What are you going to do about it?

A few days ago I posted about the apathy that is running rampant in our country, and worse, in our churches. (Don't worry. I get back on that soapbox.) At the end of my time in Cambodia, I was asked a question that still haunts me: Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

So that is the question that I pose to you, my faithful readers. Now that you have been reminded of our own complacency in light of what's going on in the world, what are you going to do? Maybe your thinking, I really don't care. Then you need to pray that God would show you his love for the "least of these" and break your heart for what breaks his. Hopefully, however, this is not the case. Maybe, like many that I've encountered, you care, but you don't really know what to do about it.

Never fear, my friends. I will just tell you some easy things that I have changed in my own life, and maybe that will inspire you! (I'm not setting myself up on a pedestal here. I don't care NEARLY enough. I've just done a lot of research in these areas.)

The most obvious thing that comes to mind is supporting a child through a project like Compassion International, or Worldvision. Through monthly donations, organizations such as these provide life necessities to children living in poverty. With Christian founders, it is usually a requirement for these children to attend Bible classes and church services. Hmm...adressing spiritual and physical needs at the same time...sounds a little bit like how Jesus ministered a lot of times. For both Compassion and Worldvision it is pledge amount of $40/mth, and you get to write letters to your child and send them fun things for their birthday, and most times the children write to you as well! It's a huge blessing to get those little letters. My parents and I both support children through Compassion. Here are the websites for the two I've mentioned if anyone is interested:

www.compassion.com
www.wvi.com

There are also a lot of One-for-One organizations that seem to be springing up. A lot of you are probably familiar with Toms Shoes, a company that is committed to helping people in poverty by providing a pair of shoes to those without for every pair that is purchased. One-for-One. Even if you don't like the style, consider buying a pair as a reminder that we are so lucky to have things that we take for granted -- like protection for our feet.

www.toms.com

Another one-for-one company that I recently discovered is called Smile Squared. It's a toothbrush company that -- you guessed it -- gives a toothbrush for everyone purchased to children in poverty that aren't able to practice basic hygeine. We all brush our teeth, so why not buy these toothbrushes next time your in need of a clean one, and do some good while you're at it? They also have an option to just donate toothbrushes, which is nice if you require a specific type!

www.smilesquared.com

Another thing that is really easy to do is to start buying fair trade. Fair Trade certified products offer fair wages to all the workers involved. They are a little pricier than slave-based products (which I'm sure you can reason out on your own) but it is well worth to not propogate slavery. Did you know, that there are more peoples enslaved today than there were at the height of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade?

Two of the biggest culprits for using slave-based labor are coffee and chocolate. (These are by far not the only two, but the two that are most notorious.) Thankfully, due to the increased awareness of slave-labor, fair trade versions of these two products are making their way onto shelves, and a lot of other companies are starting to switch their practices. You can do a google search to learn more about Fair Trade, which companies use slave labor, and so on.

Well, friends, this post is long enough. If you want more information, just shoot me an email: aliciajoy731@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer questions or anything.

Let's start caring for the "least of these."

Ali