Oral Roberts University students provide shoes for children in Iraq through giving and negotiation skills.

Soon, thousands of Iraqi children will have new shoes in time for winter, thanks to the efforts of Oral Roberts University (ORU) students, faculty and staff. The money for this project was raised through donations taken during twice-weekly chapel services. The university was able to greatly stretch their gift by involving students in the school of business.

ORU graduate business students in the marketing management class were assigned the task of negotiating the best price for the shoes. The business students were able to negotiate a price of $1.26 per pair of shoes, including shipping to Iraq. With $5,000 given during chapel, a total of 3,969 pairs of shoes will be purchased and distributed to children in Iraq.

“I am extremely proud of our students, faculty and staff. They give selflessly for missions projects and, combined with the efforts of our business students, their gifts will help a great number of children in Iraq,” said Dr. Mark Rutland, ORU president.

ORU is working on this project in cooperation with Terry Law Ministries World Compassion Shoes That Save program. World Compassion has also identified a donor who will match the ORU gift. With these two gifts and other donations already received, the total number of shoes being shipped to Iraq will come to almost 10,000 pairs.

Jason Law, Director of Development for World Compassion, said, “We are very excited and appreciative of the ORU efforts in the Shoes that Save program. Their significant gift has helped push us well over our goal in delivering another shipment of shoes to children in Iraq.”