It’s April and it's likely you’ll be doing your Easter Egg shopping soon. What are you going to buy? Lots of little eggs, or a couple of really big ones? Cadbury’s, Red Tulip, light chocolate or dark chocolate, an egg, or a rabbit or a bilby?
You may well choose not to buy an Easter egg at all, but most of us seem to fall into this annual indiscretion. Here's an idea to ease your conscience (although I hope it's more than that): Look out for Fair Trade chocolate. Reaching out with the love of Jesus means many things, but one of those things is to treat people fairly and with justice.
By buying Fair Trade chocolate this Easter you can play a part in ensuring better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices, Fairtrade addresses injustices against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
This Easter, play your part in achieving a fairer, more just society. There’s information available about where to buy Fair Trade chocolate this Easter at www.fairtrade.com.au
Showing posts with label symbol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label symbol. Show all posts
Monday, April 4, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Go Slow
I was reading the other day about the new project of the Office of Road Safety, called “Enjoy the Ride”. The creators of the promotion believe the way we drive is a symptom of the way we live; Too fast. They claim that research confirms that 70% of people who say they live hectic lives, admit to speeding on the road, while only 40% of people who say they live more balanced lives admit to speeding.
It got me thinking about Baptistcare’s vision: “To transform and enrich lives”. Mostly when I ask someone about their day, the answer is “busy” and I wondered if perhaps it is possible to be too busy to be able to make a difference in people’s lives.
Baptistcare staff drive a fair bit, and traffic infringement notices come in quite regularly. I have to admit that I am not without fault in this regard. If the advice of the Office of Road Safety is correct, our lives are too hectic and it is showing in the way we drive.
How can we join the slow movement so that we can be more effective in transforming and enriching lives? It may be in the way we drive, or about leaving your mobile phone on your desk while you go to lunch and letting it ring. For that matter just making sure you have a lunch break and not eating at your desk.
Take the pace of life quiz and share your thoughts about how you have learnt to slow down so that you can improve your capacity to bless the people around you.
It got me thinking about Baptistcare’s vision: “To transform and enrich lives”. Mostly when I ask someone about their day, the answer is “busy” and I wondered if perhaps it is possible to be too busy to be able to make a difference in people’s lives.
Baptistcare staff drive a fair bit, and traffic infringement notices come in quite regularly. I have to admit that I am not without fault in this regard. If the advice of the Office of Road Safety is correct, our lives are too hectic and it is showing in the way we drive.
How can we join the slow movement so that we can be more effective in transforming and enriching lives? It may be in the way we drive, or about leaving your mobile phone on your desk while you go to lunch and letting it ring. For that matter just making sure you have a lunch break and not eating at your desk.
Take the pace of life quiz and share your thoughts about how you have learnt to slow down so that you can improve your capacity to bless the people around you.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Two Special Days This Week
There’s no end to the number of special days we can celebrate in Australia. I don’t feel particularly stressed from having missed Data Protection Day and Library Lovers’ Day this year, but this week there are two days that I don’t think should go unnoticed.
Today, March 21 is Harmony Day which was established to recognise the multicultural nature of our society, to recommit to tolerance, goodwill and understanding for people from all groups in our community and to say no to racism.
Also this week, on March 24, we celebrate National Close the Gap Day which acknowledges the need for us to close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are still dying 10 to 17 years younger than other Australians.
Such special days are an opportunity for us to pause in the midst of our busy lives to think about the great things that are a part of living in the lucky country, but they also give us cause to reflect on those aspects of our society that need significant change. I have to say that my life has been enriched by relationships with people of many different cultures, but even as I give thanks for those relationships I have to hang my head in shame as I think about injustices that have been experienced by the original Australians and may yet be experienced by those who are finding their way to Australia in rickety boats as we speak to escape hardship, poverty and war.
To gain a better understanding of the issues raised through these two special days this week I encourage you to find out about Harmony Day at http://www.harmony.gov.au/ and Close the Gap Day at http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/initiatives/pages/closingthegap.aspx.
Today, March 21 is Harmony Day which was established to recognise the multicultural nature of our society, to recommit to tolerance, goodwill and understanding for people from all groups in our community and to say no to racism.
Also this week, on March 24, we celebrate National Close the Gap Day which acknowledges the need for us to close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are still dying 10 to 17 years younger than other Australians.
Such special days are an opportunity for us to pause in the midst of our busy lives to think about the great things that are a part of living in the lucky country, but they also give us cause to reflect on those aspects of our society that need significant change. I have to say that my life has been enriched by relationships with people of many different cultures, but even as I give thanks for those relationships I have to hang my head in shame as I think about injustices that have been experienced by the original Australians and may yet be experienced by those who are finding their way to Australia in rickety boats as we speak to escape hardship, poverty and war.
To gain a better understanding of the issues raised through these two special days this week I encourage you to find out about Harmony Day at http://www.harmony.gov.au/ and Close the Gap Day at http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/initiatives/pages/closingthegap.aspx.
Monday, October 25, 2010
A symbol
Baptistcare is spread widely around the southern half of Western Australia. We’ve got about 1300 staff and we work from more than 20 different office or service locations as well as providing services in more than 200 private homes around the state. How do we establish a sense of unity in such diversity?
One way is to have a symbol that we can use in each of our locations that reminds us that we are not alone but are part of a bigger family. I heard about one organisation that uses a teapot to remind them of their role of hospitality. I like the idea of a watering can because of our vision to transform and enrich lives – there seems to be some synergy with gardening.
Have you got any ideas? Add your thoughts to the comments at the bottom of the blog and join the conversation.
One way is to have a symbol that we can use in each of our locations that reminds us that we are not alone but are part of a bigger family. I heard about one organisation that uses a teapot to remind them of their role of hospitality. I like the idea of a watering can because of our vision to transform and enrich lives – there seems to be some synergy with gardening.
Have you got any ideas? Add your thoughts to the comments at the bottom of the blog and join the conversation.
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