DIRECTOR'S BLOG

Dr. Sam Martin

“…He now showed them the full extent of his love… he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.” John 13:1, 4

Some years ago whilst visiting a Mission in Haiti, at the end of a teaching session, a man got up and came over to where I was sitting, he had a basin of water and he washed my feet and prayed for me. In some ways I was taken aback. I felt very unworthy. This had never happened before but it was a deeply moving experience, one I have never forgotten.

Some years later as we prepared to distribute shoes to needy children in Guatemala. I was challenged by the words found in John 13: “He now showed them the full extent of his love … he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist … and began washing the disciple’s feet.” In particular, ‘He showed the full extent of His love.”

Giving out shoes and socks was a practical expression of our love, but the children needed to know that we were doing this as an expression of the love of Jesus for them! So we began by doing what Jesus did, we knelt down with a basin of water and washed their feet, then we place on their feet new socks and shoes. As we did this, we told the story from the Gospel.

However we did not stop there. Each team member then laid his or her hand the head off the child and prayed for them.

Mission Teams continue to share in this ministry, and it is a true expression of the Gospel, Think about it, picture it please. We bend down, we remove the old socks and shoes. We then wash their feet and put on new socks and shoes.

Is this not a picture of our salvation, of what Jesus does for us? He comes down to where we are, and by the shedding of His blood on the Cross, He washes away our sin, the old ways and then He gives us new life, and we walk in that newness. This is the story we want the children to hear and see and it helps adults discover what it means to be a servant!