Our Stories
Shoes
By Kim Hjelm | posted 03/18/2010
"Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me-you did it to me.'" (Matthew 25:40, The Message)
I've been thinking a lot about shoes lately. Not in the Imelda Marcos way...more in the Boy-do-I-take-having-shoes-for-granted way. I've posted stuff on Facebook; I've sent an Evite to a 'shoe party' to almost all the contacts in my email accounts; I even had an info table set up at church on Sunday...all about shoes. Seems a little on the strange side, I guess, to be obsessed with shoes.
When I was informed it was my turn to write the article for Creekside's FYI, I pondered on what to write about...mmmmm...the first thing that came to mind? Shoes!! Then I had to laugh - a while ago my article was about socks, seems fitting now to write about shoes!
Now think of not having shoes...an almost impossible picture for us to conjure up. I counted the pairs of shoes I own. Eighteen. These range from a pair of polka-dot rubber rain boots that I use to play with the dog in the back yard, to my flip flops, that are still tucked into the back of my closet (along with the pair of cowboy boots I spontaneously bought in Dallas 15 years ago, and have worn twice). Some of you will find less than that and I am sure some of you will discover you have more...needless to say...we all have plenty of shoes!! *
Did you know that in a country plagued with poverty, few can afford shoes? The lucky ones may find old torn shoes they can wear after tying the shoes to their feet with rope. The unlucky ones do without. Both are forced to walk miles on rocky ground to gather food, find firewood and collect water. Unprotected feet are mangled with cuts, scrapes, insect bites, parasites and infection. Without antibiotics, small infections or parasites in the feet can travel through the blood and affect the entire body, leading to disabilities... and sometimes, even death.
One of these diseases is Podoconiosis. Podoconiosis is a non-infectious disease in individuals that are exposed to volcanic-red-clay soil.** This soil contains microscopic particles of volcanic glass, or silica, which penetrate through the pores of the skin of the feet into the lymphatic system. This causes the lymphatic system to be obstructed. As the obstruction increases, the feet and lower legs swell, open sores and ulcers develop, and keloids grow on the feet giving them a grotesque appearance. Then the feet become infected with fungi and bacteria. The symptoms start with burning, itching and swelling in the soles of the feet and then spread up the leg to the knee. As the symptoms progress the pain intensifies.
Podoconiosis is a terribly debilitating foot disease which causes great suffering physically, socially, and economically. Due to the general lack of knowledge concerning the disease, people are treated as lepers. Children have to drop out of school. Many are disowned by family members. No one wants to employ or marry someone who has this dreaded disease. Some even starve to death.
Prevention of Podoconiosis is fairly simple ... Shoes.
Yep. Shoes.
"Because Podoconiosis has vanished from parts of the world where irritant soil exists and where shoe wearing is the norm, we assume that shoes are highly effective in preventing podo. If everyone living on irritant soil had access to shoes, Podoconiosis could be a thing of the past in only 20 years."
~Dr. Gail Davey, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
So, it seems that shoes are the answer. There are a few (too few) organizations addressing this issue...one of them is TOMS Shoes, the company I have been 'shouting from the rooftops' about the last few weeks. They have the ingenious marketing scheme of ONE FOR ONE...you buy a pair of shoes for yourself and they will give a pair of shoes to someone in these locales to help prevent this disease. How perfect is that? You win - they win.
If this is intriguing...here are a few things you can do:
- Come to the 'Shoe Party' on Saturday, March 20 @ Thom & Lynne Allison's (1-4 pm) This will be fun and educational...learn more about TOMS and see the shoes! Guys & Gals invited!
- Buy a pair of TOMS shoes by either contacting Kim (kim.hjelm@gmail.com) or online at www.toms.com
- If you don't want a pair of TOMS (?) but want to help...donate at www.friendsoftoms.org
This is not meant to be a Guilt Trip...it is an Awareness Trip: a journey to appreciate what we have and to learn more about what others do not have. Thanks for traveling with me on this educational trek! See ya Saturday!
Kim can be reached via email.
* Count how many pairs you have and email that number to me...I will post the results anonymously in next week's FYI!
** In Africa and especially in the higher altitude regions in the eastern and central part of the continent (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, and Tanzania). The disease also occurs in West Africa (equatorial Guinea), Canary and Cape Verde Islands, Central America, northern South America, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, northwest India, and Sri Lanka. Cases have been seen in visitors who have returned to Europe.
Information about Podoconiosis taken from the following:
www.isradiology.org/tropical_deseases/tmcr/chapter26/clinical19.htm
www.toms.com/blog/node/295
www.mossyfoot.com/
