GODS ANSWER TO PRAYER

Since our last trip to Haiti in March '08 I have been wondering how I was going to get all the shoes that were being donated, over to Haiti. Spirit Airlines had changed their policy and instead of each person bringing in 2 suitcases plus a carryon, they changed to one suitcase each plus a carryon. That cut our ability to take in shoes by half. We have been checking into altenative ways of shipping, etc and they have proved to be costly, so we just waited. About 2 weeks ago, I heard that my friend Bettie Snyder and her son Phil from Glow Ministries International had purchased a school bus and were going to fill it with school supplies, food and water supplies, etc. After talking with them, Phil said he would come by New Hope Church in Vero Beach, Fl on his way to Miami and would let us put in as many shoes as we wanted.

Thanks to some large donations in the past week, we were able to call the man who I usually buy the shoes from and make arrangements to purchase the shoes. On Friday, with our pickup truck empty, we purchased enough shoes to fill the bed of the truck and the back seat! We made another trip on Saturday and did the same. Tommy, where we purchased the shoes, was so generous that he gave us, for free, over 100 shirts and he also threw in 44 free backpacks! Thank you Tommy for your generosity! We purchased 275 pairs of shoes for $6.00 each!!

On Sunday Phil was at the church with the school bus and we loaded it up with the shoes, shirts, and backpacks and its now on its way to Haiti. Please pray for the bus as it goes through customs.

On Nov 5 '08 a team of 10 will be going to Haiti and carrying in our suitcases as many shoes as possible. This past July, a team of 5 carried in more shoes. Our goal this trip is to put as many shoes as possible on the children at the Fonde School located a 2 hour, dirt and rocky road (should say goats trail), up the mountain. That school needs 500 to 600 pairs of shoes. Please pray for the team, we really covet your prayers from Nov. 5-12. God Bless you for giving to the children of Haiti. Because of your gifts, we will not only be able to put new shoes on their feet but also feed them and bring food to many in the villages.

After counting all the shoes we put on the bus, shoes that the team took this past July and the shoes that the team will carry in on this trip on November 5, we have a total of 744 pairs of shoes!!!!! I am so grateful! Thanks!!!! Thanks for your faithfulness God!

The Hendersonville Connection

This story is written by Christine from Hendersonville, NC who just wanted to do something that would make a difference in somebodys life. Thank you so much Christine and Margaret for all the work that you put into collecting the brand new sneakers & the finances for the kids in Haiti. We will take them with us in November.

Once we were strangers, now we are friends! God Bless you ladies for caring enough to do something that will touch their hearts!

(left to right, Frank, Ria, Margaret, Christine)

In the Spring of 2008, I realized that the volunteer work I was doing was no longer a good fit. I asked God what it was He wanted me to do; how could I serve Him in a better way? My prayers were answered when I began noticing a lot of information about Haiti in the newspaper and other media. I felt a calling to help the people in this desperately poor nation. I mailed a check to a charity that is involved in providing assistance to Haiti and figured that was it. No way! I was haunted by the stories I had read, and knew that I must do more.
With the help of a GOOGLE search, I came upon the Shoes for Haiti's Kids project that was being carried out by Ria and Frank Voss. I was amazed to learn that children cannot attend school without shoes. I read Ria's story and e-mailed her to request her DVD. After seeing the beautiful children wearing their new shoes, I was hooked! I told my friend, Margaret about this endeavor and she immediately stepped up to the plate. Thus, the Hendersonville Connection was born! Our appeal to my Bible Study, Women's Guild and condominium community was met with much encouragement and many donations.
In September, Margaret and I had the pleasure of meeting Ria and Frank as they passed through Hendersonville on their way home to Vero Beach. We were happy to present them with 58 pairs of shoes and $60.00 cash. We look forward to more shopping and collecting for this wonderful project.
Christine

Update on Nov 08 trip to Haiti

We are preparing for our November 08 trip to Haiti. There is a team of 10 going instead of 12. Our goal is to bring in as many shoes as possible for the kids. Today we were so blessed to be able to find shoes for $4.50 each and I think that we purchased around 30 pairs. Our problem with getting the shoes there is that the airlines have made a new ruling that you can only bring 1 suitcase per person instead of 2 suitcases per person. That really hurt us, so instead of the team bringing in 20 suitcases full of shoes, we can only bring in 10. We are also allowed 1 carryon each which we use for our personal items.

This trip some of us will be staying at a Hotel while the rest of the team will be staying at Bettie's house in Kalico, Haiti. The hotel where we will be staying is right on the Carribbean and our meals will be provided for us there. We will spend most of our days giving out shoes to the children and also we will be going into some of the villages and bringing in rice, beans, water, bread, and bananas. The people of Haiti have been through so much with the hurricanes this summer and many have lost their homes. Our school, New Hope, that was contructed mostly of branches, palm leaves, etc has been destroyed but Bettie tells me that they will rebuild it again. My heart is to support that little "brush arbor" school on a monthly basis with food served to the children 5 days a week while they attend school. At least they will get one meal a day. Please help us to feed the children and put shoes on their feet. We really need your help. Together we can make a difference!

Here is how you can help. You can send shoes or your financial gift for shoes or food to:

Shoes for Haitis Kids
NEW HOPE MINISTRIES
4425 71st St.
Vero Beach, Fl 32967

Thank you so much!

Please check out our website at www.shoesforhaitiskids.com for more information and loads of pictures.

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