Shoes for Orphans in Africa

Thank you to all of you who supplied items and those of you who were able to give 2 hours of your Sunday evening to make shoes for orphans in Africa.

We learned of the plight of the jigger, a sand flea, that lays it's eggs under the toes and in the sole of the feet for those who don't have clean environments nor shoes to protect them.
The jiggers grow, multiply, and burrow their way deep into the feet making it difficult and painful to walk to school. Sole Hope is the organization we partnered with to help provide protection,
while they take the shoes we prepared, get local Africans to sew them together for a fair wage, provide education on how to prevent/treat jiggers, and why Jesus cares for them.

We had 14 people help cut 240 pieces of fabric or plastics to make 20 pairs of shoes last night in just 2 hours! And we have many more supplies to have another Shoe-cutting party in 2013.


Here are some photos from last night's gathering – our kids helped too!

 

 

Overwhelming response for first Orphan Care gathering

So thrilled our fellow SHC families showed up on a recent Sunday evening. Not only did 40+ people and their children they mark their spot in a chair with a warm body, but we got to hear their hearts and passion that God has already been stirring in their lives for His vulnerable children.
We had younger couples, couples who had been married for longer seasons, single people, and staff all come together to begin a great community for this movement to make a difference. They heard testimonies from us, the Smiths, and a church staff person on how God brought us on this adoption journey.

One of the Smith's girls playing with the colorful prayer reminder clothespin dolls 20+ SHC families painted.

There are 14.7 million orphans worldwide. That means each clothespin doll Andy and Lea Smith, and us, Kelly and Steve Hopkins, are holding here represents 14,700 children who don't have parents who can care for them.

Steve setting up the technological side of things for our meeting. Yes, we even found him high on a ladder pulling wires to get the connections just right. I love my I.T. nerd.

Our dear friend Lea and her daughter detailing out the ministry's purpose and plans to put feet to it. 

We hope they left feeling encouraged, excited, and with eyes wide open for how God will continue to orchestrate things perfectly to bring them along His plans for living out James 1:27 in their lives.
And the food ... yes, Southern Baptists pride themselves on the incredible food we share when we get together.

We worked together to put a list of already generating ideas we can do in order to make a difference under one of our three focal areas.

Sugar Hill's Orphan Care ministry is about three small things for the one big thing – the orphan.
1 • We are having gatherings each month to emphasize Community in our church where families can get together and play at the park together, or lean on each other for support and encouragement while we each care for the orphan in our own ways.
2 • We will also help families by giving them Tools & Resources for those who may be on the journey to adopt or already parenting children from hard places
3 • And we will get our hands dirty by serving the needs of these children through various Missions projects 

God calls us all to care for the orphan and the widow. Does that mean it looks the same for everyone? No. What it does mean is we can all do something. You may be a single person, a high school student, an older couple who finally has that empty nest, or a family whose house is already full – but we can all make a difference for those children who need safe, loving families together.