Announcement
We wanted to pass along some exciting news for the upcoming months and days in the Thirteen Thieves world.
First, we are thrilled to announce that we will be giving back to a couple of different organizations because we were unable to make up our minds. Starting on September 1, 2016, any purchase made from ThirteenThieves.co or Etsy.com/shop/ThirteenThieves, we will donate one dollar to MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) and match that same donation for Justin Wren's Fight for the Forgotten for the rest of 2016.
If you are not familiar with MAPS, they are a membership-based 501(c)(3) organization working to raise awareness and understanding of psychedelic substances. MAPS was founded in 1986 by Rick Doblin.
MAPS helps scientists design, fund, and obtain regulatory approval for studies of the safety and effectiveness of a number of controlled substances. MAPS works closely with government regulatory authorities worldwide such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) to ensure that all of its sponsored research protocols conform to ethical and procedural guidelines for clinical drug research.
Included in MAPS’ research efforts are MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); LSD and psilocybin for the treatment of anxiety, cluster headaches, and depression associated with end-of-life issues; ibogaine for the treatment of opiate addiction, ayahuasca for the treatment of drug addiction and PTSD; medical marijuana for PTSD; and alternative delivery systems for medical marijuana such as vaporizers and water pipes. MAPS officials say the organization's ultimate goal is to establish a network of clinics where these and other treatments can be provided together with other therapies under the guidance of trained, licensed physicians and therapists.
Justin Wren's Fight For the Forgotten was launched in conjunction with Shalom University, to raise funds for a program to liberate 1,000 persecuted Mbuti Pygmy slaves and relocate them to a self-sustainable land of their own in the eastern Congo region.
Justin Wren, like many kids, he was bullied as a child but had a dream that kept him going. Fueled by the anger he felt toward his tormenters, Justin trained hard and propelled his dream of becoming a UFC fighter into reality. But, the pain from his childhood didn’t dissipate, and Justin fell into a spiral of depression and addiction, leading him on a path toward destruction.
He soon felt called to serve the Mbuti Pygmy people deep in the jungles of the Congo. While Wren knew they were an incredibly impoverished people group, he did not know the depths of their pain until he spent time living among them and shared in their suffering. They are enslaved by rivaling people groups, are even cannibalized, and refer to themselves as The Forgotten People. A turning point in Wren’s life was holding a young boy, Andibo, as he died of a water-related parasite after being refused care by local doctors.Fight For the Forgotten ethos is Defending the Weak, Love the Unloved, and Empower the Voiceless. Our donations support water & food initiatives in the Congo for the Mbuti Pygmy people.
We would encourage you also to donate to these great causes or even a cause that is local to you. A lot of charities need your support during this time of the year and anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. Please help where you can.
Thank you,
Cristian