This week, I feel like I'm being confronted by the idea of fair trade chocolate. At Northmead High on Thursdays we run a Bible study for people who don’t know Jesus. Every week we also share chocolate together. When I was in Woolworths looking to buy it they had a special on Nestlé blocks for $1.99. Bargain! I didn’t think twice about getting it.
But twice this week I've been prompted to stop and think about whether to support the big companies who exploit child labour to make their products. I love that some members of our 645 community take a stand and only eat fair trade chocolate. I love that at Northmead High on Friday many of us signed a letter to send to Cadbury Australia asking them to follow their UK counterpart and use cocoa that hasn't been harvested by exploiting children.
I get angry at the way Nestlé and Cadbury and other companies exploit children to make a cheaper product. So I think that it might be time for me to take a stand too. But at the same time, I recognise that there are so many other things to think through and take a stand on in our world... But instead of using that as an excuse, perhaps we all need to do something and reflect and pray as we go?
If you want to think more about this issue check out www.donttradelives.com.au
1 comment:
Hey Tania - this is something I've done alot of thinking about and personally care deeply about and find it so encouraging that NHS signed a letter to send that Cadbury.
"I think that it might be time for me to take a stand too. But at the same time, I recognise that there are so many other things to think through and take a stand on in our world... But instead of using that as an excuse, perhaps we all need to do something and reflect and pray as we go?"
I really think this is something we can take a stand on, and it's not a hard one. For example, if we only buy/use fair trade chocolate when we meet together as a community we'd be supporting both the chocolate companies who supply it and those in our community who are standing against the injustice.
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