God has been challenging me lately and asking whether I am
willing to radically change the way I live my life so that I can truly love my
neighbour. My answer is yes, but when
you consider your neighbour as anyone that your life and choices impacts, it
becomes a very different proposition. It
appears to affect everything. As I have
been reading, praying and thinking about this over the last few weeks I have
become more and more aware how hard it is to live a life that you can guarantee
is slave free. By slave free, I mean
that does not include products that have had slaves involved in their creation
at any stage. The problem is that
slavery has become so prevalent and it is everywhere, not just in distant
places but here in the UK too.
So, I know my life is going to radically change over the
next few weeks and months as I consider what I buy, where it comes from and who
has been involved in making it. This has
already started and this blog is mainly about the changes I have already made
and the ones that I know are coming.
However, as I am writing this on a MacBook, I am very aware
that I have no idea as to the impact that Apple have throughout the world, good
or bad. Thankfully, I am not currently
looking to buy any new technology but am very aware that when I next need a new
phone or a new computer, the choices open to me, if I want to know my purchase
is slave free, may be greatly reduced.
That though, is a consideration for another day.
In my last blog on this subject, I mentioned that slavery is
everywhere and that many industries are affected. There have been examples in the UK of slaves
being used in agriculture, in picking and processing our fruit and vegetables. How then do I make sure that my fruit and veg
is slave free? I have found a local
collective of small holders who grow and pick their own vegetables and sell
them too. It is a much more expensive
way for me to buy my vegetables. It is
also different as you do not know what you are getting (except for the staples
of potatoes, carrots and onions), you just get what is seasonal and ready. Despite the expense and not knowing what I
might have in the box (which I’m choosing to see as a fun surprise), I am
thankful that I can know that the vegetables that I eat every week are truly
slave free.
So that’s my weekly veggies sorted but what about my other
purchases? As I said previously, God
first talked to me about these issues over 2 years ago and at that time I knew
he was talking to me about Amazon. I was
appalled at some of the things that you can buy on Amazon, including books on
how to be a sex tourist. However, if I
am honest, I was not ready to radically change my lifestyle at that time and so
I continued to be a member of Amazon Prime.
Recently though, my membership was up for renewal and after a very
timely discussion with a friend, I knew that the right thing to do was end my
membership. This wasn’t just about some
of the things that they sell, but also about the fact that when shopping on
Amazon I don’t have to consider my purchase, where it’s from or who was
concerned in making it. It was just too
easy!
So, I cancelled my membership and then very quickly needed
to order some books, previously, I would have just gone on to Amazon and had
them delivered the next day. Not this
time though. First, I went to
Waterstones, the only book shop that we now have in the city centre of
Leicester but they did not have the book on human rights that I wanted. Next, a search on the internet found the book
I wanted from Blackwell’s bookstore and so I ordered it. A few days later, a group of ladies that I
meet with suggested a book for us to read together. This time though I was able to order it
through the local Christian bookshop.
One good thing of stopping Amazon is that I am walking into town more
and therefore, getting more exercise!
Thank you Jesus.
I never thought before about how easy it is just to pop on
Amazon and buy something but now that I am not using it, I am having to
consider my purchases and it is all good.
So, my thoughts so far are:
I will buy British wherever I can and source locally where
that is available.
I will buy second hand and use charity shops where possible.
I am open to suggestions!
It’s funny but some of these things are good just because
they are about loving my neighbour who lives near me and not just caring for my
neighbour who lives on the other side of the world. They are also good for the world and fit with
my desire to care for the planet as best I can.
As Kris Vallotten would say, that makes it a win-win and that is always
good!
Lastly, I have been in touch with a local charity that work
into the brothels in Leicester and hope to be volunteering with them in the
near future. I know that as I believe to
see the end of slavery worldwide, I need to start by knowing what is going on
locally and getting involved there too.
So, I am excited about where this journey is taking me as I
continue to be obedient to the next steps as God shows them to me. Again, can I encourage you to step out in
obedience with whatever God is asking of you because if we all do our little
bit, this world we live in will look a lot more like heaven – what a glorious
thought!
Happy heart! Blessed
indeed!
