5 days at the orphanage was definitely NOT long enough! Leaving those precious kiddos and widows was incredibly difficult, but we were blessed by our time there. The most moving and humbling experience of my life occurred on the last day. The ladies on my team and I were blessed by the privilege of washing the feet of the "Mothers" and cooks.
If you know me at all, you know that I am quite a germaphobe. So, the idea of washing someone's feet (mind you, the dirtiest feet you have ever seen) is not exactly an act you would equate with me. However, when this idea was mentioned in our pre-trip meetings I was beyond excited about pampering these very deserving women but also very nervous, for this was new ground.
Then I met them. I watched them work. I watched them clean. I watched them sweat over large pots of boiling food. I watched them sooth crying babies and sick children. I watched them walk shoeless on hard, hot, red dirt. I watched them serve. And I knew that I couldn't do anything but humble myself as my Sweet Savior had done for the disciples. John 13 tells of the most powerful, deserving, Holy being getting a basin of water and washing His' friend's feet. Why? Because He loved them. Because it was an outward symbol of the cleansing that His death would bring.
Christ calls us to serve one another and in doing this small act of washing these women's feet, I thought I was serving them. The truth was that I was actually the one being served. I was incredibly blessed by the surprised looks on their faces because a white girl knelt before them and washed their dirty, tired feet. I was blessed by their silent smiles. I was blessed by the happy chatter in a language I did not understand. I was blessed by the laughter that transcends all language barriers.
I WAS BLESSED when I thought I would be the one doing the blessing. The Lord works in mysterious ways and His ways are ALWAYS BIGGER than mine!
If you know me at all, you know that I am quite a germaphobe. So, the idea of washing someone's feet (mind you, the dirtiest feet you have ever seen) is not exactly an act you would equate with me. However, when this idea was mentioned in our pre-trip meetings I was beyond excited about pampering these very deserving women but also very nervous, for this was new ground.
Then I met them. I watched them work. I watched them clean. I watched them sweat over large pots of boiling food. I watched them sooth crying babies and sick children. I watched them walk shoeless on hard, hot, red dirt. I watched them serve. And I knew that I couldn't do anything but humble myself as my Sweet Savior had done for the disciples. John 13 tells of the most powerful, deserving, Holy being getting a basin of water and washing His' friend's feet. Why? Because He loved them. Because it was an outward symbol of the cleansing that His death would bring.
Christ calls us to serve one another and in doing this small act of washing these women's feet, I thought I was serving them. The truth was that I was actually the one being served. I was incredibly blessed by the surprised looks on their faces because a white girl knelt before them and washed their dirty, tired feet. I was blessed by their silent smiles. I was blessed by the happy chatter in a language I did not understand. I was blessed by the laughter that transcends all language barriers.
I WAS BLESSED when I thought I would be the one doing the blessing. The Lord works in mysterious ways and His ways are ALWAYS BIGGER than mine!
Jesus calls us to serve. It is not a choice......does not depend upon your mood......it is a command given by the One who so willing left His glorious home to serve you.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:" ~I Peter 4:10
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:" ~I Peter 4:10
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