Heart of the Matter

One Foot Equals Many Shoes

Did you hear the one about the college basketball coach who went barefoot during a game? He bared his SOUL.

OK, so while the pun may be weak, the coach’s move was anything but.

Ron Hunter, the head basketball coach at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, went barefoot during a game on January 25th to raise awareness for needy children in Africa. The move inspired donations of 110,000 pairs of shoes, which, along with a $20,000 gift, will be donated to the Charlotte, NC non-profit organization, Samaritan’s Feet. The shoes will be given to children in need around the world.

When Hunter first came up with the idea, his goal was to collect 40,000 pairs of shoes in honor of the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So, he coached the entire game against Oakland University without shoes. Some fans in attendance also went barefoot. Hunter was moved by the outpouring of support, saying, “When we started this I thought 40,000 was going to be tough. When they told me before the game we already had 100,000, honestly, I almost broke down in tears.”

The coach appeared on several television and radio shows to pitch his idea and encourage others to join him. Soon, the likes of Converse, Wal-Mart, Nine West and the Department of Homeland Security all jumped in. Now, more than 100,000 kids around the world are receiving what may be their first pair of shoes, all because one man had an idea and decided to act on it.

“There are hundreds of millions of children who don’t have shoes,” Coach Hunter said of the effort. “They suffer from diseases, infection and many other ailments because they don’t have shoes to wear. Needless to say, they can’t play sports without shoes. We have been given an incredible opportunity and platform as coaches to use our status as role models for others and help children in need.”
The coach, who almost never sits when coaching, said his feet were definitely sore, but that only served to inspire him further. “My feet hurt so bad,” he said after the game. “But imagine a child or a human going their whole lives without shoes.”

Great works often start with simple ideas. A dream in the heart of one man or woman can literally change a part of the world. For Hunter, his one act will affect the lives of at least 100,000 kids – many of whom may now not succumb to diseases that would have taken their limbs or lives. Imagine if large numbers of schools, corporations, churches, community organizations, or individuals did the same? Small acts of generosity really can change the world.

What one “small” thing can you dream that can make a huge difference? What will you do to act upon that dream?
If you are interested in supporting Coach Hunter’s cause – or just encouraging him for his example – you can contact him at rehunter@iupui.edu. Or you can contact Samaritan’s Feet at www.samaritansfeet.org  or (866)833-SHOE.

I have a few pairs of shoes in my closet that I don’t use anymore. My wife also has some, and so do my kids. I think any of them would look great on the soles of a young person in Africa.

What Seeds Are You Planting?

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson

In today’s microwave culture, the true challenge, as Stevenson stated in the quote cited above, is to not judge ourselves by the harvest we reap. As parents, teachers, coaches, leaders, and mentors, each day we are planting seeds. Yet we are not guaranteed of seeing a harvest each day. So, we often tend to overlook the planting we have done in our haste to see the harvest. Yet it is not necessarily all about the harvest. A great truth tells us that while one will plant, another will water, and yet another harvest. You may or may not have the opportunity to reap the harvest in the lives you are investing into, nor even see that harvest reaped. However, the one thing you can do is make sure that your bag of seeds has been emptied and planted into receptive soil.

I recall the story of a woman who happened upon a grand tulip field in Norway; there were thousands of beautiful, brightly colored tulips spread across the vast mountainside. When the woman asked the landowner, an elderly woman, how she was able to produce such a magnificent landscape, the elderly woman replied, “I planted one bulb at a time.”

We are told in an old truth that the good farmer waits patiently for the harvest. What you have planted in the lives of others may take years to grow before it is mature and ready to be harvested. Be patient and wait to see the full fruit of your labor - it may one day end up like the field of tulips. And while you wait, judge yourself by the planting you are doing. End each day with your seedbag empty.