May 28, 2001
Shoes for Orphan Souls steps out to reach 13 countries
___By Russ Dilday
___& Scott Collins
___Buckner News Service
___Shoes got Texas Baptists' feet in the door for ministry in Mexico.
___In Ethiopia, shoes became the first step to a Christian witness by Texas Baptists.
___And in China, shoes have been a light unto the path of the gospel.
CRISTI FLOREA, a member of the orphanage follow-up team for Fundatia Buckner (Buckner Foundation) of Romania, fits a youngster for a pair of new shoes provided to several orphanages in Romania through the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive.
___All these shoes have been collected and distributed through Shoes for Orphan Souls, an annual ministry project of Buckner Orphan Care International.
___It's time for churches, civic groups and individuals to begin preparing to donate pairs of new shoes for the annual drive. And in this season, Buckner officials are reminding Texas Baptists what a difference their donations make.
___Mexico, Ethiopia and China were among 13 countries where Buckner distributed 50,000 pairs of donated shoes last year. Shoes for Orphan Souls also reached to Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Kenya, Latvia, Peru, Croatia, India and the United States.
___In Mexico, shoes were a foot in the door when First Baptist Church of Carrollton took its youth group and a load of Shoes for Orphan Souls on a mission trip over spring break. The youth volunteered at the Buckner Orphan Care warehouse, selecting shoes in the sizes needed by the children in the orphanage they would be visiting.
___When they arrived at their ministry location, "they were told they would not be able to visit the orphanage because the local priest was unsure of the intentions of the group," recounted Tiffany Taylor, director of Shoes for Orphan Souls.
___"The leaders of the team met with the priest and showed him the shoes they had hoped to personally put on the orphans' feet," she said. "The priest was so impressed with the quality of the new shoes--and the children had a desperate need for the shoes--that he allowed the team to come into the orphanage with the shoes. Each orphan was presented a brand new pair of shoes, and the missions team was able to share the love of Christ with each child."
___In Ethiopia, Buckner partners with Reverend Getahan's Gospel to All ministry in Addis Ababa. In January, Buckner sent a large shipment of shoes and other humanitarian aid to Ethiopia with Getahan.
___The needs of orphans are particularly urgent in Ethiopia, where more than 10 million children have been orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic.
___"The shipment included much-needed medical supplies, new jeans and, of course, brand-new shoes for all of the children involved in his ministry," Taylor said. "One of the recipients, Peshome Tesama, had been living on the streets. He now lives in the Gospel to All orphanage and attends Bible study class.
___"Rev. Getahan's eyes filled with tears as he described the overwhelming needs of the children, and his eyes overflowed as he described the small joy that Buckner was able to give to the children through a new pair of shoes," she observed.
___In China, donated shoes literally "lit up" the lives of the children in orphanages.
___"When the team arrived to pass out the shoes, the children were almost as excited about the bright yellow shoeboxes as the new shoes that came inside them--until they discovered that the shoes light up when they walk," Taylor said.
___Soon the American team had turned out the lights so that the children could jump up and down and watch the shoes light up. "The room was filled with light, laughter and bouncing children."
___In Romania, Taylor acknowledged that the lighted shoes also were "a big hit," adding that an orphan boy, 9-year-old Tibi, "wanted tennis shoes with lights more than any other child" but none could be found in his size.
___"Team leader Bruce Thomas went through more than 100 pairs of size 3 boys and girls tennis shoes trying to find some with lights," she said.
___Pulling up shoe after unlighted shoe, it appeared Tibi would leave broken-hearted. Thomas prayed, "Please let me find a pair of lighted shoes for this child who has been sitting here for over an hour now."
___Then he remembered that the day before the volunteers had put a pair of the lighted shoes in one of the cars. He went out to get them, and sure enough, they were a boy's size 3.
___Thomas brought them in and knelt down before Tibi's sad little face, Taylor said. "Tibi gasped and yelled, 'I just know that they will fit!' And they did.
___"Bruce went on to remind Tibi that God had saved those shoes just for him," she said, "and that he should never forget that God would protect him and take care of him."
___This year, Taylor anticipates collecting nearly 500,000 new pairs of shoes. Along with this growth, the campaign has moved nationwide.
___In May, Buckner received a donation of 400,000 pairs of new shoes from an anonymous donor. Those shoes already have been shipped overseas to help children around the world.
___Through media exposure, an increased presence on the Internet and the generosity of the Macerich Co., owners of one of the nation's largest chain of shopping centers, Shoes for Orphan Souls is beginning to hit full stride.
___"There is something about the shoe drive that captures the imagination of people," Taylor said. "A pair of new shoes is such a simple gift, yet it is obvious to those who donate that each pair of shoes makes a tremendous difference to the child who receives those shoes."
___As the number of shoes collected continues to increase, Taylor said, Buckner needs additional financial contributions to pay for the costs of distributing shoes to the children. Buckner is asking shoe donors to include a gift of $5 with each pair of shoes given to the project.
___August is the primary collection period for shoes. However, many groups select other times during the year to hold their drives. Here's how you or your church can help:
___Donate brand-new pairs of children's shoes, socks and shoelaces for children from birth to 18. Boots or winter shoes are especially needed. Send $5 or more with each pair of shoes to help with distribution expenses.
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___For more information about Shoes for Orphan Souls, visit the drive's website, www.shoesfororphansouls.org, or call (877) 7-ORPHAN.
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