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PORTSMOUTH HERALD

Mind, body and tea connections

Rev. Stevens brings message of social justice

Suzanne Laurent news@seacoastonline.com
The Rev. Becca Stevens speaks to a packed room at St. John's Episcopal Church on Sunday about how tea is connected to love, justice and healing the world. She is the founder of the Magdalene program, a residential community for women survivors of abuse, and Thistle Farms, a self-supporting program that helps Madgalene survivors gain skills and earn an income. Suzanne Laurent photo.

PORTSMOUTH – The parish hall at St. John’s Episcopal Church was packed with people who came to hear the Rev. Becca Stevens talk about the healing power of tea and its role in history.

Stevens, of Nashville, Tenn., is an Episcopal priest and founder of Thistle Farms-Magdalene, a community of women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction.

She founded the residential community in 1997, and the social enterprise in 2001. Thistle Farms employs residents and graduates of Magdalene, and houses a natural body care line, a paper and sewing studio, Thistle Stop Café, and its new global initiative, Shared Trade.

Stevens has been recognized by the White House, is a 2011 Champion of Change to End Domestic Violence, and was awarded the TJ Martell, Lifetime Humanitarian Award 2015.

Her newest book is “Tea & Justice: Rescuing the World’s Favorite Beverage from Its Violent History.”

“I was driven to learn about the history of tea,” she said. “While tea has helped usher in great economic and spiritual growth in its 3,500 year history, it has been part of the oppression of women. It is tied to stories of sexual violence in the fields of India and the trading of opiates in China. Many women were being forced into labor with no rights.”

Stevens said she wanted to start her own tea company rooted in social justice.

“Social justice is a non-competitive sport,” she said.

Today, Thistle Farms works with women’s cooperatives in Rwanda, Ecuador, Kenya, Ghana and, most recently, Mexico.

“I found five homeless women in Juan Cosala, Mexico, that I call the Moringa Madres,” Stevens said. "Last fall we planted Moringa and we use the leaves in a blend that has many healing properties. It also helps the impoverished women in that area.”

During the event, guests were treated to their own cup of tea using the Moringa blend and Stevens toasted the women in Mexico with them.

Stevens said she hopes having such “tea parties” as the one hosted by St. Andrew’s-by-the-Sea in Rye at St. John’s will become a global movement.

Stevens explored how tea is connected to love, justice and healing in the world.

“The first step is to appreciate the tea and the teacup,” she said.

She also directed guests to think about whom they would like to have a cup of tea with if they could, and to recall the person who first introduced them to tea.

“Now, receive the tea,” she said.

In going forward, Stevens said she will continue getting out her message of sexual exploitation of women and trafficking children.

“You can sell a drug once,” she said. “But you can sell a child a thousand times.”

Stevens said there is new legislation against trafficking.

“There is a lot of frustration, but there are some beautiful pockets of hope,” she said.