In His Footsteps: Local group spreads ministry through shoe program

Shopping for shoes isn't a big deal for most people.   But for Love Lockman and the congregation at Seymour Christian Church, shoes have become a spiritual symbol of their love and ministry.

Through Soles for Souls, the church is "reaching out to put shoes and socks on the feet of children who can't afford them," Lockman, wife of Seymour Christian Church pastor Bill Lockman, said.

The project is two-fold, helping both poverty-stricken children in another country as well as children right here in Seymour.

On a mission

Last week, a group of youth from the church set off on an 11-day mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Awaiting their arrival were 400 children from the village of Navarette, many of whom have never owned their own shoes before, Love Lockman said.

The Seymour Christian youth, along with adult sponsors, were scheduled to spend their time working at a Vacation Bible School and basketball camp they helped set up.

Before the group departed the United States on July 10, they boxed up more than 400 pairs of brand new shoes, purchased by the church as gifts for those attending the camp.
"The average price we paid was $7 a pair," Lockman said of the shoes. "The Lord really blessed us to be able to do this."

A shoe addiction

As a self-proclaimed "shoe-aholic," Lockman said the project was right up her alley.
"I have a shoe addiction," she said laughing. "So this is what God has called me to do."

Lockman said she got the idea for the Soles for Souls program after watching a television show called The Lord's Boot Camp. On the show, Lockman said she witnessed a traditional foot washing ceremony.

"The kids on the show ended up washing the feet of the poor and putting new socks and shoes on them, similar to what Jesus did for His disciples," she said. "It was very moving and a light bulb just went off in my head. I felt a stirring in my heart that God wanted me to do this."

Knowing that the youth were going to be taking a mission trip, she asked her son, Stephen, 17, if he thought giving the kids new shoes was a good idea.

"He said, "Mom, they need them so bad. If they even have shoes they have to share them and some of the boys wear high heels just to have something on their feet," she said.

At first, Lockman said she thought the church could pull off 100 pairs. So they started a fundraiser in April.

But with donations from members of the congregation, the church was able to purchase enough pairs for all 400 children attending the camp.

‘The greatest thing
you can do'

Like The Lord's Boot Camp, Love said the Seymour Christian youth would perform a foot washing ceremony on the first day of camp and place the new socks and tennis shoes on the kids' feet.

This will be Stephen Lockman's third mission trip to the Dominican Republic where he's helped construct buildings and spread the word of God.

"It's so rewarding," he said. "Being able to help others like this is the greatest thing you can do."

He said he was looking forward to participating in the foot washing ceremony.

"It will be really humbling, and make you think how fortunate we are," he said.

Both Love and Stephen said the best part of the program is not what they are giving, but what they are receiving in return.

"The smiles it will put on the kids' faces," Stephen said. "That's what we are in it for."

"That's something I can't wait to see," Love added.

Poverty at home

But Soles for Souls doesn't end when the group gets back from their mission trip.

Lockman said she began to wonder just how great the need for shoes was in Seymour after talking to her cousin Marti Colglazier, principal at Seymour-Jackson Elementary School.

"I wanted to know if there was a need in our own community," she said. "So I talked to some other school principals and I was amazed at how much poverty we have."

Once they get back from the Dominican Republic, the church will work to fulfill nearly 400 more requests for new shoes from parents of children who attend Seymour Community Schools.

A form was sent home at the end of the school year to each elementary-school aged child. Parents were to fill out the forms and return them with the number of new pairs of back-to-school shoes they needed.

"We will be filling the orders making sure any child who needs them has a new pair of shoes to return to school with in August, no strings attached," Love said.

Shoes will be available at back-to-school nights, she added.

Making it bigger

The congregation has raised a total of $4,000 so far since Soles for Souls began.

"We would love to make it bigger," Love said. "There are so many people willing to help that we would love to expand it to include coats and backpacks. This is something that has really touched my heart."

Jenny Lockman, Love's sister-in-law said she was glad she could be a part of the project.

"I'm so glad to see the church reaching out, because that is part of our mission," she said while boxing up pair after pair of shoes.

Hattie Jaynes, 16, also helped box shoes and said she was looking forward to the mission trip.

"It's something I wanted to do just to help kids," she said of going to the Dominican Republic. "I think the shoe idea was great. Right after we heard about it I went out and bought like 12 pairs of shoes."

Besides participating in the foot washing ceremony, Jaynes said there were a couple of other activities she was excited about.

"Teaching them about sports and Jesus is going to be fun," she said.

How to help

To make sure they have enough shoes for the Soles for Souls program, the congregation would like to see the community get involved. Individuals and businesses can make tax-deductible donations for the Soles for Souls program to Seymour Christian Church, 915 Kasting Road, Seymour, IN 47274.