SOLES 4 SOULS. Truly nothing can be more humbling than providing shoes for a child or homeless person or anyone in need of protecting their feet.
SOLES 4 SOULS has a Challenge to reach a goal of 50,000 pairs of shoes in 50 days.
I checked today...that's why I waited to share. There are only 23 days left and they have:
8,502 pairs donated
This troubled me greatly because I have seen the children & people here in Mexico without shoes, walking barefoot. I know the conditions in which they live. I know that in the United States as difficult as the times are economically, most people have more than one pair of shoes and some have collections.
SOLES 4 SOULS has 8 stories available to read on their site herebut this same type of story is multiplied thousands of times over throughout many places in the world.
I have met many like "Roberto", a 10 year old, whose story they share. He lives with his uncle's family in the city dump outside of this town....and though it names one place, it's true here where I live and in many other countries. Each day he gets up at dawn to sort through the trash looking for items they can clean up and sell or for suitable things to eat.
Tomorrow is my garbage day and early before the garbage trucks arrive many people will have passed by going through the bags of garbage even before they arrive at the dumpsite. It is their way of life. It is now illegal for the children to work at the dumpsite. Yet still I have seen families come by together searching.
I recently discovered that there is a 19 year old, right out of high school, walking across America barefoot...known as DASH...His real name is Dashiel Alsup. It looks like he began in April and will be completing his journey on Tuesday, December 9th in Jacksonville, Florida.
"Teenager Dashiel Alsup is nearing the end of his epic barefoot hike across America for shoe charity Soles4Souls, a non-profit dedicated to providing free shoes to those in need. By the time he steps into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, Dash will have logged nearly 3,500 miles -- mostly barefoot -- to raise funds and awareness for Soles4Souls. " TO READ MORE click here
You can see his blog where Dash journaled his journey here A Single Pebble;
Clearly Dash understands the GREAT need!
Footwear is a basic need that many of us take for granted every day.
I know that you have heard the expression
“to walk a mile in someone else’s shoe”
and most of us know its meaning
I ask you today to think about how much you are spending on Christmas gifts and really consider
donating to this Challenge of Making a Difference for 50,000...and it just takes $5. Just think if you or children you know had to endure not just months but daily for years walking this way, what would you do to get them a pair of shoes?
If it was not for this GREAT NEWS that was released December 4th because of Dash's sacrificial walk and OKA b. shoes...I would truly wonder if there is any HOPE left of meeting their goal.
On Tuesday, they will be halfway in their days and not near the half way mark of pairs of shoes.
Were it not for DASH & OKA b. many children and adults would continue without shoes.
"For seven months, Dash has endured countless wounds to his feet and many cold and rainy nights spent in a cramped tent, as well as more than a few tense moments with locals unsure of his motivations."
THANK YOU DASH and OKA b. & any of you that are moved to buy two pair of shoes for $5 from the bottom of my sole to my soul, I truly thank you on behalf of those without shoes blessed by SOLES4SOULS!
They are at work in over 45 states and 61 countries! Again I ask you as I did the last time:
WHAT IS A SOUL WORTH?
[when soles are available for just 5 dollars
to help show Jesus to these precious ones]
THE 1st of 4 CHILDREN'S FEEDING CENTERS FROM ONE CHURCH THAT DISTRIBUTED
Two of the HOSTS of these Feeding Centers in their home.
