Before reading any further, please go to this website.
If you haven’t already tried that simulation, I’ll be honest with you and say, I’m disappointed. Let’s face it, you probably could have finished that entire game in the time it takes you to read one of my blogs typically and somehow you find time for that. Here’s your last chance. Just do it.
I’ve done that game/simulation, whatever you want to call it, many times and let me just say, I’d make a TERRIBLE sweatshop worker. Every time I play, I can’t help but find myself getting frustrated, heart-broken, and happy I have a quit button. I’ve never made it through more than 4 full days and almost every time I’ve had to give up buying my daughter a pair of shoes or something like that. It makes me feel like a terrible parent and the one time I played, it literally started bringing tears to my eyes.
This isn’t a game for the over 2 million people around the world working in sweatshops in the retail industry to produce YOUR goods. Don’t worry, I’m not playing the blame game here. I’m just as guilty as you are. The fact of the matter is, this isn’t a game. We may have a quit button; these people don’t. This is life for them. Day in, day out, they live this harsh reality literally for the shirt on your back (and mine as well).
Something about sweatshops just breaks my heart, yet can never compel me to act. I hear about the atrocities of sweatshops and how major corporations such as Wal-Mart feed into them, and then I find myself still shopping there. I tell people not to shop there, all the while still doing it myself. Like I said, I’m just as guilty as the next person. But the thing is, I’m not okay with that. I’m not okay with people’s rights being taken away so I can have luxuries. I’m not okay with people living in these situations for my wants. Heck, I’m not okay for them living in these situations for my needs either.
I pray and pray that my heart continues to break for those working in these harsh environments. I pray that the passion I already have, the sorrow I already feel, is only intensified as the Lord breaks my heart for what breaks His. May He move me from a point of awareness to action and use me in whatever way He wills and wants. I pray this upon each and every one of you as well.
As I close this out, I want to leave you with a video clip from the documentary Mickey Mouse Goes To Haiti. The entire documentary is about 20 minutes long. This is just the first half. It explores the conditions in which Disney workers are forced to work in Haiti and well, it’s just eye opening. If you have the time, which, let’s face it, I’m sure you do, I’d really recommend your watching this…and maybe even the second half.
