My precious feet.

As we were walking back from our last day at the well last week all I could think about was how badly my feet hurt. I begged God to teach me something from it.

This is what I learned: My feet are something I definitely take for granted.  I rarely think about using my feet as a source of transportation or a tool to share the gospel, joy, and love. After my time in the village, where my feet have never hurt so bad, I really feel like God was bringing feet to my mind. I know that sounds weird, but think about how often we take our feet, or any of our body parts, for granted. It could be something different for you, but God chose my feet to teach me a lesson.

I began to think back to my life in the US: the awesome desk I sat at, so I never had to stand at work, the endless amounts of couches and chairs to rest on when my feet hurt, the car I drive so I never have to walk anywhere, and the nail salon I go to for pedicures when my feet feel neglected. We even have shoes for everything: running, walking, work, play, water shoes, mountain shoes… all for our feet.  I began to wish I was back home as I hobbled back to our campsite. My feet hurt so bad. They had blisters on every side, there were cuts everywhere, mosquito bites around my ankles, and dirt and mud covering the very lovely shade of hot pink I chose to paint my nails just a few weeks ago. God really began to challenge me. I began to thank God for my feet. Although they were in an intense amount of pain, and I had the lovely red clay ground to rest on when I got back to camp, I had feet to walk, jump, play, dance, and run!

I began to think about the scripture where Jesus washes his disciples feet to set an example of what it means to be a servant. Now, here in Africa, we have dirty feet. Dirty. If we’re in the village or in Kampala we have dirty feet. So, last night for devotions I decided to do a lesson on Jesus washing the disciples feet and all the MST’s that were left, there are only 10 now, took turns washing each others feet. (Devotions are fun because we constantly are enlightened, taught, and encouraged by our peers.) In case you’ve never read John 13 it says this:

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.


When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Today I felt like God was continuing my lesson on how to be a servant and it included a young girls feet. We went to Katalemwa today, the hospital for children with pretty severe disabilities. It’s always difficult to go there, but so humbling. The children are facing conditions I would never wish on anyone, but their joy remains constant. There are children with burns, uneven limbs, missing fingers, missing toes, unable to walk, unable to feed themselves, etc. The emotion you get going here is really overwhelming. When we start our programs you quickly realize they are just like any child: they want to have fun, play, sing, do crafts, and are just full of joy!

I did games with Hannah today and after I do my part I always have to step out of the room to cool off. While I was sitting outside a girl, maybe 11, started to make her way out of the room. She was using crutches and it was easy for her to walk through the class because the ground was so smooth. I don’t know what her disability was, but she could barely muster enough strength to lift her feet at all to walk. When she got to the end of the classroom and the beginning of the outdoor walkway she was halted. I stood there for a minute trying desperately to move but her feet just couldn’t glide across the concrete. Because of the language barrier I didn’t jump in to help right away. When one of the “Aunties” who works there spoke to her I walked over to see where I could help. I didn't realize what we were doing or where we were going, but I grabbed her crutches and we headed down the hill. Just a few steps there and they started talking. She moved into the grass and they immediately started unbuttoning her clothes so she wouldn’t go to the bathroom in the shorts under her dress. I stood there, holding her dress as she knelt on the grass using the bathroom, just thinking about how I take my movement, my mobility, my feet completely for granted. When she was finished the Auntie picked her up to take her back to class and I looked down at her feet. They were wet. I stopped her, opened my bag, pulled out the only tissue I had in my bag and wiped her feet. I was completely in awe of the moment God had just blessed me with. I have never been more challenged about being a servant. 

My challenge to you is to spend time praising God for the small things in life we take for granted and to take the time to be a servant to someone around you! I am so incredibly thankful for a healthy, strong body! My goal for the next 2 weeks, next week in the village included, is to not complain and too watch where God wants me to serve.  It might be a very hard goal for me, but maybe if I continue to lift up praise and thanks for so many things I’ll be able to thank God in my pain, tiredness, frustration, confusion, or anything else that tends to keep me from him! As always, thank you for reading and I love you times a million!

Our feet after a long day of programs in Kampala. 

My feet after a day of working in the wells. 

Village feet! 

Prayer requests:

Our team is small now, just pray for unity and the strength to do more and more!

All of the MST’s that have gone home, that God would continue to work and reveal himself to them

The village trip next week: we are sticking true to the fact that this well is the biggest, yet. So strength and love to overflow through each of us!

The children we see each and every day, at all of the different projects, that God would continue to use us to teach them, love them, listen to them, and encourage them!