Why I Go Barefoot

September 27th marked 800 days on my barefoot journey. When I think about the many questions I'm asked, the one that hits me is this: "is it worth it?"

My thoughts immediately go to so many things that have happened during the more than 2 years of being barefoot. A few that stand out:
~ The high school student that went barefoot (last winter in Colorado) for 30 days;
~ The elementary school that challenged their students to go barefoot for 3 days (they raised several hundred dollars);
~ The high school students that went to their prom barefoot;
~ The City of Conifer, CO who co-sponsored a Barefoot Festival, ~ and the multitude of people who were also inspired to do something to help me rescue more children out of being sexually exploited and held as sex slaves. Many of them motivated by my being barefoot.

Has it been worth it to be barefoot for 800 days? Ask any of the 190 girls that have been rescued with the funds that have been raised the past 2 years (72 last year and 118 so far this year). As I said after being barefoot for one year, "if my going barefoot will motivate even one person per year to action in a way that will help me rescue just one more child or young girl from being held as a slave in a brothel - I'll go barefoot the rest of my life."

Many people ask me if I plan to "ever" stop going barefoot. My friends, you cannot imagine how much I would love to just put a pair of socks on my feet, to feel the softness of the material around my feet and especially the warmth on a cold Colorado morning.

I've decided that I WILL stop going barefoot when one of 3 things happen.

1st - God speaks to me the same way He did the day He spoke to me in Cambodia on July 19th, 2010, when I first started going barefoot.
2nd - The last child is rescued from their nightmare in the brothels where they are held captive and sexually exploited and there's an end to child trafficking.
3rd - I'm dead.

I don't care what people think or what they say about my choice to go barefoot every day. As long as my going barefoot is used (and it is) to motivate people to action in such a way that it helps me rescue one more child, I'll go barefoot the rest of my life.

To those who think it would be easy, I'd like to challenge you to try going totally barefoot for 24 hours. Just one day. When you wake up, no shoes - no socks for a full 24 hours. Sunshine, rain, even if it's snowing. Driving, shopping, going to a restaurant (they're all legal). It will give you a small glimpse of what I've experienced for the past 800 days.

You can even get sponsors for your 24 hours. All the funds will be used to rescue more children from the nightmare of being used in the most heinous, evil way imaginable.

Will you accept the challenge?

I'm Barefoot for Freedom because Freedom brings JOY.

"No man is worth his salt, who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life , in a great cause." ~ Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

I know of no greater cause on earth today, than the plight of children who are being trafficked and forced into into the child sex trade.

~ Dr. Jeff Brodsky/Founder

BAREFOOT DAY 890:

The most painful experience so far in my barefoot journey happened this morning. When I stepped out of my house this morning, there was 2 inches of snow on the ground. It was 5º(F), -15º(C). Needless to say, the cold hit my bare feet immediately. It's about a 20 foot walk from my house to the car. I walked briskly. Thanks to my precious (and concerned) wife, the car had been warming up. Little did I know, the heater was not working properly so when I got in, cold air was blowing on my already wet, snow covered feet. My feet (especially my toes) were in severe pain. I was concerned about frostbite. I dried off my feet with a hand towel I have in the car, but the pain was still really bad.

As it happens, whenever I experience pain in my feet from being barefoot, my mind immediately takes me back to July 19th, 2010 when my Barefoot Journey began. I'm then reminded of why I started living barefoot in the first place. Although it doesn't take the pain away - it makes it much, much more bearable as I know the pain will eventually subside.

I thought about the Christmas Holiday yesterday. Even though I knew it wasn't anything close to a holiday for the girls we try to rescue, I would remain silent about it, as I didn't want to take away from the joy others were experiencing. I know the girls we try to rescue would not receive a gift - they would BE the gift for depraved men looking to "celebrate."

The more I thought about why I'm going barefoot (regardless of the conditions), the easier it was to bear whatever pain I was experiencing. My pain would eventually go away, the pain of these precious children would continue, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day - until the day they are rescued and set free from their bondage - or they die.

Many people ridicule me, laugh at me, tell me I'm crazy for being barefoot (especially during the cold Colorado winters), but I know what I heard the day I began this journey and I know what I heard one year later (when I was originally going to stop). That still small voice said; "Keep going, those children are still out there."

Is my going barefoot helping to actually rescue any children? After being totally barefoot now for almost two and half years I can say without hesitation, YES, it has definitely helped rescue children. I have seen how it has motivated others to action in helping me raise both awareness and much needed funds that are used to help secure those rescues.

My friends (and anyone else reading this), as long as there's another child who needs to be rescued from the nightmare and atrocity of the child sex trade, I WILL go barefoot until that last child is rescued - or I'm dead.

So to those who would rather discourage me instead of encouraging me, please stop telling me to end my Barefoot Journey. I will not stop. I will not quit. Not as long as there's another child who needs to be rescued. Instead, you can join me, not in going barefoot - but by helping me set another child free.

"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who do nothing about it." ~ Albert Einstein

Dr. Jeff Brodsky
President/Founder
JOY International

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy” ~ Psalm 126:5

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