Christmas so good, it was done TWICE!

In our earlier blog post we showed how the Vina Vallarta church, our sister church being the seed from which Grace Vineyard Vallarta grew, teamed up with Cheryl’s Shoebox to gift 150 backpack filled with school supplies to our children.

Well, that was on Thursday December 6th.  One week later, on December 13th, Vina Vallarta church purchased and presented to 97 children a new pair of shoes. Some children were not able to attend on Thursday, and their shoes will be presented to them upon their return after the Christmas holidays.

Now, something needs to be understood about a “shoeing” in Mexico!  Very, very, few children (and even their parents) know the shoe sizes the children need. 

Why you may ask?  How can that be?

Because most kids obtain their shoes at tianguis (flea markets) and outlets where they try on shoes they like, until they find something that fits.  Kids grow fast, and they wear out their shoes even faster. So what’s the point of ‘knowing’ what your shoe size is?

So the procedure is that a “foot measuring night” is announced, and the teacher of each child’s Bible Study class puts the child’s foot down on a piece of paper with their name and gender on it.  The outline of their foot is traced with a marker, and then that paper is taken to a shoe retailer and shoes are purchased and the paper with the child’s name is put in the shoebox.

On gifting night, the children assemble around their teacher who opens each box, reads the child’s name, and they eagerly collect their ‘prize’.

Then comes the inevitable “comparisons” between the kids and their ‘style’.  And it doesn’t end there, because that is when the inevitable “horse trading” begins, as styles are bartered!

In the end everyone goes home happy and smiling, and ready to show off their new shoes to their friends in the neighborhood and school. 

Would you like to bring more smiles to these and the other kids and families that we support?  Consider clicking on the Donate button below to make a secure PayPal donation in the currency of your choice, on any major credit card.  Thank you in advance for your kind consideration.