Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages is a fair-trade organisation that imports handicrafts made by artisans in the developing world to Canada and the U.S., and sells them here to people who appreciate the fine work and fair prices. The organisation is operated as an offshoot of Mennonite Central Committee. The handicrafts are sold in stores and at “Festival Sales.” Many of the people who work at both stores and sales do so as volunteers. This helps to keep prices low(er), and it also is in the spirit of fair trade and opportunity for those less fortunate than us.

Button, Mustang and I, as well as Laolao and Laoye, will all be volunteering at one of the Festival Sales this month. This is Mustang’s fourth Villages sale – by now she is an old hand!! It will be Button’s first, and we will see how capable he is (at age five) of actually helping during the sale. When Mustang was five, at her first sale, she helped on the floor for about an hour each time and then would go play with Laoye. Laoye will once again be on standby to take Button to play if he tires of the sale. But we shall see - Button tends to be a good worker most of the time, and if Mustang stays he may want to as well. Last year Mustang (then age seven) was a very good helper – she would flit from place to place, but the Organizers would find things for her (and other of the younger kids) to do, like fetching and carrying. Or she often saw things that needed doing and did them without needing to be asked!! (That never happens at home!) And she did well at modelling the jewellery and scarves… A good model can help to make sales! She may be able to help with some of the wrapping this year as well.

On 26 October we had a “set-up” day at which the kids both were troopers, carrying shelving up from the basement. Then last Wednesday they came and helped unload the supply truck , and on Saturday we all went and unpacked boxes. After an hour or so they got tired of unpacking things, but then helped set up the kitchen for lunch for the volunteer unpackers.

Children are very capable of helping in many ways and often keen to do so. I like to get my kids involved in Ten Thousand Villages as this is one way they can feel a part of the larger church community, learn work habits in a non-home, non-school context, and contribute to society. Even if they don’t realize it yet!!

So if any of you are still looking for beautiful hand-made items to round out your Christmas (or other) shopping list (or if you haven’t started yet!!), why don’t you come out to one of the 49 stores or numerous Festival Sales across Canada?

Fair trade items bought from Villages allow artisans in developing countries to provide food, healthcare, education and housing for their families. Your purchase makes a difference!

And if you live where we do, you can also visit our Festival Sale tea room. Take a break from shopping and enjoy a sandwich, a piece of cake or a cookie, a cup of tea or fair-trade coffee, and – on Saturday November 8th and 22nd – a bowl of homemade borscht! (If you’re lucky you’ll get some of Laolao’s best borscht ever… or one of the cookies Mustang or Button decorated!!