Trading Soles for Souls

I woke up this morning and got all of my shower supplies ready.  I went outside and slipped on my sandals.  I looked at the top shelf of our shoe rack and didn’t see my hiking shoes.  I tried to not go to any bad thoughts, but I immediately thought about when the boys’ shoes were stolen the other month (but then by the grace of God most of them showed up!).  Then while showering I heard someone clonking around in shoes that sounded too big for his/her feet.  I had hope that someone was just borrowing my shoes. 

I met Val at the bathroom and told her that my shoes were missing.  We walked back together and she looked too…hers were gone as well.  Kristen then came out to shower and her one flip flop was missing.  That’s when we started realizing that more shoes/chacos/tevos were missing.  We tried to talk to the ladies there and it looked like from their gestures that someone had come and took them.  We then talked to someone who could translate for us and got the whole story.

Drug addicts came in the middle of the night and stole them.  The village knew there were a bunch of Americans. We were told we have about 0% chance of getting them back.  I’m just thankful no person was hurt.  Material things are replaceable and we had been warned that theft and robbery were possible on the race. 

I went in town and bought a new pair of shoes because all I had was flip flops and we are trekking the next week (we are at a different location and left a lot of our stuff behind to pick up later).  As we were riding into town, Val and I were talking about the situation.  She said, “I’m just going to pray for those people who took our shoes.  Pray that they are blessed by them.”  And I mentioned trading soles (shoes) for souls (lives) for the kingdom.  So, join us in praying for those drug addicts who stole our shoes that they will somehow come to know the grace and salvation that only God can provide 🙂     

Check out my new kicks!