By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Nazarene denomination has sponsored and built a church and hospital in Papua New Guinea. In order to raise funds for those poverty stricken areas, the Great Bend First Church of the Nazarene is hosting a shoe drive.
Kevin Wondra serves on the local Nazarene Mission Council and said the goal is to collect 2,500 pairs of shoes.
"Those people that live in the forest and the mountains, they don't get to the doctor very often," said Wondra. "Living in the huts like they do, that's where they do the majority of their cooking...they have a lot of breathing issues, especially with the little kids. They're trying to get this solar-powered breathing machine so the people don't have to come down the mountain to the hospital to get breathing treatments."
The shoes can be gently used or new, any style and any size. The shoes can be dropped off at the church, located at 4811 Broadway Avenue in Great Bend. There will be a special drop-off Saturday, April 5 to make the process even easier.
"You can just drop them out there any time, but this Saturday we're having a drop-off," said Wondra. "Members of our Mission Council will be there. People can just drive up, we'll grab the shoes from them and thank them. They don't even have to get out of their vehicles."
The drive-through shoe drop-off Saturday will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.