Charitable conundrum

(image from www.fairtrade.org.uk)

The minister went in to the kitchen at the chapel to make a cup of coffee one day last week - most unheard of, as he always gets coffee made for him!  He was surprised that the chapel doesn't have Fairtrade tea and coffee for refreshments.....I'm not surprised at all.

There are two sides to this.  From an ethical stand point, it would make excellent sense for the chapel to purchase from and support the Fairtrade organisation when buying tea and coffee.  But the point is that the chapel itself [ie the chapel as an organisation] NEVER buys anything like that at all, ever.  It is ALL donated by the congregation and the ladies at the Knit & Natter groups, for example.  I took in some "One Cup" teabags of which I had bought vast quantities from AF, and another lady donated some coffee.

It seems to me to be wrong to have to say to people that we welcome donations but they have to be Fairtrade; we are just extremely grateful for anything we are given.

It is like this in life, and I would never look a gift horse in the mouth, as the saying goes.  If someone has something to give me, I am always grateful for the thought, if not the actual item every time, and accept whatever it is that they are giving to me.  I may then keep it, donate it to a charity shop or give it to someone I know who has a greater need for the item.  But I am always polite to the person who passed it on to me.  If you are rude, I am sure that your supply of donated items would soon dry up.

We are clearing out the spare bedroom this afternoon, and some old paint spattered clothes are heading for a rag bag, but I have set aside some of the YFG's black school trousers for another child I know who has less muscular legs, so I think that they will fit her.  I have sorted out a heap of books which will be offered to the school next week, and I think I have found a box of colouring pencils which can go in the colouring cupboard at chapel.  My collection of Dickens books are one thing which the FH and I are disagreeing upon; in the year of Dicken's 200th anniversary, they are definitely not getting passed on!