This week has been the week of lasts. With only a few days left
here in India, we have been making lists and mapping out our time to make
the most of every day. It has been so on our hearts what it is we want to leave
behind here – what we want the kids to learn and take away from us, even after
we go.
Last night during evening prayer, we decided to have a
foot-washing with everyone at the Asha House.
Kristen talked about the life of Christ, and how He came to serve us,
and the way that He humbled Himself to serve the disciples in His life and
ministry. Afterwards, we brought in four
buckets of well water and a couple bars of soap, and the nine of us washed the
feet of all the children and the staff at the orphanage. Hesitant at first, they sat and smiled as we
scrubbed their dirty little feet and explained to each of them that we are here
to serve and love them like Christ. And because
they love Jesus, they get to serve each other too.
Once we started getting to the end of the line of children,
something awesome happened! They started grabbing our hands, excited, and
asking us to sit down so that they could wash our feet too.! An 11-year-old
girl named Himothi came up to me with broken English, “Rachel auntie – you,
you!“ as she sat me down in a plastic chair and kneeled on the floor. Smiling up at me, she washed my feet.
Oh, my heart.
Feeling so filled, so alive, and so encouraged tonight!
Thankful for the humble life that Jesus lived, so in love with the Body of
Christ that can love so well even through a culture barrier, and honored to be
able to serve a group of such wonderful kids. Praise the Lord!
PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
“Therefore if you have
any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his
love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death-
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
