As I was dressing Tristan for church yesterday, I picked out an adorable pair of penny loafer shoes to go with his dapper little cardigan sweater. They are so tiny, even pennies wouldn't fit into them (and even if they did, Tristan would probably eat them, so his penny loafers were penny-less). He's 7 months old, unable to walk and has about 7 pairs of shoes....I know. Crazy right? It wasn't until a few hours later, while I was picking up his shoes from the floor of church after he unceremoniously kicked them off, that a memory drifted into my mind.
In 2010, I was honored with the privilege of going with a team of my friends to Zimbabwe, Africa for a couple of weeks. Our mission was to spread the love of Jesus, help students with homework, and spend time with the orphans from Hands of Hope Ministry. Here's some background information about the country: There are 1.3 million orphans in Zimbabwe with 89% of that total resulting from the AIDS epidemic. Unemployment is over 90% and the country is hurting badly. I saw a need like I've never seen one before.
My team and I brought supplies and donations with us on our journey. One major component of our trip was to pass out shoes to the orphans within the ministry. I was greatly humbled by this experience. The shoes we were providing them were gently used; yet, these shoes were by far the nicest things some of these children had ever owned. As I was walking down a dirt road, holding hands with one of the little girls, she looked at my shoes, looked at me and smiled. She said, "Those sure are nice shoes." What? These shoes? The ones I bought just to wear on my trip so I wouldn't mess up my nice ones? The ones I was planning on leaving because I didn't really want them? I looked down, smiled and said "thank you" as I realized that she had no shoes.
It's been almost 5 years since I took the trip that forever changed my life. Now, here I am with a husband and a baby who has more shoes at 7 months than some of those children will ever have in a lifetime.
Next time I feel the urge to buy Tristan yet another pair of cute shoes that he doesn't really need, nor want, I'm going to do this instead: I'm going to make a donation to Hands of Hope Ministry. As someone who has traveled to Zimbabwe and met the workers firsthand, I can rest assured that my donation will be received with loving and grateful arms. If you are interested in making a difference and donating to a worthy cause, please follow this link - http://hohafrica.org/wp/. The money goes to a church in California who then makes sure that it goes toward the ministry to purchase items for the orphans who so desperately need them.
I love shopping for cute little baby clothes and shoes, but I also realize that I am blessed beyond measure. I want Tristan to learn the importance of giving to those less fortunate and what better way to teach than by example? So please, make a donation and make a difference. You'll be surprised at how much of a difference one pair of shoes can make.
In 2010, I was honored with the privilege of going with a team of my friends to Zimbabwe, Africa for a couple of weeks. Our mission was to spread the love of Jesus, help students with homework, and spend time with the orphans from Hands of Hope Ministry. Here's some background information about the country: There are 1.3 million orphans in Zimbabwe with 89% of that total resulting from the AIDS epidemic. Unemployment is over 90% and the country is hurting badly. I saw a need like I've never seen one before.
My team and I brought supplies and donations with us on our journey. One major component of our trip was to pass out shoes to the orphans within the ministry. I was greatly humbled by this experience. The shoes we were providing them were gently used; yet, these shoes were by far the nicest things some of these children had ever owned. As I was walking down a dirt road, holding hands with one of the little girls, she looked at my shoes, looked at me and smiled. She said, "Those sure are nice shoes." What? These shoes? The ones I bought just to wear on my trip so I wouldn't mess up my nice ones? The ones I was planning on leaving because I didn't really want them? I looked down, smiled and said "thank you" as I realized that she had no shoes.
It's been almost 5 years since I took the trip that forever changed my life. Now, here I am with a husband and a baby who has more shoes at 7 months than some of those children will ever have in a lifetime.
Next time I feel the urge to buy Tristan yet another pair of cute shoes that he doesn't really need, nor want, I'm going to do this instead: I'm going to make a donation to Hands of Hope Ministry. As someone who has traveled to Zimbabwe and met the workers firsthand, I can rest assured that my donation will be received with loving and grateful arms. If you are interested in making a difference and donating to a worthy cause, please follow this link - http://hohafrica.org/wp/. The money goes to a church in California who then makes sure that it goes toward the ministry to purchase items for the orphans who so desperately need them.
I love shopping for cute little baby clothes and shoes, but I also realize that I am blessed beyond measure. I want Tristan to learn the importance of giving to those less fortunate and what better way to teach than by example? So please, make a donation and make a difference. You'll be surprised at how much of a difference one pair of shoes can make.