A New Name

I was saving two seats for friends when I went to church today. I was the only one in the row and nobody had bothered to sit next to me so I didn't even bother putting something on the two neighboring seats to ensure room for my friends. However, just minutes before the sermon was supposed to start, and just seconds before my friends would walk through the sanctuary doors, an elderly man came and sat in my row, leaving only one seat empty beside me.

If you know me, you know that I am one of the least confrontational people you will ever meet and I am absolutely shy when it comes to strangers. There was no way I could muster up the courage to ask this man to scoot over a seat, though there was plenty of room to his left. I would let him be, even if that meant that I would be sitting alone for the service, surrounded on all four sides by people I didn't know. [not to mention, they were adults that I did not know...which makes it all that much worse.] 

I was nervous to say the least. What if the preacher said something especially moving and I teared up? What if the Spirit really stirred in my heart, leading me to tears or kneeling and praying? What if the worship rang in my heart, probing me to raise a hand? What if the people around me neglected to sing, making my voice the loud one though usually out of tune?

Of course the sermon would start out with a saddening movie featuring children starving and neck deep in poverty in the Dominican Republic. [I can't even watch one of those commercials about starving dogs without tearing up, much less adorable children] I could feel a tear welling in my eye. The speaker continued, causing me to laugh a few times and sit in a state of solemn prayer after all was said and done. The worship was heartfelt, leading me to hold out my hand as a flag of surrender.

It was freeing. I allowed God to move me however He wanted regardless of the strangers surrounding me. I realized that even though I typically sit next to people I feel completely at home with, I still restrict the God of the Universe so that I don't act in any way that others may not appreciate. I am worshiping the God who sent His son to bare a crown of thorns yet I am still totally self-conscious.

Ironically [if there is irony in Christianity] the sermon was on "Wow moments" The moments that God gives us a new name, leading us to complete surrender. Once again, ironically, my name "Danielle" means "God is my judge" yet I often allow other people to trump this judge. Today God different give me a new name, He graced me with confidence in my old one.

Living Free

When I was little, I remember begging my parents to go to DisneyWorld. I wanted to see the princesses, I wanted to ride the rides, meet Mickey Mouse in person, get all of the autographs...you get the point. When I was little I loved my AmericanGirl dolls, I had one that looked just like me. I loved caring for them, taking them everywhere as if they were a real little girl. Little did I know that ten years later I would be finding out about the tears that went into making those dolls and the famed Disney T-Shirts. I would find out that the very items that make so many American children skip with glee are the same ones that chain children of the same age to work areas, forcing them to sew the shirts or put together the dolls for me to play with. 

Sitting at my computer, I am disgusted. The very thought of slavery in general [especially after this country long ago abolished it] makes me cringe, but thinking about the children sweating over, crying over, being beaten over, longing for their next meal over the very things that brought me joy and companionship as a child is repulsing. 

I sat at my computer tonight and looked up companies that were not free trade [free of slavery] the list was shocking. Things that I use to get by on a daily basis were all made through blood, sweat and tears.....mostly of drastically underpaid and abused children. CoverGirl, Crest, Cologate, Pepsi, Nestle, Hershey, Apple, Dell, Kelloggs...I could make the list go on and on. [go to http://chainstorereaction .com/home/ to see a list of more companies]

A little boy harvesting the chocolate that would soon be in my candy bars

Beauty products often use children to mine the mica, one of the main ingredients found in most make-up. Chocolate companies use children to harvest the cocoa while drastically underpaying them. Clothing companies higher children to sew the clothes and operate machinery [though child labor has long been outlawed].

I came away from Chapel tonight with my heart being pulled to live a fair trade life. I went to a survey to see how many slaves that I owned based on the items that I consume and it turned out that I was responsible for nearly 36 slaves! [go to slaveryfootprint.org to take the 11 question survey] Yes, this number could be off....and it's not like I own these slaves, but I do keep them in work by buying from the companies that abuse them. I was determined that I was not going to be responsible for the blood sweat and tears any longer. I got on the list to see what companies I needed to stop shopping with....only to find the list consumed nearly every product I use, making it nearly impossible, for me a poor college student to afford to shop elsewhere. My heart sank.

So I may not be completely able to live a free life [which sickens me], but I can cut down on the things that I don't need. I can cut out chocolate and pop [it'd be a good life decision anyway], I can try to avoid shopping at certain stores that are notorious for supporting slavery. I can write a blog and spread the word in order to challenge others who are more able. I can make people aware of the labor behind their everyday supplies, their childhood joys. But in the end, I pass the buck to you: I keep on praying because it's all I can do. I can not let my heart grow calloused to modern-day slavery and hope that it will soon be just another chapter in the history books. 

If you're heart is now plagued [like it should be] check out these apps that will provide you with the fair trade grades of companies...carry it with you as you shop! free2work and free world are just two of the many apps. 

two child minners

"It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
   be compassionate and loyal in your love"

~Micah 6:8 (the message)