Shoes

My favorite day of Camp Life in Zambia was (hands down) shoe day!  On Thursday of each week of camp we distributed shoes to each child attending camp.  I am amazed at how a simple gift of a pair of shoes can make children so very happy.  Those sweet children are so thankful for anything they call their own.  (Well, there were always a few who would tell you that the shoes were too tight in hopes to get a different pair of shoes.  Funny how kids are just kids and have their own opinions no matter where they live or how much they have.)

I loved measuring each child’s foot, putting new white socks on their dirty feet (oh how I wish we had the time and means to wash those feet!), and then presenting them with a brand NEW pair of shoes.  It was a bit time consuming to lace up each shoe but it was well worth it.  I loved looking up at the children gazing down at me while I adjusted the shoes to fit perfectly on their feet.  Their faces were expectant.  Grateful.  Precious.  Once the shoes were tied and the child gave me  a priceless smile, I would lean into the child’s lap, place one hand on a foot and the other hand on their head and pray a blessing over them.  One by one.  A prayer claiming that those feet would truly carry the good news of Jesus.  Then the child would stand up and walk off, looking intently at her new gift.  

And I would receive the gift of watching them proudly accept their new shoes.  

I so love shoe day.  

And so I found it extremely interesting that my two sweet daughters gave me these for my birthday last week:  

I don’t think I have ever actually received a pair of shoes as a gift (I have received money to purchase running shoes but never actual shoes) so I had to smile as I pulled the pair out, remembering our recent ministry of giving shoes to orphans.  What a sweet and innocent reminder from my girls of our precious time in Zambia.