The Break-up....WITH CHOCOLATE

  
Who here likes Reese's Eggs/pumpkins/trees? Personally, it my favorite candy. I used to buy packages of them and put them in the freezer to save for months after the holiday had passed. I haven't done that since I learned a disturbing bit LOAD of information concerning chocolate. I recently read a blog that brought back to mind just how unfair the chocolate industry is. Unfair to whom you ask? To hundreds of thousands of little children in West Africa, that's who. This Rage Against the Minivan: the inconvenient truth about your halloween chocol... is the blog that I just read. The writer does a great job of laying it out. She has more detail than I will probably remember to include here. Please take time to read her post! But I also would like to share my heart on this subject. 
  I've known about this issue for about a year and I've started almost only buying fair trade chocolate. It easy to forget when all the Holiday candy comes out and I see my favorite candies hit the shelf again, but are the yummiest of treats worth the exploitation of children? Worth them being taken away from their family, miss out on school, miss out on play and after all this, to get paid very very little or nothing at all? No way dude. As a person, how can my conscience allow this? More importantly, as a believer, how can I take part in this? By supporting such an industry with our money, we are in disobedience of Scripture. Let me share a few passages that come to mind:

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:14

WILL WE BE LIKE THOSE WHO WERE KEEPING THE LITTLE CHILDREN FROM COMING TO SEE JESUS? IN SUPPORTING THOSE WHO FORCE THESE CHILDREN INTO LABOR, I BELIEVE WE ARE DOING SO MUCH DAMAGE.

 ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:42-46

WE NEED TO BE BRINGING FOOD, WATER, CLOTHES, THE GOSPEL TO THESE KIDS! NOT SUPPORTING THE COMPANIES THAT ARE HURTING THEM!

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Luke 6:31

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WERE YOUR CHILD? WHAT MEASURES WOULD YOU TAKE TO STOP IT?

“One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Luke 16 :10

WE MIGHT SAY," BUT ITS JUST A LITTLE CHOCOLATE, ITS NO BIGGIE." IT SO IS. LETS BE FAITHFUL EVEN IN THE LITTLE THINGS, LIKE THE .50 REESE'S EGGS...

I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on anyone, but I want for people to know what is going on. As believers, we have a responsibly to look out for the least of these. Think about where your money is going. Saving money on Halloween treat/stocking stuffers/Easter basket candy is not worth the price of a child. Any child. 

So, What can we do? well,  I'm breaking up with commercial chocolate. Even in baking. To me, its worth it to spend a little more on a fair trade product. To save money, I can cut back in my use  rather than buying the cheap stuff that was made at the hands of child laborers. Whole Foods has several great products that are Fair Trade. There are also many places you can get it online.  And here is a resource list of Ethical Halloween treats: http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/roadside-assistance-kristen-howerton/2012/10/12/ideas-for-an-ethical-halloween/#sjaaks-halloween-peanut-butter-bites

What are your thoughts on this issue? Did you know? Now that you know, whats next?