Check out Elijah's shy little video at the bottom.
Over the summer I read the this article in the paper, how you can help others so far away, when you are struggling yourself. It was a shoe collection of various kinds for people who are broken and hurting just like us, only world's apart, where resources are scarce. It pulled on my heartstrings and I teared up, and prayed for them, and that is all I did. I was talking to a friend and telling them about the collection, and saying something like....we really should do something like this where these people are just in survival mode trying to think of logistics to get a glass of water to drink. Then it happened...we both snickered and said we are just to busy, that we have our plates full, with our own daily struggles. The selfishness over took me, and that was that.
It has always been important to Pat and I to educate our children, and share with them the struggles of this life, so they may pray and develop a heart for Gods people that weak for weak, or strong for strong we can come along others and help them in their weakness.
Elijah came to me, after talking together, and said "What can I do?" I know I am a little boy, how can I help others, and I said by "praying for them." He said "I heard you on the phone, we really should go through all of our shoes mommy, they don't even fit in the cubby." My heart was broken, and restored all at the same time. I said "what a great Idea buddy" Let's send shoes to Kenya."
You can make a difference in peoples lives
A simple pair of shoes will not only show that someone loves them and cares about them.
It is such a practical way to serve as protection from cuts, scrapes, sore infections, bruising, Life threatening diseases, and many many parasites, which can bring on severe illness, and serious retardation. Which is all contracted though their feet.
Elijah is going to be collecting gently used and new shoes, and we will be shipping them off to be distributed. You may drop your shoes off at our house, or our Church:
Heritage Presbyterian Church, 4000 Alt Road, Eureka, MO 63025
Elijah would also like to collect shoes at:
Grandadd's Chuch- St. James Evangelical
Stony Hill, MO
Here are some Statistics on the Suffering in that Area
- 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe water supply. They walk for miles with out shoes.
- 2.4 billion people do not have access to improved sanitation.
- Less than 1% of the entire world's water is fresh water that is accessible fresh water, suitable for human use.
- A person can live about a month without food but only about a week without water.
- More than 200 million hours are spent each day by women and female children walking to collect water from distant, often polluted sources with out shoes.
- The average American individual uses between 100 and 176 gallons of water each day.
- The average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.
- Approximately 60-70% of the rural population in underdeveloped countries does not have access to a safe and convenient water source nor a satisfactory means of waste disposal.
- More than 6000 children die each day from diseases related to drinking contaminated water, improper sanitation, and poor hygiene
- 80% of illnesses are related to the lack of clean water and poor sanitation.
If you have any questions please ask me, and I will get back to you! 314 398 8211
P.s.- He didn't want to leave out the Patrick.
