We had a huge response in our contribution to the FHU shoe drive. Thanks to K & T Shoes and all the other groups and individuals who contributed we had a van load of shoes. And I don’t mean a minivan or even fifteen passenger van but an entire cargo van full. Check it.
The entire FHU drive has brought in over 14,000 pairs of shoes so far with many still trickling in after the deadline.
We were happy to be part of this work and extremely please and a bit overwhelmed by the response of the people of Savannah.
Thanks to everyone who had anything to do with our efforts in this shoe drive. We couldn’t have done nearly this much without your help.
Freed-Hardeman University is running a shoe drive through Soles4Souls to benefit the earthquake victims in Haiti. Their goal is to receive at least 10,000 pairs of shoes to send to the people there, and we want to do what we can to help. Bring your slightly worn (or even new) shoes by the office of Shackelford Funeral Directors in Savannah between now and February 11, so we can get them to the Freed-Hardeman group in time. The office is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. This is a great cause for people who need our help desperately. Please help any way that you can.
Over the past few days I’ve seen something incredible even though I didn’t know how incredible until today. Today I read multiple headlines telling that Americans have donated over 8 million dollars through text messaging alone—not to mention the uncounted contributions from individuals and corporations that did not come from text messages. When I saw that figure, I was shocked. What we have now is a terrible situation, people who see how bad it is, and those people reacting however they know how, and while the Hatian troubles are nowhere near solved, they are at least closer than they would be otherwise.
The thing I find remarkable about the American reaction is that it comes from a group/culture/nation that is notorious for being selfish (or at least is perceived that way). What this reaction tells me is that Americans are not selfish people. We are people who have a strong desire to help those who need it, but we don’t always know how. In this case, there was an emergency, people began to publicize ways to help, and others jumped at the chance to do so. Those advocating for Haiti answered two important public questions: “Who needs help?” and “What can I do?” Once these two answers were clear, the people responded and still are responding the best way they know how. Let’s not let it stop with Haiti. Let’s keep this attitude of willingness to help those in need continue in our own countries, states, counties, and cities. Let’s actively search out organizations devoted to giving the kind of lasting assistance people need. Let’s devote our time, money, or whatever we can to do whatever we can do. And let’s help each other to find new ways to accomplishall of these things.
I sat in our church office a few days ago watching my son while my wife helped the church secretary catch up on some work she had missed earlier in the week. In the approximate hour that I was there no fewer than six families who came in asking for groceries. My wife told me that whenever she stops by to help or just to say hello, that’s the way it is—constant traffic from people who can’t get enough food any other way.
One couple stood out to me though. The lady was upbeat and cheerful—really just glad to talk to us all. While waiting for someone to come back from the pantry, she began looking through a couple of boxes of clothes and toys that someone had donated. She found some t-shirts and some slippers and was very happy about it, but what got me was when she picked up a toy—a toy that someone had basically thrown out because their children were tired of it—and said she was going to take that to give her granddaughter for Christmas. As obvious as it is, it never occurred to me that people couldn’t buy their grandchildren Christmas presents. It’s just not something I’ve ever thought about which I know now is a flaw in me. This is a human being who is at a point in her life when most of us would be thinking of retirement, and she is digging through boxes to find a Christmas present for her granddaughter.
Let’s remember people like this lady in the next year. Let’s make an effort to look at people as people, as grandparents and parents wanting to give the children in their families a better than what they’ve had but having no real idea how to do that Let’s look at them as human beings.
The main purpose of this whole thing is to remind or convince people that we in Hardin County have a problem with poverty and for us to help each other find ways to help. First we have to understand that the problem exists. If we don’t believe that, we will never have any desire to change anything. While there are many in our county who have more than enough, there are also many who have nothing–who don’t have the things they need. That’s the truth. It’s a fact. The question is, what can we do about it? Those of us who have plenty must help those who have little or nothing, and we must do it with a common mind. We have to work together.
Most people would agree that a good way to live life is to treat people the way you want to be treated. If something were to happen and suddenly you found yourself struggling to survive (to feed your children, to buy gas to get to work, even to find work), would you not want someone to go out of their way to help you? Would you not want someone to show compassion and help you buy clothes or school supplies for your kids? We have to understand these are people like us. It’s just that they need help.
So from here on, let’s all look at people in need as people, and let’s try to see ourselves in their situations, and then let’s all react the way we would want someone to react to us. Let’s work together to change the way we all look at those in need.
