A smelly bag of garbage in hand, I stepped onto the stage and looked out into a group of junior high students. I had endless thoughts racing through my head; “How am I going to get these kids’ attention? And I don’t know how to talk to kids! How am I ever going to get them to see the world from the perspective of a shoeless child who lives at a dump in the Philippines?”

One of the young ladies volunteered to come and assist me. I asked her to take off her shoes and step on the bag of garbage (the garbage still inside the bag). Her reaction was priceless! I believe the phrase she used was, “Yeeeewww!”

As we talked about the children at the dump site and what I needed from the students – shoes -- I was pleasantly surprised at the ability of these young teens to put themselves in the place of the kids at the dump site.

Great questions came forth: “Won’t their feet get cut?” “Don’t they get sick?” “What do they eat?” One young lady approached me after the presentation and asked if I’d really met these kids. I told her yes and she simply sighed and said, “That’s just really sad.”

I have been blessed and amazed at the response of children across the Twin Ports. I have spoken to Cub Scouts, Tiger Scouts and youth groups.

The shoes are pouring in from the hearts of these kids! One young lady named Michele showed up with a huge green garbage bag full of shoes, I believe most of them were her own. Two young men from the Christian and Missionary Alliance senior high youth group in Superior brought in five huge bags of shoes.

Some Cub Scouts and Tiger Scouts in both Duluth and Superior will be gathering shoes as well.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, first to my Lord for opening the hearts and eyes of these kids and the community. What an army! Second, I’m brought to tears with thanksgiving for the kids who are gathering these shoes for my kids in the Philippines.

1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

These young people have been a great example to me and many others. These kids, going door to door gathering shoes to help other kids so far away, make my heart leap for joy.

Now, we need you, the adults, to come and buy the shoes. The biggest used shoe sale for Sole2Soul will be held Nov. 13-14, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, 1604 Banks Ave., Superior, Wis. There are all sizes and styles to purchase. There will be door prizes as well.

We have a wonderful anonymous donor who will match 25 percent of what is raised. Let’s put great shoes on the children at the dump site. It would be wonderful to supply a feeding for them as well.

If you are unable to attend the sale but would like to contribute financially, please make checks payable to Living Stones News, 2031 E. First St., Duluth, Minn, 55812.

I send a very large thank-you to everyone who has prayed, given shoes or shed a tear for these children at the dump site.