While in Guyana I made a painful discovery in my sole, American feet are wimpy. While trying to become more than ‘dah white gal,’ I ventured out along sans shoes and realized very quickly that my feet needed to toughen up. Shoes, especially athletic shoes, are a luxury not afforded by all.

During their school sport competition, all children ran without shoes, to make it fair for those that did not have athletic footwear. While this certainly did not slow down the boys and girls, it highlighted a difference between our cultures likely unrecognized by most in the states.

Soles for souls has the simple mission “to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes.” They have launched the Million Pair March campaign to encourage Americans to get rid of the “1.52 billion pairs of unwanted shoes.” This particular effort is to benefit the refugees in Sudan and is asking “people to each donate one pair of new or ‘gently worn’ shoes and/or money for shipping the shoes.”

“Bringing sandals to remote villages will change the quality of an impoverished person’s life overnight,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder of Soles4Souls. “Wearing shoes can stop hookworm infections, as well as cuts and puncture wounds from sharp objects that can result in permanent injury. It helps to end the cycle of pain.”

So get to spring cleaning!