Archives for July 2015

Paper Beads from a House of Mercy

I've always loved learning more about those sharing about Jesus, especially those overseas. It intrigues me even more than those who have given everything in the country I was born. When I learned about "paper beads" years ago and how using trash in a seemingly simple method to earn a living, I was sold. PLUS they're colorful. 😀

Mercy House Kenya #FTFClub

In the summer of 2010, The Mercy Maternity House was formed to support the work Maureen {native Kenyan} does. Maureen is the full-time as the Executive Director of Rehema House (word for mercy in Swahili) in Kenya. While she works in Africa, the Welch family raises money and awareness while supporting Maureen and her staff.

You can follow their journey or support them through shopping the many items. God has used The Mercy House and the Welch family to open doors and create more awareness of many other non-profits by being a catalyst for Fair Trade Friday Club. The Mercy House was where I learned about fair trade Friday and how even more beautifully, handmade items are being created by artisans to earn a living.

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Join the FTFClub HERE, do a 1 month Trial Box, or The Earring a Month Club HERE. As of yesterday, 50 new spots opened up! If there's a waiting list and you were considering joining, SIGN UP and get on the waiting list anyways. Your Yes Matters! Don't loose momentum. The waiting list allows for plan ahead and increase the boxes for members, product production, and inevitably empowered women working to provide for their families!

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Indian Joyn Purse

In my Fair Trade Friday Club trail box, I received the gorgeous purse. The most beautiful part of this item were the 3 names, individually written, specifying who personally did each step of crafting this purse. Skimming my fingers across the ink, I can just imagine the sigh of relief that was breathed as each women pinned her name after her hard work was complete and she knew she was finally able to provide for her family.

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Gagan, Samtagoh, and Serita, THANK YOU for your quality work and craftsmanship. This item will be used and treasured for years to come with it's thick fabric, tight piping, and sturdy magnetic snap.

Joyn Purse handmade in India

“We are so thankful for this partnership. Our hear ts align and our missions align. Fair Trade Friday purchases JOYN products - each one made some of the most  marginalized and oppressed people in the world - individuals with leprosy, disability, those who have grown up begging on the streets, former prostitutes, former  addicts and your purchase employs at least 70 of our artisans with every order,"
-Melody, Joyn Founder, India

Interested in joining the Fair Trade Friday Club or Earring of the Month Club? click those highlighted thinks!

note: If there's a waiting list, DO IT anyways. That allows them to plan ahead and increase their boxes for members, product production, and inevitably empowered women working to provide for their families!

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Zambian Organic Soap

Fair Trade Friday Club is so much more than FUN MAIL once a month. FTFC is life. Life changed for the better. Life given for an entire family. Life Stories.

Maureen, Clothed in Hope, Zambia (Image: WomanSewingwithBaby.JPEG)

The women of Clothed in Hope, all vulnerable women who have completed or are currently walking through our skills-training program, are so very grateful for our partnership with Fair Trade Friday/Mercy House. The first time I told them about our big order for coin purses to reach the homes of over 500 women across America, over 60 women cheered, screamed, danced, rejoiced. Because to them it's not just some extra money in their pockets to feed their kids or pay school fees.

It's empowerment, it's someone who says "I believe in you. I am with you." It gives the message to these ladies, overlooked and oppressed by society, that they are worthy. That they have something beautiful to offer the world, a skill and a story that can inspire women thousands of miles away. Each product made for Fair Trade Friday boxes, from coin purses to earrings, is a way for women to rejoice in their story of hope and redemption that they've written as a part of our sewing and business training program in Lusaka, Zambia.

Maureen, the woman pictured with Regina on her back, is the brains behind much of our jewelry line, specifically a beautiful earring design headed out to women as part of the Earring of the Month Club. Maureen graduated our life-skills training program in September 2014 after completing a 12-month sewing and business curriculum with her daughter Regina on her back. Maureen is showing her children that work is good, and that no obstacle is big enough to keep her from pursuing her dreams for her family.

Zambian Organic Soap
Learn more about The Zambian Soap Company and how to help change lives in Zambia!
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How Playing Fair Can Save a Life

For years I've been a women proud of my frugal ways. I enjoy finding the best deals and steals for practically nothing. But what if we could buy something, still at a fair price and yet it was worth so so much something to someone. What if buying goods at a fair price which allows artisans to be payed what their time is worth actually made our purchasing purposeful? Wouldn't that be amazing!

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Living on mission for Christ can mean so much more than attending a self-serving church, all the bible studies you can find, shipping a OCC box here and there, or even serving in your churches nursery or on a mission trip. Living on mission means looking at every aspect of our life as an opportunity to further God's Kingdom. Purchasing jewelry, home decor, or gifts for friends can still be cute, fun, and quality while providing life-saving jobs for women in poverty so they can support themselves and their children.

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Fair Trade Friday gives us the opportunity to live missionally via shopping!

FTF exists as an avenue for women to empower women.  We are tackling poverty through job opportunity and empowerment rather than enablement. 100% of the proceeds support the artisans, more than 500 women and their children from all over the world. FTF is a ministry of Mercy House Kenya, a non-profit organization.

Ready to get involved? How much awesomeness you want?!

  • Start with a recurring box for $31.99 per month. Super Easy. Click. Enter info. Wait on your box. Done. We keep sending you a box of 3-4 fair trade items from one of our 18 countries involved (and, of course, billing you for it) until you cancel. What an amazing set up! {You should know that your "box" will likely be an awesome shipping envelope rather than a literal box. Just say'n}
  • Try out a box for $35 plus $10 shipping. This one is a great gift option!
  • Join the Earring of the Month club, where you’ll get a stylish and beautiful pair of earrings made by our artisans every month.

CLICK AROUND HERE AND LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT FAIR TRADE FRIDAY CLUB

Learn more about some of the items that came in my box: Zambian organic soap, Indian Joyn purse, and Mercy House Kenya bracelet.

 

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Happy Dependance Day

God bless America?

How arrogant can we be? What makes us think we have some spacial relationship with Christ just because we live in America?

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Don't hear me wrong, I enjoying being an American citizen. I am so grateful for many blessings God has granted me with through living in this nation. The opportunities that have arisen because of where I live are innumerable but ALL of those still fall under the authority of Christ. Not the country in which I live. God had a "chosen people" in which His grand plan of salvation would play out through but after Jesus fulfilled that on the cross, the road to eternal life was opened to Jews and Gentiles alike. No amount of favoritism existed.

It's worrisome when we pledge more allegiance to our countries flag than we do to our King. When we do so, we are no longer Christians {Christ-followers} we are Americans {American-followers}. These words are NOT synonymous. A nation in and of itself can not be "Christians" and we are slandering the name of Jesus by claiming that America is a Christian nation. We Need To STOP! America is NOT a Christian nation. We are a nation like any other with good intentions, searching for a truth to live for. C

Can I tell you, achieving the American Dream is NOT God's blessing on you "living for Him"?! A team of individuals starting a new nation because of persecution a gazillion years ago does not mean this entire nation is chasing after the heart of Christ. Tagging the name of God to wars, political fights, flags, and our standards is self-serving and leading other nations to really think anything they see coming out of America is Christian.

Did you know that because of insistence to be labeled a Christian nation, citizens from other nations HATE the name of Jesus? They are not getting a correct view of Jesus via American TV, the U.S. in the news, and a lot of ignorant people who happen to live in America but don't follow Christ. The problem isn't media. The problem is trying to force moral standards on a pagan nation.

Enjoy the freedom we have left here in America because the Bible is very clear that FREEDOM in Christ is eternal but that doesn't mean following Him will ever be easy. Hug an amazing soldier who fight for those rights for us and thank them but don't loose focus on THE one who fought for our rights to be adopted into the family of God. The confederate flag, the American flag, or even the man-made Christian flag do not deserve your allegiance. Stop chasing the wind for a purpose to get behind and look up. Christ is there, behind all that muck we are blasting at one anther. None of that muck is worth the fight. Christ and His illogical love for undeserving humankind is what's worth the fight!

Happy Dependance Day!

Please break free from the idea that the American dream will save you and become a bond-slave to Jesus, becoming completely dependent on His every provision and not disillusioned with independence that will send you to eternal separation from the One we all need. I mean, just think of what would happen if Christians reacted to real issues like we do the distracting fluff issues!

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