Shoes, Orphans and Ethiopia

This is a guest post by a friend of mine Ingrid who works tirelessly with a very trusted group 

that serves the poorest of the poor in Ethiopia.  Ingrid's blog can be found here

www.reachinghiskids.blogspot.com

Famine, Poverty and Injustice...

Right now I'm raising $6,000 for 300 pairs of shoes for my little friends in Ethiopia.  

Fundraising scares me, I feel very inadequate to raise the funds but I know that 

God loves these children WAY more than I do and HE will provide for them.

I visited these children this past March and almost immediately knew that this shoe 

project needed to happen ASAP!  The reason is the picture below.

January 2011

I actually took this picture on my first trip to Ethiopia in January 2011. 

 These shoes belonged to a precious boy named Israel.  When I got him a new pair 

of shoes from our donations he cried.

I cried.  

My life was changed.

January 2011 

As I held him, both of us crying, I knew that I simply could NOT go home and ever be the same.

This past March I had the privilege of seeing Israel again and oh my, he had grown, 

he was taller than me!  A HUGE testament to how much these children are benefiting

 from the feeding program.

Within moments of walking into the school, I spotted Israel's face.  After I hugged him, 

I soon noticed something that

broke

my

heart,

Israel was barefoot.

This boy has a special place in my heart and I REALLY wanted to bring him shoes. 

 Children's HopeChest and FOVC have asked that we try to give donations/gifts that

 are similar for all the children.  Therefore, I wasn't able to bring Israel shoes because 

we didn't have enough room to bring 150 pairs, one for every child.  Throughout the week, 

Israel would smile at me and I often wondered if he was thinking about the shoes

 because I was. 

After he outgrew the pair from 2011, he receive another pair from FOVC in 2012.  

Unfortunately, because of lack of funding this past year, FOVC couldn't provide shoes in 2013. 

 Therefore, many of the children are barefoot or wearing very worn shoes.

Ugh!  My heart is broken and I SO desperately want to provide new shoes. 

 $6,000 will provide 300 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs per child for the next year.

PLEASE donate a pair (or 2) today.  Follow THIS LINK to make a donation.  

I, along with Israel and 149 other of my little friends in Ethiopia, greatly appreciate your support.

March 2013

Thank you Ingrid for working so tirelessly for these little ones and being bold

on their behalf!  I would love to help her raise the funds by spreading the word! 

 Please help if you can and please share this on pinterest and on facebook 

to put shoes on these little ones feet.  Shoes are just one of the many blessings

we take for granted every day.  Lets celebrate our gratitude for these things 

by sharing what we have and spreading the word!