When someone is seriously injured, the first step is to stop the bleeding. But after this has been done, we must move onto surgery and then ongoing care. Simply stopping the bleeding does not bring healing and set the injured on the road to health. Instead, the wound will become infected and usually result in a long and painful death.
For someone whose life is in crisis because of homelessness or addiction, we cannot simply stop at relief. Their life has become unmanageable. Chaos has become the norm. They need more than a few bucks or a place to crash for a night. They need deep friendships and community. They need a life and heart transformation. Like all of us, they need Jesus Christ.
Jefferson Street Baptist Center’s Fresh Start program exists for these very things.
100% of the profits from the sale of this Spendyourself shirt are used to bring hope, healing and restoration to the homeless of Louisville by funding the Fresh Start program.
This t-shirt is about Christ transforming the homeless and hurting. It is about God setting us free from our cages and making us into new creatures.
Jefferson Street Baptist Center exists to extend gospel-centered mercy to the homeless and hurting of the greater Louisville area. JSBC’s Fresh Start is a 6-month Christ-Centered, grace-based, disciplined and structured program which offers men a practical experience in a safe and comfortable environment and is designed to assist men who are struggling with life dominating issues.
Jesus Christ alone brings true transformation. Like the phoenix, we are meant to die in order to be reborn. For the men who are a part of JSBC’s Fresh Start program, most have spent many years trying to do life in their own way and on their own terms. But like the phoenix, they must die in order to be reborn.
The Fresh Start program is about more than just making good citizens of the United States. It’s about Christ bringing new citizens into the Kingdom of God. The community that surrounds men during their time in Fresh Start includes Christian mentors, urban missionaries, biblical counselors, biblical teachers, life skill teachers, the local church and other men in recovery. It is about Christ working through community to bring transformation to the homeless and hurting.
It seems to be no coincidence that for the past several weeks we have been working with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission to create a shirt to benefit Haiti. We now have an entirely new sense of urgency and wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Read more about what is happening via this organization here.
Even before the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Even more so now, Haiti is in need of our help. For the immediate future, you can order this shirt, and all of the profits will go to NWHCM to help relieve suffering as a result of the earthquake and work toward providing northwest Haiti with access to water.
About the shirt:
The shirt contains the word Espere, which is Creole for hope. Northwest Haiti is the poorest region of the country and many people in this region have to walk for hours at a time to access clean water. Due to the extremely hard ground, past attempts to drill in the area only resulted in broken equipment. We are excited to report that a sizable donation was made last month to fund the purchase of the correct equipment, which means we can get started on the water systems as soon as we have the funds. With this equipment in place, we aim to partner with NWHCM to bring clean water systems to Northwest Haiti as well as provide education on the systems. However, due to the traumatic situation in Haiti presently, funds will be also be made available to the emergency earthquake relief fund at NWHCM. They are on the ground with medical support and are committed to serving those affected by the disaster.
Original Story behind the shirt:
Most of us live in a filtered world. That is to say that the simple things we are so abundantly blessed with are not considered a blessing, but more like something that we expect. For most of us, accessing water is as easy as the turn, twist, or adjustment of a knob.
Those of us who live in this filtered world rarely consider the possibility that there may be some place, somewhere, where clean and safe water does not exist. There could be a world in which to drink means unavoidable sickness is coming. There could be a heartbreaking world where there is no way to properly hydrate, or bathe a child. The consequence of this is a world where children between the ages of one and five do not have a birthday celebration because all odds say he or she will die sometime before their fifth year of existence.
There are developing countries all across the globe where clean, safe water is only a dream. There are 1.1 billion people in the world without safe water. That is one in every six people on the planet. According to UNICEF, 19 million children die each year from diarrheal diseases related to unsafe drinking water. That is one child in every eight seconds.
There is a world where a mother and her children have to wake up on a daily basis and travel two and a half hours for water that will most likely make them sick. In fact, this world is not far from the filtered world of the United States.
Haiti is the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. It lies roughly 680 miles south of Miami, Florida, literally in the backyard of the United States. The exciting thing is that there are people who are doing something about the water crisis in Haiti. Northwest Haiti Christian Mission has been immersed in the nation and culture of Haiti for years. Many people through NWHCM have dedicated their lives to holistically recognizing and meeting the needs of the Haitian people. One of the most crucial needs in Northwest Haiti is that of clean and safe drinking water.
Through the purchase of this shirt you will have the opportunity to join NWHCM in providing water to the masses in Haiti. All profits from the shirt sales will go directly towards installing clean water systems in the area and educate those who use it. In doing so, you are rebuilding Haiti by giving the country its most needed resource – water.
Photos above from Andy Olsen Photography. Thanks Andy!
Proceeds from the Resc\You shirt will go directly toward funding a scholarship fund for the children of sex workers.
“Trafficking is essentially modern day slavery, and currently there are 27 million people in slavery.”
“The average age of entry for prostitution for girls and boys ranges from 11-14″
“Within the first 48 hours of being on the street, 1 in 3 children are lured into prostitution”
The facts and statistics are endless. We have the choice to respond or grow numb to the figures.
The vision behind this effort began when five friends met while working with Faceless International in the slums of Kolkata, India. They initially traveled to become more aware of the underbelly of the human trafficking world, but never expected to be changed in such a radical way and feel the conviction to respond.
During this trip they were exposed to more than facts and saw the human side of sex trafficking. Rather than reading the statistics from the comfort of their homes, they personally engaged the mothers and children in bondage by the sex trade. They met children who had spent their entire lives in brothels and whose future of becoming a sex worker was all but decided for them. They met mothers who tried to give their children away with the hope that it would give their baby some kind of future.
It spurned a conviction that would simply not rest until action took place.
Recognizing that education has the ability to enable change, the goal is to provide people who are survivors of trafficking an education, so they can move forth into their own communities and change the world.
In addition to this, funding advanced education will enable the children an opportunity to get away from the environment of the brothel. We want these children to know that they are loved.
We are partnering with Resc\You & Faceless International with the hopes of giving these same children the opportunity to create, dream, and change the communities in which they live.
When you purchase this shirt, you are opening doors to conversation on trafficking. You are helping educate yourself and others through discussion. You are helping a child in the Red Light District of Kolkata, India to go to school.
Photography courtesy of J*Grace.
To read more about Resc\You please see the following blog entries:
All proceeds from the sale of the Scarlet shirt will go towards Scarlet Hope’s work of providing employment opportunities outside the sex and adult entertainment industry.
We have seen first hand the women that make up Scarlet Hope simply choose to do life with those they wish to love and serve. They understand the weight of their responsibility and respond with love that is absent of an agenda or ulterior motive.
Tangibly, the organization provides needs such as food, housing, schooling, counseling, and transportation to those trapped in the business. If there is a genuine need, it’s met.
They know that by Jesus’ example he went into the gutter of those who were living a life of poverty, prostitution, sickness, disease, and loneliness. He met each one of them where they were at.
Scarlet Hope wants the world to know that God loves every single woman and man in the sex industry, and that no one is outside the love, grace, and hope of Jesus Christ.
Every shirt that spendyourself agrees to produce has a specific story behind it, and this one is no different. Listed below is the story that comes from a woman in industry who goes by the stage name of Scarlet.
Scarlet’s story:
My name is Scarlet. Broken. Unloved. Unworthy.
I am a dancer who the world throws stones at. I am spit on, mocked, called a whore. People think I don’t deserve to live.
When I walked into the club, I thought I was going to be able to make some money dancing on tables and getting guys to buy me drinks. It wasn’t until I walked in that dreadful club that I realized how different my life was about to change. I immediately felt as though I was paralyzed and in a trance. I just wanted to go leave. However, I have four kids and they needed food. They hadn’t eaten a real meal in a week and I just got out of the hospital for attempted suicide. It was going to be fast, easy and I was going to make money to feed my kids.
I thought just one drink might take the edge off, but an hour later I was completely drunk. I hadn’t eaten in days, and hunger was gnawing at my insides.
In my drunken state I noticed a group of women coming in to bring a home cooked meal. Why were they coming in? Could I quiet my growling stomach finally?
I waited a minute until they set up, I was staggering all around and everyone was watching me make a fool of myself. I was a wreck. I went up to the table where the food was set up and asked if I could buy a plate, the girls looked at me and told me “no this is free for you, would you like a plate?” I immediately skipped the plates and started eating straight out of the pan. They helped me get a plate, but by this time I was gorging myself with food and couldn’t imagine eating anything better.
I was embarrassed yet I couldn’t stop. I wanted help, but I didn’t.
My stomach hadn’t had food in it for a week, and this sudden feast was feeling like it was going to come right back up.
I started to vomit everywhere and one of the girls put her arms around me and held me as I threw up. I looked into her eyes and was crying hysterically. I asked her if she knew Jesus…she looked me straight in the eye and said “yes I know Jesus, do you?” I told her I did, but that I was so far from him that I needed him to help me…I asked her to pray with me. So we started to pray, and by the middle of the prayer I was crying out to God louder than the music was playing in the club.
People all around us were watching. The other girls that came with her were praying behind us, God was there, I felt his spirit move.
At the most embarrassing, broken, unlovable time in my life, I was loved!
Unwavering. Unconditional. Love took hold of me that day, all because someone decided to come and love me.
There is a God that loves me deeper than anyone can explain. It’s a love that reaches to the very darkness that was in my soul. I am loved.
To read more about the women in the industry that Scarlet Hope serves please see the following blog entries:
A look inside a strip club 1/2
A look inside a strip club 2/2
All proceeds from the sale of the Kisumu shirt will go towards LIA’s work in the Nyalenda slum.
HIV/AIDS is devastating families, communities, and entire cities, leaving orphans and vulnerable children in its wake. In these regions throughout Kenya, Life In Abundance International (LIA) is partnering with local churches to empower the left behind.
LIA has approached this situation with a pioneering method that is both sustainable and holistic, meeting the needs of the children in the short-term and empowering their caregivers (relatives, neighbors, etc.) to care for the child over the long term. In conjunction with partner churches, LIA meets the immediate physical and spiritual needs of these children and, over the course of three years, serve to empower their care givers.
Kevin’s story: While most 17 year old boys in America are worried about who they are taking to prom and where they will be going to college, Kevin Juma (pictured below) is working hard to help take care of his siblings. His family of eight were living in a one room shack when LIA made it’s second home visit.
Their parents died eight years ago. His older sisters (both in their 20′s) were away working as housekeepers, trying to make money for the family. Both sisters have children of their own now, so sending money for the others is hard. Life is not easy for his family. The little ones are always in need of food, clothing and supplies for school.
Kevin is very thankful for the LIA church partner and the ministry they do for the family, helping make ends meet and providing food for the family. The church is transforming their lives through food support.
He said he’d like people to pray that he feels better. He was sick when we were talking to him. Kevin asked that people pray that doors would open for his sisters to make a good living. He said he also prays that the other orphans in the area will have a normal life and that the church will continue its good ministry.
This is just one story of one family in the Nyalenda slum of Kisumu, Kenya and there are over 200,000 people in this slum with similar stories.
“Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.”(Matthew 25:34-40)
Friends of Spendyourself are currently visiting the Nyalenda slum and will be providing an update on LIA’s work when they return.
Photography by Jessica Nichols of J*Grace Photography
To read more about LIA and the work being done in Kenya, please see the following blogs:
Proceeds from the sale of the Omed (hope) shirt will go directly to fund completion of the boys and girls school at the Barek Aub refugee camp in Afghanistan.
Barek Aub camp is an IDP (internal refugee camp) about 25 miles outside of Kabul, Afghanistan. The people of Barek Aub are not foreigners, but rather refugees within their own country. Having fled Afghanistan during the Taliban regime, they returned after the fall to find their homes, schools, and businesses bombed out and uninhabitable. Farmlands that were used for grazing were now littered with land mines.
Like most Afghans faced with this situation, they traveled to Kabul in search of a new beginning. As a result of this migration, it’s estimated that Kabul’s infrastructure has ten times the load on it that it is capable of supporting. In an attempt to ease the burden on the city, many people have been forced to relocate outside of Kabul. In the Spring of 2007, this group was relocated from a bombed out building in Kabul to what they now call Barek Aub. The camp’s name, Barek Aub, means ‘fragile water’ in the native language of Dari. In the beginning, they were armed with a plastic pup tent and a small parcel of land. Unfortunately, the remote location rendered it impossible to have an income source. Water was delivered to the site, but half of it was undrinkable, which created a multitude of health concerns. Overnight, these actions created a level of poverty that would compete with any situation across the world.
These conditions compelled Sozo International to partner with these refugees since the first time they crossed paths. Sozo’s approach has always been to partner with the people it intends to serve and build meaningful relationships. As a result, these relationships empower the people it hopes to serve rather than generating a sense of dependency. Over the last 2 years, what was once a dire situation on the cusp of survival is starting to see some hope. Deep water wells that provide clean water have been dug, food is being provided on a regular basis, and permanent shelter continues to be built. With that said, there is still much work to be done to move from a state of survival to a state of sustainable progress. The massive inflation that has rocked the Afghan economy reminds us of the stark reality that the average person still only gets one full meal every two days.
The people of Barek Aub are a resilient group, and when the question was posed to the elders of what they would like to see in Barek Aub, the answer was an easy one – ‘a school’. A school for both boys and girls is seen as a luxury to the generations before them that did not have the opportunity, and a key to the future stability of their nation. By equipping this generation with the tools that they need, we aim to restore hope and a sustainable future to the people of Barek Aub.
To see more pictures involving Sozo International and those they serve, please click here.
Proceeds from the SpendYourself logo tee will be used to support all of our partners.
Over the past year, the creators of spendyourself have been immersed into environments where injustice is evident. From our neighborhoods to across the globe, a response is required.
Love has compelled us to feel the weight of responsibility, and to take hold of an opportunity that can make a difference. That’s why spendyourself is much more than an apparel company—it represents a heart for social justice and a vision to drive potential change in the world.
The vision of this movement is two-fold. First, we want to give a voice to the voiceless and oppressed all across the world. We’re depending on YOU to tell the individual stories that each shirt embodies. Without your part, we would be unable to spread the message of those who have no voice.
Second, the money you spend on the shirt goes directly to fund the specific project that your shirt was inspired by. Each project helps empower the powerless in a sustainable way.
