Delisle Mount Zion UMC Donate Soles for Souls

By Carol Van Bommel-Smith

Delisle Mount Zion United Methodist Church’s United Methodist Women will soon wrap up the 'Soles to Souls' shoe drive and donate boxes full of new and gently used shoes to a local charity to benefit women and children.

According to Ruby Cook, the outreach mission’s coordinator; “this mission grew out of a children’s sermon in 2009 about how Jesus showed his love to those in need and how …We want to follow in His example.”

On June 7, 2009 Barefoot Sunday was declared and congregants were encouraged to take off their shoes during service in empathy for impoverished persons worldwide who are without shoes.

This year as in years past, the children of our small congregation eagerly participated and encouraged adults along with UMW to donate shoes for those in need.

In prior years shoes have been donated to the Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Non-Violence for women and their children. This year, church members were encouraged to donate dress shoes for women to wear on job interviews in addition to the many more casual shoes donated.

Pictured with the shoes are left to right Fred Kately, Ruby Cook and Percy Manning.