A lot of the time when I write my "spotlight on" posts, I focus on charities that are often participating in a lot of the same types of activities. Most Christian charities out there are fighting hunger, building churches, raising disease awareness, and doing a host of other things that generally fall under the category of charitable work. I've had the opportunity on a few occasions to come across a some Christian charities that really stand out from the crowd. Such is the case today, as I've found the website for Pura Vida Coffee, a Christian-based group that is helping the fight against poverty by empowering rural coffee growers in central america with the knowledge about how to produce better crops. They also have a face in countries like our own where they teach businesses and other commercial entities about the benefits of buying products such as coffee from Fair-Trade producers.

Fairtrade is an idea and a practice that is becoming more and more popular these days, as efforts are being taken to combat business practices that can potentially harm small-time produces of goods. Some people consider Fairtrade to being a growing social movement that hopes to instruct business owners in developed countries on the proper way to get quality products by going through merchants and artisans in lesser-developed countries. The key to the whole ideology is equity in international trading, plain and simple. The Fairtrade idea seems to be catching on, and the cases that I've heard about in particular have to do with businesses that import coffee and tea from various places around the world. An important insertion of the fairtrade ideals that has become apparent to many American businesses is the exercise of fairtrade practices through the number one coffee seller in America, Starbucks. Starbucks has teamed up with a fairtrade-promoting group called TransFair to promote the interaction and partnership of business in the United States directly with coffee growers in developing countries. TransFair, of course, works with fairtrade business outside of the coffee world, but its partnership with Starbucks is one of great weight and importance, due to the presence of Starbucks in the everyday life of many Americans.

As you can see, with large corporations, like Starbucks, jumping on the fairtrade boat, it is a welcome business strategy and one that will likely gain more steam in coming years. I personally feel a lot better knowing that certain products that I purchase will directly benefit the farmers and traders who produced them. Groups like Pura Vida Coffee are taking a great step by putting a Christian spin on their work. It's always a great idea to put good work and responsible practices in business in the name of God.

I encourage you to investigate companies that are participating in fairtrade practices in your areas. We all have a great opportunity to help benefit people in less fortunate countries and in far less fortunate situations than our own. Simply by purchasing a cup of coffee or bananas for your morning snack from fairtrade participating companies, you are helping in the fight to extend equitable business practices to hard-working and well-deserving growers and merchants around the world. As always, I encourage you to share any stories that you might have about the concept of fairtrade or your individual experiences working with fairtrade businesses. Let's not forget to keep these individuals in our prayers as well!