USA (MNN) — Radio may be primarily for music, news, and instruction, but recently a group of radio stations proved that they can also be conduits for "doing" in Christ's name.
Buckner International hosts shoe drives around the country, collecting shoes and socks for their Shoes for Orphan Souls program. The shoes collected go to children around the world. The kids are given brand new shoes and are told how much Christ loves them.
For years, radio stations around the United States have been hosting shoe drives for this program. Buckner reports that some stations have been participating for as many as eight years.
"Radio stations are very important to our ministry," says Julia Stark, program manager for Shoes for Orphan Souls. "They help spread the word about the needs of children around the world and in the United States who don't have shoes. [Shoes for Orphan Souls] is in a unique position where they are able to get their listeners in the community to come together and serve with one common goal: giving children hope through a pair of shoes."
Participating stations this year included The Joy FM in Sarasota, FL; WMBW in Chattanooga, TN; WFCM in TN; WBFJ in Winston-Salem, NC; WDLM in East Moline, IL; WBGL in Champaign, IL; KLBT in Beaumont, TX; and KGLE in Glendive, MT.
Together, these stations collected 46,335 pairs of shoes and 41,579 pairs of socks.
"About a third of our total shoes received each year comes from radio station shoe drives," Stark says. "We couldn't do what we do without these stations and their listeners."
These shoes will keep children safe from disease and injury, and will also be one more step toward showing them Christ's love.
You can be a part of this exciting ministry. For more information about Shoes for Orphan Souls, visit www.shoesfororphansouls.com.
