The FLIP-FLOP DROP! Kolkata, India

"God, where do I fit? How can I make a difference? Please speak to me." Can't tell you how many times these questions have been cried out in prayer by me. After we arrived back from India in January, so many of our friends in Tennessee wanted to know how they could get children involved with our new focus, Calcutta Mercy (CM). To make an effort or cause tangible to children, I've learned you make it just that, tangible or touchable. Certain my prayer was answered with the idea, I quickly pitched the  flip-flop idea to ministry friends who spun it with their creativity to form the plan and run with it! There were the questions as to how the flip-flops were to be shipped and of the shipping cost. God worked that out, too! Our CM Team Member was to accompany the founder to Calcutta the end of July. <ding, ding, ding> Suitcases stuffed with flippy-floppies from Tennessee, they were off...even through history's largest power outage affecting 670 million people in India, including Calcutta! The following are excerpts from the experience capturing both the heart & the moment...

The Assembly of God Tennessee district boys and girls sent LOADS of flip flops for the Calcutta Blind School...

But they weren’t just any flop-flips… they were texturized with balloons, ribbons, charms… all things the kids would enjoy feeling since they could not see.

There was a huge open space and plenty of room to spread them out… so why not let the the students choose the ones they want?

And that’s what we did. We lined them up and kept some nearby in a suitcase while we invited the kids to come down.

...the children shyly began coming forward holding each other’s hands…

When the girls first touched them they giggled with delight… Then the boys– they were like kids at Christmas! I’ve never seen such a frenzy when they realized what was happening…. and then the discovery of the suitcaseIt was so sweet– they were all crowding around trying to see which ones I hadn’t pulled out. (Which  they immediately assisted in distributing)

I noticed the boys had a pair of flip flops pulled out to the side and were crowded around… I have to admit I was a little worried when I saw the pair of light-up flip flops and wondered why  these were packed… was I ever wrong.

I was stunned to see the kids hitting the bottom of the shoe and placing it close to their eyes. (The director) explained that some of them have very little vision but can see flashes of light. These flip-flops were PERFECT for those who could!

Thank you Tennessee for helping bring joy into the lives of these children!

Now that you've seen some of photos from the blind school, please take the time to record your thoughts in the comment section below. And, if you'd like to know more of how you can help, visit Calcutta Mercy.

~"Sam"