Weds 9th of March officially marks the start of lent.
Being a ‘modern’ church kind of lass we often miss out on the wonderful occurrences in the church calendar and I have wanted to be more involved in celebrating the significant events of the church year.
So this year I decided to ‘do lent’. Traditionally it is a time to give up something/fast as Easter approaches.
I thought about giving up chocolate but given my current rate of consumption I felt this might be setting myself up for a fall. SO..I have decided to only buy and eat fair-trade chocolate during Lent, and I hope beyond too.
It is apparently widely acknowledged that there is a great deal of child slavery involved in the chocolate trade and I feel so upset that I would be contributing to that.
So this lent I pledge to only buy and consume fair-trade chocolate for myself. (I will probably still bake with cocoa and possibly use cooking chocolate for baking – I hope that’s okay although I will try to buy some cocoa from Tradeaid who do supply f.t cocoa).
This leaves me with Cadbury and Whittakers milk chocolate (which as my sister pointed out barely have any cocoa – hence they haven’t gone fair-trade with their dark chocolate) and the wonderful, amazing and thoroughly worth the extra cost Green and Blacks chocolate.
For me the gift of Jesus and his life were for all people, all ages, all races and for all time so I think this is in keeping with Lent and my desire to build a bit more of Him into the way I shine my little light.
So how about you are you doing anything for lent this year?? I’d love to know.
MakeItGiveIt - Let it Shine 
The Green and Blacks toffee is awesome!! An interesting fact: Green and Blacks is owned by Cadbury so buying it may encourage them that their consumers want fair trade chocolate. Another interesting fact: every Sunday in the church calendar actually is a celebration so the Lent stuff isn’t upheld on the Sundays.
Love your post – great idea! I need to be more conscious of the fair trade issue. And Lent – was born and raised Catholic but now I am a born again Christian and we don’t do lent, although I do like the idea of it. I’ll have to mull is over – thanks for putting it out there!