We Have A Trades of Hope Winner!

Sorry for the delay. There's been a family tragedy that I've been dealing with, but Stephanie has gone ahead and picked a Trades of Hope Winner and here she is to announce who gets this beautiful scarf:

Congratulations to Amber Johnson our Trades of Hope blog post winner! Please contact Stephanie Erickson at stephaniefortradesofhope@outlook.com to claim your beautiful Nepali Scarf. The Nepali scarf is made on a hand loom out of recycled silk and cotton. Nepal is a very poor country. Women not only contend with dire poverty but sex trafficking as well. Trades of Hope empowers women to build a sustainable business that provides a better way of life for themselves and their families!

Congratulations Amber!

Trades of Compassion - Who Are They? & A Scarf Giveaway!

Editor’s Note: I wanted to bring in the opportunity for others to get their stories out whether it is fashion, a ministry that is near and dear to their heart or they just want to share. I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Stephanie, a Compassion Entrepreneur for Trades of Hope. You can visit her shop here: mytradesofhope.com/stephanieerickson70. She blogs over here & tweets over there: @ericksonsteph Here she is to tell you a little bit about what stirs her heart:

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your story?
Hello, my name is Stephanie Erickson, I am married and am a mother to five kids (two are biologically mine) ages 11 to 28. I enjoy reading and writing in my spare time - althought there's not much of that. I homeschool one of my children - my 13 year old daughter who attends a small charter/home- school every Friday during the school year. I serve as the PTO Vice president of her school. I am in charge of fundraising for my step-son's premier soccer team and am a Compassion Entrepreneur with Trades of Hope.

What got you interested in Trades of Hope?
My interest in Trades of Hope stems from personal tragedy. Due to people whom I love dearly and out of respect for them I will not mention names nor specifics. Just know that I understand the pain of a mother who has become fully aware of the suffering her child/children have experienced by the hand of a person who was supposed to be trustworthy. My heart has been so devastated that the only way for me to cope was to help suffering women and children suffering. The thought that I am making a difference brings joy to my brokenness and prevents bitterness from touching my soul.

What particular aspect of TOH captures your heart the most? Why?
One of the most rewarding experiences for me is the blessings my friends and family give me in allowing me to host a party in their home. This gives me opportunity to share my burden for these women and children worldwide who suffer in extreme poverty and/or sex trafficking dangers. To bring truth to people and birth hope to women who only want a chance not a handout brings immense satisfaction to my heart. It is an honor working with so many like-minded women who truly desire to break cycles of poverty and sex trafficking worldwide!

How have you changed since you started working with TOH?
I feel more hopeful than I ever have. I feel like there truly is a way to help sex trafficking victims and poverty stricken women worldwide.

Which is your favorite piece and how do you love to wear it?
I like so many items. I guess my favorite is the Sunrise Necklace from India. The colors are red, brown and oranges. It is a beautiful piece. 

The most touching items are two from our own country (USA) and a third from Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi item is soap in a variety of scents made by former sex slaves. All these women are able to be free of sex abuse and provide for themselves through the making of The Sacred Mark Soap Set. This item that makes you clean is such a perfect fit! 

Cherished, a ministry in California, focuses on teaching women who were terrorized by sexual exploitation how to function in society again. These women make a variety of items but Trades of Hope purchases a pendant called The Redeemed from this ministry. One of the neatest things is that upon completion of the piece the artisan engraves her initials on the back - the redeemed proclaiming their redemption. 

Thistle Farms in Tennessee ministers to women who have suffered through sexual exploitation, addictions and domestic violence. These women make a variety of body products and Trades of Hope purchases their all natural Lip Balms.

Thanks to Stephanie and Trades of Hope, they would love to give one of my lucky readers their gorgeous Nepali Aqua Scarf for free! Who wants a gorgeous scarf for free? I thought so! Leave a comment on here on a way that Trades of Hope has struck a chord with your heart. This giveaway is open from Monday, August 12, 2013 until Wednesday, August 28, 2013. Stephanie and I will be choosing the winning comment after that (if you have any questions, feel free to ask!). We can't wait to hear your stories!

Words... about Costa Rica.

Check out Ted & Gracie's August newsletter and read about basically what I did this summer. Yes, there's been pictures but this newsletter actually has words. Haha.

Ok, it seems weird to not post a picture, so enjoy this sweet picture of my friend, Eposi, jumping rope at the school in Finca 1. :)

Relational Ministry

Waiting for the next mission team to come in right now.

We spend a lot of time between teams relaxing, coordinating with different team leaders from future teams, stocking up on supplies we need for the next teams, enjoying fellowship with each other, cleaning and doing relational ministry in Rio Frio.

What does relational ministry look like?
It's different than a lot of other ministries. It's not "let's go build these people a house". It's not "we need to feed these people for x amount of time". It's not "a huge week production then nothing". This is getting to know people, getting to know their life stories, meeting them right where they are and encouraging them to grow, taking them to the Bible and disciple-ing them.

So what do these teams that come in do if they aren't doing physical labor?
They build relationships. Ted and Gracie's ministry in Rio Frio is about building people, not buildings. They do this through couple's meeting women's meetings and youth meetings that the people asked to set up, not something Ted and Gracie decided to do. They will be starting a men's group soon as some men asked Ted if they could start one a few weeks ago. The teams participate in these meetings as well as teaching values lessons in the local schools. We can't outright preach the gospel, but caring for your neighbor is great coupled with the good Samaritan story just like the prodigal son teaches the value of unconditional love. We're in a different school every week with the teams teaching different lessons. These may be the only values lessons these students get though. Costa Rica has seen a need for good values to be instilled in their people and are doing that with mandating values lessons be taught in schools. This is where Ted, Gracie, their ministry, and the teams that support them step in.

Aren't the people hungry? What about housing for them? What about programs?
Sometimes, often, possibly always giving begins a cycle of co-dependency. If someone always came in and gave you what you needed, do you really think you'd be able to survive if that someone stopped giving? Giving things is great, but when people start to rely on them is where trouble begins to set in. The cycle of co-dependency starts and can really mess things up.

Thoughts to think about today...
We're off to wait at the airport for the team now.