Stephanie Edwards navigates rows of tall, unfinished wooden shelves, touching the world with each reach into one of the hundreds of cardboard boxes filled with exotic goods.
Quality-stitched leather purses from North Africa, decorative canvas banners from East Africa, handmade slippers from West Asia, cotton towels from Turkey, and ornate artisan jewelry from East Asia line the shelves.
Lawrenceburg, a quaint town in Middle Tennessee just north of the Alabama state line, may seem distant from the global stage. Yet, stepping into Jubilee Trading Company’s cozy retail storefront, a few blocks from the historic town square, feels like a stroll around the globe.
“The name comes from the Year of Jubilee,” said Edwards, 35, Jubilee’s owner and a member of First Baptist Church Lawrenceburg. “It was a time of redemption and restoration. Our mission is to create life-transforming employment globally and locally, offering a fresh start for many we work with.”
‘Make the world a better place’
Jubilee is a nonprofit that sells handmade goods that “make the world a better place,” with ministry at its core. Internationally, Edwards partners with local Christians in multiple countries to create goods sold through Jubilee’s website.
The revenue empowers them to earn a living while funding sustainable gospel outreach.
Locally, Edwards employs at-risk women in the retail storefront and warehouse, fulfilling orders for shipping. For example, one employee, a single mother, found stability and purpose through Jubilee, rebuilding her life while packaging goods for customers.
Her global vision took root early. Edwards’ journey began with salvation and baptism at age 6 at First Baptist Church, Decherd, Tenn. A childhood fascination with National Geographic sparked her curiosity for distant places.
Global perspective
Stephanie Edwards is well-traveled to say the least. She studied abroad in Australia and joined mission trips to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and New York City.
“I think I was just born curious,” she said. “I was that kid who collected National Geographic magazines. I remember it began with my second-grade teacher. She let us clip pictures out of them to make collages and stuff. My interest just grew from there. God wired me that way.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chris Turner and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
