Are You Actually Dreaming Big?

Have you ever thought you were dreaming big only to find out you actually weren't?
It's shocking, it's exciting, and it kinda weirds you out a bit.
Welcome to my current state.

Recently I took the plunge and have been sharing my ideas, visions, and goals with individuals I find to be worthy of such personal and important information. These spectacular individuals are those in mentor-like positions in my life. The select comrades vary from one who has literally mentored or supervised me during times of immense professional and personal growth, to one who has my faith life as one of the main filters our conversation passes through. It's a small, well rounded crew of individuals who really do have my best interest in mind-- which is exactly the environment you want when you are getting all personal!

While sharing ideas and discussing what I see as the big, main, end vision, something strange happened. The feedback from the other end came out not as the expected reaction to what they heard (positive and/or negative feedback), but more so as a growth response-- here's what happens after the perceived end vision can be enjoyed in brick and mortar.

What?
Things come after this?
Where do these 'after' ideas come from?
How did you just think of all these epic things that I could be part of?

All of these questions raced through my mind as discussions swirled around the ideas of what 'Love Inspires Change' means, how it can relate to people, how it can be a movement, how people can be involved, how it could be a collective force of positive change like nothing I had ever thought or imagined it could be.

Suddenly my list of discussion points touching on URL, logo design and branding-- while still valid-- seemed a whole lot less important when faced with the grand scale ideas that were being being brought to life right in front of me.

I didn't ask the above questions out loud. I took in the moment. I soaked in the ideas, the possibilities, the fresh and exciting new adventures that I could also embark on and only spent alone time after conversations shocked at what was said, pondering the above questions and more...
Was I selling myself short?
Was I allowing one goal to be the end when the end isn't even something that should exist?
Am I not allowing God to be bigger than the original thought he shared with me months ago?
Was I too focused on the immediate next steps to not allow some fun in imagining all the great, amazing, possibilities that could really come?

Image from Facebook.
Artwork available at www.ohnorachio.com

I was inspired. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I was this inspired to really pursue the even bigger picture-- and not even really pursue, but to simply start to dream or pray about what things could really be on the grander scale.

I want to challenge you.
Next time you are thinking about the big picture, take a moment and allow yourself to entertain the even bigger picture. Think big. God didn't give you passions, strengths, gifts, and talents for no reason. He has the biggest picture in mind for your life. He wants you to be more than you thought possible. Allow yourself to be inspired.

It's through inspiration we can put to action what it takes to be a positive change in the world-- and it's love that will keep us moving forward. 

Challenge: Clothing with a Conscious

Spring Fever.
I have it.
I don't know if it is highly contagious, if I caught it from someone-- but I have a firm belief I can almost 100% back up with proof that it is brought on by the weather. This fever will only break once temperatures warm up outside. Symptoms can be treated by sitting by windows so you can be all 'cat-like' and bathe in the sun (something I am known for doing anyways), drinking smoothies and eating salad reminiscent of summer-time picnics and gatherings, and by shopping-- preparing yourself for when the fever breaks.

As I sit in my wonderful husbands coffee shop, at the long wooden coffee bar that could be a picnic table-esque, drinking my Mango green tea and basking in the sun streaming in warmth from the large window in front of me, I think of a few things:
1- Sunshine is awesome and I'm glad I have my SPF100 as tattoo protection in my bag-- sun even from a window still requires the appropriate safety precautions!
2- Oh how I want new spring clothes
3- That article

When I reference "that article" I am talking about an article I recently read that was posted in the Winnipeg Free Press titled "Looking for ethically made clothes? Hard to prove workers weren't harmed  making T-shirts". While the beginning of the article states things that are nothing new to me-- that ethically made clothes are hard to find and supply chains are easily riddled with so many hands it can be almost impossible for companies to track, there was one hard hitting section that left an impact on me...

America's Research Group, which interviews 10,000 to 15,000 consumers a week mostly on behalf of retailers, says that even in the aftermath of two deadly tragedies in Bangladesh, shoppers seem more concerned with fit and price than whether their clothes were made in factories where workers are safe and make reasonable wages.C. Britt Beemer, chairman of the firm, says when he polls shoppers about their biggest concerns, they rarely mention "where something is made" or "abuses" in the factories in other countries."We have seen no consumer reaction to any charges about harmful working conditions," he says.Tom Burson, 49, certainly is focused more on price and quality when he's shopping. Burson says that if someone told him that a brand of jeans is made in "sweatshops by 8-year-olds," he wouldn't buy it. But he says, overall, there is no practical way for him to trace where his pants were made."I am looking for value," says Burson, a management consultant who lives in Ashburn, Va. "I am not callous and not unconcerned about the conditions of the workers. It's just that when I am standing in a clothing store and am comparing two pairs of pants, there's nothing I can do about it. I need the pants." -- Bold added by me for emphasis.

Does any of this shock you?
Does it not baffle you to think that deadly fires due to unsafe working conditions doesn't factor into how consumers are shopping, and doesn't make them second guess what they are planning on purchasing?
Does it not surprise you to hear that there has been no consumer reactions to any charges about harmful working conditions?

I wonder how this exploitation can provoke sadness and a pursuit of compassionate justice in myself, and how the exact same information can provoke nothing from another.

What is sad is the lack of education of the general public. An article like this, while wonderful at showcasing the efforts of a couple doing their best to be conscious consumers, still highlights the fact that a consumer actually thinks that while they are at a store comparing pants (or any other garment they are debating of lining their probably already full closest with), they don't have an option to be a person purchasing for freedom of those being exploited.

How do you not have an option? Does the average individual not have the ability to have intelligent conversation, to "google it", to seek out options? The reality is we do have those options. Resources, like my personal favourite and constant source of information Free2Work, exist to educate you and aid you in your choices. We, as consumers, have the power with our purchase to encourage companies to not allow more tragic deaths because we want cheap shirts.
 We can clothe ourselves with compassionate justice, with conscious consumerism, with choices that inspire conversation! To every person who compliments an article we are wearing that we can say 'Thanks-- It's awesome AND I'm trying my best with my purchases to not exploit others!' When it comes down to it, doing our best-- and encouraging and setting an example for others to do the same-- is what will make the biggest difference. Be a person who shops for value and price-- value for the people involved in bringing what you wear to existence and knowing the price you pay is the price you put on someones life.



Found on Pinterest

When I take the necessary steps to aid my Spring Fever symptoms, and go shopping for some spring clothes, I'll go to the store with Free2Work ratings in hand and be smart with my decisions. I'll shop at a thrift store where the money goes to a good cause, I'll upcycle my current wardrobe to be more trendy.  I'll do what I can to be sure that articles like this are no longer the norm in how fashion and humanity collide-- but so they reunite in more responsible and innovative ways.

I challenge you to freshen up your spring and summer wardrobe ethically!

1- Take a look at what is already in your closet- can you upcycle?

2- Hit the thrift store!

3- Research companies before you go out. Know which stores you feel comfortable shopping at and only go into those stores.

4- Use Free2Work. Get distracted by something shiny in a store you didn't originally want to go to? Check out the company on Free2Work and see where they grade.

How do you ensure you are making conscious clothing choices when you shop? How have you set an example to others with conscious consumerism choices?

"Let's make a documentary..."

How often do you think to yourself "I should make a documentary?

For me, it's not too often. For my wonderful husband, it's probably at least once to twice a day.

As you can tell from the premise of my blog to the topics I've been discussing lately, being an ethical consumer and using your purchasing power to make a difference in the world has been on my mind a lot. Combine these factors into one, and you have the idea of a documentary with the premise of ethical living at the forefront of our ideas.

The idea was simple-- live a slave free life for one month.

It's amazing how it's so simple to speak a sentence, or write it, or share it with someone, but it's the meaning behind the sentence that really packs the punch and the weight of the impossible. 

Live a slave free life for one month.
Upon thinking of the logistics we came across some interesting points that would have to be addressed:

- Would we live where we currently live, or would we scout out an ethical place to live for the month? It's a dream to think that our houses aren't hoarded with slavery-- from light switches, pipes, couch cushions to cupboards.

- Would we wait until late summer when the world is ready to deliver it's local deliciousness to us? Living in Canada, doing it any other time of year may prove us to be left starving.

- Would we re-buy our wardrobes, or would we keep the basics and anything else we would buy would be ethically sourced?

- What kind of rating system would we use? Would we stick with Free2Work's grading system as our base or would we be doing insane amounts of research, travelling, etc to find out for ourselves that is really happening where our consumables are being made?

While at a local drive-in finally open for the summer months, eating grilled burgers and sharing french fries, we came to one startling point. A point that literally stopped me in my tracks and thought process on how to execute the entire idea...

Where would we get the camera? 

While all other aspects of the process seemed exciting to me-- like what would be the hardest yet most immensely rewarding challenge-- this one, small fact really threw me off.

I've done research on clothing, chocolate and food. Free2Work provides information on clothing companies that are doing the best in their industry to provide transparency, research their supply chains, remediate any problems that arise and are putting wonderful policies in place to be graded a mark that would make even your mom happy on a report card. Food starts to get a little tricky but if we were to grow our own in the summer, get free range meat (or just go vegan for the month) it is possible-- and would be quite the diet! I'm sure we would see lovely results in our physiques!

When it came to housing options, well, I didn't think too much of it. Logistically I wasn't ready to commit to figuring that process out.

But the camera, the use of technology, the means of communication-- these are all things that become non-existent to us. 

I hadn't done too much research on conflict minerals, or the dramatically titled Death Metal, as one article referred to Tin. I knew conflict minerals existed but hadn't taken the time to educate myself. Insert me on my first "second day off" in over two months. I am sitting at my husbands lovely coffee shop, using my MacBook Pro to research the very thing I am actively contributing to-- conflict minerals.

This is an uncommon term to anyone who isn't actively involved in going above and beyond the basic information provided when being a conscious consumer. 

Let's have a little 101 lesson!

Conflict Minerals:
Conflict minerals are minerals mined in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses. They come from mines controlled by armed groups, who then sell the resources to purchase weapons and other supplies—or luxuries. It's a cycle that essentially keeps the war going (no funds = no weapons = less violence), and is often also affiliated with spikes in sexual violence. The most common area to find conflict minerals are the Dominican Republic of Congo.

The minerals we are referring to when speaking of Conflict Minerals are most commonly the "T3G" minerals; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold. Most of these minerals are extracted from the technical name of what is exactly being mined. 

My first thought is, "ok, this stuff is in the electronic stuff I use. What parts?" 

I'm apparently a curious person who is going to share this information to burst your virtual bubble:
Tantalum is used particularly for applications requiring high performance in a small compact format that is highly reliable aka- welcome to the entire world of cell phones, tablets and laptops. Not to mention the use in airbags, GPS, hearing aids, pacemakers, video games and the cameras to name a few.

Tin is part of solder-- the connecting substance on the circuit boards of electronic equipment.
Tungsten is a very dense mental is possesses hardness and wear resistance properties. It's used minimally in electronic devices but, speaking of phones, it is used in their vibration mechanism.
We all know what Gold is... Gold is used in jewellery, dental products and our electronics. 

While doing this research I found out the United States is trying to do something about this. The Dodd-Frank Act seems promising-- if businesses comply. But isn't that always the issue? Laws are in place, governments are set up to hopefully keep the best interest of the people in mind, but that's not what happens. 

This act has it on businesses to assess their supply chains and report publicly if their supply chains contain these 3TG minerals from conflict areas. If a business says their product doesn't contain, they must provide the information on where their minerals are coming from. This information and research companies must now provide has a time line to start in 2013 and be completed by May 2014. One article I found that best explained in a way I am able to understand the act states the following:

How wonderful this statement is. 

I love the admittance to the fact it is tough, but that it is also, potentially, the most rewarding. 

Aren't all aspects of life often filled with challenges? Aren't it those exact challenges-- overcoming them and learning from them-- that make it rewarding? 

That statement makes me think that one day, as businesses come to realize how the pro's can easily outweigh the con's of stretching their comfort zones, wallets, and ethics to encompass compassion and justice for those making the items market to us as consumers, we will be able to dream with freedom. We won't have an idea out of reach due to our individual figurative "video camera made with conflict minerals". 

What has been your figurative "video camera"? How have you overcome feeling helpless in the situation to overcome and find success?

References aka, where I obtained my new knowledge from:

Wikipedia (yea, I went there...) 

Conflict Minerals 101: Coltan, the Congo Act, and How You Can Help

Dodd-Frank and the Conflict Minerals Rule

"Find What Speaks To You"

Have you seen the commercials on TV for for Pier 1 Imports? They are the cutest commercials where an individual is walking around the store and they hear something... It's generally a voice that is too cute for words and is saying something ridiculously relatable to the person who is doing the browsing. The individual sources the voice and it's an inanimate object that the person just has to take home now that they seem to have a wonderful bond. The tag line for the commercial is "Find what speaks to you."

These commercials are...
- Adorable
- Make me want to shop at Pier 1 Imports (I'm such a sucker for clever marketing)
- Speak to a greater truth in our lives

I find that when God has something important to say to us-- something important for us to learn-- He brings the lesson to us in forms of things that "speak to us". That could be a particular conversation with a friend, a quote you happen to read on Facebook or Pinterest, a picture you see, a movie you watch, or even a book you just happen to start to read at a bible study you randomly signed up for.

From the specific detail of the last sentence I'm sure you can see where my example is going to be coming from...

There's a church here in town that I don't attend. I've gone a few times with my husband and a few times on my own. We have friends that attend and are heavily involved. And while we don't attend regularly, we often go to their extra activities. Most commonly, we attend their bible studies.

A friend of mine who attends had posted a status on Facebook about how excited she was for the upcoming ladies study. I don't remember the post exactly but I can almost guarantee it said nothing about what the study was about, who the author of the book study was, or even what night of the week it was going to be. All it said was the title of the book which I had remembered hearing about before-- "Lioness Arising". While the description of the study was basically non-existent, she shared her excitement for what she was sure was going to be an awesome time of fellowship and learning with fellow ladies.
I needed to inquire more.
I found out the night of the week and signed up.
Done and done.
Easy as pie. (And I feel, as someone who likes to bake, I can use that analogy and stand behind it's truth.)

The Sunday before the study was going to begin I attended the service at the church. I got my book "Lioness Arising" by Lisa Bevere upon arriving and anxiously awaited the end of the service so I could start reading. When the service finished I headed straight for my wonderful husbands amazing coffee shop, sat down with a lovely cup of strawberry green tea (my usual) and started to read.

Let us pause for a moment and asses the "speaking to me" scenarios we have encountered thus far:
1- The Facebook Status. Really? It was so vague! But "something" spoke to me. I signed up literally within a day to be part of the study and would have signed up within minutes if it was a face to face conversation, not over a Facebook status where I had to wait for the next post to learn more information.

2- Anxiously awaiting the end of a Church service to read. Church is great. I love going to church-- meeting with other Christians, learning about God, reading his Word, worshipping Him. He is awesome! But I just knew there was going to be more learning, more of God speaking to me through the book, than at the service that Sunday.


As I was sitting at the modern concrete and re-claimed wood coffee shop, sipping green tea from the bright red mug that is the perfect inviting accent to the almost cold look of the modern decor and snow filled outdoors beaming in from the large windows, I couldn't help but get the shivers and feel the warmth of the surreal terrain when imagining the Lioness described in the book. The description is as follows;

"Radiant light was everywhere and appeared to come from everything. There was no mist or shadow, only glorious color. These saturated hues of living color were comprised of shades so concentrated that I am without earthly reference to name them. The pigments were layered and multi-dimensional. For some reason I best remember the tones of purple (but not quite our purple) and blue (yet unlike ours). There were no edges, sides, or upper border, yet the backdrop of color enwrapped what is showcased-- an elevated platform of flawless, cream-colored stone, and on this platform reclined a golden lioness."

As the imagery from the above passage lingered in my mind and senses, I continued to read through the first chapter and anticipated even more tangible passages in the second...

The second chapter starts with the quote;
"If ever there comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will a force such as the world has never know." -Matthew Arnold, nineteenth-century British poet and philosopher.

The wonder, honesty, bravery and pure power of that quote just gets me excited.

The second chapter spoke to the injustice of human trafficking. Can you imagine my excitement? Here I am, reading a book on how us women are to arise like a lioness to come together and be a force for Christ the world has never seen, and then they touch on a topic so relevant to me like human trafficking! This takes the whole "it speaks to me" to a new level.

It's amazing how God works. How he can take a simple Facebook status that requires but a simple response, to speak to us and lead us in the direction of more knowledge of Him and His wonderful plan for our lives. With every paragraph, every quote and every point this book makes I feel arising in me the attributes of a lioness-- Fierce, Fearless, Graceful, Stunning, Confident, Bold, Strong, Beautiful, and most of all, Awake.

Awake to the plans the Lord has for me, and awake to the potential we can reach when we stretch ourselves to be all He calls us to be.

My hope-- my challenge to you-- is that you fully commit to experiencing what God is using to speak to you that you might grow in His love for you, His knowledge He wants to impart to you, and the wonderful part you play in this life.

I will leave you with my words taken from the "Safari Guide" workbook, my latest Impressions on how I am feeling reading the book and adventuring with the safari guide!
"I feel this study is God speaking directly to me! That He is calling me to acknowledge it is time for me to really be all the characteristics of the lioness as my next step to a life committed to seeking justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. It's like my tool kit I'm putting together to be a fierce force of God! I LOVE IT!"

When has something really "spoke" to you? Where did it lead?

Challenge: Ethical Easter

"Hundreds of thousands of children labour in the West Coast of Africa to produce cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Specifically, over 40% of the global supply originates in the Ivory Coast, where the US Department of State reports that over 109,000 children work under the worst forms of child labour. Of these 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Children working in cocoa production labour long hours and are often required to use dangerous tools. They are frequently exposed to toxic pesticides in the fields that create health issues and are forced to walk long distances in extreme heat. Furthermore, because these children work long hours they are denied access to an education." -- From Free2Work.org

I'd like to propose a challenge.
As with all challenges, this will not be the easiest thing you have ever done.
It will require thought, effort, will power and commitment.
It will require you to go beyond the social norm, break free of traditions you may have set in place, and step into a world where you not only care about your friends, family and taste buds, but care about the world, and the people in it, who contribute to the most consumed item this Easter... chocolate.

You may think the paragraph above is slightly dramatic-- I understand. How often is chocolate "the bad guy" to anyone except individuals watching their waistline and those who can't consume for health reasons? We so thoughtlessly consume chocolate with perhaps our only thoughts being
a) How many calories?
b) What is the price?

This Easter you will challenge that thinking.
You will make a stand for the rights of human beings around the globe in going above the cute packaging, the clever marketing, and adorable eggs & bunnies that overtake your senses in stores and will commit to purchasing ethically made chocolate and candy.

Perhaps you are thinking "Sweet! This will be easy!"
I applaud your optimism!

When walking through Walmart, Superstore, Shoppers Drugmart and other chain stores, you are provided with many chocolate options. Everything you could desire! Enjoy the gooey centres of the Chocolate Creme Eggs? You can have them-- and even enjoy the same gooey-ness in the form of a Caramilk Egg and even enjoy the bitter sweet dark chocolate in the same format. Do you prefer salty with your sweet? As consumers demand the sea salt & chocolate combo, companies respond and even seek to entice you with other options-- why not caramel with your chocolate and sea salt? Want to feel healthy eating your chocolate? How about a dark chocolate bar with fruit and nuts-- you can indulge your sweet tooth and while you'll still be indulging your figure, it won't be as bad as the milk chocolate, nugget and caramel king sized bar you could have picked up from right beside.

As you swim through an ocean of rich, milky, indulgences, do you see a Fair Trade option? And I mean a real fair trade option-- none of this Cadbury-providing-Dairymilk-as-their-ONLY-Fair-trade option? Do you see chocolate eggs in festive packing made by a company that is dedicated to caring about those that work to get the cocoa from the field to the production line? Chances are, in your average retail store in Canada, these particular items are not lining the shelves.

I've pretty much just dashed your dreams of going into Superstore or Walmart and purchasing everything you need for your Easter festivities and leaving with a clean conscious. I'm ok with the fact I just did that. I'm actually happy I did.

It's going to take time, effort, and research to find chocolate and candy options that care about those individuals making the treat first and profits second. You'll have to venture into stores you might not normally take a look in (Ten Thousand Villages or even some health food stores), you may have to do some pre-planning and order goodies online, and, as my hope is, you will realize how often we contribute to continuation and expansion of slavery around the world.

This brings us to the REAL challenge.

While the general idea behind the challenge is to have an Ethical Easter, I think the real challenge is accepting, acknowledging and allowing this challenge to resonate in your day-to-day life. Our day-to-day lives are tainted with slavery. Lately I have had the extreme privilege of seeing people all around me learn and take to heart this reality. I've been privileged to share some of my knowledge with them about slavery, human trafficking and the resources I find most valuable in being a conscious consumer. Lately one of the best feelings is where I'm having a conversation with someone, and they mention something to me about downloading the Free2Work App, or looking at the labels where their clothes are made and wondering about those who made them. These things bring great joy! I know seeds that have been planted are growing and soon enough these same people can be sharing this information with others. A movement is happening.

At Easter we reflect on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is our example of how to live, how to love, how to be. He came to Earth and shattered what the world believed as right and both preached and led by example how forgiveness conquers revenge, how we are to pray for those that persecute us, and how Love truly conquers all. Jesus was the original abolitionist-- teaching us to help the oppressed, care for the poor, the sick, the needy, the widow, the orphan, and to set the captives free. If we, as Christians-- followers of Jesus-- cannot find it in ourselves to daily, in the choices we make, live a life of justice for those have been silenced, then how are we living a life following his example?

As we celebrate the ultimate sacrifice God made out of His amazing, incredible, immeasurable Love for us, let the choices of what we use to celebrate reflect the lessons of Jesus' life on Earth-- Love, Justice and Freedom for all.

Image from TreeHugger's 10 Fair Trade, Organic, and
Vegan Sources for Easter Chocolate.

Here are some resources for you to use when it comes to purchasing ethical chocolate and candy this Easter season!
Free2Work (Can you tell I have worked with Not For Sale? Only my top recommendation every time!)
World Vision's Good Chocolate Guide
Slave Free Chocolate Table by Stop Chocolate Slavery
TreeHugger's 10 Fair Trade, Organic, and Vegan Sources for Easter Chocolate




FAQ's:
Will Fair Trade or Ethical chocolate be more expensive?
Yes, it will be. With good reason-- caring about everyone in the supply chain! From those farming to those working in the factories, the people in the supply chain are treated fairly. It's worth it to spend a little more to know that people are being treated right!

So the chocolate is more expensive which means I can't buy as much. What about the traditions of my friends/family/children/co-workers/neighbours/general human beings I am in contact with have? 
I understand that your family tradition is to hid a bazillion chocolate eggs all around the house and do a massive hunt on Easter Sunday. Traditions can be adjusted! Instead of hiding a bazillion eggs, hide clues that lead to a basket of treats! It's still a hunt and still awesome! Maybe you could splurge and hide a bazillion fair trade eggs!

How can I explain to my youth group/family/co-workers why they aren't receiving the generic chocolate they expect and love without making it seem like I am being a jerk?
No one wants to make someone feel bad. Explain to them that you have been learning about what happens with the production of chocolate and that you are using your purchasing power to make a difference. We've all been the person who had no idea this was happening. Take this opportunity to share with them the excitement you have about being a conscious consumer! Maybe you'll get them in on the movement! Even kids can find a connection. Does your kid love to go to school? Does your kid love to play sports, or dance, etc. Connecting the dots of "You get to do this but not all kids get to. Some kids have to work all day long." can make a huge impact!


How are you going to have an Ethical Easter?

The Inspiration of Conversation

I like to chat.
Big surprise, I know. *hello sarcasm*

I enjoy talking with friends, acquaintances, and just about anyone else I happen to randomly meet. You never know what kind of conversation you will have if you allow yourself to be open to the idea that every conversation, every word spoken, can change a life, change a heart, or even simply change a mood.

Obviously you can't expect every single thing you say to change the world, or have a HUGE impact on someone, but if we spoke to others with the mindset that what we say has the potential to influence them I think we would choose our words more carefully and even just be pumped to talk to people!

The first time I went to a night called Women of Beauty put on by Let Go, Let God ministries, one of the main points that stuck with me was how what is in our heart, is on our mind, is what we speak. Our words have power and we need to be conscious of what we say. I had heard messages on this before but that night it really stood out to me. From that point on I have made a conscious effort to choose the words I say carefully-- knowing they can give life or do just the opposite.

Picture by Lani Elias

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with an absolutely lovely young lady. She is smart and spunky and her appearance is quick to reflect how she is so full of life and creative energy! The hangout was instigated when she approached me asking if we could chat one day about Not For Sale and my involvement with them...
Obviously...
As someone who enjoys chatting...
We chatted about a lot more than my time with Not For Sale.
In the classic coffee shop setting, over coffee and too much green tea then should be consumed in a two hour period, we spoke of travels, human trafficking and other injustice, how faith and love play into all of it, and what our dreams turned into goals are.

I think sharing your passions, dreams and goals are important. It helps bring them to life and seem more real and attainable. I have a goal to one day, open a bakery and teach baking classes to survivors of human trafficking as therapy while they are going through their aftercare program. Those that show talent could then be hired-- they have skills, a job, and best of all, a future that doesn't involve them being caught up in the same unimaginable situations that lead them to being trafficked to begin with. On top of that, I'd love to provide delicious baked goods that use all natural, organic and as often as possible, local ingredients! I would also want to ensure every thing I use is ethically sourced-- from the adorable cupcake liners to the ovens those scrumptious cupcakes bake in! Sharing this with someone makes it seem real, attainable, and like it can really happen!... Even if the goal seems so far in the future.

To hear her share her ideas, goals, dreams and passions is encouraging! Partly because she is going to do amazing things using her God given gifts and talents. Partly because she believes that God and love are crucial to seeing the end of injustice around the world! I was 100% being inspired by our conversation!

Being inspired by the words others speak is easy if you allow yourself to find the optimism and love in the smallest words. A simple "Thank-You" can change your day if no one has yet to appreciate an act you've done. Someone sharing their dream can inspire you that your dream maybe isn't so far fetched, that your dream is worth sharing and pursuing.

I have learned that you do not choose the moment you will influence someone. You must seek to have your actions and comments consistently inspired by Love. You never know when God will use even the smallest comment to change the direction of someones life or inspire them to further seek relationship with Him, which can and will change the world.

When have you been inspired by a conversation with someone? 

Freedom Sunday and the days that follow.

Freedom Sunday.

A day where the faith community as a whole comes together in their place of worship and devotes their time to learn what it means to end slavery.

This is incredible.
As a Christian I truly believe that we, as the church, should be leading the movement to end slavery in our lifetime.

The night before Freedom Sunday my wonderful husband and I were hanging out with some friends and we chatted most of the evening about faith. We chatted various aspects of faith and at one point my husband said something absolutely wonderful. He mentioned that doing good things like feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, helping the widow and orphan, shouldn't be something of special mention for a Christian. When you die people at your funeral shouldn't be like "Aelea was awesome. She helped the poor, the orphans, etc...". That should be commonplace. That is a given if you are a Christian. It would be like saying "Aelea liked to breathe air to survive everyday." That is just a part of what we do, how we live every single day.
It should have no honorable mention.
We should all be living this way.
Those words have stuck with me.

The next day, Freedom Sunday, I had the opportunity to speak at Pathway Community Church. Since I had worked with Not For Sale as the Tour Fellow, and Not For Sale created Freedom Sunday, it was a pretty good fit. I gave a quick Human Trafficking 101 lesson then their pastor spoke an amazing message on Compassionate Justice. He used the story of the Good Samaritan and I can't even begin to re-tell his message. One of the bottom lines is that compassion doesn't just mean loving God and loving your neighbour, it means going above and beyond to treat your neighbour with the passionate, incredible, never ending love that God has for them.

...And to clarify, your neighbour is everyone.

Talk about no honorable mention... everyone is our neighbour... this is what we should all be doing.

Pathway also showed the documentary Nefarious: Merchant Of Souls that evening, open to anyone who wanted to come. Talking about the sex trade is a tricky thing-- especially when a good chunk people would rather live "safe" faith. Nothing about Nefarious is safe. It's dirty and in your face about the harsh truth and realities of human trafficking and the sex trade around the world. From women treated as cattle, sold to the highest bidder, and even children sold by their own family members. I spoke before the documentary about my time in Thailand in May 2012 (which you can read about on my blog-- check the archives) and how hard it is to wrestle with the emotions that you face while there. These are the same emotions people who saw the documentary are living through right now and they all end up doing the same thing; fuelling a fire to do something.

Doing something about injustice is rarely safe. It requires you to go out on a limb, challenge the comfort of your every day life and stand up against issues others want to turn a blind eye to.

I saw people looking for what to do next. Passionate individuals who want next steps. And this is where my own personal struggle comes to play:
Yes, helping those in the sex trade is huge, but helping EVERYONE involved in slavery is SO IMPORTANT! It's easy to watch a documentary about those being exploited in the sex trade and want to do something, but please don't forget about those in exploitation making your clothes, your food, your toys. Toys for kids, made by kids? The food for your family meal picked by people being abused and exploited? I think it's easier to feel the heart tugs of the sex trade because, for the most part, our view of sex is of how meaningful and special it is in the marriage relationship. To remove someone's choice from sex is unacceptable. One thing to also keep in mind is that those being exploited in domestic servitude, labour, and other forms of slavery are also raped, beat up, taken advantage of, and made to feel worthless... just like those in the sex trade.

I want to encourage you to take steps forward with your new passion to not only end sex trafficking, but work to end slavery all together. Here are a few of my top practical application steps:

1) Pray. So often we look at prayer as a last resort but prayer is huge! Pray for those held captive-- those being trafficked, the traffickers, the johns, and everyone else involved in the process.

2) Support organizations already standing against slavery! International Justice Mission does amazing work, same with Not For Sale and Love 146 to just name a few that I personally know are awesome. Even organizations like Kiva-- providing loans so individuals coming out of exploitation have a future, and those vulnerable never become exploited.

3) Educate yourself, then educate others! Read the book Not For Sale by David Batstone and Disposable People by Kevin Bales. Share what you learn! Tweet about it, share it with friends and family on facebook!

4) Shop smart. Seek out ethical options for your every day purchases using resources like Free2Work, and also know that a lot of artisan made goods (think Ten Thousand Villages) are made by survivors or those at risk for exploitation. Buying their products can ensure they don't end up exploited.

5) Pray some more. Gather with others passionate and pray. If you ask God what you can do to end slavery, and you are willing, He is sure to move you to meaningful action.

We, as individuals with passionate hearts to live out lives rooted in love, can end slavery. Every prayer, every Facebook or Twitter post, every dollar donated, truly makes a difference in creating more activists that will come together to see slavery ended in our lifetime.