I knew it wouldn’t be an extravagant gift. After all, I’d only sent $20. And even in Bolivia, $20 doesn’t go very far. But still, I had envisioned something fun.
A soccer ball to kick around in the dusty lot — the lot where he stands serious, arms by his side in the photograph that hangs on our fridge.
A box of 64 Crayolas, vibrant points row upon row, and a stack of crisp, unblemished coloring books.
A set of shiny Matchbox cars, primary colors popping bright against the dirt.
A brand-new, hard-cover book, Thomas the Tank Engine or Elmo in Spanish.
I’d pictured something that would light a smile on that somber face. A gift that would spark joy in those piercing brown eyes.
“Thank you very much for the birthday money,” his mother wrote in Spanish on Compassion letterhead a few weeks later. “I used it to buy Pedro a new pair of shoes.”
She bought him shoes for his fifth birthday.
I held her letter in my hand, reading her short note once, then twice, swallowing shame as I imagined my own children’s reaction to a single birthday gift, a gift of shoes. It would be unthinkable, of course. My children ask for iPods and scooters, Minecraft and Mario Bros. Shoes aren’t given as birthday gifts in our house. Shoes are a given.
I looked again at Pedro’s photograph on our refrigerator. Orange tee-shirt tucked into rumpled beige pants. Plastic pink crocks on his feet.
Plastic pink crocks on his feet.
Pedro’s mother’s bought him shoes for his fifth birthday. A soccer ball would have been fun. Sixty-four crayons and a stack of new coloring books would have been nice. But Pedro needed shoes.
September is Blog Month at Compassion International, and this week we were asked to write a response to this picture. I knew right away I would write about Pedro’s birthday shoes. For millions of kids around the world, shoes and other basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing and education are not a given, but a gift. Please consider giving that gift to a needy child. Sponsor a Compassion child or send a donation today.
I struggle with such failure of imagination when it comes to the children we sponsor through compassion. I send off $20 for birthday presents hardly thinking about it, but this broke my heart recently: first, a letter from a little girl in India explaining that she bought two new dresses with her birthday money. Then, a few months later, a new photo of this same little girl. She was wearing an obviously “special” dress in gold and pale blue. I can hardly explain why, but it made me cry to see that little dress.
In our house, like yours, a new dress or pair of shoes isn’t given, it’s a given. But I’m quite sure that this blue and gold dress (a dress I didn’t choose) is one of the best gifts I’ve ever had the honor of giving.
Oh Christie, what a beautiful story. I was the same way – sent off $20 with a couple clicks on the computer and didn’t really give it that much thought until Pedro’s mom said she bought him shoes. That was last year. And this year she bought him fishing equipment with his birthday money, which she described as “a blessing for the whole family.” Because you know he’s not fishing just for entertainment.
This is so poignant, so beautiful, so simple, so somber. . . . and yet, so joyful, so generous, so meaninginful. Somehow, Michelle, it reminds me of this verse: “How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good news.” Your money bought good shoes, because that’s what this child needs. But underlying it, you are bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ, who cared for the least of these. It seems to me that little Pedro whose feet are adorned now in pink-crock perfection is not the only one who has beautiful feet!
God bless you!
Lynn
What’s kind of interesting is that I don’t know if these pink crocks are his new birthday shoes or his old shoes. Either way, it kind of makes me sad. Because I can’t imagine my boys being happy not only with shoes as a birthday day, but PINK shoes no less. And if these were his old shoes, well then it breaks my heart that his only pair of shoes were a pair of pink, plastic girl shoes. You know what I mean?
Yes, I understand.You have a precious, sensitive heart. I don’t know…..but maybe when you dont have shoes at all, you’re just so thrilled, that you don’t think about the color. I’m not sure, but I get the sense that they were very grateful for your gift. And yes, as Americans, we need to think about what we value. Sometimes children get spoiled. I recall a child I observed who’d received a lot of nice gifts, and then was miffed because there were not more (and he was already ignoring the bounty he’d received). My MIL used not to give us gifts, but made donations in the poor in our names. That really struck me at a heart level. Thanks for bringing our awareness to all of this Michelle. I do hope that Pedro will get his soccer ball too!
May God richly bless little Pedro and his family . . . It’s so difficult for us, immersed in our comfort zones, to see those who love with so much less, where a pair of shoes is like manna from Heaven.
Thank you for sharing Pedro’s story, Michelle. I truly touched my heart.
Blessings!
Oh Michelle, I’m hearing you loud and clear. It’s all rather bittersweet, isn’t it? How this wee boy could revel in a soccer ball, or crayons and colouring books, or dinky cars. But…he needed shoes. Pink shoes? Not so much. I guess his Momma did what she could.
I think God is saying something to me today. Within this past hour, I have heard two appeals for shoes for needy kids. I need to do something about that. Thank you, Michelle. Good words today.
I love this, Michelle! Compassion! Hey, are you reading this? It deserves wider circulation! Reprint!
Yes, the joy of giving. I tecently sent a gift to abused youmg girls and women and they were overjoyed amd thankful for the gift. Little did they know that they made me so happy too. Bless your heart:)