We walked down this long dirt path to get to the area we would host the distribution in. It was a small yard that held two little houses and another building that held two weaving looms and a table and chairs. You could tell the family that lived there was not wealthy, but they welcomed us with open arms!! We went into this rather small room and began sorting the shoes by size and gender to make the distribution go along smoother. Outside the door the people formed a line as the children began to come in two at a time to be fitted for new shoes and to receive a toy! I saw so many happy faces come through those doors!! It's so wonderful to watch as the kid's eyes light up as they gaze over the shoes that they can choose from!! It's an even greater moment to find the pair that fits them and watch as they skip out the door with their new shoes on and old ones in tow!! I mean some of the shoes they wear are barely holding together, may be held together by string, be sizes too small making them have blisters but they keep wearing them!! Their only choice is to keep wearing them until they can't keep them together any longer or have no shoes at all!! Shoes are a luxury that MANY families in Guatemala cannot afford!! You will often see kids as well as the adults walking around on the rough rocks bare foot!! I can't even begin to describe the condition of some of the feet I have fitted shoes on!! So sad!! I have seen tiny little feet that looked like they belonged to an old person they were so rough and wrinkled! Some that were so blistered I hated to touch them in fear it would cause pain!! I saw all of those kind of feet today but each of them left that room with shoes to protect them!! Makes me smile thinking about it!! The added bonus is that each of these kids also received a new toy to play with!! We also gave them cookies and punch as a snack!!
Once the last person came through we packed up the remaining things and washed our hands to sit down for a lunch the women prepared for us! It always amazes me just how giving these families are!! The meals they prepare for us are more than what they can feed their own families!! It shows how grateful they are for the help they receive but also teaches me a very valuable lesson! It shows me that no matter how little you have there is NO reason you cannot give a little something of yourself!! I am SO VERY blessed to be able to experience this journey!!
Her feet were crammed into these shoes!! They were so tight it was cutting into her skin but she still wore them just to have shoes:(
Shoes with rope for laces!! They'll do anything they have to in order to be able to wear them!!
A little girl came in wearing these shoes!! They were held on her feet by the rope weaved through the holes and tied!
It's always exciting to see how happy the mothers get when their child receieves new shoes!!
This little one was as cute as can be because she insisted on these purple flip flops that she's sure to out grow rather quickly!! What made me smile even more is because they use to belong to my girls:)
This is th faimly that opened up there home for the ditribution
The crew of us who went to the Choa Cruz distribution
Meal the village of Choa Cruz prepared for us
Me and Alejandra
Me, Liliam and Alejandra
Me and Liliam
No humans or turkeys were hurt during this adventure!!
To appreciate this pic you would have had to have been there lol!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment