Five Vermonters, one Hawaiian and 10 Kenyans travel to incredibly remote villages in Northern Kenya… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke instead of what it really was—an opportunity to impact 522 lives.

In 2014, Eric Longfellow (of Waterbury Mission church in Vermont) led a mission trip to Kenya, joined by Jeff Grounds (of United Servants for Jesus, a youth organization in Kentucky). During that trip, they noticed most of the children wore either broken-down, ill-fitting footwear or had no shoes at all. Given the desert climate, the ground is mostly sand mixed with volcanic cinders, which is very hard on shoes and even more so on bare feet. After looking locally, they could not find shoes that were durable or sustainable. Always having rural Kenya and its children in their hearts, they continued to look for a solution.

Nearly a decade later, Jeff came across Because International and The Shoe That Grows. He requested a sample pair to see if these could be the solution they had been hoping for for so long. 

“It truly felt like an answered prayer…how the shoes adjusted in size and could truly endure the wear and tear—we knew this was the solution we had been praying and waiting for,” Jeff said. He and Eric got to work figuring out how to get as many pairs with them on their next trip to Kenya. 

They set up a personal fundraising page through Because International (something you could do too!) And raised enough money for 522 pairs to be picked up in Kenya, where the shoes are manufactured. Eric said, “Our US team reached out to our friends, family, co-workers and classmates. We were all amazed at the outpouring of love towards the children in Kenya from those who donated.”

Eric and his church have a long-standing relationship with Pastor John Guyo of Segel Church in Segel, Marsabit County, Kenya. John supports several nearby villages and knew they would be the right places to distribute shoes. 

The four Americans met up with ten Kenyans outside of Nairobi, where Because team member Japheth delivered their pairs of The Shoe That Grows. They loaded their vehicles and began the ten-hour drive to their distribution point. 

Under an Acacia tree—the village’s meeting place—they measured feet, adjusted shoes and connected with the villagers. After finishing at the first village, the team continued to hone their shoe-distributing skills. Although the team did not speak the local language, the appreciation of the kids and families was evident through smiles and hugs. 

A few parents shed tears because, as Eric reports, “Foot infections from cuts on feet and from insects like jiggers are common so the shoes are expected to alleviate those problems.” Now their children will be protected. 

After visiting the initial two villages, some team members took 100 pairs to Western Kenya, where they distributed them at a family compound in Mumias and at a church in Mundeky. They then went to Pastor John’s church in Segal. There, they put on a day camp for the kids, followed by a shoe distribution. 

Team member Marina says, “I helped fit one of the kids in my class whose sandal was broken. When the shoes were put on her, she was so happy. She didn't have to struggle with a broken shoe any longer.”

For many kids in Kenya, shoes are a luxury their families cannot afford. And, shoes do more than protect feet. They can protect overall health, support access to education and provide the dignity they deserve. Now, thanks to the work of this team, 522 more people have durable, sustainable shoes and one less barrier to forging a path out of poverty. 

When asked to reflect on this trip and the partnership with Because, Jeff said, “Everything aligned beautifully—by God’s grace—and many lives were touched through this partnership.”

Interested in taking The Shoe That Grows on your next service trip or setting up a personalized fundraiser? Learn more.