Zoie and I went to look for spring shoes today, despite the freezing rain.  I have no idea why I wore my flip flops, but the pain in my toes reminded me of my next blessing I want to share with you from the mission trip.  I’ve only been home 10 days, so my heart is still raw from processing everything we did in Ethiopia.  I have warned my teams pre-trip that joining me will not be for the faint of heart or body.  We work hard on mission trips.  You have to go big, love big, and work big- sun up to sun down.  Roger and I still chuckle when we think about our own kids begging us to go back to the hotel on our vacation to Disneyland a few years ago.  They know the rule about sneaking back too early from an adventure.  We stay until the park closes.

We woke the team up very early on our special day to a tiny rural village outside the skirts of Addis Ababa.  The anticipation of putting shoes on hundreds of children’s feet made all of us a little giddy.  We had our box lunch packed, bottled water, and headed out for a real adventure- a shoe distribution.  I have been asked not to share where we went or exactly how many shoes we distributed, but I will say… it was a whole lotta shoes!!

The night before, we had been briefed on the protocol of a distribution.  The team was very organized and even had some Oromo words we had to memorize.  I finally managed to remember how to say “hello” and “wait” in Oromo.  I was the door greeter and welcomed in each child to receive a brand new pair of yellow, customized for their environment, economically wonderful shoes!  One of the rules for teams, you sit on the floor and take off the old pair of shoes and put the new pair of shoes on each child.  I was so humbled.  It felt like we were part of a Bible story washing the feet of the fatherless.  Most children, didn’t have on shoes and the sores, cuts, and bumps resonated to each of us how much they needed their first pair of new shoes.

My favorite blessing was helping a very old, blind woman walk into the classroom and sit down with joy waiting for her pair of shoes.  We also welcomed in the village children, as well as their elders.  When I held her foot in my hands, I realized I had no idea where she had walked the past 80 years.  Her feet were worn and dirty, but she had walked strong and courageous through her life in rural Ethiopia.  Again, I was humbled.  She placed her hand on my face and her appreciation poured out through her smile.  Thank you Jesus for the chance to simply love with the gift of our time, energy, and resources.  We distributed shoes for hours that day and had the opportunity to share shoes with the entire community, however we knew there were still so many around who desperately needed shoes.  The best part of the distribution- the children get to come back in six months and receive another new pair of shoes!!  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!!

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. – Mother Theresa

If you are interested in going on a Visiting Orphans mission trip, check out their upcoming trips on their website- visitingorphans.org

Thank you to those who made it possible for us to be a part of something so incredible and life changing!