After signing up for a mission trip to Guatemala with her church, Nampa, Idaho-based elementary school teacher Sarah Overcast made an inspiring decision: instead of fundraising for her travel expenses, she would raise money to bring pairs of The Shoe That Grows to distribute.

“When they shared about things we might do on the trip, they mentioned washing kids’ feet,” said Sarah. “They explained that the roads are dirt and that kids often run around barefoot or with shoes that are too small—and so I thought I should try and bring The Shoe That Grows.” 

Using Because International’s free platform to create a fundraising page, Sarah shared her goal of purchasing 100 pairs with friends and family on social media. 

"I ended up raising over $2,000 to pay for the pairs and duffle bags to take them," shared Sarah. "It was nice that the fundraising page had videos so people could learn more. A lot of people had never heard about The Shoe That Grows before and enjoyed watching the videos.” 

Upon arriving in Guatemala, Sarah’s church spent two days with kids, engaging in activities like treating lice, making crafts, washing kids’ feet and making bracelets. 

On the first day, a small group of boys discovered Sarah’s bags filled with The Shoe That Grows, which wouldn’t be distributed until the next day. Sarah recalls watching as the boys excitedly brought friends to sneak peeks at the shoes over the next two days. They couldn’t wait to wear them! 

Finally, it was time to wash the kids’ feet and fit them with The Shoe That Grows.

“Many of the kids’ toenails were curling in, and their feet had cuts and bruises,” said Sarah. “The conditions of their feet showed that their shoes were too small—so giving them another option with The Shoe That Grows was helpful and a blessing.” 

While public education in Guatemala is free, the cost of required school supplies can burden families impacted by poverty. On average, most families spend nearly $700 on annual supplies—about two month's income for the typical household. 

“It was very impactful to know we were making a difference in a kiddo’s life,” explained Sarah. “For a family, money that would be used for shoes can be used for food or for education instead.” 

Interested in taking The Shoe That Grows on your mission trip? Setting up a fundraising page through Because International is quick and completely free, making it easy to get the support you need for pairs. Learn more at becauseinternational.org.