Fair Trade Friday - Mercy House

I am going to take over the boys blog on Friday's to bring awareness to the struggles of the poor in our world.  Many of you know that I have gone to Kenya on mission trips for the past two years.  This experience has changed me and my perception of what true severe poverty looks like.

In the village I visit in Kenya, the people do not have electricity or running water.  Their material possessions are few, but thankfully, seem to have enough to eat.  Their joy is overflowing; their love and dependence on Jesus has left me wondering if I am truly the poor one in the room.

A few hours away though are the slums of Kenya.  One such slum is Kibera, the largest slum in the Nairobi area.  This is where poverty so extreme is a daily struggle.  Young girls often prostitute themselves just to be able to feed their families.  Education is not a constant because the fees are too high.  There are stories of hope, though, and life change is taking place.

I was recently invited to learn more about an organization called The Mercy House.  They exist to rescue young girls, some as young as 12, who are pregnant from the slums of Nairobi.  They provide a safe home, prenatal care, and help teach the women to care for their baby and to learn life skills for when they return to the slums.  It is a two-year program.

Here is a video that shows one rescue story.  It is a girl named Lillian.  In the video, you hear Lillian telling her story, and you watch her rescue from the slums.  It can be hard to listen to, but so important for us to understand the struggles people face around the world.

https://vimeo.com/189926909

 Now that you have heard a real story and seen images from a life different than ours, you have a response to make.  We will all respond in some way, whether we do nothing, pray, choose to help educate the world around us, or something else; a response is required.

Mercy House offers hope to the women, like Lillian, whom they rescue.  They teach life skills, but also offer employment opportunities.  The women from the slums are really no different than us, although their circumstances are.  They want to feed and care for their families.  Mercy House is helping to provide a sustainable source of income for the women, often times higher than the average wage in their area.

One of the easiest ways that we can help women around the world is by shopping from fair trade locations.

Mercy House Global works with organizations all over the world that are empowering women through fair trade production.  Knowing where products are made, who made them, and the story of life change behind the product is empowering to all women.

Take a look and make a difference!