Fashion and Compassion

As we approach the date of our first, community wide fundraiser, we must say thank you to a very special organization that has truly been a blessing to us. Fashion & Compassion, a non-profit, jewelry & accessories brand is located in Charlotte, NC. They were so kind as to invite us to host a collaborative "Jewelry Party", to help us raise money and spread the word about our Fashion Beyond Borders Fundraiser!!

Fashion & Compassion seeks to fulfill their mission by connecting caring consumers with vulnerable artisans to bring dignity through economic empowerment.Their hope and goal is to provide dignified jobs to women in vulnerable communities around the world. In addition to providing employment, they also donate ALL net proceeds to Ministry Partners, to further meet the needs of he communities they serve. Such communities include the U.S., Uganda, Sudan, Honduras, Ecuador and Ethiopia!

Today was a day of inspiration, prayer and encouragement! Thank you, truly, to Celeste and the Fashion&Compassion team for sharing your story and your space with us! Your encouragement has meant to much and we truly pray for another opportunity to share with you in the near future! If you are ever in Charlotte, please stop by and meet these beautiful women who empower other women, one life at a time! "Share and Do Good"!

Pure Religion 5k

Pilled in our Jeeps, Lexus and Nissans, the girls and I (with two husbands) traveled down 85 South to participate in the 5th annual Pure Religion 5K at Central Church of God, for efforts to stop human trafficking (http://www.purereligion5k.com). The day was bustled and full of high energy, smiling faces, love, prayer and motivation to do our part to stand up for justice. It was a beautiful sight to see such and exuberant crowd of people, willing to spend their Saturday sharing compassion for other people around the world who are victimized and mistreated. It's easy to get so numb to the crimes of the world and dismiss the suffering of other people, but scripture reminds us that we are to take care of the needy, love the orphans and the widows, do good towards those who are suffering and find ways to share the love of Christ.

(James 1: 27, John 13: 35, Galatians 6:9)

 According to the FBI, 2.5 million people are entrapped in modern day slavery. The victims range between 18 and 24 years of age and consists of 1.2 million children. Out of the millions of individuals trapped in this grievous crime, 43% of victims are used for forced commercial sexual exploitation, of whom 98% are women and girls.
After reading various articles from different sources, I was shocked to discover that Human  Trafficking is one of the most aggressively growing organized crimes that increases at an annual rate, globally. What's more troubling is that Human Traffickers use the United States as a transit and destination country for trafficking and maneuvering individuals from one destination to the next. This includes states such as California, Arizona, Florida, and even right here in the Carolinas! It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually. 


Even though Human Trafficking is a global issue, we can all do our part in putting an end to this evil. Every prayer, every opportunity to educate out selves and every area of support can aid in theabolishment of Human Trafficking. There are children who need our voice. There are families who need our support! There are teenage girls who don't understand their worth, there are women and men who have never known the act of genuine love! We may only be one small person, but we serve a Great God who avenges victims, brings justice against corruption and heals the hurting! You are not too small to make a difference!

To find out more about what you can do to bring awareness to this issue or to support victims in your community, please visit the following websites:
CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking)
http://www.castla.org

All We Want is Love
http://www.allwewantislove.org

National Human Trafficking Resource Center (North Carolina)
http://www.traffickingresourcecenter.org
/states/north-carolina

We CAN make a DIFFERENCE!!!