Category Archives: Ministry

Purchasing Power

I like to shop. I like pretty things. I like to shop for pretty things. I wear the things and decorate my home with them and give the pretty things away as gifts. And I’m not alone. According to Experian, the typical U.S. household today “shells out $12,800 annually on discretionary expenditures.” We spend more money annually on things we don’t even need than the majority of people earn in a year. Statista research shows “69 percent of the world’s population have a net worth of under $10,000 – they account for a mere 3 percent of global wealth. Meanwhile, 23 percent fall into the $10,000-$100,000 bracket and they control 14 percent of worldwide wealth.” What that means is that “in order to be counted among the wealthiest half of the world’s citizens, a person requires a net worth of $3,650.” You only need to earn $10 a day to be considered rich. And more than a billion people actually live on less than $1 a day.

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Hear my heart, I do not think money is bad. I do not think spending is bad. Remember the pretty things? But I believe there is a responsibility we have to be good stewards of our resources.

We are one global economy and with our spending power, North Americans can make a vast and lasting impact around the world. It’s about the power of partial solutions. A line I stole from the documentary “Living on One Dollar“, which I highly encourage everyone to watch. It’s only an hour and it will do dramatic things to your perspective. It shows you that small incremental changes can have a profound effect.
 

So let me ask. Where do you buy your pretty things? Target is an acceptable response, and you all know my love affair with Walmart. 🙂 But what about making a small change with some of your spending power and adding these, as well? These goods are fair trade, handmade; they’re empowering men and women and bringing entire families out of poverty.

2nd Story Goods: They understand how it feels to want to buy things that are good for the people who made them, the planet, and you. This is why they’ve been working on the ground with artisans in Gonaives, Haiti, for 8 years, creating recycled, handcrafted goods for a livable wage.

ABLE: An ethical fashion brand that employs and empowers women as a solution to end poverty. They are deeply devoted to quality – both in the products they make and the quality of life they aim to provide. They invest in, train, and educate women so they can earn a living, break the cycle of poverty, and thrive.

Eleganttees: Elegantees is for the woman who seeks to find a balance in quality and fashion, while enjoying the comfort and movement of a regular tee. Each item is sewn with integrity in Nepal, bringing entire families out of poverty.

Haiti Design Co.: Haiti Design Co houses and partners with production teams working in many types of artisan crafting, including leatherwork, sewing, jewelry making, aluminum casting, metal work, weaving, beadwork, horn & bone, tailoring, and shoe making. We work to provide consistent employment in-house in order to give job training and stability to individuals in vulnerable situations, as well as raise up artisan leaders to succeed as independent entrepreneurs in the community.

Haiti’s Jewels: Another social enterprise in Haiti, they partner with Haitian artist to design, produce and sell beautiful jewelry using materials like recycled aluminum, hand-cut goat leather, natural Haitian sees, stones, coconut husk and recycled glass. As Haitians develop professional artisan skills the buy land, provide food and shelter and an education for their children, pay medical bills, start their own businesses, make positive change in their communities and support their local economy.

Half United: A small, human-first company, passionate about fighting worldwide hunger. As a brand they make a conscious effort to give back, source, produce, consume, and dispose of resources ethically and responsibly.

Karama: Karama believes in dignity for everyone and believes that much of that dignity comes through creative, purposeful work. So its mission is to provide a market for high quality handcrafted African products and to build relationships with African artisans and businesses. They partner with small local African businesses and assist them in financing, designing and marketing their products in the US, things such as apparel, handbags, jewelry, home accessories and more.

Maguba Shoes: The Maguba concept was created in 2009 with the idea to combine Swedish design with the best traditional clog craftmanship. Natural materials, fun colors, and playful shapes became the trademark recognized by all those who are looking for a handmade, authentic, timeless piece of footwear.

Mata Traders: The Mata Traders mission is to ‘fashion a better world’ by creating designs that celebrate a woman’s originality and empower her to use her dollar for change. They merge uncommonly vibrant style with fair trade practices to make an impact on global poverty – bringing fair wages to artisans in India and Nepal.

Mercy House Global: Mercy House exists to engage, empower and disciple women around the globe in Jesus’ name. It provides for the rescue of pregnant girls in Kenya and provides a home for them, providing dignified work to redeem future generations. It engaging those with resources (us) to say yes to the plight of women in poverty by empowering women around the world through partnerships and sustainable fair trade product development.

Mission of Hope Store: Ethical goods supporting Team Hope across the country of Haiti. Part of the Mission of Hope ministry. 

Noonday Collection: Noonday Collection’s mission is to create economic opportunity for the vulnerable. It partners with artisans in the developing world, empowering them to grow sustainable businesses and creating  dignified jobs at living wages. Noonday also donates a portion of sales from adoption trunk shows to place orphans in forever families. Check out their jewelry and accessories.

Papillion in Haiti in 2015

Papillon Marketplace: Shelley, a young mother of two wanted to add to her family through adoption. After spending a week at an orphanage in Haiti, she was surprised to find out that these children had mothers who were alive, but just too poor to care for their children. She set her heart on providing jobs for at risk mothers, so that they would be able to keep their kids. Papillon started because no child should ever be abandoned due to poverty.

 

Raven + Lily: Raven + Lily currently helps employ marginalized women in India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cambodia, Pakistan, Guatemala, and the USA at fair trade wages to give them access to a safe job, sustainable income, health care, education, and a real chance to to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families. Products include jewelry, gifts, accessories and apparel.

Sanctuary Project: A nonprofit social enterprise providing meaningful employment and job training to women who have survived lives of trafficking, violence, and addiction. It’s a survivor-run organization, offering a safe community for women in transition to grow in practical skills while restoring their lives and hearts

Slum Love Sweater Company: These sweaters are made in Nairobi, Kenya, by people living in one of the world’s largest slums called Kibera. The employees are treated with respect, paid fair wages and given the resources and opportunities they need to provide for themselves and their families.

Sudara Loungewear: Every purchase supports living-wage employment and skills training for women in India who are at a high risk or survivors of sex trafficking.

Synergy Organic Clothing: A family operated business committed to producing clothing with the highest environmental and ethical principles. At the core, Synergy is not only committed to creating clothing with a minimal environmental impact, but also empowering men and women through ethical employment practices.

The Root Collective: The Root Collective partners with small-scale artisan businesses in marginalized communities to promote change through dignified jobs. The artisans, most living in slum communities in Guatemala, own their own businesses and set their own pricing. You’ll find jewelry, accessories and shoes.

Thrive Causemetics: For every product you purchase, Thrive donates to help a women thrive. All products are vegan and cruelty free. 

Toms: Speaking of shoes, Toms’ One for One program started with footwear and has now expanded to eyewear, apparel and accessories. This is one of the companies that started the trend and has now given away more than 35 millions pairs of shoes to those in need.

Tribe Alive: Empowering women around the world to fin financial freedom through safe and meaningful employment at fair wages. Success is measured by impact, not profits. The model is moving the fashion industry toward a more humane approach, where the earth and maker as valued equality to the consumer (you and me).

Wanner Label: With the increasing environmental impact we all make on the planet we need to change our ways. There are so many used garments out there just waiting to be re-used so they find these garments and give them a new purpose. Wanner Label sources all materials second-hand and then takes them apart, cut them open and sew them together to create new garments, totally unique. 

ViBella: ViBella is a jewelry company committed to much more than just jewelry. More importantly, they’re committed to providing employment, education, and opportunity to artisans in Haiti, Mexico, and right here in the United States.

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Just a couple of the beautiful women I met at ViBella in Simonette, Haiti.  
 

We all benefit from a flourishing global economy so let’s do our part to make a good and lasting impact.

This is not an exhaustive list, just a few makers of goods I have enjoyed. If you have a company or organization you’d like me to add, find me on Instagram or email kelli {at} kellihuff.com.

Peace & hugs,
Kelli

Happy Birthday, Mamay!

Today is Mamay’s birthday. This adorable boy is nine years old and I’m so proud of who he is.

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He lives in a small village in Haiti where life expectancy is 49 years, annual income averages $400 (making it the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere), literacy rate hovers at 45% and unemployment is stagnant at 40%.

But this boy wakes up with purpose each day as he puts on his school uniform, sits in a classroom, is fed a meal, and learns. He is learning. He is receiving an education that will help pull him and his family out of the despair of impoverishment.

Jared Bernstein is an economist and senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and he says “economists may disagree a lot on policy, but we all agree on the ‘education premium’ — the earnings boost associated with more education.”

Education is a key to eradicating poverty. And we have the privilege of sending this precious child to school through sponsorship at Mission of Hope.
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One of my most holy moments was when I met Mamay for the first time.
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Sweet, shy, funny, creative Mamay. We were both a bit overwhelmed by the experience, but Jesus met us there and helped form a bond that stretches over an ocean. Every letter we get from him has a picture.
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(Note to self, send more drawing supplies!)

He’s quite the artist! Just like my husband, which is special. See, he’s become a part of our family.

We’re taking the kids to serve at Mission of Hope in October so that they and my husband will also have the awesome opportunity to get a Mamay hug, maybe kick the soccer ball around, sit in his classroom and just be with him for a bit. He’s a special kid.

If you want to make a difference in another special kid’s life, consider sponsorship. Pray about it. Please. And see what starts to happen.

Unmet Expectations

This is the step-by-step process my brain engages when an experience falls short of my expectations.

  1. Expectation
  2. Expectation not met
  3. Disappointment
  4. Deep breath
  5. Reminder to self that things don’t always go my way
  6. Forced perspective to be open to new possibilities
  7. Attitude adjustment
  8. Move on
I can have this silent conversation with myself in about 7.3 seconds. Except when it comes to my kids. With them I tend to get to step #3 and then chart a new course that involves loud voices and hurt feelings. Is there anyone in your life where you find it hard to adjust when things don’t go as planned? Why is that? Why are our expectations often so unrealistic of some? With my children, I think it’s because I know them so well and know what they are capable of accomplishing. When I feel they’re not living up to their potential, my instinct is to coach and instruct, not love and encourage. And this is can be damaging. To their self esteem, to their abilities and to our relationship.

I’m so very grateful God is a much better parent than I will ever be. How often could he use his loud voice with us? How often do we deserve a time out? But instead of disappointment God offers sacrifice.

My friend Kenny Green spoke on Palm Sunday about expectations. And it did not disappoint. As we prepare this week to celebrate Easter, I encourage you to spend some heart time listening and learning.

Palm Sunday: What Did You Expect? from Gateway Church on Vimeo.

And here is a related reading plan I hope you will enjoy!

Identity

{Dear God, thank you so much for this kid. Thank you for who she is and who you created her to be. Lord, thank you for gifting us with this precious child. Help us have the wisdom to parent her well, to direct her toward the path you have prepared for her. Lord, I pray these strong characteristics you have instilled in her are used for good. I pray, Father, that she only look to you for validation. That she always know her identity is found in you alone.}

Some version of this is prayed over my children every night. They hear this cry every day of their little lives. If they remember nothing else from me – brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, deodorant is not optional, the Spurs are the greatest basketball team, pizza is better than chicken soup when sick – they’ll know this. That their identity is in Christ.

That’s it. That’s the ballgame. If your kids walk away from you with that in their back pocket? Winning.

Of course we’re proud of our kids when they reign supreme in the spelling bee or when they make the game-winning shot or when you see them serving in their community. Or sit still for five minutes! Not pick their nose! And you should be. Be their biggest fan! Be your own biggest fan! Celebrate that promotion. Make that engagement Facebook official. Take the new car out for a spin. But do not believe those things make you who you are. They’re things. They’re events. You’re a person. Your child is a person. God created each of us in his image and with specific and marvelous characteristics. And this is so important to remember. Because jobs can go away and tests are forgotten and flunked and relationships fall apart. But you don’t have to fall apart with it. Your identity is bigger than those things! Your identity is in Christ. Nothing is bigger than that.

Y’all, there’s such freedom in this. I am so glad I’m not the sum of my actions. Aren’t you? I’m not the sum of my sins. I mess up. And God’s grace covers me because I am his. So say that prayer right now. For your kid. For yourself. Your identity is in Christ.
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Living word

I feel God. I’ve experienced God. I live my life for God. But do I hear from God? I love this quotation from Justin Peters:

If you want to hear from God, read your bible.
If you want to hear him audibly,
read it out loud.

So I do. I study and I learn. But I don’t always view the bible as God’s voice.  It can be academic or routine at times. I know it’s life-giving, but I can be dense. So that’s why I love it when God is so unbelievably obvious that even I, in my busy, distracted life, can’t miss it.

Let me tell you a story.

Trey went to his first sleep away camp this winter with our church. He’s grown up in church, understands faith and has accepted Jesus as his savior. Big time moment for us, the best moment a parent can have, but that’s a different story. This story is about him being in third grade, old enough now to attend camp, but still only having the Jesus Storybook as a bible. A great bible, but not a big boy, going-away-to-camp-for-the-first-time bible. So we get him one. He picked out a backpack bible. It’s great, it has a camo cover. He loves it. He loves that Jesus’s words are in red. He loves how thin the pages are. He loves that it’s his. He wrote his name in it. I imagine him holding onto this bible the whole of his life.

But on the first day of getting this bible, he didn’t know what to do with it. So I start to teach him about the bible and its books and authors, explain the table of contents and how to look up scripture. Now let’s be real here. When I say “teach” I mean I’m talking to him about the bible, cooking dinner and helping his sister with homework all at the same time. I don’t want to inflate the moment. It was not a “holy” moment. It was a life moment. And that’s when it happens. He asks me to test him. Give him a scripture to look up. In the busy of that moment, I simply string a name and two numbers together without any conscious thought of what I might be sending him to, or even if that verse existed! I said ahhhhh, Matthew 3:17.

It takes him a minute or two but he finds it. It does exist and do you know what it says? I obviously didn’t, but God did, because I hear my precious boy read out loud:

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Y’all. Time stopped. It got quiet. My husband and I look at each other. My daughter puts her pencil down. I think I burn dinner. I hug my boy. In his first bible, in the very first verse he reads, he hears that he is God’s son and he is pleasing. Boom. God speaks. We hear him.

Sure, the verse in context is referring to God’s only Son, Jesus, and the heavens opening up after he emerges from his baptism. But God’s word is living and in that moment he spoke directly to my son. My kid who has been reading through all of Matthew since. My kid who knows, without a doubt, his identity is in Christ and Christ alone. Because he is loved and God is well pleased.

I cried that night. I’m crying now. Because I needed that reminder just as much as my boy. We all need that reminder. So I hope you’ll remember this. And that it will inspire you to open yourself up to all the ways God is speaking to you. His word is alive. And he is well pleased… with you.

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