Shoes are providing opportunities to share the Gospel to U-S hurricane victims

By September 16, 2005

USA (MNN) — More than 372,000 school children in Louisiana and Mississippi have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. U-S education officials aren’t sure where they will end up going to school, or who will pay for their education. But, many of these students are receiving love in the form of shoes.

Buckner Orphan Care International has taken their Shoes for Orphan Souls program to the victims of the hurricane. Buckner’s Shaun Hawkins says, “At this point we’ve been able to give almost 14,000 pairs of shoes and 35,000 pair of socks — new shoes and socks to these individuals and I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing it is for them.”

These donated shoes come from people just like you, who donate to churches or civic groups who have shoe drives for their ministry. Hawkins says while thousands of needs remain, the Gospel is being shared in incredible ways. “A lot of individuals write notes. They’ll write out passages and put them in the shoes. And so, as we’re able to hand out these shoes and distribute these shoes to the evacuee, we’re also able to hand them the truth, the Gospel message.”

Buckner didn’t divert shoes from any of the orphanage programs overseas. The shoes committed to those will still be delivered. However, the need in the Gulf Coast makes the shoe need even larger. “We need as many churches and schools and businesses to organization shoe drives, so that we can continue to spread the love and the hope of Jesus to kids all over the world.”

Buckner will help you coordinate a shoe drive in your church or civic organization. Hawkins says, “We can send you all the information, tell you exactly how to do it. And then, we provide all the promotional material, the posters, brochures, DVD’s, whatever you need to get the word out.”

Click on the link above to help.

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