Let's Go Barefoot!

April 8 is National Barefoot Day. So, we're going barefoot all around town. Why would we do such a thing? Especially in the rain? Today is Tom's Shoes One Day Without Shoes. Tom's Shoes gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you purchase. They set aside one day a year to emphasize the need to provide shoes for children around the world. They have asked people to go the day, part of the day or even just a few minutes, barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and to help spread awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child's life. Most of us forget about our feet. Imagine a life without shoes; constantly aware of the ground in front of you, suffering regular cuts and scrapes, tending to infection after each walk, and enduring not only terrain, but heat and cold. Wearing shoes and practicing basic hygiene can prevent both infection and disease due to unsafe roads and contaminated soil.Here are some facts:1) In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.2. Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.3. Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.4. In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from PODOCONIOSIS, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.5. Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

Our day started out cooler than it has been all week. It's been raining since early this morning. It's now overcast and wet. Hoping the sun will come out a little before we start our walk through downtown Franklin. However, people all over the world can't worry about the weather. When they need to walk to town, walk to get water, walk to get medicine, they may have to walk barefoot. 

Cory and I headed to Franklin and began our walk. By now it had begun to get a little chilly, but we were determined. We got a few stares and could see people reading the signs attached to Cory's purse and my back. We went into Philanthropy and one mother and daughter were disappointed they had forgotten it was April 8th. We suggested she go ahead and take her shoes off right then. She and her sister were afraid her feet would be "stinky" but she sat down in the store and removed her shoes and socks--"way to go"! The only other store we went to downtown was the camping store. No one said anything negative.

We stopped by the civil war park and walked along the asphalt. However, I ended up in the grass because my feet are NOT tough! like so many that walk barefoot on a daily basis. Cory's trying to toughen up her feet though in preparation for her next trip to Madagascar. Of course, she usually wears flip-flops there (and she has the nail scars to prove it). 

Next we stopped off at the gas station and on to Target. No problems again. Not everyone has the privilege to go in to a nice store like most we have in America. And they don't always have the shoes to wear once they get there. Most have outdoor market places to shop and there is no need or shoes.

It would be interesting to find out if any schools out there allowed students to come to school today barefoot. In many countries children are not allowed an education unless they have shoes to wear. It saddens me to hear that.

So kick off your shoes and GO BAREFOOT!