Happy Birthday!

"Happy Birthday." A familiar refrain heard annually by all of us. Not a necessity of life, but certainly a joyful time for most. A time to be thought of by others, a time to be treated a little more special, and a time to celebrate. For one teen in Youth Unlimited programs this month, her birthday led to a less celebratory experience. Katie had contacted her to wish her a happy birthday, to join in the celebration. The young lady shared stories of how she had received numerous phone calls and texts to mark her special day, but it wasn't to wish her a happy birthday. This particular birthday meant she would receive a special financial blessing, and so one by one her friends and family members contacted her to "share" in her joy; all neglecting the fact that it was actually about her. Katie's birthday wishes for her were the only ones she heard that day. Our work with teens in Youth Unlimited is all about relationship. In the midst of their ups and downs we aim to journey with them ... with a message of hope and a promise of life. Sometimes, that can mean we are one of the only voices around them that is truly there just for them.

Fair Trade

Ugh. That is what I thought when I came to the sad realization that in the last week I had purchased a discounted pair of pants made in Bangladesh. I stopped by an outlet store in Edmonton, The Gap, and found myself lured to purchase a pair of Khaki Dress pants priced at 50% off. What a deal. When I got home I felt pleased with my purchase and confident that I had shopped well. They fit great, they looked good, and they were priced right. It wasn't until this morning that it struck me, the tag on the pants clearly says, "Bangladesh." I had been reading a Shop for Change article from World Vision and read about Child Labor in Bangladesh. Admittedly, I did not think at all about the ramifications of my shopping while I was in Edmonton, it seems we (in North America) have this incredible ability to be very naive or ignorant on issues of great importance that require great sacrifice ... this is one of those areas. With my convictions emboldened I set out on a quest to discover the policies and ratings of "The Gap" and their impact on slave and child labor. While they are not perfect, I am relieved to find that www.rankabrand.org gives The Gap an A rating on Labor Conditions and Fair Trade. My visions of neglected, abused, and disadvantaged children making my pants is not as tragic as I feared at first. In retrospect these are my thoughts: 1. I am still not convinced that the Gap is doing all they can/should to prevent child and slave labor, but I am confident that measures are being taken to protect children. 2. I have a responsibility to be an ethical consumer ... making a choice to purchase goods or services that tries to address the harmful practices underlying the production and marketing of these goods and services. 3. When shopping I need to think local, fairtrade, ethical consumer, and even check out goodguide.com.

Have your own thoughts on fair trade, ethical consumerism, or something else listed here? I would love to know what you think ...