How He Loves Us...

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18 
Many of you remember when I had asked for others to join with us in putting shoes on the feet of street children in Ethiopia. Well these are feet that are no longer bare in the above photo (actual feet of one of our sponsored children). I was blessed with sitting down and chatting with Rebecca (the missionary that we sent the money to for the shoes) today and learning about each of the children we sponsored shoes for. I cannot begin to express to so many of you the need that is in Ethiopia. I thought I had an idea of how rough it was for these kids... but honestly we have no clue. So many of these children we learned about today are 8-12 years old, many of them living on their own. They go to school, beg, and sell gum in the streets for money to live. They pay their own rent, and for their own food - which sometimes doesnt come often. They often go without eating. I just cant imagine any 8 yr old I know fending for themselves on the streets in Ethiopia. Some of them still live with their mothers and siblings, and they are considered the head of their household - and have all the responsibility that title entails on their shoulders. Some were shipped to Addis from the countryside at the age of 6 on a bus, all alone, to find their own way of caring for themselves. It breaks my heart, and I wish I could take them all in. We are earnestly praying for God to show us what we can do to make a difference, other than adopting. Honestly adopting a child, does so much for that child in giving them a family, but it really doesn't do much for the country of Ethiopia as far as making improvements to better and make a difference there.
I wanted to share some photos that Rebecca shared with me of the children getting their shoes! We were actually able to get each child a pair of shoes, 2 pairs of socks, and 2 pair of underwear also! I am wanting to post and say a HUGE thank you to everyone who partnered with us to make a difference! I was so blessed today in getting to see these children's faces in the photos as they were looking at the shoes.
Rebecca said they couldn't believe that they just got to go and pick out ANY shoes they wanted. They never in their lives have had an opportunity like this. One child who had holes in his pants and that they were falling apart, she was actually able to get him 2 shirts and 2 pairs of pants, as well as all the same things the other children got as well. I plan to post about the children and their stories later, but tonight wanted to go ahead and share the photos of them getting their shoes. Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO WAS A PART IN THIS!