I was in Ottawa this past weekend for The Justice Summit, which was a great event I will summarize more next week.  My Ottawa stay spilled into Monday, and between meeting with an MP on Parliament Hill and getting to watch Question Period (in all its gory glory), I walked with my husband and a friend to the office of my favourite fair trade brand in the world – Camino – which is owned by the Ottawa-based La Siembra Co-operative.  They were the first registered importers of Fairtrade Certified cocoa and sugar in North America!  I was really excited.

About two years ago I made a decision not to purchase non-fair trade chocolate bars, and I still shed the occasional tear for my beloved Kit Kat.  I was confronted with the fact that many around the world are being exploited or enslaved to make our chocolate, and that I wanted to support brands that pay fair wages and offer healthy livelihoods for my brothers and sisters in developing countries.  I love the idea of reducing vulnerability and preventing situations of poverty in which families have to sell their daughters or take big risks just to survive.  Since I made this decision, Camino chocolate has overtaken my taste buds, and I was delighted when Mélanie Broguet, the marketing and communications manager (and taste test panel member!) agreed to sit down with me for an interview. You guys are in for a real treat.  Note: The text in pink is my own commentary!

Melanie at a CEPICAFE sugar cane field in Peru

Mélanie, what is it like to be on a tasting panel and what has been your favourite Camino taste test product so far?

There are 8 people on the tasting panel, and we are trained every 6 months.  We’ve learned to speak the same language.  For example, we learn to identify notes like red fruits, oak, and earth, which helps us develop recipes. After a day of taste testing we can’t taste anything anymore!  Taste testing is important because it ensures quality control.  Every harvest is a little bit different, so we have to make sure the taste is close enough in each batch to ensure consistency.  I like dark chocolate, specifically the Panama 80% which is more fruity.  The Dark 71% has a more complex taste to it. (At this point Mélanie brought in the Panama and the 71% and we got to experience this difference!)

One Yummy Camino Gift Pack!

If you could choose three items for a gift pack, what would they be?

The Panama 81% Extra Dark Chocolate bar, our Dark Hot Chocolate, and the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Snack Bar.  (I wanted to take a picture of these three items, but ended up eating the Panama chocolate bar before my camera got to it! Oops. I substituted one of their delicious Raspberry bars, another of my personal favourites!)

What inspired you to work here?

I’ve always been very passionate about the environment and social justice.  I have a business background and realized that that there should be more to business than just trading and making money.  My boyfriend at the time got a job here and I loved what La Siembra stood for.  I liked that Camino works directly with farmers and fosters diversified, vibrant communities.  I have been here since 2007.

Camino Team - A Happy Bunch!

Can you explain how fair trade works, and how Camino operates differently from big corporations?

Fair trade really focuses on community.  Isolated, small scale farmers often do not know anything about selling their product, like what the price of beans would in the international market.  In order to get fair trade certification, they have to come together as a co-operative.  This gives them more opportunities for knowledge and accountability.  Once they are registered with the Fair Trade International, Camino can work with them.  Fair trade is about transparency, long term commitment, and knowing who you work with.  (Camino sources ingredients for all their products from co-operatives of family farmers in 10 countries: Dominican Republic, Peru, Paraguay, Panama, Guatemala, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Costa Rica and Brazil.  There are over 35,000 of these family farmers!)

Camino is not only fair trade, but organic.  These two go hand in hand.  Our products are shade grown, meaning that less water is needed to produce a crop.  We also help farmers diversify their crops, so if there is a year where one crop does poorly, they can still harvest others.  Big corporations generally do not operate in this way, and usually require large amounts of water and pesticides to keep profits high.

Yani, Whole Brown Sugar Sugar Project Manager at CEPICAFE Head Office in Piura, Peru

Is there a story of transformation you’d be willing to share with us?

In Peru’s remote Montero area, people used to make a sugar called canchaca (block of sugar). It often ended up being used to make alcohol (aguagardiente) because it was so poorly processed, leading to alcoholism and violence in this rural town.  When Camino began to work with the farmers in this community, things started to change.  Now the region produces high quality brown sugar that has more nutrients, and can be sold internationally.

The number of producers in the CEPICAFE Co-op has grown to 6,663, and cheap sugar is no longer used to make alcohol. Violence has decreased. Kids see that their parents are earning a living wage from farming, and instead of heading to the cities to find work, the young generation is going to school and returning to their village with even more knowledge.  (I LOVE this!  Often youth are vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking when they try to make ends meet in cities.  Amazing how sugar can reduce vulnerability!).  The product is packaged in Piura, about 3 hours away, so the whole process provides livelihoods for many families.  This project started in 2003 and has been a success. Their crops have been diversified, so even though right now there is too much rain for a good sugar harvest, they still have other things to farm.

Making Sugar

If you could share one last thing with Hope for the Sold readers, what would it be?

First, I would tell them to pay attention to who is behind the product.  When a big corporation that is not fair trade has a fair trade product, it is good for awareness but what are their motives?  Camino is about more than this, because our motives are about social justice, sustainable communities, and the environment, more than just about what looks profitable or trendy.

Also, I would say to support your local farmers, gardens and communities here.  Increasingly the fair trade movement is focusing on local fair trade. When organic, fair trade items cannot be found at the local level (like cocoa beans since they don’t grow here), support farmers in other countries.

Wow.  So cool.  Mélanie sent us away with our arms full of Camino samples, which I am munching on as I write this.

Thank you so much Melanie for showing us that buying fair trade products can actually make a difference in the lives of others!  For those of you who want to try some Camino chocolate bars, snack bars, juices, coffee, hot chocolate, baking products, or treats, you can find a store near you by typing in your city or postal code here.  If you live in Canada, you can also order Camino products online at Well.ca, which offers FREE shipping for most Canadian locations.

Camino products make for great gifts – I even used Camino sugar and chocolate as game prizes at my bridal showers a few years back!  Really, the possibilities are endless.

I encourage you to check out the Camino website, the Fairtrade Canada website, and VOTE NOW for Camino’s Chocolate as the best fair trade item in Fairtrade Canada’s contest!  Finally, watch this video and register your first step!

Tara Teng - Photo Source: Vancouver Sun

A dear friend of mine, Tara Teng, is a fiery abolitionist who is using her voice to ignite a passion for justice all around the world.  I have mentioned her in several of my posts because I am inspired by her activism and truly blessed by her friendship.  When I first met Tara in British Columbia over a year ago, she was about to compete in the Miss Canada pageant.  But this girl is way more than a beauty queen.  She won the title for 2011, and has not wasted that platform for a second.  Don’t believe me?  These are just some of the things Tara has been up to this past year:

Worked for the Dalit Freedom Network, a  Canadian organization committed to the oppressed Dalits of India and their children, who are at risk for trafficking and exploitation.

Organized Freedom Week in British Columbia to raise awareness about human trafficking.

Visited Thailand and Cambodia, connecting with anti-trafficking organizations on the front lines, showing love to children and impoverished families, and seeing first hand how victims of sex trafficking end up in Asian karaoke bars.

Tara in Cambodia, 2011

Took a team of abolitionists on the road as the keynote speaker for the “Ignite the Road to Justice” Canada Tour, visiting 10 major cities across the country, connecting communities and mobilizing a network to fight for justice.

Tara Teng with MP Joy Smith

Spoke at various schools and churches, catalyzing students to take action.

Completed an internship with MP Joy Smith on Parliament Hill, learning and taking part in the fight against human trafficking on the political front.

Got nominated for Chatelaine Magazine’s Women of the Year Award.

Travelled to South Korea to speak with David Batstone at the Not for Sale Conference.

And trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg.  But it is Tara’s character that I love more than anything that she has accomplished.  She is a woman of integrity.  She loves people, genuinely.

On her blog she wrote the following:

I walked through years of character development and learning hard life lessons before I ever stepped up to the platform of Miss Canada or Miss British Columbia. I went into the pageant with a clear focus, end human trafficking and the sexual slavery of my sisters around the world. I was intentional in my decisions leading up to the pageant and throughout the pageant. No revealing evening gowns, no fake hair extensions, fake nails or bra inserts and no swimwear competitions…No matter how fierce the competition may be, I refused to alter who I was or water down my message. Winning a title is never worth compromising in your convictions.

Tara has recently announced that she will be competing in another pageant, this one being Miss World Canada.  If she wins the competition, she will have the opportunity to compete on a global stage with women from all over the world, for the Miss World Pageant in China.  This would give her a platform to raise awareness about human trafficking on a much bigger scale, including an opportunity to speak at the United Nations.

Help Tara Win Miss World Canada!

So, here is where you come in.  Tara needs our help!  And FAST!  Here is what you can do to help Tara win the Canadian title so that she can compete in the Miss World Pageant in China this summer.  This will open up many more opportunities for her to speak out against injustice.

Raise some cash on Tara’s behalf.

10% of Tara’s final judging score in the pageant is based on fundraising for Variety-the Children’s Charity, an organization that helps children with special needs around the world. Because she is coming into this late (due to her convictions to NOT wear a swimsuit onstage for a pageant), she has only 3 weeks left to prepare and fundraise while the other girls have been preparing and fundraising since January!  If you want to support the work of this great organization and help Tara get one step closer to representing Canada at the Miss World Pageant, you can DONATE ONLINE or contact Tara at tara.teng@gmail.com.

Vote Tara for the Miss World Canada People’s Choice Award.

Though voting does not affect her score, the winner receives a free trip to las Vegas, which Tara would use to spend time working with anti-trafficking groups there.  You can vote once per IP address and once per FB account.  That means you can get two votes!

Vote for Tara via the Miss World Canada website HERE

Vote for Tara via facebook HERE

Not only does Tara want to represent Canada, but to also represent victims of human trafficking all around the world.

Tara Teng, Contestant for Miss World Canada 2012

The Miss World Canada Pageant takes place on May 13.  I will keep you posted!  In the meantime, please consider supporting Tara through raising some funds and voting.  You can follow her blog here. All of us are not called to enter beauty pageants to spread an important message, but let’s support a fellow abolitionist who is!

Like many abolitionists who use their early mornings, evenings, and weekends for anti-trafficking work, I have a day job.  Some days when I get home from work, I am exhausted and overwhelmed by the tasks that lay before me – whether it be fundraising for our documentary, writing letters to MPs, preparing for awareness events, researching, blogging, or catching up on emails.  I hunker down to get it done, but before I know it, it is midnight and I feel I’ve only gotten started.

Have you ever felt this way?  Like your intentions are good but your time is limited?  Like your lack of resources hinder you from ‘really’ making a difference?  Like you don’t know enough about an issue to tell others about it?  My abolitionist friend Kat and I talked this weekend about how sometimes we feel guilty that we don’t know all the answers, because we don’t want to betray someone’s trust by leaving out an important piece of information or misguiding them on a matter we have simply not had time to research or experience yet.  I’m only speaking for myself, but feeling overwhelmed can be absolutely crippling.

Instead of allowing myself to feel frustrated, last week I came to the following conclusion after listening to a message by Craig Groschel:

I will not let my inability to do EVERYTHING make me do NOTHING instead of SOMETHING.

I have a notebook where I record all the things I do to fight human trafficking, just so I can stay organized, track progress, and remind myself of important things.  I got out a big black marker and wrote the following on the cover:

Some days, my “something” fills a page and I crash into bed with the exhilarating feeling that maybe, just maybe, I changed the world that day.  Other days I am only able to fill in a line, which could be something as simple as writing a note of encouragement to someone on the front lines, or adding tags to a blog post, or reading half an article on sex trafficking.  Writing it down reminds me that though my responsibility is not to do everything, it is my stewardship and responsibility to do something.

What does this look like for you?  Whether your passion is to fight human trafficking, or serve the sick, or adopt an orphan, or teach kids, or mentor teens, or lead with excellence, or feed the hungry, or tell redemptive stories, or volunteer abroad, or write poems, or comfort the mourning, or help people in conflict zones, or support those struggling through mental illness, please don’t let your inability to do everything make you do nothing instead of something.

Maybe you could start by getting a notebook and a big fat marker, writing your reminder on the cover, and filling your first line.

Last week on Friday, Bill C-310, which many of you asked your MPs to support, was expected to pass through its Third Reading.  Through the first stages of the Bill, there had been unanimous support from all parties, and all parties had expressed that they would support the Bill in the Third Reading. However, this is what I received from MP Joy Smith:

Today (Friday) , Bill C-310, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in persons), was expected to be adopted unanimously by the House of Commons at Third Reading and sent to the Senate. However, at the last minute, the NDP prevented debate on Bill C-310 and delayed the Bill from passing until the end of May.

“I am absolutely stunned by this,” said MP Joy Smith. “Bill C-310 will strengthen Canada’s efforts to combat human trafficking and this should not be a partisan matter. I have worked so hard to secure the support of all parties and have appreciated the support of all MPs for this Bill up until today.”

“At each stage of this Bill, I have reached out to members of other parties,” stated MP Smith. “In advance of today’s Report Stage and Third Reading, I spoke with the NDP and Liberal House Leaders to secure their support for Bill C-310 to be adopted today. They assured me that they were fully supportive of Bill C-310 being adopted today. Then, about 10 minutes before debate was to begin, I was shocked to find out that the NDP would be opposing Bill C-310.”

“What is most astounding is that the NDP have been fully supportive of Bill C-310 at Second Reading and Committee stages. They have even jointly seconded this Bill,” says MP Smith. “My heart sank when I watched as they stood, smiling and shouted ‘NO!’ when the Speaker of the House sought consent.”

As a result of today’s actions, Bill C-310 will be voted on next Wednesday, and will drop to the bottom of the Order of Precedence instead of heading to the Senate.

“I don’t have any answers as to why this happened,” said MP Smith. “I would invite Canadians to write or call NDP members for an explanation of why they would vote against such an important, bipartisan Bill and deliberately hold it up.”

“Today, modern day slavery exists in all corners of our globe and our resolve to eliminate it must only grow stronger,” said MP Smith. “In fact, only yesterday, a judge handed out the toughest penalty for human trafficking in Canadian history for an egregious case of forced labour.”

Bill C-310 amends the Criminal Code by adding the current trafficking in persons offences [s.279.01, s.279.011, s.279.02, and s.279.03] to the list of offences which, if committed outside of Canada by a Canadian or permanent resident, could be prosecuted in Canada. The Bill also adds an interpretive aid for courts to provide greater clarity of the definition of exploitation in s.279.04 of the Criminal Code.

Since introducing Bill C-310, MP Joy Smith has presented petitions containing 1000’s of signatures from Canadians calling for the adoption of the legislation. Many organizations have also lent their support for this legislation, representing stakeholders such as law enforcement, victim’s services, and non-governmental organizations.

The NDP decided to act in a partisan manner with Bill C-310 and needlessly delay it OR the NDP made a grave procedural error.

Regardless of what the reason was, the NDP’s actions halted the debate and passage of an important human trafficking bill that the Conservative, Liberal, Green, and Bloc parties were prepared to debate and support.

Note: The NDP could rectify this by offering to move Bill C-310 back to the top of the Order of Precedence by trading one of their Private Members Bill spots with Bill C-310.

My husband Jay and I wrote to several NDP MPs, asking them why they blocked debate on this bill, as we wanted to understand what happened.  We have waited for several days and not received a reply.

TODAY there will be a debate on this bill in the House of Commons.  If the Member of Parliament that represents you is part of the NDP party, please contact them today and ask them to support this bill. Ask them also to grant a position change with one of their private members bills and move Bill C-310 to a sooner vote for the 3rd reading.

I don’t know what happened here.  Some anti-trafficking bills are more controversial, but this one had unanimous support.  I think the NDP made a procedural mistake.  You can read this great article about the NDP’s decision to get more info.  You can also contact MP Joy Smith’s office with any questions: 613-992-7148 or joy.smith.a2@parl.gc.ca.

Update: C-310 just adopted at Report Stage with all in favour. Could have been sooner if it had not been blocked earlier, but grateful it is now to the next stage!  I will update this post once I hear more.

You can read more about this week’s events in Tuesday’s post.  I’ve had a lot on my mind the past few days and will be writing a more reflective post on this issue soon.  Stay tuned.

The Project

For the past several months, Hope for the Sold has been raising funds to make a documentary about the legalization of prostitution and its connection to sex trafficking.  We are raising $80,000, and hitting several countries.  Why do we think this project is important in the prevention of sex trafficking?  Read more here.  Don’t know much about this issue?  Learn more here.

The Update

I am happy to say that due to the generosity of HFTS blog readers, friends and family, and fundraising initiatives like Christmas parties, Ride for Refuge, CD release concerts, and business donations, we have now raised just over $22,000 to date, meaning we are over a quarter of the way there!

For those of you who have given to this project, THANK YOU!  Your support is such a gift, truly.

The Ask

If the vision of this project resonates with you and you want to make a donation, you can do so online here, or by cheque which you can make out to Hope for the Sold and send to:

International Teams Canada

1 Union Street

Elmira, Ontario

Canada N3B 3J9

Donations are eligible for tax receipts.  American donors can also make a tax deductible donation by following instructions here.

We are also pursuing grants, so if you know of one that this project would qualify for, please let us know as soon as possible.  Let’s invest into justice together and fight hard to prevent the exploitation and abuse of others!

Many of you ask how you can get involved in the fight against human trafficking.  This week, Bill C-310 is going before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.  Bill C-310 has two parts:

• It seeks to amend the Criminal Code so that Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are involved in human trafficking outside of Canada’s borders can be prosecuted for their crimes.
• It seeks to amend the Code to ensure that the definition of exploitation in Court will be enhanced to include clear examples such as the use of threats, violence, coercion, and fraudulent means. Law enforcement, lawyers, and prosecutors have faced challenges demonstrating exploitation in trafficking in persons cases under the current definition.

Here is a request from MP Joy Smith:

I am pleased to update you that my private members’ Bill C-310 will be reviewed by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on March 15, 2012. If it is successful at Committee, it will be sent back to the House for Third Reading … I need your help to encourage members to move Bill C-310 through the Justice Committee in a timely manner.

Bill C-310 will help protect women and girls in Canada and abroad from exploitation. You can make a significant difference by taking a few minutes to send and email on behalf of yourself or your organization to the Members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Please also copy your local MP and myself (joy.smith.a2@parl.gc.ca). You can find out your local MP’s address here.

Here is a list of the MPs and their emails on the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights:

Chair: Dave MacKenzie – dave.mackenzie@parl.gc.ca

Vice-Chairs:

• Irwin Cotler – irwin.cotler@parl.gc.ca
• Jack Harris – jack.harris@parl.gc.ca

Members:

• Françoise Boivin – Francoise.Boivin@parl.gc.ca
• Charmaine Borg – Charmaine.Borg@parl.gc.ca
• Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay – Kerry-Lynne.Findlay@parl.gc.ca
• Robert Goguen – Robert.Goguen@parl.gc.ca
• Pierre Jacob – Pierre.Jacob@parl.gc.ca
• Brian Jean – brian.jean@parl.gc.ca
• Brent Rathgeber – brent.rathgeber@parl.gc.ca
• Kyle Seeback – kyle.seeback@parl.gc.ca
• Stephen Woodworth – stephen.woodworth@parl.gc.ca

Need more details on the bill?  MP Joy Smith and her team have put together a fantastic backgrounder document so that you have enough information to write an informed email, see below:

Briefing on Bill C-310

If you are not well-versed in political language, do not feel overwhelmed.  Even writing a brief email of support for the bill, requesting it to be moved through the Justice Committee as quickly as possible, is a great way for you to make a difference. If you can, include your contact information in the email (full name, address, and phone number).

Please write your email before Thursday March 15.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all!

Update from MP Smith’s office:  ”Bill C-310 passed Committee today with the support of all MPs. Will be reported back to House of Commons for Third Reading on March 26. Great testimonies by MP Joy Smith, Timea & Rob from Walk With Me, Roz and Mark from Beyond Borders and Amir Attaran.”

***Thanks to everyone who wrote an email of support to help this happen!  I will keep you posted as this Bill moves forward.

Though at Hope for the Sold we generally focus on the issue of sexual exploitation more than other forms of human trafficking, sometimes there is an urgent need or important story about labour trafficking that needs to be highlighted.  All forms of human trafficking are driven by greed and involve exploitation, manipulation, and coercion, and are oftentimes run and facilitated by organized crime.

Tomorrow, March 1 of 2012, Canada’s largest human trafficking case is going before the courts in Hamilton, Ontario. The victims are men from Hungary, who were locked up and forced to work in construction in Hamilton.  Timea Nagy, a sex trafficking survivor who started Walk With Me, an organization that provides aftercare services for victims in the GTA, is requesting that people who want to show their support to the victims that will be testifying against their traffickers in court come out the hearing tomorrow.

These victims need to know that Canadians care about them and what happened to them, and showing up to Court as they bravely face their abuser is a great way to do that.

When: Thursday March 1, 20120 at 2:30 p.m. (This was changed from 9:30am.  Please check the Walk With Me facebook page for updates on any further changes.)

Where: John Sopinka Court House, 45 Main Street East, Hamilton, Ontario

Here is the press release that Timea has sent out to anyone interested in coming out tomorrow.

Thus far the Hamilton Hungarian case is the largest human trafficking case in Canadian history, both in number of accused and victims.

In what has been called Canada’s largest human trafficking case to date, A man by the name of, Ferenc Domotor Sr., was accused of being the ringleader in a human trafficking and fraud operation in the City of Hamilton, in the Province of Ontario. Domotor Sr. is currently facing human trafficking, fraud, conspiracy and organized crime charges before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Allegedly, Domotor financed and arranged for the victims to fly to Canada, and instructed them to claim refugee status upon arrival. Domotor Sr. then locked them in the basements of homes in Hamilton and Ancaster, Ontario where some were fed “three-day-old meals that even dogs would not eat.” Domotor Sr. then allegedly confiscated their passports and forced them to work at a construction site for seven days a week without pay. Several victims claim that they were threatened, ordered not to leave the houses unaccompanied, and beaten.

“The public needs to be aware of flaws in Canada’s refugee and welfare systems that allowed a group of Hungarian Roma criminals to live in Hamilton and get paid for it” says the lead prosecutor of an ongoing human trafficking case.

“Disgusting, stunning, shocking, I just don’t have the words to describe,” said the assistant Crown attorney, Toni Skarica.

Attila Kolompar, one of the most vicious members of the Human Trafficking ring, will stand before Court on March 1st, at 9:30am 2:30pm at the John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton, Ontario. The victims will be attending to court as well, and will be asked to read their victim impact statement in front of their abuser.

This is the largest Human Trafficking Case in the Canadian History, and the Canadian public needs to be aware of this issue.

I am sadly unable to make it to Hamilton tomorrow, but am asking everyone in the Hamilton area who can to attend this court hearing.  A friendly face means the world for victims who are forced to re-live their abuse in a courtroom, and this is a very practical thing you can do to demonstrate your support.

If you have questions, send them to info@walk-with-me.org, or through facebook.  Once again, be sure to check on the Walk with Me facebook page for any further time changes.

Let’s make it clear that we as Canadians will NOT tolerate the exploitation of human beings!

For more reading:

• Surviving Slavery by The Spec
• RCMP hunt Hamilton family on human trafficking charges by The Record
• Third in human trafficking ring pleads guilty by The Spec
• Hamilton prosecutor lashes out at lax rules, tells Hungary ‘We don’t want your criminals’ by The Spec
• The gypsy kings: Part 1 of 2 by The Spec

If you do attend, contact me afterwards – would love to hear what you thought of it and how it went.

UPDATE: Thank you to all of you who showed up in support!  Attila Kolompar received a sentence of 6 years, though he is eligible for 2-for-1 sentencing.  More details here, and here.

In addition to running Hope for the Sold on evenings and weekends, I work at an office where we do creative and silly things…like decorate our windows with window markers.  As I was heading out the door last night, I saw a quote that had been written on one of the office windows:

“The impossible can always be broken down into possibilities.”

- Author Unknown

The impossibility of ending human trafficking glares at us every day.  It tries to master us, discourage us, defeat and cripple us.  Injustice personified mocks our efforts, tests our motivations, and undermines our actions.

But what if we broke down the fight against sex trafficking into a set of possibilities?

• It is possible to teach our children to respect women.
• It is possible to say no to paid sex.
• It is possible to practice integrity.
• It is possible to adopt, foster, or sponsor a child.
• It is possible to start supporting fair trade.
• It is possible to speak up when you see abuse.
• It is possible to become more generous toward those in need.
• It is possible to stop supporting the pornography industry.
• It is possible to start something super creative to fund anti-trafficking efforts.
• It is possible to volunteer at a safe house.
• It is possible to learn more about what is going on in our world.
• It is possible to say no to legalization of prostitution.
• It is possible to call a hotline to save a sex trafficking victim.
• It is possible to change company policy.
• It is possible to sign petitions and change human trafficking laws.
• It is possible to reject the status quo and live sacrificially.
• It is possible to get trained to identify human trafficking victims.
• It is possible to shut down avenues for exploitation.
• It is possible to change.

Let’s treat impossibility a little more like this:

Wedding planning is a crazy season, and for those of you getting married this summer, these next few months will be ones of busy preparation. Something that is becoming increasingly common is for the bride and groom to make a charitable donation on behalf of their guests instead of sending them home with a wedding favour.  On our wedding day, Jay and I decided to give the gift of water through Rwanda Clean Water and placed a bookmark shaped card in everyone’s water glass with some details.

We recently had the honour of speaking at a spa and awareness event put together by Trade Sensation, an event planning company based out of Toronto.  They suggested we make “in lieu of wedding favours” available through Hope for the Sold. Here’s what I came up with:

If you would like to make a donation to Hope for the Sold in lieu of wedding favours, you can select which style of card you’d like to give your guests.  Once I have your information, I will then customize it with your names, wedding date, and picture, and send you the PDF file that you can get printed for those attending your wedding.

All the money from the donations will be going toward this project.  All donations will receive a charitable tax receipt (this is possible for U.S. donations as well).  You can find out how to give online or by cheque on the bottom of this page.  If you are interested in donating in lieu of wedding favours, please contact me here, with subject line “wedding favours” so we can get the ball rolling!

If you know of any people getting married, just copy this link to send this post their way: http://bit.ly/HFTSWeddingFavours