Heartbreaking.

How often we find ourselves on the wrong sides of social justice issues. As long as it does not concern me or thee, we tend to turn our heads and not notice how someone else’s life is being ravaged so that our children might enjoy a monetarily worthless piece of plastic in a kid’s meal. In terms of value though, it is worth a lot–in terms of a little life that worked slaved to produce it in the most adverse of conditions, conditions that would not even invade our worst nightmares.

My children have grown attached to “Littlest Pet Shop” toys. It really frets me buying them for them because when you turn the little things over, inscribed on the underbelly is a simple word; “China.” It means that little toy that brings so much joy to my little girl probably cost a little Chinese girl thirteen hours of labor, a bowl of broth for a daily meal, and dormitory-type sleeping arrangements, head to toe with another child caught in the same circumstance.

According to this report, however, the plot becomes more sickening. Chinese sweatshops also make crucifixes for sale in mega-church gift shops and Christian retail stores.

Crucifixes are being made at the Junxingye Factory in Dongguan, China, by mostly young women—several just 15 and 16 years old—forced to work routine 14 to 15 ½-hour shifts, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 or 11:30 p.m., seven days a week. There are also frequent 17 to 18 hour shifts ending at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. and even monthly all-night 22 ½ to 25-hour shifts before shipments must leave for the U.S. All overtime is mandatory, and anyone missing even a single overtime shift will be docked a full day’s wages. It is common for the workers to be at the factory at least 100 hours a week. Workers are paid just 26 ½ cents an hour, which is half of China’s legal minimum wage (already set at a below-subsistence level) of 55 cents an hour. After fees deducted for room and board, the workers take-home wage can drop to just nine cents an hour. Workers are housed in primitive dorm rooms sleeping on narrow double-level metal bunk beds that line the walls. There is no other furniture, and the rooms reek of perspiration. The walls are filthy, smudged with black, while spider webs cling to the ceiling. The bathrooms are so damp and dirty that moss grows on the floor. Workers describe the soup they are fed as water with a few vegetable leaves and drops of oil floating at the top. Anyone missing a day due to sickness will, as punishment, be docked two-and-a-half day’s wages. Workers fear that they may be handling toxic chemicals, but they are not told the names of the chemicals and paints, let alone their potential health hazards.

The National Labor Committee traced the crucifixes made and discovered they were being sold for between $27.99 to $29.99; over a 1,000% mark-up! The report records The Singer Company that markets the crucifixes, part of the Association for Christian Retail, made $4.63 BILLION last year. The irony is it was done on the backs of children; 21st century indentured servants.

It has been over ten years since it was uncovered that Kathie Lee Gifford’s clothing line was manufactured under deplorable sweatshop conditions overseas. Yet this is even more abominable; Christian trinkets made in a country where religious expression is forbidden, upon the backs of the least of these, marked up at over 1,000%. And for what?

There is a bitter irony contained therein; defenseless workers, depending on those pennies a day to survive, have no future, no hope, no voice, nowhere at all to turn, to produce religious goods. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Please.

(H/T Pastor Dan)

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