I almost sent out a code red on the blog last night but the child (Isabel) said,’ Relax, it will all work out.”

With less than a week left to come up with all the right sizes for a ministry that needs shoes, I was panicking because we were 18 pairs short of having the correct sizes.  While I panicked, Isabel was as cool as a cucumber.

This month, Shoesforkids will be sending some shoes with a ministry called Forward Edge, who will be taking the shoes to Managua, Nicaragua.  Forward Edge is a trusted ministry with the mission of sharing Christ’s love with those affected by poverty, disaster and sickness both in the US and around the globe.  In Managua, Forward Edge helps rescue young girls from a life in the dump where they are forced to scavage for garbage and live with the risk of being sold into prostitution as early as 9 years old.  Forward Edge has three homes for girls and ShoesforKids gets the amazing opportunity to help these girls get some shoes.   Anyway, our friend, Bob Craddock, who works for ForwardEdge, sent us the shoe sizes for about 30 girls, so like Superman, Isabel responded to the mission.  The other night we went through all 250 donated shoes that sit in our garage and realized we were short of a few sizes; adult sizes 8 and 9’s.

I was feeling a little panicky last night because I wanted to make sure all girls receive shoes and their trip is at the end of the week. We were 18 pairs short of the right sizes.

Last night, as Isabel and I discussed what to do, President Isabel suggested I look in my closet.  “Excuse me?”

“Mom, you’re a size 8 and you have too many shoes.”

I had just donated a bunch of shoes, so I felt like my personal shoe supply was not the place to go, but I marched up to my closet.  I looked at my closet floor and looked at my pile of shoes.  High heels?  No….not practical.  Boots? Not practical in tropical locations.  Keens? Oh but those were so expensive….sure, they hardly get worn, but not my Keens. But then, before I knew it, my Keens were lost in the big shoe pile going overseas.

Today we were blessed and picked up 80 more pairs of shoes donated by a group of adults with Down Syndrome. Isabel had spoken to them a month ago at their bible study, and these adults committed 30 pairs of shoes, but surprised us with 80 pairs today.  How cool is that?!!

In those shoes we found 13 more pairs in the right sizes.

Now, we have about 4 more pairs of size 8’s we need to come up with, but we are not worried.  Just thankful that we get to help a bunch of young girls get some shoes.

Isabel wanted to share a little message today too.  We both feel so blessed!

(From Isabel)

Well I will add to that Mom,

Hello people of the world. I have seen this stuff before, I mean kids in poverty. I have been there. I want those kids to know that someone is thinking and praying for them from far away. And even if you don’t have the money to buy shoes you can still pray and think of them.

Hey and if you have shoes, you can donate them with a letter to give to the kid who gets your shoes just to tell them who you are and that you will pray and think of them (here is our email if you want to donate. shoesforkids@comcast.net). Some kids take letters like that and save them for their whole life. They love to here that people care.

Since we are getting close to Christmas I want these girls in Nicaragua to get presents too. Even though shoes don’t seem like a great gift to some, it means the world to kids overseas that don’t have shoes.   Please pray for these girls in Nicaragua and the kids all around the world.

I also want to give a big thanks to everybody who has donated. Just think, someone way far away has your donated shoes on….. or will have them soon. Thank you!  Here are some pictures of my mom’s shoe drop in Ethiopia.  More to come too!

Making Happy Feet,

Isabel Rose