Photo courtesy of Urban Grace
GLOBAL NEIGHBORS. Holiday shoppers will discover finely made, handcrafted gifts with an international flavor at this weekend’s Fair Trade Sale at Urban Grace, including distinctive baskets like this one. Sales will help make a better life for the artisans.
With Christmas being a time of year to do nice things for others, why not apply this same principle of kindness to those from whom you buy your gifts? Rather than put more money in the pockets of WalMart executives, you can help bring a better quality of life to deserving families around the globe by shopping at this weekend’s Fair Trade Sale at Urban Grace Church.
On Nov. 21 and 22, Urban Grace: The Downtown Church and Trinity Presbyterian Church will host their second annual Fair Trade Sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Urban Grace parlor. Partnering with Ten Thousand Villages and several other fair trade vendors, the sale will feature handcrafted, distinct products from more than 40 countries. This is the perfect opportunity to support artisans from places like Nepal, Latin America and Asia and to also find uncommon gifts that are not machine-produced on an assembly line. These are quality made products created by the hands of everyday moms, dads, grandparents – real people in poorer parts of the world trying to make a decent living for themselves and their loved ones.
“We are a church that values the least, the last and the lost of our world,” said Urban Grace Executive Administrator and Fair Trade Sale organizer Jennifer Dean. “By purchasing fair trade products, we can live out this value not by giving a handout, but by providing employment, dignity and joy to artisans and farmers.”
Dean said the turnout last year was so good that this year the sale will be held for two days instead of just one.
“It was more successful last year than we imagined it would be,” she said, “so this year we’re almost doubling the amount of hours we were open last year.”
She mentioned some highlights at the sale this year: hand block-printed tableware items from India including tablecloths, napkins and placemats; coffee, chocolates and food items; hand-woven baskets; household items; musical instruments; toys; and a lot of beautiful jewelry. There will also be ample decorative holiday items for sale too, like hand-carved nativity sets from Bethlehem, Christmas ornaments and tree skirts, to name a few.
“Who knew that buying a bag of coffee, a pair of earrings or a Christmas ornament could give such purpose and hope to someone you’ve never met?” Dean mused. “Being involved in the work of fair trade has caused me to rethink what I buy and where I buy it. It has challenged my sense of stewardship and I hope it will do the same for our church and those who shop at our Fair Trade Sale.”
There are several fair trade vendors involved in the sale in addition to Ten Thousand Villages. Jubilee Traders partners with artisans in Nepal and India to bring lovely and fairly traded products like handbags, jewelry and table linens to customers through SERRV International, which also supports fair wages for all and rights for women, and will have varieties of signature chocolates for sale. The compassionate Blue Note Coffee will have its fine blends for sale, and Equal Exchange partners with co-operatives of farmers that provide high-quality organic coffees, teas, chocolates and snacks from all over the world.
Dean said there is a story behind every product on the Fair Trade Sale shelves. “I’d like to share a story from Bethlehem that you probably haven’t heard before.
“In the village of Beit Sahour, Raja Bannoura and his family hand-carve nativities and ornaments from pruned olive tree branches. Their workshop is located close to both its source of inspiration and its raw materials. Based in the West Bank region, the workshop is just east of Bethlehem amidst rocky hillsides and olive groves.
“Since Raja started the workshop in 1974, olive wood nativities, ornaments and carvings have provided hope and harmony as neighbors have worked together to create beautifully carved figures in a community unsettled by civil violence. The decline in the tourist market over the past several years means that work is slower today, but Raja still provides some 20 artisans with employment and much needed income to these families.
“For Raja, carving olive wood nativities brings deep satisfaction. Raja says, ‘It is very important my artisans keep working in order to still have their income. Since they are working, I and they will have a better quality of life. This is more than a job... this is part of our heritage.’”
Stories like these put a human face on the need, Dean said, and the way to make a real difference awaits those who act globally by shopping the international market at Urban Grace this weekend. “It is another way for us to be part of something bigger than ourselves that can affect people in need in very personal ways. Come and enjoy – you won’t be disappointed!”
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