By Whitney Farr
Buckner Communications Intern

(EL PASO, Texas) — Little bare feet and tattered soles walk the rough dirt roads in the impoverished colonias near El Paso, looking for food, money, help and hope — all of which were provided in one form or another by new shoes, donated by Shoes for Orphan Souls and placed on children’s feet by a Buckner/Cooperative Baptist Fellowship mission team during KidsHeart El Paso in June.

Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International, brought hundreds of pairs of shoes, in all sizes, colors and styles, to donate to children and families in the poverty-stricken Sparks Colonia and Fort Hancock community.

The shoes were distributed at community block parties after word spread rapidly about the donation. Eager families gathered more than two hours before each block party to receive new shoes. In total, nearly 1,000 people were served.

“Everyone prays for these [missionaries] everyday to come back and visit,” said Pastor Ramiro Campos, whose church Iglesia Bautista Emanuel was built during KidsHeart by the mission team. “They are marvelous people who don’t look down on us, but serve us.”

Volunteers from First Baptist Church, Levelland, First Baptist Church, Memphis, Texas, and Second Baptist Church, Lubbock experienced the joy of distributing shoes to the grateful crowd, as well as serving hot dogs, painting little girls’ fingernails and fellowshipping in the newly constructed church.

“It’s been a good experience,” Daniel Downey, pastor of First, Memphis, said. “We can’t wait to come back.”