Local Church Breaks World Record!
South Main Baptist Church collected
20,110 shoes for orphan children
Houston, TX – South
Main Baptist Church teamed up with Buckner International’s
“Shoes for Orphan Souls.” Celebrating 10 years of service
to orphans and at-risk children, the program has distributed
2 million pairs of new shoes to children from all over
the world.
To commemorate this decade of giving,
the congregation at South Main organized the “Sole
Chain” project to raise awareness of this cause and
the plight of orphans across the globe. On Saturday,
August 21, South Main broke the Guinness World Record
for the “Longest Chain of Shoes”. The
previous record was held by Soles for Souls at 19,856.
South Main Baptist church collected and arranged 20,110
new shoes in a chain in the church parking lot on August
21, 2010. (See photo on page 2.)
In past years, South Main’s collection
amounts have surpassed the number of pairs needed to
break this record on several occasions; however an
official attempt at the record was not verified. The
congregation decided that this challenge would motivate
those in the Houston-area, beyond the walls of the
church, to support the need for shoes. The Shoes for
Orphan Souls program played a vital role in the relief
efforts following the earthquake in Haiti, and these
supplies need to be replenished.
Henry Hill, South Main member who
has worked with Buckner each year to coordinate the
shoe drive says it’s “a great opportunity for us to
show orphaned and at-risk children that they are loved…through
a simple pair of shoes.”
As part of the record-breaking attempt,
all shoes collected during this year’s drive were lined
up to spell out “Send shoes. See smiles. Save souls.”
This design will be symbolic as the shoes are the focal
point of the message and represent what they truly
are: conduits of love.
According to The State of the World’s
Children as reported by UNICEF, there are 148 million
orphans around the world. Orphanages do not receive
enough funding to support the children in their care.
One of the greatest and most immediate needs is a pair
of shoes. Many of the children receive one pair of
shoes to last the entire year, and some don’t have
shoes at all.
Established in 1879, Buckner
International has been working to improve the lives
of children by providing humanitarian aid, transitional
living and foster care services, domestic and international
adoption, and support programs for children living
in orphanages around the world. More information
about Shoes for Orphan Souls may be found at www.shoesfororphansouls.org.
Founded in 1903, South Main Baptist
Church is located near downtown Houston at 4100 Main
Street, on the south end of Midtown. South Main Baptist
Church has been worshipping regularly in their current
sanctuary since 1918. South Main is a dynamic faith
community committed to being Christ’s people, reflecting
His light, and growing God’s kingdom. The church
embraces a legacy of diversity and a passion for
service in the community. The congregation worships
on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. with Bible
Study at 9:40 a.m.
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