On the Thursday before Good Friday, we often try to do a service project with our students. While our students all live here in Uganda, many of them live in the city and do not have as much exposure to life in the village where most people don’t have running water and electricity. While we are called to serve others in love every day, we choose this day in particular to do a school service project in order to remember Jesus’ example to us.
On the night before Jesus was crucified, at his last meal with his disciples, he washed his disciples feet. On the church calendar, this day is called Maundy Thursday, meaning “mandate.” The mandate given to followers of Christ is pretty clear. Love one another. Serve one another in love. After washing their feet Jesus said this his disciples,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
Wouldn’t it be beautiful if that is what followers of Jesus Christ were know for? Love
As our village Bible study group has grown to nearly 100 women, we wanted our students to be able to serve this group of women in particular. The women’s Bible study has been reading in the book of John in preparation for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. We joined their group this week and washed their feet. Since it was such a large group we had the students working together at 10 different washing stations, washing and drying feet and fetching and changing water. Washing feet is a very practical need here, especially during rainy season. Several of the women walk a distance to come to the Bible study. Sandals are commonly worn here just as they were in Biblical culture. It is fascinating how many things from the Bible make more sense to me after living in Uganda for 10 years. One highlight of this time was that David had the opportunity to wash the feet of our neighbor, Miriam. There was much laughter as it is highly unusual in this culture for men to serve women.
After serving the women from the Bible study, we took the students to a nearby primary school where they cleaned the classrooms, planted flowers, played games with the students and then read to them about Jesus life, death and resurrection. Our teachers had opportunities to answer questions and share the gospel. It was such a blessing seeing our students and teachers serve in so many ways.
After lunch the high schoolers went with me to the home of one woman from our Bible study group who lives in a small rented room with five of her children. Our students cleaned her room, fetched water, washed some of their clothes and visited with her family and neighbors.
This woman is wanting to start up a business selling Chapati, a local flat bread. She had been in this business before, but after having her last child, she has not yet had the resources to start back up. We were able to take her some of the items needed for restarting her business along with a few other necessities. It is our prayer that her business will be successful and she will be able to provide for the needs of her family.
That evening as we talked about the day as a family, some of my children’s comments convicted me. One of my kids said that we should not just be thinking about service on this day, but we should think about it always. Another one of my kids asked about Jesus’ answer to the rich young ruler in Matthew 19, where Jesus told him to sell all he has, give to the poor and follow Jesus. My son asked if we should be selling all of our things to give more away.
I am thankful that we follow a Savior who not only told us to serve one another in love, but also did that himself. He humbled himself not only to wash feet, but to die for us, that we might be raised to new life with Him. I pray that we will deeply know the love of Christ for us and that will motivate us all to serve one another in love.
