Navajo Children Shop With
OBI
The bumpy dirt
road guided the vehicles out of the Navajo Reservation towards Farmington,
New Mexico. One hundred excited children and their parents were taking an
Operation Blessing Back-To-School shopping trip. Having already driven sixteen
hours from their home in Riverside, California, outreach center leaders
Charlie and Linda Lotshaw were happy that all of their planning was coming
to fruition. Meet a couple of the special children our partners helped…
The JC Penney store in Farmington had 100 unique customers last August.
For one day Navajo children were rescued from their lives of poverty and
shopped like any other school-age boys and girls. Motivated by the gift
certificate in their hand, each child picked out new clothes and shoes for
the upcoming school year. When the shopping carts were filled with everything
from underwear to socks and the “in” jeans, there was an extra
surprise!
Moved by the children’s plight, store manager Mr. Followell and
the JC Penney employees had bought each student a backpack as well as
muffins and drinks to snack on. Sixteen-year-old TJ was one of the most
grateful recipients to have ever participated in any outreach. He jumped
up and down when he received one of the backpacks! No one would have ever
guessed the teen had every reason to be angry and sad. TJ’s young
life had already been filled with tragedy. In 1996 he was severely burned
in a house fire. Third degree burns covered 40% of his body, TJ’s
left arm had to be amputated and his family was left homeless. Three years
later his 18-year-old brother died. Putting all of this behind him, TJ
chose to grasp everything life had to offer, enjoy the day, and look forward
to the future!
Keanu, 6, also received new clothing, a backpack and supplies during
the Farmington shopping day. Born with congenital scoliosis and living
with one working kidney, the little boy still insisted on holding the
bags containing all of the new purchases. “I really appreciate you
so much for your love and kindness,” shared Grandmother Esther who
is raising Keanu. The grandmother was so appreciative she lent us a hand
by delivering food to other families on the reservation.
Last year over 42,000 school-aged children received clothes and school
supplies in the United States. An additional 12,864 students living in
13 other countries benefited from the international program. Back-To-School
2003 is launching across the country in the next few weeks! Your gift
of just $25 can help prepare a child for school. Your gift can fill two
different needs that children living in poverty have. It provides them
with new clothes and supplies, as well as boosts their self-confidence
for that nerve-wracking first day of school.
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