Chocolate Goes the Distance

As if chocolate weren't wonderful enough already, I learned a neat little fact on the Nate Berkus Show the other day that has me sooo excited.  Please allow me to back up a bit.

The summer following my sophmore year of college, I was blessed to have the opportunity to live here in Trujillo, Honduras for almost three months.  Beach + mountains = some of God's most beautiful creation.  photo source


While there, we built cinderblock houses and a church building like the crew above (photo source).  I actually did a lot of the pre-assembly work back in camp, like building wooden doors, windows, and trusses.  The Honduran people were so kind and hospitable.  And while I loved being there so much, one thought really ate away at my conscience.  We are building homes for these people, but we are leaving them without any trade or means of earning income.  This thought made it very difficult to leave when the summer was up, but I had no solution.  The land seemed very dry and difficult to plant.

So, now twelve (twelve?!) years later, I saw guest Paul A. Young featured on the Nate Berkus Show.  He is a world famous gormet chocolatier.  More exciting than his cooking feature was news of his new project:  investing in Honduran grown/made chocolate.  AND, the profits go back to the native farmers!  When I researched Honduran chocolate to find out more, it seems this is a new industry.  Those who are investing are a bit tight lipped, most likely in attempts to be the first on the scene.  Young claims it will change the way we eat chocolate.

Honduras struggles both to have enough water supply and to have clean water.  The organic chocolate being grown there ensures their economy is supported by production that isn't poluting what water is available.  Also, the cocoa farms themselves have altered the environmental water table so that rainfall has increased! Information and photo source

I am ecstatic for Honduras to have this opportunity and for businesses with a social conscience.  Wouldn't it be amazing if all businesses had a little more of that?  Wouldn't it be awesome if Christians could somehow help and get involved?

One thing's for sure!  I will certainly be consuming large amounts financially supporting these businesses when the chocolate is readily available.  Blessings!