responding ten fold

When we receive kindness and generosity from someone

do we always respond ten fold

or do we just say thank you and go about our business?

We may really be grateful and thankful 

but do we turn the blessing we received into blessing someone else or many others ten fold?

I wish I could say that I do this often or always

but the truth is I don't.

Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of meeting a man who took a small blessing to heart...

a blessing he received at the age of nine in his home land of Nigeria. 

He took that gift and did not go about his business, 

but rather decided to bless others ten fold, 

actually ten thousand fold,

and continues to change lives and hearts around the globe.

Meet Manny Ohonme of Samaritan's Feet.

God certainly had fun creating the deepest dimples in his cheeks I have ever seen 

and it's probably enhanced by how much he smiles. 

Manny's joy for the Lord radiates so brightly 

you almost need sunglasses to speak with him. 

His wife, Tracie is wonderful too, and it was such a treat to speak with her as well.

They have 4 children and live in South Charlotte, 

where they have  the Samaritan's Feet worldwide operation center and warehouse.

The vision for Samaritan’s Feet was conceived over 28 years ago on one hot summer afternoon at a camp in Lagos, Nigeria when a stranger from Wisconsin befriended a young African boy. The young boy, like so many other children in Africa and around the world, had never known the comfort and security of owning a pair of tennis shoes. This “Good Samaritan” gave a life-changing gift and a message of hope to that 9-year old boy. He gave him his first pair of shoes.

      With that new pair of shoes for inspiration, Emmanuel Ohonme went on to compete in sports activities in Africa. Specifically, he developed a love as well as superior talent for competitive basketball. His skill and confidence continued to flourish; his hard work and determination to succeed finally paid off. He was offered the chance to attend an institution of higher learning in America under a full basketball scholarship! He met his wife, Tracie, while attending the University of North Dakota (Lake Region) and he later earned an executive position in a leading technology company. In spite of his successes in America, Manny never forgot the other little boys and girls in Africa who were still living under the strain of poverty, drug abuse, war, gangs and other criminal activity. Determined to help impoverished people in Africa, Manny left the comfort and security of his executive position to birth the vision of Samaritan’s Feet.      

       Manny is happily married to Tracie, his wife of sixteen years. They now reside in Charlotte, North Carolina with their four children Nike, Dele, Yemi, and Wale. Together, they are working to make the vision of Samaritan's Feet to put 10 million pairs of shoes on the feet of 10 million orphans and impoverished children in this country and around the world a reality. Through Samaritan’s Feet, Manny has the opportunity to continue the legacy of love and hope he received when he was given his first pair of shoes and make a difference in the lives of millions.
         
Schedule Manny to speak at your church, school or group! Just send an email
    to info@samaritansfeet.org and a representative will contact you to schedule a time.

300 million people wake up each morning without a pair of shoes to protect their feet from injury and disease. 

The goal of Samaritan’s Feet is to provide shoes to 10 million of these individuals in the next 10 years 

by teaching them a biblical story of faith, hope, and love, demonstrating those truths in touching them by washing their feet, and treating them to a new pair of shoes and socks.

Please check out their wonderful website and see how many ways 

you could get involved with this amazing organization. 

There are so many ways to help! 

And let Manny be an inspiration to us all and to our children to dream BIG 

and look for opportunities to bless others each day.

Makes me think of this scripture...

Luke 12:48

From everyone who has been given much,

much will be demanded; 

and from the one who has been entrusted with much, 

much more will be asked.

Blessings,

Caroline