Coffee is one of the most heavily traded commodities in the world.
The producers of a rich crop are trapped in poverty. We already are reaching out to these people who are poor, our neighbors in Christ, through offerings to ministries like Lutheran World Relief. We can also reach out with the consumer choices we make - in this case, with the coffee we drink. It's one way for Christians to address a consumer dilemma. Through the project, farmers overseas earn a fairer share of income from the crop they grow, gain access to services that are otherwise unavailable, and gain a business partner they can trust, a fair trade organization called Equal Exchange .