November 3, 2009

His right foot is wrapped with plastic bags.

Coffee rushed in to the treatment center (aid-station) right before lunch and asked me if we could help this local worker who desperately needed a pair of shoes. I told him why not and asked Coffee to bring him in to me.

When the man came in, he had his left foot wrapped around with plastic bags and flip-flop on the right foot.

Wow… This is something I saw on T.V. on documentary films about the Korean War in 1950 or something. I asked him for his shoes size and found a pair of used combat boots for him. He was very happy and thankful for a used pair of boots.

He is happy for a new pair of shoes.

Before he left, I wanted to make sure the boots fitted him, so I had him sit down and try them on. We also gave him a pair of socks to wear with the boots.

When he took the plastic covers off on his left foot, we were surprised to what was underneath it. I kind of expected to see a barefoot with perhaps cuts and bruises or dirty, cracked, hardened foot. Well, everyone around must had the same impression, because we all were surprised for the same reason. =)

Underneath the cover, he had a combat boot on his left foot. So, basically he was wearing a flip-flop on his right foot and a combat boot on his left.

What a surprise! He has a boot underneath the plastic bag covers!

Dr. Rafi asked him what was this all about and he explained that he did not want to make the combat boot he found dirty and worn out. It would have been great if he could have found a pair, but unfortunately one was all he found.

We asked him to throw away the flip-flop and combat boot, but he refused and took them with him.

………

He would not throw away the mis-matched shoes!