It Was A Hello Kitty Shirt

This is a guest post written from the heart of my dear friend, Cathie.  Read it and be challenged, like me.

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I ran to Walmart quickly today to return something and began looking for shirts to fit my daughter.  I found one that I liked that I was certain would look cute on her. It was pink.  It was Hello Kitty.  And it was seven dollars.  “Hmmm” I thought, “Seven dollars is a little much for a shirt but it will look really cute on her and I know she'll love it… I'll just get it.”

As I began walking down the long aisle to pay for it, a war began in my mind.  I remembered an email I had recently seen about Walmart being rated "F" for its fair trade practices and slave labor.  But I just kept ignoring that thought and kept heading toward the checkout.  “Okay, I'll look and see where it was made” I consented to myself.  Answer?  Indonesia.  “Well lots of our clothes are made from there right?” My thoughts continued “I wonder if the person who made this shirt for Mattea was the same age as my girl… four?”

I began to let the Lord really speak to me in my mind's eye.

I saw a little girl in Indonesia working morning until night without any pay, with little  food, little sleep, probably beaten, possibly raped... all so I could have this cute little shirt for my Mattea. All so I could have it at the low price of seven dollars.  Was it worth it? 

I kept wrestling with God all the way to the check-out, saying it's just one small item.  I've shopped here many times.  One more little thing certainly can’t hurt?  I've known Walmart is rated low for fair trade and slave labor for awhile but I hadn’t let the ‘knowing’ sink in my heart and conscience... until today. 

Something else struck me as odd as I walked through that mega-store today.  Everyone I looked at was just trying to get the cheapest deal, the lowest price, the most for their money.  Just like me.  People had their lists; their shopping faces were on.  It's a bad economy.  We all need to be wise and frugal.  But I wondered if they all knew, just knew, like I just knew... if they wouldn't do it anymore.  But even I had known previously and still shopped there after I’d heard awful stories.  I asked myself “How can we know these things, but still ignore them?” 

The Lord impressed His answer upon me.“Because there's a disconnect from ‘over there’ to ‘over here’.” He spoke to my heart. I listened.

We don't see it happening; we don't hear about it on a regular basis; we can't imagine these things could be true.  So we naturally and easily disconnect ourselves from the horrific reality that this is happening in our world today.

I continued to surrender and I allowed my heart to connect ‘over there’ to ‘over here’. What if I saw Mattea, Mackenzie, Mathias, Isabella, Aubrie, Joey, Micah, Ava, Amber, Jessie, Lydia - and the list goes on of all our beautiful precious kids in our community- what if we saw all of them being forced to work in horrific conditions, forced to do things unimaginable, forced to be adults in their little kid bodies... would we still buy the shirts they were making for us?  Would we still want to get that sale or deal because it's cheap and we are ‘poor’?  Would we still support the company that was ‘hiring’ (kidnapping or dishonestly taking) them and having for them to work for cheap... FREE... so the rest of the world could profit?  Or would we find another way to pay the extra money to go to another store that is not willing to participate in this kind of labor? 

And so I put that cute little Hello Kitty shirt back on the rack and said a little prayer of surrender to the Lord.

Today our family stopped shopping at Walmart.  I realize it's a long and difficult road to find out who is fair trade and who does and does not participate in slave labor.  But once you do know, I mean, KNOW in your heart and soul and that God has spoken - like I did today - seeing and believing in what He is saying, then to turn back is like a dog going back to its vomit.  As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. (Proverbs 26:11) I don’t want to be considered foolish by God and I do want to stand up for what is right.  Is anyone fighting on behalf of these children? I will do what I can to stand up for them. Leaving Walmart in my past is a small thing, I admit, but at least it’s something.

This verse came to mind:  

The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities! Luke 12:48

We all know that excessive drinking while pregnant causes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  We know that smoking causes disease or even death.  We know that extended exposure to the sun causes skin cancer.  We know too much of certain foods can cause high cholesterol and heart problems. We can't see it happening while it's happening, but the research and science have proven it as fact.  We accept these things as truth and we adjust our lifestyles accordingly.

And now we know that some corporations exploit children in the manufacturing of their products.  If we continue to support companies that don't practice fair trade, then aren’t we aiding the continuation of the use of cheap, abusive child labor?   The needs are overwhelming, certainly. It’s hard to know the right way to respond and the way to make the most impact. I don’t have all the answers. But maybe, just maybe we can be people that do the possible and take the first step of saying “No” in our hearts and begin to adjust our lifestyles accordingly.

I write all this - not to be dramatic or emotional - but to honestly share what God did in my heart in the hopes that God can speak to your hearts too.  Please don't think I will judge anyone for where they shop.  I know that becoming entirely fair trade and slave labor free in my shopping is a long road that I have just begun.  But once you know, you know. And today God showed me His heart and asked me to take a stand.  So I did.

                         "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil                            is for good men to do nothing."

Edmund Burke

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http://www.betterworldshopper.com/

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

I Walk the Line (Guest Post by Pam)

This is my first guest post ever! Pam is a friend who lives in the same city as I. She is also a (published!) writer and is able to put thoughts and experiences into words in way that strike such a chord with me. She often leaves me laughing hysterically thinking "ha!! That is so funny... that [enter any number of awkward cultural observations here] is so true!! Glad I'm not the only one..." or nodding my head and thinking "Yeah... I get it. I'm there. I just didn't know how to express it". I have trouble putting some aspects of this unique lifestyle into words, but Pam does it so well.

This is the case with the following post written in the midst of some political and economic insecurity (which is actually kind of the norm around here).

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You'll have opportunity to hum the tune at the end of this note, but please give me a few moments to explain how "I Walk the Line" here in this life overseas. I realize that in many ways I have the same responsibilities here in [this country] that I did in the US. Dishes, laundry, groceries, errands are all still a part of my day (which reinforces my very high-brow philosophy of "wherever you go, there you are").

Still as I'm going through my normal day I also have thoughts such as,

"I wonder if I have enough pages in my passport..."
"If they demonstrate today, will that affect school attendance?"
"Will a full tank of fuel be enough to get us to a neighboring border?"
"I wonder why all those policemen are congregating near the airport today."
"Does the banning of imports include Diet Coke and brown sugar?"

Somehow my day still progresses into a form of routine, but it is wearing. I recently asked a couple friends who've lived this life for a while, "So when do I stop feeling so tired all the time?" They smiled and said, "You don't."

At least I know I'm not sporting some odd medical condition, nor do I consider any longer getting brochures for a retirement center in my home town. (Sometimes it's necessary to go to bed at 8:30 pm.) It's just part of living here. Learning the rhythm, pace and even pressurized living conditions are part of walking the line between effectiveness and total implosion.

Granted, I very much hope to lean toward the first rather than the latter, but there are days... Yet in those moments I can honestly say that God has spoken to me in clear, poignant whispers:

"I am with you."
"You can trust me."
"I hear your prayer."
"I am developing your character."
"I love you, daughter."

Yes, I walk the line; a line of utter, boring normalcy and unpredictable, government-shaking anomalies. However, I think Johnny Cash sums it up best so I'll let his lyrics speak for me.


I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time.
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
because you're mine,
I walk the line

I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when each day is through
Yes, I'll admit I'm a fool for you
Because you're mine,
I walk the line

As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I've known proves that it's right
Because you're mine,
I walk the line

You've got a way to keep me on your side
You give me cause for love that I can't hide
For you I know I'd even try to turn the tide
Because you're mine,
I walk the line

Remembering Grandpa Bud

This morning, half-way around the world, a memorial service was held for Grandpa. Our hearts were there with our dear family. My husband wrote this to be read during that service...

Growing up close to Grandpa, I often had the privilege of being his companion and helper. In my elementary years, I'm sure I slowed the work down more than actually being a helper, but he never let on to that fact. By middle school and high school, I may have started to lend something to the partnership, although he would remain the brains behind the operation. Together we managed jobs like hanging awnings, cleaning gutters, running cables and trimming trees. I can't recall him ever becoming frustrated or annoyed through the many years and many jobs. If something didn't work the first time, we would just get back in the little station wagon for another trip to the hardware store until we found something that would work. He always seemed to walk through the pleasures and the challenges of life with a joy and peace that I truly appreciate now.

He was a story-teller. My favorite one was about the time he spent working in a factory making metal coils. He worked at a station and had a quota of how many coils he had to complete each hour. If he made his quota before the hour finished he could sit for a a few minutes to rest. During these breaks he noticed two marks in the wooden floorboards at the station. The man who did this job before him had spent so many years standing in one spot making coils, he had actually worn groves in the floor where he had stood. Grandpa said he decided he didn't want to spend his life making those groves deeper. He began to look for other options which would eventually lead him to Delaware.

You learn a lot about a person and from a person by simply walking through life with them. From Grandpa I learned the importance of sometimes choosing the unknown path over the well-trodden path. But perhaps more importantly, I learned about walking down the path with a grace, peace and joy that is not easily shaken by circumstance.