Did your parents ever give you socks for a birthday or Christmas present? Mine did.
Every Christmas, when I looked through my stocking, I found candy, notebooks, hot chocolate packets — and a big bag of socks.
I would usually say thank you and then toss the socks aside. Practical gifts were the last thing I was looking for.
But there are children praying every day that someone will give them the practical gifts they desperately need.
Hellen was one of those children. But instead of socks, she prayed for shoes.
When war came to South Sudan, Hellen and her family had to flee. They moved frequently as they searched for safety. The scorching ground and sharp rocks were brutal on their tired, bare feet as they made their way from one refugee camp to the next.
Hellen looked on sadly as she saw other children wearing shoes that protected their feet. She could only hope that one day she would have shoes, too.
And thanks to a generous donor, Hellen’s dream came true when she received the shoes she needed.
Now she can run and play with her friends without worrying about hurting her feet. What seemed like an ordinary gift was life changing for this 12-year-old girl.
Children just like Hellen live in poor communities around the world. They’re waiting and hoping that someone will care enough to give them a better life.
And when you choose a gift from the World Help Gifts catalog, that’s just what you’re doing!