HERE’S HOW IT STARTED..

I went on a mission trip with my church and family in September of 2011. While there I met hundreds of kids and most had no shoes. After spending time in a village, I got to know the people and found that most kids never own a pair of shoes. Even more, without a pair of shoes, a child can not go to school. One girl continued to follow us around saying, “I don’t want boys, I want to be a nurse”. I didn’t understand so I asked our in country guide what she meant and I learned that at her tender age of 12, her options were to be in school or get married. To go to school, she would need tuition, living expenses, school supplies, a uniform and a pair of shoes. None of which she had so in essence her option was to get married. A pair of shoes really can mean an education in the life of a child. I felt ashamed because I know I had at least 20 pairs of shoes at home in my closet.
The kids my age have several shoes and complain or throw out what we don’t like when so many go without. When I returned, I found out there were many people that wanted to help and the first month back I collected 178 pairs of shoes. It is quite expensive to mail so they are being shipped over as I can afford to do so. One of the first pair of shoes went to the little girl that started this all named Jenifer. Please read about her on her page on our site.
Since that first month, generous people have donated everything from clothing, to toys, to school supplies to baby supplies. I will be focusing on a certain item each month and either mailing them out or sending them with missionaries to hand deliver. I am so grateful for your prayers that this not be about me or the people giving or even the people receiving but be about Glory to the God that can bring us all together to show and share love that will continue on to others.

Hunter Gurrola Anderson