Recent events in this great country of ours have motivated me, more out of love than anger (but a little bit out of anger) to look at our population of women and girls to see where the need was. Did they need education, motivation, health care, mentorship, faith, a common bond, what? I have to conclude that the real need was something else. Something more. Something out of their comfort zone, and out of mine. We needed to empower women and children, but we needed to empower the ones who don’t get so much clout in their societies. The impoverished, the scared, the abused, the uneducated, and the hopeless. How was I going to accomplish this? How was I going to encourage this?
Social media was flooded with opinions all over the place and most of them angered me and had me shaking my fists, but then there were the few that had me thinking that I had found a way to help. Thanks to a blog post, I found Mercy House Global. From their website:
“Mercy House exists to engage, empower and disciple women around the globe in Jesus’ name. Engage those with resources to say yes to the plight of women in poverty. Empower women and teenage mothers around the world through partnerships and sustainable fair trade product development. Disciple women to be lifelong followers of Jesus Christ.”
This pressed me further to really read up on what exactly fair trade was and what that meant for these women and their families. Most of the time, through Fair Trade, they will receive 100% of what they ask for the sale of their trade or for the cost of consumables.
I did some research into their artisans and products and found that they have a once a month subscription called Fair Trade Friday. I thought that this was great way to view what they had to offer while donating such a miniscule amount to helping women in Africa, India, the Philippines and parts of Central America.
While I waited for my box to show up, I ordered a Valentine’s gift for my daughters. It is a set of ten friendship knot bracelets from the Philippines. Each daughter will receive three bracelets, one for themselves to keep and two to give away, I kept one for myself. After placing my order, I read on Mercy House Global’s Instagram about the Typhoon that hit the Philippines over Christmas:
fair_trade_friday Our friends at Threads of Hope in the Philippines were hit by a super typhoon on Christmas Day. Artisans who make our beautiful friendship bracelets have lost homes and belongings. We have given towards relief efforts and you can support them when you purchase our friendship bracelet bundle as valentines this year!
What a beautiful way to show our kids the meaning of love and friendship.
What a better time to help them and you still have time to purchase this great item Valentine’s Friendship Bracelets
I received my package with these bracelets yesterday. I opened it up to find a small envelope that said it was a one time gift since this was my first purchase. A sweetly wrapped pair of earings from Zambia were inside and the tears welled up. I was deeply touched by this gift knowing that, in turn, my purchases through this mission are empowering women, children and families who need it the most: education, medical care, home, livelihood, a sustainable job skill and most importantly, they are experiencing the love of Christ through His followers. They are seeing that there is hope in their situation.
I will be starting a series which will most likely be once a month, sometimes more, that will focus on Fair Trade. I will reach you with companies and missions that help impoverished people around the globe and give them hope through their trade and through care. I will be posting a general link with several sites that you can purchase from that go to support these missions and organizations.
Proverbs 31: 30-31
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.