Before the Passover, Jesus washed the disciples' feet. In two weeks, nearly 300 volunteers will follow his example and kneel before school children to wash their feet.
Needy Aiken and Edgefield county elementary pupils will receive new shoes Dec. 10-14. It might be the only gift some of them receive this Christmas, said Mark Owens, who started the Laces 4 Love ministry at First Baptist Church of North Augusta six years ago.
"We go in and actually remove their shoes and wash their feet like Jesus did his disciples, and we put a new pair of socks on their feet and a new pair of shoes," he said. "For many of these kids, the shoes we take off of them will be the same pair we put on them (last year)."
Before beginning Laces 4 Love, Owens would go into the schools to read to the children. He noticed that many were wearing shoes that were either ill-fitting or inappropriate for the weather.
"I could look around and see on days that were cold and windy, a kid would be wearing flip-flops," he said. "I felt like this was a ministry we could begin that would make an impact on children."
Throughout the year, the ministry collects donations that are used to purchase quality shoes, socks and small gifts.
Each year, Owens and his co-coordinator, Ginger Dickert, contact schools and ask for a list of children who might be in need. After children are identified, Owens and Dickert send letters to the parents, asking permission to give the shoes to the children.
When the program began in 2001, Laces 4 Love gave away 72 pairs of shoes in three schools. This year, volunteers will give out more than 12,000 pairs to children in 25 schools in Aiken and Edgefield counties.
Recently, church members gave out more than 1,000 pairs of shoes during a mission trip to Nicaragua.
The event is even growing beyond the Christmas season.
Owens said he expects to expand into Richmond County schools in April or May. He is awaiting approval from the school board.
"We don't know how far God is going to take us in this ministry," he said. "We just feel like God's called us to reach as many children as we can with the Gospel of Christ and a pair of shoes," he said.
Donations to Laces 4 Love can be mailed to Laces 4 Love, 625 Georgia Ave., North Augusta, SC 29841.
For more information on the ministry, call the church office at (803) 279-6370.
Reach Lisa Kaylor at lisa.kaylor@northaugustatoday.com.
