TOMS!

My first pair of TOMS came in the mail today! I was so excited =) I was wanting these shoes, but they were all sold out in my size. So I went with a classic :)

Days 20, 21

Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future.

• puts God first above all, even me


• humble


• servant's heart


• chivalrous


• encouraging


• un-manipulative (is that really a word?)

Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy.

TOMS. this is an organization that gives a kid a pair of shoes every time you purchase a pair for yourself. In addition, these shoes will help to fund three new clean water wells in Ethipoia. The shoes are really expensive, but so worth it. I'm thinking of getting my first pair for Christmas.

Human Wrong

Judson is selling t-shirts to bring awareness to child slavery. This is the one I got. Ashley, one of my friends, thought it was kind of ironic. Because I tend to be seen as a "Suzy Homemaker" kind of person. Which I love :) Anyway, I was really excited. And apparently on Thursday we are gathering together at lunch to pray for those in slavery.

Thoughts on Slavery

Here are some of the final images from my portrait project. I came across many different people—differing political backgrounds, opinions, accents, and living situations. I took the majority of the images by the Hershey store in Chicago and told people that the Hershey’s company uses slave labor for much of their products.

I just asked their opinion about it and if I could take their picture. Some did not let me take their picture, one didn’t speak English and the first person I asked about it just didn’t know what to say and laughed it off.

As for these people's opinions....

• The man on the top left--"Well, I'm against that."
• The man on the bottom left (pardon his 'French')--"That's bulls--t"
• The couple--"Well, I obviously don't approve of anything with slave trade."
• The man on top right--"I wasn't aware that Hershey's did that...capitalist."
• Charles--"I'm a Democrat. I do not shop at Wal-Mart because they are products from slave labor entities. I do not eat chocolate."

During crit yesterday, one of my professors commented on how I could have taken the picture first and then asked their thoughts. I want to continue going into Chicago and asking people, and I'm going to try to remember to take their picture first. And I have to remember to be more assertive of moving the subject so they are in a better composition and lighting situation. Truthfully, I was so nervous and out of my comfort zone on Saturday, that it was hard to remember.

Did I mention I got lost for about an hour?

Fairtrade Chocolate!!!

I didn't know that my school was selling fair-trade chocolate as a fundraiser for a missions trip. How awesome is that?!! It tastes so much better than any chocolate I've ever had. It's by Sweet Earth Chocolates and it is delicious! YUmmmmmm. I was going to save it for by next portrait assignment, but it probably won't make it. However, it is very rich, so it might hold out ;-)

I was pretty excited.....

Opening the chocolate....

Smelling the chocolate.....

Time to savor that chocolate!

Earthquakes

So I was just going to bed when the earthquake hit last night. I had literally just laid down for 2 seconds, when a 3.8 earthquake decides to make its presence known in Chicago. I wish they had names like hurricanes did. I'll call her Frieda. Well, like I said I was going to bed when Frieda came at four this morning. I felt two major shakes and looked around, but everything was fine. She was only here for maybe ten seconds, and after she left I thought maybe I hallucinated from staying up late. And then I realized Frieda was an earthquake. Well, I just can't imagine how absolutely terrifying the earthquake in Haiti was. That was a 7 point on the richter scale? About twice as much as last night here in northern Illinois. I was scared and confused for ten seconds. How much more confusing and terrifying was it in Haiti?

Slavery still exists

I just don't even know where to start. I mean, I knew there are still slaves in the world. I guess I just pushed it to the back of my mind. How could I do such a thing?! God's children are being whipped and punished, just so I can buy cheap things. They work for free so I can have a bar of Hershey's chocolate. (I am starting a Death by Chocolate Portrait project--stay tuned.) It isn't okay to just sit back while millions are people are enslaved around the world. There are more slaves now than there ever has been. There are child soldiers, people forced into prostitution and countless other kinds of traffiking. It is time to stand up and fight against this! As Christians, we should not be able to stand for this. It is time to fight back. You can do many things by even just staying at home. you don't have to travel the world to make a difference.

notforsalecampaign.org

We can make a difference!