It seems I'm struggling to find the time to blog of late but there's plenty of topics and thoughts flying around in my head as life rolls on. I'll get to sharing them some time I'm sure. In the meantime here's a reflection I wrote after attending a World Vision breakfast that stirred me.
As I sit here eating my eating my organic fair-trade chocolate from Bolivia and drinking my organic fair-trade coffee from Africa I am consciously reminded of the glimmer of hope that is emerging through an unjust industry which still largely dominates the market today. My heart sinks once more and I think of the many thousands of families who are not getting a ‘fair go’ and will not be able to afford to put food on the table tonight.
I attended a World Vision breakfast a couple of weeks ago where Tim Costello and David Batstone were the speakers. The purpose of the breakfast was to launch their new campaign ‘Don’t trade lives’ to compliment a USA campaign called ‘Not for sale’. I have always being a passionate advocate for fair-trade and the abolition of modern day slavery but attending this breakfast just reignited my passion for this cause all over again. It also highlighted for me some disturbing facts with new stories.
We reflected on the celebration of the 200th year since William Wilberforce, the most famous abolitionist, passed the bill in British parliament to finally abolish the slave trade and make it illegal. Yet we recognize today that there are now more people trade as slaves than in the entire history of the slave trade from the Africa's. In fact statistics put the number at 27 million people today are currently in slavery. That statistic has got to blow any one’s mind. More than two thirds of them are under the age of 18. Not only are they people who work in the coffee and coca farms, they are traded for slave labor in many other industries, one of the biggest is the sex industry. Human trafficking generates $31 billion annually and guess who the majority of the customers are? You guessed it, the middle class of the western world.
What brought this issue home to me even more so was hearing the story of slave trading happening right here in Adelaide. Not only are we buying the products from companies who have brought us globalization, but humans are being sold into slavery right here in our city and we don’t even know it. We heard of a restaurant in the CBD who used slaves to service their restaurant and when they weren’t required they were stored in the underground den. Fortunately the federal police discovered that one, but there are many more.
Those of us who attended the breakfast were very stirred to take action to combat this epidemic. I felt confident as I walked away that I was part of a Christian community that would have no problem getting on board with such a cause. The challenge was put to us to raise a ‘generation of justice seekers’ who will not be satisfied with the standards we put up with but would outrageously take the next step to end injustice. It compliments our vision as a church to do justice and love mercy.
So how do we respond? What can we do? The Don’t trade lives campaign has called Australians to 3 commitments.
1) be aware of what you buy and how it gets here. Ask questions.
2) Encourage your workplace to advocate for change in countries where they work. Check the products you buy for your tea room, where do they come from? What are the fair-trade alternatives?
3)Stay informed about human trafficking and take action by visiting www.donttradelives.com.au.
Verity and I go out of our way to buy fair-trade in our grocery shopping. It costs us a little more but if we didn’t, at what cost is it for those who provide the products we buy at bargain prices? You will be disturbed to find out with just a click of a button on the above website.
My prayer is that we will all aspire to be part of a generation of justice seekers. You will see elements of this campaign being promoted throughout winter especially as we hold special awareness events at this church. David Batstone’s book, ‘Not For Sale—The return of the Global Slave Trade and how we can fight it’ will be available in our resource centre shortly.
Shalom Mark
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A bit of a laugh or cause for concern?
Is anyone else as disturbed by this as I am? Do Christian ministers get any more ignorant than this? From Ninemsn news
Mark"Small church lands itself in big controversy
Tuesday Apr 22 21:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff
A church in a small US town has landed itself in big political trouble with a sign that suggests a link between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden.The Jonesville Church of God's pastor Roger Byrd has plastered the controversial message across a billboard.
"Obama Osama humm are they brothers," the sign asks passers-by.
But the pastor of the church said the message was "never intended to hurt feelings or to offend anybody".
"It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ."
Pastor Byrd said he hoped Obama — a committed Christian — was not a Muslim.
Byrd said his small congregation had decided to keep the sign up, and he would not take it down despite the stir it had caused among locals — and now the world's media."
Friday, April 11, 2008
Zimbabwe on a knife's edge
I know it's been a while since I've posted on my blog. I try to be disciplined to post at least once a week but Easter was busy and I've been snowed under ever since.
I've got a stack of things I'd love to write about but time does not permit right now. The election in Zimbabwe has been on my radar for some time as we hang in the balance waiting to hear and see how Mugabe responds. Here's the latest from a group I subscribe to. I hope this serves as a valuable source of information for your prayers and advocacy.
May you never cease to foolishly go where no-one but a Jesus follower dares to go. Longing for Shalom
Mark
Zimbabwe is on a knife's edge between democracy and chaos. Results still have not been released from the 29 March elections--and each day, more signals emerge that Mugabe will resort to violence and fraud to hold on to power.
Mugabe is unlikely to listen to the world's outcry--but he might listen to his old friend and powerful neighbour Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa. Click below to add your name to a petition calling for the results to be released, verified, and peacefully honored, and we will do all we can to deliver it to Mbeki--through diplomatic channels, over the radio, and in a public event when Mbeki travels to New York for a United Nations meeting next week.
The more of us sign the petition, the powerful the message that South Africa's reputation as a world leader is on the line.
Click here to add your name, and then forward this email to friends and family: http://www.avaaz.org/en/democracy_for_zimbabwe/7.php?cl=74697854
South African president Thabo Mbeki said on Monday that "it's time to wait" on Zimbabwe. But the more time passes, the greater the danger grows that the will of Zimbabwe's people will be ignored. Avaaz launched this petition earlier in the week to its African members, and thousands signed on; now, we need people around the world to add their voices in solidarity and take the pressure to the next level.
In a crisis like this, a petition is just a small step--but it's something all of us can do, to raise our voices and call for what's right. And as history shows, international solidarity can be a powerful thing.
With hope,Ben, Graziela, Ricken, Galit, Paul, Iain, Pascal, Milena, and Esra'a--the Avaaz.org team
PS: Here's what to expect this week:
I've got a stack of things I'd love to write about but time does not permit right now. The election in Zimbabwe has been on my radar for some time as we hang in the balance waiting to hear and see how Mugabe responds. Here's the latest from a group I subscribe to. I hope this serves as a valuable source of information for your prayers and advocacy.
May you never cease to foolishly go where no-one but a Jesus follower dares to go. Longing for Shalom
Mark
Zimbabwe is on a knife's edge between democracy and chaos. Results still have not been released from the 29 March elections--and each day, more signals emerge that Mugabe will resort to violence and fraud to hold on to power.
Mugabe is unlikely to listen to the world's outcry--but he might listen to his old friend and powerful neighbour Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa. Click below to add your name to a petition calling for the results to be released, verified, and peacefully honored, and we will do all we can to deliver it to Mbeki--through diplomatic channels, over the radio, and in a public event when Mbeki travels to New York for a United Nations meeting next week.
The more of us sign the petition, the powerful the message that South Africa's reputation as a world leader is on the line.
Click here to add your name, and then forward this email to friends and family: http://www.avaaz.org/en/democracy_for_zimbabwe/7.php?cl=74697854
South African president Thabo Mbeki said on Monday that "it's time to wait" on Zimbabwe. But the more time passes, the greater the danger grows that the will of Zimbabwe's people will be ignored. Avaaz launched this petition earlier in the week to its African members, and thousands signed on; now, we need people around the world to add their voices in solidarity and take the pressure to the next level.
In a crisis like this, a petition is just a small step--but it's something all of us can do, to raise our voices and call for what's right. And as history shows, international solidarity can be a powerful thing.
With hope,Ben, Graziela, Ricken, Galit, Paul, Iain, Pascal, Milena, and Esra'a--the Avaaz.org team
PS: Here's what to expect this week:
- On Saturday, leaders of the Southern Africa Development Community will gather in Lusaka, Zambia to discuss the crisis. We're working to buy radio time to reach these regional leaders with Avaaz members' global message.
- On Monday, the Zimbabwe high court has promised to decide whether to release of the voting results. But a lawyer for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said Wednesday that it would be "dangerous" if the court did order the release, raising fears of violence.
- South Africa is chairing the United Nations Security Council this month, and Mbeki will be joined by other world leaders for a special meeting in New York on Wednesday. Expect Zimbabwe to be high on the agenda.
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