Rector's Warden Report: January 13th, 2023
New Soles for Souls
Please, take a look at your feet. Are you wearing socks, sneakers, shoes, sandals, boots, crocs, slippers or flip flops? How many choices do you have every day? Many of the asylum seekers coming into Philadelphia by way of Mexico and El Paso are wearing generic gray socks and flimsy flip flops. In Philadelphia, they are greeted at a location where they can register for services and receive food, a shower, a bed, and get some fresh clothing and footwear in a safe warm building. While gently worn, the clothing is clean. While gently worn, the footwear is clean. But is it helpful to wear someone else's shoes?
Have you ever worn someone else's shoes? In general, shoes provide a cushion, protect our feet, and allow us to walk and exercise safely. If your shoes don't fit right, you could get bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, and stress fractures. Used shoes may be good enough to wear for a few minutes. But... old shoes may or may not have shoe laces. Some have the donor's foot imprinted inside their soles. Some may have worn out soles. If we give the asylum seeker old used shoes, they are forced to walk in someone else's shoes; but if we give new shoes; they can break them in themselves and mold them to their own feet - and they come with shoelaces.
If you are thinking about donating some shoes; make sure they're still in good shape or see if you can buy a few new pairs to donate. It will make someone feel better. The asylum seekers may have reached a safe destination but they still have many miles ahead of them.
Tags: Lay Leadership
