San Jose District United Methodist Women

A CUP OF JUSTICE! 

Most of us enjoy getting up in the morning to the smell of fresh coffee, or sharing a cup at fellowship hour or at a gathering of friends.  Now we can be in mission while we're drinking that coffee, through the UMCOR COFFEE PROJECT. 

As the second most heavily traded commodity in the world, coffee is a direct link between our communities and farming communities in Latin America, Africa and Asia.  Small coffee farmers are trying to build a better future for themselves and their families by coming together and creating a fair trade organization called EQUAL EXCHANGE.  

Working with this organization the farmers earn a fair price for their products, and have access to affordable credit and gain a trading partner they can trust.  They get less than adequate pay from the larger coffee companies, which in many instances has caused them to lose their farms.  

Through the coffee project, we, members of the United Methodist Women, can invest in the education, health care and agricultural improvements of people in these coffee growing countries.  In addition, for each case of coffee purchased by United Methodist congregations, Equal Exchange makes a contribution to UMCOR programs supporting the human rights and social justice work of community based cooperatives in coffee growing regions. 

I have tasted the organic shade grown coffee and it was delicious! I’ve heard wonderful testimonials about the cocoa and tea. I'm feeling better about drinking so much coffee since I discovered fair trade products. 

I hope that you will consider this a win-win mission opportunity that comes in a cup.  For more information visit: http://www.equalexchange.com/

by Betty Dickey