The Amazing Feet Program is a beautiful dream of a woman who has been a collaborator of El Faro for years. Mrs. Janice Ephraim began coming to El Faro in 2005 and has come back every year since sharing her time, talent, and love. We are so proud of the work she is doing with her Amazing Feet Project and we would like to share with you what it is all about.
The biggest inspiration for the Amazing Feet Program begins in 2004 when my son Scott was in a car accident with my nieces in Guatemala. El Faro was in the process of being built and Scott was there helping in the construction. I was shocked by the way the Guatemalan people, perfect strangers, jumped into action to take care of Scott and my nieces by getting them out of the car and making sure they were taken care of. Even more so, the hospital care that they received was first class. It was all truly amazing! Pardon the pun! I knew I had to do something to give back to these beautiful people who watched over my son and nieces.
The next year I came on a mission trip with Maranatha Chapel. I was hooked right away! I fell in love with everything about Guatemala: the food, the people, the culture, EVERYTHING!
The first donation of shoes was probably my own shoes on that very missions trip. A women came through triage during our medical clinic with no shoes. Her tiny feet were so small in my big size 8 shoes. She said “they felt like boats!” We shoved tissue in the toes and said she will get used to wearing them. Little did I know at the time, my niece’s future husband, Peter, captured that moment on film.
I still felt like I needed to do more. I brought home a big box of dirty shoes and cleaned them up. After all the washing and care, they looked brand new! My husband, Steve, made the statement, “that was an Amazing Feat!” Thus the name!
Amazing Feet is now collecting walkers, crutches, surgical shoes, and socks. The donations and bargains that have been coming in are a true blessing!
Recently The Cedar Vallet Soccer Association donated a storage room for Amazing Feet… Rent free! They have taken interest and want to donated soccer shoes and uniforms. The room is in my old church, 1st Baptist in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I always loved that church, nearly 100 years old, so it’s great to have it back in my life again!
I tell people, it took me nearly 50 years to find a passion, and now that I have found it, I’m going to chase it like it’s the last train out of the station!
Muchas Gracias to Phil, Nikki, and the Mision El Faro staff for all they do for the Guatemalan people…. You are an inspiration!
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