Angelo was all smiles after receiving his brand new TOMS Shoes.

HUAYCAN, Peru – Every day, Angelo lived with a painful secret.

So when Operation Blessing arrived to his school with brand new TOMS Shoes, he waited patiently in line with the other students to receive his gift—until he realized his feet would have to be measured.

The twelve-year-old did not want to take off his old, worn-out shoes; he even tried to turn around and leave. OBI staff reassured Angelo that there was no need to be ashamed. They wanted to give him new shoes that fit, but in order to do that, they needed to measure his feet first.

Reluctantly, Angelo slipped off his shabby shoes revealing the secret he’d been hiding: blistered, sore feet.

“My shoes are two sizes too small, and it hurts when I walk,” he told OBI staff. “That's why my feet are like that because the shoe is too tight for my size. I can’t ask my parents to buy me new ones, because they don’t have money. If I tell them, it would make them feel bad.”

Angelo had been wearing shoes two sizes too small for his growing feet, causing blisters and pain.

“We are seven brothers,” Angelo continued, “and the little money we have sometimes is not enough to eat.”

Staffers cleaned up Angelo’s feet and bandaged them. Then they gave him a new pair of TOMS Shoes that were just the right size, changing his shame to joy.

“Thank you so much Operation Blessing for this gift!” Angelo said. “My parents will be very happy and now I won't have to tolerate the pain of my old shoes!”

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Operation Blessing is helping to transform the futures of children like these by providing clean water, education assistance, nutritional feeding programs, medical care and more. Please make an online contribution toward OBI's orphan care programs today and help us continue to reach those in need.