March | Fair Trade Friday | 2023

THRIVE

It’s our goal for this 2023 to help you slow down, center yourself in the Gospel, and thrive. Each box this year will include a floral theme and a word of the month designed to encourage you to thrive. This greenhouse illustration above will continue to fill with flowers every month. By the end of 2023, it will be full of blossoms just as your home will be full of inspiration and amazing fair-trade finds.

As you carry your colorful everyday tote, hang your stunning art, and light your fragrant candle, we hope you'll continue to accept this invitation to a thriving life.

If you thrive, others thrive with you

Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:13

Life can bring challenges. Some days are just frustrating and hard. One of the best ways to turn a difficult day around is by easing the difficulties of others. It doesn’t change our circumstances, but it helps our perspective. Cornelius Plantinga said, "The way to thrive is to help others thrive; the way to flourish is to help others flourish; the way to fulfill yourself is to spend yourself.”

At Mercy House Global, we have chosen the word thrive as our annual theme this year because when we thrive as a ministry, vulnerable families do too. Mercy House Global provides hope and empowerment through Fair Trade Friday. This club eases the difficulties of marginalized people by meeting tangible needs like jobs that put food on the table. But Mercy House Global doesn’t just exist for the vulnerable part of our ministry. This club extends an invitation to you to join us. We truly believe that being part of this movement is helping you thrive because your membership is doing that for countless families around the world.

On the next hard day that life brings, we urge you to remember that lending a hand to someone else while you’re in the middle of your need, might just meet it.

thrive tote $24

MADE BY JOYYA IN INDIA

WITH SANAA ART BY RESCUED TEEN MOMS IN KENYA

floral greeting cards $6

WITH SANAA ART BY RESCUED TEEN MOMS IN KENYA

MADE BY LOCAL HOPE IN THE USA Bonus

Look no further for the perfect bag to take with you everywhere you go! The Thrive Tote is made from 100% organic cotton canvas and crafted by the artisans of Joyya in India. It's perfect for so many occasions— gathering your veggies and flowers from the farmer's market, carrying books to church or the library, or simply as an everyday bag. This tote has you covered.

Watch the artisans at work!

Thrive Tote Bag

joyya

Joyya exists to spark good in places marked by extreme poverty and modernday slavery. Sparking goods means providing sustainable employment to women and men from hard-hit communities. The work helps them support their families and keep their kids in school. “Sustainability“ means supporting farmers and local businesses with organic cotton and recycled materials. Joyya helps their staff re-imagine their lives, identities, and futures, and those of their children.

Artisan spotlight

"For over ten years, I have been working [at Joyya]. The main reason for me to work here is my daughter. I joined here in 2018 after my husband lost his job. My wages help me manage my daughter’s educational expenses.

“I have a lot of aspirations for my daughter. Since I do not have much education, I cannot speak English well. I want my daughter to learn well, speak English, and work in an office. I also have some personal wishes, like I want to have a house of my own. I would like to become a manager someday.

“We find it very difficult to get our children admitted to good schools. The mothers of this community have dreams for the their children—to learn dancing, computers, fine arts. But they never have the opportunity.

“There may be girls and boys from our community who will get educated. Our company is training them and giving them a good opportunity to work here. Perhaps with their potential, they can work somewhere else. But because of where they come from, they will not be easily accepted elsewhere. I would like to thank our company from the bottom of my heart for creating opportunities for us."

FLOROLOGY POSTER

WITH SANAA ART BY RESCUED TEEN MOMS IN KENYA

The fun, spring colors of this floral poster will brighten up any space! It contains elements of Sanaa art by young girls who have been rescued from desperate situations and are pregnant or learning to be moms. The girls and their babies are residents of one of three maternity homes in Kenya supported by Mercy House Global.

FLORAL GREETING CARDS

WITH

SANAA ART BY RESCUED TEEN MOMS IN KENYA

You can never have too many beautiful greeting cards on-hand for when you need to send a special message to let someone know you’re thinking of them. The cards’ images are inspired by the artwork of teen girls who have been rescued from desperate situations.

VANILLA BLOOM CANDLE

MADE BY LOCAL HOPE IN THE USA

Your Vanilla Bloom candle was handpoured by Local Hope in Houston, Texas. The three-ounce candle creates a calm and comforting atmosphere with its warm, sweet scent.

Local Hope

Mercy House Global is located just outside Houston, Texas, a city of more than 70,000 refugees, one of the largest populations in the USA. MHG employs about ten women who have resettled in Houston. This group of artisans called Local Hope creates candles, spa products, and home decor for the MHG fair trade line.

In addition to job creation, MHG provides programs to support the local refugee community, including ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) and empowerment luncheons that offer fellowship and skills training.

This candle was hand-poured by Diaa, one of Local Hope’s most skilled candlemakers. Years ago, Diaa and her family fled war-torn Syria. They spent three years in Jordan before moving to Houston, Texas. Diaa’s family has had big news to announce lately. The family recently moved into a beautiful new home, and two of her older sons are engaged to be married!

thrive

Club Member Exclusive

In 2023, each month we will bring our club members exclusive content. In your Fair Trade Friday booklet, you’ll see a QR code linking you to fun digital extras that you can download. Just use your phone’s camera to scan the codes.

Follow the link to find your collection of additional content. This month you’ll find floral prints that you can print and frame. Freshen up your phone's screen with new floral wallpapers. And don't miss the tips on ways to thrive!

fair trade subscription clu FAIR TRADE FRIDAY

WHAT IS FAIR TRADE?

Fairly-traded products are made by artisans who work in safe conditions, are paid a fair wage, and work fair hours. No child gave up his education to produce your new favorite item; no mom was laboring in a sweatshop for 80 hours a week. We ensure that all of our Fair Trade Friday club items are fairly traded.

HOW IS FTF DIFFERENT THAN OTHER SUBSCRIPTION CLUBS?

We are not a for–profit company, or even a profit-for-good company — Fair Trade Friday is operated by Mercy House Global, a nonprofit. All profits from FTF directly support our maternal rescue center, Rehema House, in Kenya. You can learn more at mercyhouseglobal.org.

FTF PARTNERS WITH FAITH-BASED ARTISAN GROUPS ACROSS THE GLOBE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

While we are a faith-based ministry and partner with other faith-based ministries, religion is not forced upon artisans, nor is it a requirement for employment. Many women & their families have different religions than us, and that is okay. Our belief in Christ calls us to love, serve, and help others, regardless of their personal belief systems.

WE HAVE AN APP!

Use the code WELCOME20 for 20% off your first in-app purchase!

#fairtradefridaybox