Shoes...

This post is going to be somewhat different from the usual. Usually my posts are about shopping for shoes with Joe, or drooling over the latest styles in shoes, or may even be about the fact that I work for a shoe company. But today, this post... it's different.

Have you ever thought about how fantastic shoes are? Aside from being trendy or comfortable or at least mandatory to wear to get into the grocery store, have you ever really sat back and been thankful for your shoes? I can tell you that I haven't been as thankful as I should be to have a closet full of shoes, but I assure you that there are people in areas all over the world that would be very thankful for even one pair of shoes. This is because feet are notorious for being the site where parasites enter the body. This happens as a result of walking day after day, barefoot, on rough surfaces. Cracks in the feet occur from daily wear and tear, cuts happen leaving open wounds vulnerable to dirt and parasites which over time can cause infection, disease, disfigurement, and even death if not treated promptly and properly.

You've probably heard most of this if you're familiar with TOMS Shoes, an organization that gives a pair of shoes for every shoe that is purchased. Well, here in Topeka a similar movement is happening as a result of one young man. His name is Robert Nguitui. Originally from Kenya, Robert has been living in the US for 10 years and decided earlier in the year that he wanted to send back to Kenya as many shoes as possible for free distribution in the poorer areas of the cities. Robert recalled when he received his first pair of shoes - he was 12 years old.

The goal: Robert has plans to lease a 40-foot shipping container and pay for shipping all by himself. Yes, you read that correctly, Robert is paying for the shipment of all the shoes that he can find entirely on his own. The only thing for which he is asking is donated shoes. He, along with the help of Brookwood Covenant Church, Rebound, Wood Valley Fitness Center, and Studio One - all collection sites - have been collecting donated shoes. Robert's goal is to collect 40,000 shoes; however, he currently only has 3-4K. So, I encourage you, if you have any shoes to donate or money that you can give toward the purchase of shoes, please do it. Everyone cleans out their closet every now and then. I'm sure you have a few shoes that you could use to make the lives of someone else even better this holiday season.