Today is Shoe the World Day.
When Isaac came to Sole Hope he was a little boy with big dreams. He comes from a place where jiggers can drain not just a person’s blood, but also their future. However, with his new knowledge and new shoes Isaac is ready to take on the world.
Shoes change lives. They change the lives of the craftspeople that build them. They change the lives of the people that wear them. They change the lives of the people that give them.
Here in Uganda we are fighting against jiggers. These parasites can make life difficult or impossible for the people infested by them. Sole hope builds shoes, builds relationships, builds knowledge, and together we change lives.
Shoe the world day and the work that Sole Hope does is about more than fashion. It’s about more than job creation. It’s about more than living jigger free. It’s about solving problems together and supporting each other as a local and global community. It’s about how generosity, resourcefulness, and hope can cross back and forth between oceans, cultures, and continents. It’s about being stronger together.
In our quest to eradicate jiggers we partner with people all over the world. We work with people who scour the roads and landfills for discarded tires, and cut them carefully so that our shoemakers can craft them into soles. We work with teachers in schools who educate and care for vulnerable children. We work with parents striving for a better future for their children. We work with people who cut their jeans into shoe uppers, pack care kits, and pour out their hearts and souls into caring for people they will likely never meet.
But those people aren’t some faceless other. They are Isaac. They are Grace. They Yuseph. They are people with hearts, souls, love, and dreams. So today, on shoe the world day, thank you for being a part of Sole Hope. Thank you for shoeing the world.
The struggle is real, the fight is intense, and the stakes are high. But between your generosity and Isaac’s resolve, I think we are in good hands. Hope is winning.
Our Youth group at Capital Christian Center on Wednesday night had a shoe cutting party and together we cut out 25 pairs of shoes! I am in the process of packing them up and shipping them to you! It was fun and everybody got involved to cut as many shoes as we could in two hours!! Sending them your way soon!
Sincerely,
Ann LaDuke
How can i help?
Joan,
We would love for you to check out our new Care Kit parties! Thank you for your support!
I am so honored to be part, albeit a small part, of Sole Hope. I’ve hosted only one party. AND, each person that attended that party was inspired, happy to share an evening together with other like minded folks, has spoken about the experience with their families, has inspired others to get “in service” in a way that sings their hearts.
I’m sorry to hear that shoe production has been stalled for the reason it has. Truly, helping is vital and volunteering to make shoes an opportunity to outreach our good fortune to others. If folks want to be of service in this way: JUMP IN FULLY. KEEP YOUR COMMITMENTS COMPLETELY. If folks would rather be of service in another way, by all means do that…fully, completely.
Thank you Sole “Hopers” on the ground in Uganda for all you do. I will order my Care Kit today! And do let me know when production of shoes restarts – it definitely time for another round here in Talent, OR! Can I reuse my same patterns? I would, of course, submit the processing charge upon completion and mailing of the shoe parts.
Jesse,
Wow! Thank you so much for your kind, encouraging words! We would be honored for you to host another party (using your same pattern!) – we only ask that each pair of shoes is sponsored. To clarify, shoe production has not been halted. We are still fully employing our Tailors and Shoemakers and shoes are being made daily. We just can’t continue to accept shoes that have not been sponsored.
Thank you so much for your support!