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http://solehopeafrica.blogspot.com

(this blog will stay here so you can come back to it, but no new posts will be made here.  You will have to go to our NEW blog to see our latest updates!)

If you would like to buy a Sole Hope shirt go to: www.solehopestore.blogspot.com

Go to: http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/806/auctions/851

I’m having blog trouble today and can’t manage to get the video embedded, so chick here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0forGYS_sQc&hd=1

You can donate on right side of this blog.

So you live out-of-town or missed our Sole Hope silent auction in August?  No worries, we now have 16 items online you can check out and BID ON!

Go to: http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/806/auctions/851

If it asks for an Auction ID enter : “sole2010″, Auction Password: “sole2010″

Happy bidding, happy feet!!!

“Today has been hard.  Physically hard.  Emotionally hard.  Just plain HARD.  My last strength is drawn from grasping at the only air I have-God’s word and promises.  My life is so different this year compared to last.  Last year at this time I was running a photography business, living comfortably with two biological children and two foster children.  My motives were self-centered.  Fast forward almost exactly one year-I felt called to be at home with my children full-time.  I put my business on hold and my only focus was my children and home.  I was content and living comfortably.  I didn’t mind cutting costs and pinching pennies to stay at home with my children.  Then, long story short, Sole Hope was born.  It was very clearly a vision, burden and soft spot put in my heart by God.  Today is one of those days when I wonder what the heck am I doing?!?  The world gets in the way and people taint my attitude.  I cannot let this happen so I pause and redirect my thoughts.  It is days like this when I have to read my own blog to redirect my eyes towards the goal.

Today I’ve thought a lot about service towards others…being humble and not boasting about it.  Serving those who have even a small need, even when it does not feel good, even when there is no benefit for you.  I pray I would become better at this everyday, and that when no one else shares the conviction to serve that it wouldn’t matter to me.  That I would not be bothered but would continue remembering that I have ONE audience, ONE person to please and it does NOT matter what anyone else thinks.  It is easy to serve others when you can see a positive outcome, when you get glory, and when you just feel plain good about doing a good deed.  But what about all of the other times?  Can you serve when no one is watching, when it’s not fun, when you are tired and weary?  I’m not only telling you, but myself also-reminding us to check our motives and attitude.  Service towards others can be the most beautiful picture of love.  In fact, if I could paint (rather, if I had skills) I would paint a picture of love and it would be a picture of service and self-sacrifice.

Try to be more loving today…find someone to serve.”

*The pattern for our shoe is finally finished, AND we have a tutorial to bring with us to Ndola, Zambia to leave with the ladies!  (Beth Gaffney, our shoe designer ROCKS!)

*We are starting to work on our first shoe order, for a wedding party

*We may have figured out our tire madness.  Just when we THINK we have the right tire to use-we realize it won’t work for various reasons…but we think we are on to something else that might work!

*We had a massive yard sale that took two days to set up and tear down.  Seeing as only half of the Sole Hope stuff even got set out (I won’t say why). We did pretty good in raising some money for Sole Hope…the we also had a yard sale going on for my family’s adoption and to help two of our other team members get to Africa to go with our Sole Hope team.

*We are in the middle of picking up two industrial sewing machines from a woman with a HUGE heart!  They need a little fixing but our Mark (yes, we’ve claimed him;) may be able to fix them.  We are currently working on how to get one to our ladies in Zambia-the other will be left here to make shoes here in the US.

*I got to see the first five pages of our Sole Hope educational book and the illustrations are AWESOME!  By the end of October we should have completed illustrations and we will work on adding the words and the printing process.

*We are working on putting together Project Soul to Sole…stay tuned!  :)

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Today I want to touch on this question that was posed to me from the Wiphan supporters, and has been asked by the Sole Hope supporters.  Several months ago Wiphan raised money for school shoes for the children.  This is such a WONDERFUL endeavor and was successful!  The children no longer have to walk to school several miles barefoot.  They have nice leather shoes that match their uniforms.  They are VERY special to the children.  So people who donated money to those shoes ask, “We donated money to buy uniform shoes.  Why is Sole Hope saying they still need shoes? ” The answer to that is YES, Wiphan bought the uniform shoes as promised.  They are on the feet of the students there and the children think they are so special.  These shoes are very durable and stiff.  Perfect for protection, but, because the children highly regard these shoes as being for school AND because they are very bulky (can be compared to a Dr. Martin shoe) they take them off when they get home to save their shoe as well as the fact that they are not exactly flexible for playing in.  When you are used to being barefoot something that is as bold as their shoes is just not good for running in, and besides, that would mess them up.

From the Sole Hope side, some of our supporters have asked, “Why are we trying to buy them shoes when they have uniform shoes?”  Well, because they take these shoes off when they get home and save them for school.  They are not as likely to wear these on the weekends and really just prefer to go barefoot.

So here is how the Sole Hope shoes comes into play.  (no pun intended)  The SH shoes will be called their play shoes.  We will still encourage them to wear their uniform shoes.  Also, when the uniform shoes do wear out, more money will have to be raised to by Wiphan to buy more shoes.  Maybe by that time the widows will have this shoe making thing down and we can pay the widows to make the students a new uniform shoe.  That is down the road-but for now, we want to create a play shoe that the kids will put on when they take off their nice shoes.  This SH shoe will feel very much like being barefoot, only with EXTRA protection.

To answer the question…BOTH shoes will be used for very different reasons AND we can do outreach in the community by giving shoes to the street kids.  Ultimately, Wiphan and Sole Hope are on the same team. Striving for the same goal, protecting and loving these children well.

I am so excited about this venture.  The video we made recently to encourage people to donate $25 for a pair of shoes has been seen by hundreds-literally.  But, we have only had SIX donors.  So, if you feel compelled, please donate $25 for a pair of shoes.  Help us spread the word.  We are so thankful for you.  YOU are who make THIS possible!

*If you would like to donate any amount please click on the DONATE button on the right.  If you want your money to go towards shoes please indicate this in the notes section when you check out.  THANK YOU!!!!!