I don’t have a great memory (ask my family, friends and colleagues!) but I do remember seeing one of those World Vision ads on the TV when I was a primary-aged child and feeling a sense of compassion and justice stir within me. In high school I started researching and delving deeper into issues around human trafficking and the particular vulnerability of women and children. I was outraged and shaken by some of the stories I read – of children being forced to watch porn, women being fed drugs to keep them addicted and therefore controlled, mothers selling their 18m old infant for sex?! I realized that so much of the vulnerability that trapped women and children in these situations could be countered by education and fair work opportunities.
I started sponsoring my first girl from Thailand in year 12 through Compassion and since I’ve sponsored 3 other children in Brazil, India and Indonesia, which I chose to do at significant points in my life following – first job, wedding and buying a house, to remind myself of the needs of other people in the world during my time of blessing.
I also make a conscious choice to shop ethically/fair-trade in as much as possible from coffee through to clothing. There are some great guides for ethical shopping such as the one published by Baptist World Aid but be careful because many companies may claim they’re ethical (because that’s the upcoming trend) but are not always able to demonstrate how they achieve this.
In the more recent years I’ve become aware of many other significant issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis, aboriginal peoples’ rights and the need to ‘close the gap’, and the importance of environmental sustainability. The needs are many, but the solution doesn’t just have to be about $. There are many ways to help but one of the easiest and most effective is to change small habits in our everyday living, e.g. shopping ethically, using reusable items, raising your kids to be thoughtful and responsible. The list goes on! I believe that small steps make a big cumulative difference. Start with a change in one area about which you feel an inkling of passion, and the rest will grow from there.
Small steps make a big difference.
I don’t have a great memory (ask my family, friends and colleagues!) but I do remember seeing one of those World Vision ads on the TV when I was a primary-aged child and feeling a sense of compassion and justice stir within me. In high school I started researching and delving deeper into issues around human trafficking and the particular vulnerability of women and children. I was outraged and shaken by some of the stories I read – of children being forced to watch porn, women being fed drugs to keep them addicted and therefore controlled, mothers selling their 18m old infant for sex?! I realized that so much of the vulnerability that trapped women and children in these situations could be countered by education and fair work opportunities.
I started sponsoring my first girl from Thailand in year 12 through Compassion and since I’ve sponsored 3 other children in Brazil, India and Indonesia, which I chose to do at significant points in my life following – first job, wedding and buying a house, to remind myself of the needs of other people in the world during my time of blessing.
I also make a conscious choice to shop ethically/fair-trade in as much as possible from coffee through to clothing. There are some great guides for ethical shopping such as the one published by Baptist World Aid but be careful because many companies may claim they’re ethical (because that’s the upcoming trend) but are not always able to demonstrate how they achieve this.
In the more recent years I’ve become aware of many other significant issues such as the Syrian refugee crisis, aboriginal peoples’ rights and the need to ‘close the gap’, and the importance of environmental sustainability. The needs are many, but the solution doesn’t just have to be about $. There are many ways to help but one of the easiest and most effective is to change small habits in our everyday living, e.g. shopping ethically, using reusable items, raising your kids to be thoughtful and responsible. The list goes on! I believe that small steps make a big cumulative difference. Start with a change in one area about which you feel an inkling of passion, and the rest will grow from there.
Rachel Lim, Youth Mental Health Nurse