbors here, but the men and women and children all over the world. Even if my voice is alone and comparatively quiet, I want it to be merciful and just. I want to walk in humility; we live in a strange world and we navigate some difficult waters. I want to raise my voice, not in judgment of myself and other consumers, but in defense of real people who are hurting because of our collective choices. 

So Black Friday 2013 - will I be out in the midst of the other crazies? Probably. But let me tell you - my planning this year will include much more than who opens when and where to find the best deals. As I flip through ads and make my lists, I'll be vetting companies and carefully deciding where to spend my money. Will I miss out on some "good deals"? More than likely. But I'm tired of other people paying a high cost for my spending habits. My heart is changing and my eyes are opening. While it's not a pretty picture, I can't just turn away from it. I've seen it. And I can will make a difference. 

 

Isaiah 58:6-10

"Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.
If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
 
Stay tuned. Another blog highlighting companies who have ethical practices and fight for the dignity and rights of laborers will be coming in a couple of days!