I’m finally back from my trip to Africa with Soles4Souls after about 30 long hours worth of flights! I returned on Friday and have been thinking about what I wanted to write for this blog ever since. When I would tell someone that I was going to Tanzania to pass out shoes to orphanages and schools I heard the same response over and over again…”what a life changing experience.”  I knew I would come back with a different mindset but I had no idea how hard it would be to express it. 

I have always been someone that wants to help people. I volunteer with several local charities and I’m always trying to think of a way I can do more. I thought this was a great opportunity to see firsthand the difference I could make in someone’s life. I have always loved this quote by Edward Everett Hale: “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something.” Sometimes volunteer work can be frustrating because you don’t see the results and you wonder if you are actually making a difference. This opportunity was a completely different experience and it’s been very hard to process and take in.

We spent the week in Kigoma which is a town in western Tanzania. We visited 8 orphanages/schools and were able to provide hundreds of kids new shoes! Some of the places we visited were nicer than others but the reaction to us coming was all the same. As soon as the kids would see our big purple bus pull up they would run out to greet us. It was sometimes overwhelming to hear the roar of the children as we were getting off the bus. They would patiently wait while we got set up and then they would line up to receive their new shoes.  Each distribution ran the same with one or two people sizing the kids feet on paper size charts and then sending them to the next group of people to get their feet washed and then finally to get their new shoes.  After the kids had received their shoes we would have time to play and talk with the kids.

I apologize for the two parter but since I’ve been gone for two weeks I have a lot to catch up on! I’ll have more on the actual distribution tomorrow but for now it’s back to reality which unfortunately means meetings! I’ll leave you with some pictures to ponder in the mean time!

Greeting us at the Bus!

Old Shoes outside the Dorm.

Standing in Line for New Shoes!

Girls Getting Their Feet Washed