Those Pink Little Soleless Shoes

My first short-term mission trip overseas was to beautiful Haiti. My young twenty-three-year-old self-thought I had it all figured out. I had read research and found that Haiti is considered a fourth world country, I heard stories of what to expect and above all, I felt God had called me to be part of the team traveling to this beautiful country. I remember flying over Haiti and as we were landing, I was captivated by what I was seeing. Small homes looked to be built right on top of each other with rusted, metal roofs and dirt roads. When we landed and the doors opened on the airplane, all my fascination left and I wanted to stay on the plane and return home. The remaining time going through the airport, through the hundreds of people to get to the vehicle awaiting us – through all of it, I wondered why God had led me here. 

A few days into our trip, we had settled into our sleeping quarters and the convention we were there for was well underway. That afternoon, we had been playing with the children – from bubbles and kickball to jump rope. I realized we may not speak the same language but playing and laughing is universal. As several team members and I sat on the stairs leading up to our sleeping quarters, the children were swinging and jumping roping below. This beautiful little girl was jumping with a big smile and the sweetest giggles. I looked down and noticed her little toes poking beyond her pink rubber shoes, and I wondered how that could be, since the shoes were closed-toed shoes. Looking closer and asking a team member, we quickly realized that this sweet little girl, who walked well over an hour to be at the convention, had walked so much that there were holes in both of her pink rubber shoes. At that moment, I knew God had sent us for this sweet little girl, and so many others who had walked hours to a convention for a chance to eat and hear about Jesus. 

We asked the little girl through an interpreter if she would like to pick out new shoes that were graciously donated. She smiled big and came up stairs. As we opened suitcases of shoes and clothes, this sweet girls’ eyes shined bright as she found her perfect new shoes and new dresses too! She went to the changing area and came out in new shoes and a little dress that had bowtie shoulders – her eyes were filled with joy and her smile grew so big as we said she was, “bel

” (beautiful). This little girl with the biggest smile and sweetest face changed me. While I was looking at Haiti through comfortable, first-world eyes, I missed the heart and soul of this country. These beautiful people, some of whom walk for hours for a chance to eat and daily for water and maybe to go to school, showed me life is not just about comfort and what I can see through earthly eyes. It’s living life to the fullest, with a smile and hope only Jesus can give. Every morning, we woke to, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow”, in creole. Because the lovely Haitians know God holds their future, they rejoice that God has woken them up to see another day, despite their circumstances.   

Over the years, I have been blessed to return to Haiti on several short-term mission trips. A few times, I’ve been able to see this beautiful little girl grow into a beautiful lady, with a big smile and bright, sparkling eyes. I can’t help but always remember her as the sweet little girl with pink, soleless shoes who showed me Jesus in a whole new way. Not with words, but with the Joy of the Lord that filled her. 

Wherever you find yourself today, HE holds your future. It is because of Christ Jesus, that you and I can face tomorrow. Someone is waiting to see Jesus in you. You may not fully know why you are on this earth, but Jesus does. Allow Jesus to change your life, allow Him to use you. 

 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to be abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  - Philippians 4:11-13,