Our plan...

February 6, 2012

Dear Family and friends,

I want to take this opportunity to share some exciting news! This April, I will be heading to Zambia, Africa with Sole Hope (www.solehope.com) to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put shoes on the soles of children. Sole Hope is an organization that was started here in Asheville, NC and is helping the widows and orphans of Zambia and Uganda, Africa by providing jobs to the widows and shoes to the orphans. In these areas of Africa, the children are prone to jiggers, which are a type of parasite that burrow into the dirty foot of a child and cause major infections. Through education of our book, ‘Happy Soles’ and a pair of shoes, we can solve this problem for the children.

During our time there, we will be working alongside the Wiphan School (you can check their website at www.wiphan.org.) They currently teach about 400 orphans. They also teach different skills, like the sewing of Sole Hope shoes, jewelry making and computer data entry to about 100 widows. One of the ways we will be bringing the hope of the Gospel to these widows and children is through a foot-washing ceremony where we hope to convey the love that Jesus has for them.

I am asking you to partner with me in prayer as I prepare to go and love on these women and children, knowing that they will bless me far greater than I could ever bless them. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will prepare my heart and mind for what He wants me to do through Him. And, pray for my family (Teddy, Davis, Annabelle and Jack) as they stay home and continue on in school and work.

I also want to ask you to partner with me financially. My trip will cost $3500. I will be leaving April 11^th and returning April 26^th. God has completely opened the doors for me to go on this trip and I am so confident that He will also provide the finances to go as well. If you can contribute in any way, please know that your contribution can be completely tax-deductible. You can make out a check to SOLE HOPE (note-please DO NOT put my name on the check anywhere, but attach a sticky note to it with my name on it…Thanks!) Through your sacrificial giving, you will not only be providing shoes to those in need, but an opportunity for the love of Christ to be proclaimed! Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! I look forward to updating you as plans progress.

Thanks, in advance, for your support!

Grace to you,

erin

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James 1:27