The holiday tradition of “setting out shoes” in December began in the first century & is still embraced in Europe & other parts of the world. Legend has it that good & bad behaviors were acknowledged based upon what was left behind in a child’s shoes. The sad truth is that many Cambodian children don’t even HAVE shoes to set out for treats, let alone to protect their little feet when they walk in the fields & on dirt roads! The villages we assist are nearly an hour from medical professionals; this puts the kids at risk for serious infections if they’re ever wounded while walking barefoot.
With this on our minds & the holiday spirit in our hearts, MTRF is introducing a “new twist” on this “shoe” tradition: Our plan is to LITERALLY “set out shoes” for those who truly NEED them -- between now & the 25th each $25 donation will be used to provide 5 Cambodian children with a pair of shoes! To our delight, our local partner located some Velcro-strapped sandals that will make fitting, adjusting & passing them down to younger siblings a dream. Needless to say, we’re excited about taking this first step toward our new goal of protecting little feet!
SO….we’ll “set out shoes” with the mindset that we’d like to “give back” -- yet in doing so, inevitably we’ll be presented with the absolutely BEST gift ever: a chance to see smiles on the faces of these precious & appreciative children, all of whom benefit from the generous & heartfelt donations made by MTRF supporters.
Now, that’s what the holiday season is all about! Interested in kicking off the holiday season by “setting out some shoes” in Cambodia, too? You can learn more about it HERE!
