That’s right, as odd as it may seem, I now LOVE to clean other people’s feet! Let me explain a little further before you think I’m crazy…this past week my team had the opportunity to hand out 500+ shoes to orphans in Swaziland. Children from 5 care points in the Nsoko area were brought in to the main community center and about 50 of us had 12 foot washing stations set up. The only way to explain that day was “organized chaos.” The children stood in lines around us and one by one, we brought them in, washed their feet, put a brand new pair of shoes on them, and then prayed for them before sending them on their way.
As a child, I remember how exciting it was to go shopping for new shoes before school started in the fall. My mother would take me down to Dillards and I always picked out the latest style of Keds. It was never a question IF I was going to get new shoes, the only question was what color I was going to get for the new school year. Most of the children we gave shoes to have NEVER had shoes much less a brand new pair. For most of them, this was the first brand new ANYTHING that they have ever received in their lives.
The boxes and boxes of shoes Little boy’s feet waiting in line for shoes
The GoGo’s organizing the children Brian washing one of the boy’s feet
These children walk around the African bush with clothes that are never washed, most of them handed down to them from siblings or older children who have grown out of them. Their feet are covered in dirt, and many of them have infections from splinters or cuts and wounds that have never been taken care of. The ground they walk on is covered in 3 feet high grass, thorns that will pierce right through your shoes( I know this from experience), and sharp rocks that are hard to walk on WITH shoes much less WITHOUT them. And oh yes, their are snakes and other animals lurking in the bush that will strike at anything that walks by. Children in America would NEVER be allowed to play in these areas much less walk around in with absolutely no shoes on.
Once again, I am in awe of how MUCH I take for granted in America. I never grew up wondering if I would have clean clothes to put on my back or a pair of shoes to protect my feet. I was fortunate to have two parents to take care of those things for me. These children have NO parents much less anyone to care for their daily basic needs.
A simple pair of new shoes just gave 500 orphans something that they have never had before….something to call their own.
Maithili and her mother cleaning cuts and wounds Me with some of my favorite girls waiting in line for shoes
