With  the current economic uncertainty, many people are re-configuring their priorities this Christmas. Let me make the following recommendation.  As you're Christmas shopping, why not buy something that makes a real difference in the world? Check out the three options below that make your purchase about more than just getting a product. Seth Barnes, the director of Adventures in Missions and a personal friend of mine, posted this on his blog and he knows the people behind each business and can vouch for their integrity.  With each purchase you bring hope to orphans, widows, and women being rescued from the sex trade. You're also impacting their families and their communities! Who knew a t-shirt, scarf, or purse could have that much power?

The Sound of Hope - click here to buy a T-shirt!

The proceeds from just one t-shirt is enough to feed an orphan in Swaziland one meal a day for over a month! The Sound of Hope is a music-driven campaign that raises money and awareness for orphans in Swaziland, Kenya, and India. Find out more by finding our fan page and group on Facebook, or add us as a friend on myspace!
 
Corridor of Hope - click here to buy handmade jewelry and beautiful silk scarves from Thailand and India!

At Corridor Of Hope we are devoted to connecting orphans, poverty stricken communities and YOU. We are the corridor, a passageway to help people who can't help themselves. We help bring them hope by bringing you quality and affordable products from these countries. In turn, Corridor Of Hope will donate these resources back into their communities by supporting orphans, thereby empowering YOU to help in a multifaceted way. We will bring you updates and newsletters regarding the orphans and how your purchase made a difference in their lives.

Timbali Crafts - click here to buy a handmade African purse from Swaziland!

TIMBALI CRAFTS are created by women who work as volunteer cooks at feeding centers for orphans in Swaziland, Africa, where over 40% of the population is HIV positive. 

Many of the women have been widowed or abandoned, are single mothers, or grandmothers (called "gogos") raising grandchildren that have been orphaned. Craft sales help provide an income for these hard working women and their families who would otherwise have little or none.  This past week was pay day for the gogos in the Nsoko area who sew the purses and table runners. Nelisiwe received her first check and was so excited that she danced a little dance that Julie Anderson caught in a video below.  
 
Why not make a grandmother dance for joy buy buying a purse? All the profits go right back to them. Please help us reach our goal of selling 3,000 purses this Christmas!  And even better, consider throwing a tea for your friends to share the vision of how they can, in a simple way, make a big difference. More details here. 
 
Finally, let me encourage you to copy this blog onto your own and spread the word!