Probably one of my favorite movies is the movie “Chocolate.” Christina and I have seen it a number of times and each time we do, we thoroughly enjoy it. I probably like the movie so much because I like chocolate…there you go, I admit it. We know most women enjoy chocolate, but I find it very difficult to pass the stuff up as well. But recently, thanks to Christina, I have come to realize that Chocolate is not all that innocent. Did you know that most of the chocolate that we eat today has been harvested by children who have been trafficked into a slave-like labor? I found this surprising as well. Nearly half of the world’s chocolate comes from Corte D’Ivoire, in Africa and it is there where children are forced to harvest the cocoa beans used to make my yummy chocolate. According to STOP THE TRAFFIK, 12,000 children have been trafficked into cocoa growing areas to harvest the cocoa beans. I don’t know about you, but the next time I bite into a piece of chocolate, I am going to make sure it’s not made by trafficked children. To guarantee the chocolate you are eating is “trafficked free,” check out this website: http://www.stopthetraffik.org/chocolatecampaign/ for a list of companies that are dedicated to producing chocolate that is not harvested by enslaved children.
Development and Justice 
Wow…what an eye opener! I just looked to see where my beloved 1 lb. bar of Trader Joes chocolate is produced and couldn’t tell.
Brian, Trader Joes actually sells a few “fair trade” chocolate bars. I would, 1) check with them to find out which bars are “fair trade” and 2) encourage them to buy chocolate that comes from companies who have agreed to sell only “trafficked free” chocolate. Hope the fam is doing well! Greg
Hope you enjoyed Disney. Where are you right now before going on to Oregon? We hope to visit our daughter Amanda in Peru in July. They are talking with the Neptunes about children’s ministry. Will Ron be with you in Chaing Mye? Thanks for the info. in your blog. Pastor Danny