A-Z of Shopping Fair Trade -'X' is for 'eX-Xenophobe.

Who know when we embarked on this alphabetic trip I'd have to come up with something for 'X'.Well here goes...

Xenophibia, according to the dictionary is defined as; –noun, an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange.

Although Fair Trade is primarily focused in developing countries, we at the Mission Marketplace also try to support Domestic Fair Trade, however it is the artisans in developing countries I want to focus on.

We are fortunate to have a great community partner in the McKune Memorial Library in sponsoring an 'International Book Club'. Each month we travel and experience lives of other families around the globe and share our common experiences. Please check out our website and consider joining us.

The 'educational' component of Fair Trade is creating an environment of cultural appreciation and understanding. Our artisans are just like us, they struggle with many of thesame struggles we do. I've often said that when my children were born I realized that the love and hope for the future I feel when I look in my children's faces is special but not unique. Parents around the globe love love their children with the same love and passion that I feel.

I am fortunate to have been born in the United States, and although we are not without trials and tribulations here, and we have our own citizens struggling. The one thing about Michigan and the United States is that when their is a need elsewhere, that is when we are at our best. We are the first to respond, not necessarily because we are charitible (which we are), but because it is, quite simply, the RIGHT thing to do.