Trades of Hope GIVEAWAY!

There has been a lot of talk in the adoption community recently about corruption, about the fact that international adoption is not the answer when it comes to orphans, and about how we can prevent orphans to begin with. It has been good! To learn more, please read Jen Hatmaker's series: Examining Adoption Ethics.

Unlike Bo, many children become orphans because of poverty, and that is just not okay. Families who love their kids, sacrificially give them up because they cannot feed them. Horrifying to think about!

I am happy to promote a business/ministry today that supports women, many of them mothers, and by doing so, I believe, prevents children from becoming orphans, in the first place. Here's what the founders of Trades of Hope have to say about it:

So many women live in poverty, not because they lack abilities, but because they lack opportunity. We started Trades of Hope to give women that opportunity for a better life. Each woman has a story, and with Trades of Hope's help, their story has changed from pain and struggle to a story of HOPE!

We work with the artisans themselves and organizations that are helping women in difficult circumstances. Some women have been rescued from sex slavery. Others are raising handicapped children alone. Some are in war torn countries and others have AIDS. These women have never had the chances we've had, yet they are just like us in so many ways. They love their families and hope and dream of a better life for them.

We are helping by marketing their products through the home party model, so they can put food on their table, a roof over their head, get medical care and an education for their children. We want to tell their stories to the world!

How exciting! Trades of Hope is giving hope to women and children and communities and we consumers are getting beautiful, hand crafted items to wear and use. They have gorgeous items with a fabulous variety.  What a win-win!

My friend, Rainy Benedict, is a Compassion Entrepreneur for Trades of Hope. She has a heart for these women, for orphans, and for justice so when she asked me to host a giveaway and write about TOH, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Please visit her site and read the testimonials, the stories, and browse the catalog to see the amazing wares they have to offer and to learn more about the women that are crafting them. Be sure and learn about becoming a Compassion Entrepreneur, yourself. What a great opportunity to help women and earn some money at the same time.

Rainy has offered this beautiful, Nepali Aqua scarf for me to give away to one of you readers:

Here's what you need to do to win:

• For one chance, simply visit Rainy's TOH page and then comment that you did on this post.
• For more chances, share Rainy's page on Facebook, Twitter, and/or your blog. Then comment here that you did. You will receive one entry for each share, so if you share on all three and visit her site and tell me about it, you will receive a total of four entries. 

My kids will help put all the entries into a hat and pull out the winner which I will announce on July 4th. Easy peasy!