“How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can’t scare him—he has known a fear beyond every other.” - John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

http://www.economist.com/node/17722932?story_id=17722932&CFID=156902477&CFTOKEN=11930683

Make a purchase that makes a difference

Over the past century, millions of people in the developing world, desperate to escape poverty, famine, or war, have migrated to cities in search of better lives. In these megacities, they found overcrowded slums, unemployment, gang violence, and rapidly expanding social networks bereft of basic infrastructure and government services.

Today, in spite of these great difficulties, there is tremendous human energy and hope emerging within poor neighborhoods of the developing world's megacities. We believe it is the greatest challenge of the 21st century to engage these communities with economic opportunity.

At Urban Trader, we partner with talented and optimistic local artisans/business people who are creating jobs paying a fair wage. Our partners are from both urban and rural areas. All have the same goals: providing stability amid chaos; bringing hope for better lives; and keeping families and cultures intact.

In addition to providing fair wages to our workers, Urban Trader aims to contribute substantial portions of our organization's profits directly back into the projects that serve urban poor communities.

That’s why our vision is:

Transforming urban poor communities through fair trade.

That is how we are helping fight poverty through trade.

For every beautiful item that Urban Trader offers, there's an equally beautiful change happening somewhere in the world.

We want to invite you on a cultural trek around the world to help connect you with remarkable people whose hope and skills inspire us and whose beautiful crafts will bless your homes and lives.

Your purchase empowers artisans with livable wages, skills training and sustainable business development, while helping to break the cycle of poverty.

Our sales provide families with fair wages and investments in their children's education.

We believe very strongly that the best way for impoverished countries to move forward towards the prosperity we enjoy in the west is through sustainable trade and not handouts.

https://www.urbanworldtrader.com/

Journey Through Bethlehem

So I was thinking about the Bethlehem event we took the girls from the Walk to this past Friday and how one thing really stood out to me at the end of that night. I had enjoyed the whole event (aside from waiting an hour or so to go on the "journey"), visiting the different booths of people and learning more about Bethlehem during the time of Jesus. People were dressed up and in character, with even some animals present like sheep, goats, donkeys and a camel. It was amusing to watch the girls laugh and snicker as the Roman guards played their part of being total jerks to everyone who came in. I liked how our guide, though nervous and a little fumbling over his lines, was informative and genuine in his description and presentation of the various scenes. When we came to the very end, after having seen the townspeople, the shops, the inn, the Magi, and baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph, there was a designated space given to explain why Jesus came to earth in the first place. Three large crosses were standing there, with the center one slightly larger and higher than the other two, with a red ribbon draping and a crown of thorns placed on it. The guide shared the gospel with us and something he said particularly caught my attention. He stressed how Jesus is the only way to have our sins forgiven. He asked us, "do you think that God would have sacrificed his only Son if there had been any other way to take away our sin?" The girls responded no. I thought about this and let it continue to strike me because I have been in situations where this very pertinent truth about our Creator is not fully grasped or appreciated. We have the propensity to so easily be fooled and led astray, especially when it comes to matters of theology and right-thinking about our Lord and Savior. There are people in my life, in my own community of believers even, that do not seem to recognize this fact about God: God the Father sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to suffer unimaginable pain and torment, and to die the worst sinner's death upon a Roman cross. He did this because he deeply loves us and desires for us to give our sin to Him in exchange for new and everlasting life. Jesus was the most humble, the most compassionate, the most gracious and the most sacrificial person to ever live here. He willingly accepted to be born as a baby into this world and live a life of servanthood to his Father and humanity. So when the guide asked us, "do you believe that God would send his only son to die for our sins if there had been any other way?" it made me think of how tremendously sacrificial and loving our God really is. One will never appreciate the magnitude of what Christ did for us if they continue to believe that there are other ways to God. Because if you think about it, if God sent Jesus to die in our place when there had been any other way to reconcile his creation to Himself, then he would cease to be a good and loving Father. He would be sacrificing a perfect Son for no reason if there were other options available. If Judaic law, Buddhist philosophy, Hindu mythology, Islamic religion, pagan spirituality, etc. etc. were other ways to know God, then it would make little sense for God to sacrifice his only Son for us. But he did. And it is now on us to acknowledge this great gift and to accept it wholeheartedly, realizing that Jesus is indeed the only way to have our sins forgiven and for us to intimitely know the Father. Our middle school girls understood that and did not have to hesitate or wonder about the question posed to them. But it seems as though, as you grow up, the clarity and obviousness of such answers begin to subside. We take classes in world religions or become influenced by nonbelieving friends, and the once solid truth of Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life just doesn't seem to be as compelling as it once was. We cheapen the gospel and abandon his Word, preferring to create our own versions of Christianity that accommodates the culture and our own personal philosophies. We lose sight of God's message to the world and God's means by which it was proclaimed - Jesus Christ, and him crucified. It is important what we believe about God because it informs how we live, how we treat others, and how we regard our Maker. The moment we start to give in to the preponderances of other ways to access God and receive his grace and mercy, is the moment we begin to denigrate the person of Jesus Christ. To say that someone or something is just as valid in helping us build a relationship with God, blasphemes against Him. There is a reason why the most important command to God's people is to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. This is to protect against wicked idolatry that seeks to take the place of the true Lord over our lives. My prayer is to never forget the sacrifice God made for me, and the reason why he did so. I also pray that others (especially believers) remember who this Jesus is, how he saved them, how he transformed their lives, and how he alone is the only one who can mediate a relationship between us and the Father. Would God remain the treasured center of our lives and the foundation of our joy forever and ever.